Grandma Thora's Appreciation Day/Fern's Slumber Party Arthur

# Every day you walk down the street Everybody that you meet

# Has an original point of view

-# And I say, hey!

-Hey!

# What a wonderful kind of day We can learn to work and play

# And get along with each other

# You gotta listen to your heart Listen to the beat

# Listen to the rhythm of the street

# Get together and make things better By working together

# It's a simple message And it comes from the heart

# Believe in yourself For that's the place to start

-# And I say, hey!

-Hey!

-What a wonderful kind of day

# We can learn to work and play And get along with each other

# What a wonderful kind of day - hey! What a wonderful kind of day - HEY! #

Hey, DW!

-Hey!

-Whoa!

Last night, DW and I stayed at Grandma Thora's

and learned some terrible things.

After supper, what if we play Parcheesi?

Thanks, but we'd prefer to watch TV.

Well, you know, I don't have cable.

But I do get public television clear as a bell.

Aw.

Aw.

Then it got worse.

I'm afraid I don't have any goodies. My doctor is strict with me.

But here are some no-salt, low-fat potato chips.

And if that wasn't bad enough...

-Argh!

-What?!

-It's teeth. It's Grandma's teeth!

-Yuck!

-We didn't get much sleep that night.

It's been so nice having you here. I get lonely without you sometimes.

Grandma Thora must be the saddest person in the world.

No cable, no-taste potato chips.

-And she has to keep her teeth in a glass!

-And she's lonely without me.

Arthur, we have to do something.

Isn't that a good idea -

a surprise party for Grandma Thora?

-But what's the occasion?

-The kids are upset because Grandma seems sad.

It's actually a great idea.

Sort of a Grandma Thora appreciation day. I like it.

-We could invite all her friends.

-And decorate the house with balloons.

-It was OUR idea!

-And we want to do it by ourselves.

-Planning a party is a lot of work.

-How hard can it be?

You invite people and they come.

Let's keep it small - just Grandma Thora's closest friends.

Can't we rent an elephant or a zebra?

No elephants, DW. Just a nice quiet party. ..Are you listening, Arthur?

Yes, Mom, a nice quiet party.

A party? You're having a party?

No. NO!

I was asking Mrs MacGrady. It's a party for my gran. You can't come.

I mean, you wouldn't want to come. It's a party for old people.

If you don't want to include us with your older friends, that's OK.

HE SNIFFS

Oh, all right, you can come. Just don't tell anyone else.

THEY CHEER

Party! Party! Party! Party!

We're ruined. We've only been planning for a day and we're ruined.

Maybe they'll forget. And anyway, it's only 25 people.

Mom will freak!

Arthur! DW! You're so quiet. What are you up to?

-We're writing our lists.

-..Of what we must do to make the party perfect.

Sounds very responsible. Let me know if you need help.

BOTH: We won't!

-Thanks for not telling.

-We're in it together. If you go down, so do I.

At least we've done the first thing.

And tomorrow we can buy the food.

I'm not sure I like you shopping without me.

-Mom, we want to do everything...

-By yourselves. I know. Em, OK.

Don't worry about a thing.

-DW, come on! Oh-oh, I forgot my list!

-Don't worry. I have mine.

DW, this is just scribbles.

It is not. See - it spells...candy.

It spells sypxth.

Oh, Arthur, I'll read and you buy.

Didn't you get anything besides candy?

It was the only thing on DW's list.

It was cheap and we need lots of food.

-What do you mean? How many people did you invite?

-I don't know...

About...

-What did you say?

-I couldn't help it. They all like Grandma Thora.

I knew he shouldn't have done it, but he never listens to me, never...

Boy, if I were Mom, I'd make you live in the garage. What's next?

Ways to invite Grandma Thora.

Mmm...

We'll send this right out, DW.

Zszxpaoutwr?

What does this mean?

That must be for me.

"Please go to DW's house for a surprise party."

That is the most ridiculous thing I ever heard.

-Only cos YOU didn't think of it.

-We should just call her.

Which leaves only one thing to do - decorate.

Here, Arthur.

-What is this?

-It's a balloon.

-Balloons are round, DW, not flat.

It's not my fault. I've small lungs.

Now I'm going to have to blow up all the balloons,

plus do all the decorating. You're not helping!

-How's it going? Want some help?

-Yes.

-No. We're doing it ourselves.

-We'll never get this finished by tomorrow!

We will if you stop goofing around.

Hello, Thora, how nice to see you!

BOTH: Grandma!

You'll never believe it. My car went bust at the end of your street.

Did you hear that, kids? Grandma's car broke down and she's coming in!

Are you all right, dear?

We're fine, just fine.

Is everything OK in there?!

Fine, just fine!

If this is a bad time, I can walk home and call my mechanic.

No! No problem. Come on in.

But how come you're staying overnight?

Because Hank can't fix my car until tomorrow. It makes sense to stay.

But you'll hate it. Kate snores. You'll never get your beauty rest.

And we don't have any extra toothpaste. Arthur!

(DW?

(Ready.)

Yuck!

Remember, we have to be very, very quiet.

-SQUEAK!

-AH!

-Ssh!

That's it. That's the last thing on the list.

-We can finally go to sleep.

-I think you forgot something.

"Bake the cake." Oh, no!

-That's a pretty cake.

-It's too complicated. We need a simple one -

-like this.

-Now what?

We have to read the recipe. "1 lb flour."

What's a lb?

OK, skip that part.

"Two sticks of butter...

-"And one cup of milk." Ready?

-Ready.

-Turn it off!

-I can't see!

-Hi! What brings you here?

-Mom, Dad...

Son?

BOTH: Help!

Here we are. One beautiful cake and four delicious cupcakes.

This was fun. Can we stay up tomorrow?

No!

It's the darndest thing, Hank. You'd think they'd been up all night.

That's fine. I'll wait for you in the driveway.

OK, everybody, find a place to hide. Thora should be here any minute.

You did tell Grandma to come at two?

BOTH: Oh, no!

-She's not answering!

-I can't believe we forgot to invite Grandma

to her own surprise party!

-Why didn't you put it on your list?

-Why didn't you put it on yours?

I can't write! You know that!

There's only one thing to do.

PARTY!

It's a good thing there was pizza in the freezer.

Almost ready. Thora, could you take this tray...?

-Thora!

-Grandma!

-Grandma, you came!

-I was worried about you.

You were all so tired and acting so strangely. What's going on?

Nothing. Just...stay there!

Grandma, could you come here a minute?

SURPRISE!

But why? It's not my birthday.

-But we wanted to give you a party so you wouldn't be sad.

-Sad?

-I'm not sad. Why should I be...?

-But we thought you were sad.

-We made this party so you wouldn't be sad.

-Oh, that's right, DW.

I was a little sad.

But now, after this party, I'm the happiest grandma in the world.

All right!

Now that you are all gathered here, I can reveal the name of...

Oh, em, hello...

I don't really have anything to say.

Well, hello. Nice to see you.

-Have you introduced the show yet, Fern?

-No.

-Well, speak up, sweetie.

When Arthur does it, he looks right into the camera - like this.

-The last scene is so...

-Mom, don't give it away.

-But...

Just go to the title card - maybe that swimming one.

Hi!

Open house time, huh? Nice borders.

-Really creative, Mrs Walters.

-Thanks, Hank. Fern's creative too.

-What do you like to do, Fern? Sing, draw, sculpt?

-Read.

100 copies, please.

Corkie's Computers is sponsoring a children's computer workshop.

-We should sign you up.

-Why? Dad taught me about computers.

-Exactly.

You know more than anyone else. You could teach everyone.

I have just invented artificial intelligence -

a thinking, talking computer.

AUDIENCE GASPS

I will recite a poem of my own composition - 011101.

Ahem...

011101

001111

000000

110011.

Em, this is my...

..Computer. Her computer. I began life as a chip off the old block.

My parents were clones of one of those expensive systems,

so we got no respect.

But seriously, folks, the worst display space, no dual-page ads,

no respect.

Just like an inventor I know!

Just kidding, Fern.

2,000 signatures! I wish we had three more of you, Doria.

Fern will be helping soon. She's a wonderful speaker.

She could charm the fish out of a fish bowl.

Fern, tell us what you accomplished this week.

Well, I ended global warming.

And yesterday, I found a completely natural oil-spill cleanser.

'She's a wonderful speaker. She could charm the fish out the bowl.'

Em...

The state of our oceans is, em...very important...

-SNORING

-..not very good.

We need to, em, stop polluting... our precious...

em, our most precious...

resource. What I mean to say is...

although...although our ocean has... an open house...

Well, I hope we'll see you at the open house.

Ready to go, Fern?

-They all look different, Mrs Walters.

-Yes, Arthur.

Each cookie is a different, famous landmark. Fern, pass them out.

I'll do it. I love to distribute.

You'll get a cookie to suit your personality.

Arthur, you get the Liberty Bell because you're cracked.

-What a pretty bracelet.

-My mother bought it at a yard sale.

I think it belonged to Cleopatra.

It says, "Made in Japan."

That was stamped on there to fool the Romans to stop them stealing it.

This one must be for you. I don't know what personality IT is.

Ah-ha! These cookies contained an insidious East Bora-Borian peanut

that turned the eater into a mindless zombie.

Another case solved by the brilliant Fern Watson!

Holmes, it's time to feed the hound of the Baskervilles.

What would you like more than anything in the world?

-A detective kit!

-Don't be silly.

The one thing you've always wanted is a slumber party!

-Oh.

-It's just what you need to develop your social skills.

Put that detective stuff away and we'll plan the perfect party.

OK. I'll do the invitations.

They're done.

Well, the design is very nice, Fern, but where's the information?

That IS the information. It's from The Adventure Of The Dancing Men.

I have the date, time and place in secret code.

-What if they can't decode it?

-Then, they won't come.

They don't want to come anyway. They know my party will be boring.

No-one thinks that!

My mom's making me go to Fern's party and it'll be boring.

I might as well wear my sleeping bag. I'll be asleep so fast!

But I bet her mom makes cookies and pizzas and hamburgers.

You can't just eat the whole time.

We'll just have to make our own party and bring our games and toys.

Fern won't mind. She'll be happy. We're saving her from being dull.

- I'll bring my portable trampoline. - I'll bring Decathlon Debbie.

See? This party will be just great.

Mom, you don't need to stick around when everyone gets here.

-I can handle everything.

-But I...

You take charge, hostess. You won't see me until dinner.

DOORBELL RINGS

I need help with my luggage.

- What did you bring, Muffy?

-- I have to be ready for all kinds of weather.

-Indoors?!

ALL: Wow!

I have some ideas for games.

We brought games so you won't have to worry about entertainment.

-Aren't you relieved?

-Oh, well...

Good!

I win again! My bracelet is not only ancient, it's lucky!

-Can we please play something else?

-I thought...

-Paddle-ball contest!

-THEY GROAN

Not something else that you'll win!

I may not win, Sue Ellen. Nothing in life is certain.

- Time for Decathlon Debbie.

- I brought Amazonia. She can wrestle Decathlon Debbie.

Decathlon Debbie doesn't wrestle!

-I brought a label maker. What needs identifying?

-Let's decide something.

Jen and Muffy should be doing this.

They want to do what they want to do.

Hey! You ruined her hair!

If she loses the gold medal, you're in trouble.

< This is stupid. I can play by myself at home.

Dinner will be ready soon.

-What's wrong?

-Nothing.

-What are the girls doing?

-Being bored.

Ah! My bracelet! It's gone!

Calm down. There's a simple solution to this. Where did you put it down?

If I knew that, the bracelet wouldn't be lost!

Get a search party. Did anyone bring walkie-talkies?

Boredom and then loss of valuables. What a disaster!

What if my bracelet's gone forever?

-I think I know where it is.

-What?! Where is it?!

I could tell when the party began, strange forces were afoot.

When Francine arrived, I could see the distinctive piece on her wrist.

Other guests arrived, hidden motives safely tucked away.

As the clock struck 4, the bracelet had not left its owner's arm.

But then...

That's right. I took it off and I put it... Now it's gone.

OK. Who took it?

ALL: I didn't take it!

Please! All in good time.

-Muffy, you took it!

-I did not!

Francine, we can't keep going back and forth with you accusing people.

-Sorry.

-It was Jenna's turn to play a part in the goings-on.

Jenna, do you want to watch a video?

Jenna, you ate my bracelet?!

ALL: Francine!

Jenna, Mrs Walters will be mad if you make a mess in her house.

Stupid fringe.

THUNDER ROARS

- I don't remember a thunderstorm. - Ssh!

It's atmospheric!

But as dinner hour approached...

My bracelet!

So we return to the scene of the events.

The question is, who took the bracelet and where is it now?

It is time to reveal all.

My bracelet!

-So how did it end up there?

-The key was Prunella's neatness.

When I saw the table was bare, I realised someone had cleaned it.

I knew who it was.

Oh, Jenna!

Fern, you are SO observant!

You're a regular Encyclopedia Brown.

He's a bit of an amateur.

The truly great detective is...

"..Mr Holmes, they were the footprints of a gigantic hound.

"They had gone a mile or two

"when they passed a shepherd on the moor..."

I knew this party was a good idea.

# And I say, hey!

# What a wonderful kind of day We can learn to work and play

# And get along with each other

# You gotta listen to your heart

# Listen to the beat Listen to the rhythm of the street

# It's a simple message And it comes from the heart

# Believe in yourself For that's the place to start

# What a wonderful kind of day HEY!

# We can learn to work and play And get along with each other

# What a wonderful kind of day HEY! #