Buster's New Friend

(Int Arthur's Room Day)

Arthur: You know, this room is like a museum. Everything in here has a meaning like this red softball. It's not just any old softball.

(Ext Outside Flashback 1)

Arthur: (V.O.) It's from when Buster and I got chased by that house painter.

(The softball lands in the painter's paint can causing paint to splash on the painter.)

House Painter: Aaaahhhhh! (Growls)

Buster and Arthur: Uh-oh.

(painter chases them.)

(Cut back to Arthur's Room)

Arthur: Or that Bionic Bunny Poster.

(EXT OUTSIDE FLASHBACK 2)

(Buster and Arthur get the poster signed by the real Bionic Bunny.)

Arthur: (V.O.) Buster and I got that poster autographed by Bionic Bunny himself in person.

Buster: Cool!

Arthur: Wow! Gee thanks Bionic Bunny.

Bionic Bunny: (burps) Don't mention it.

Arthur: Bye.

(Cut back to Arthur's Room.)

Arthur: Or take this magnet. An ordinary magnet right? Wrong. This magnet is from the time when Buster and I almost stopped being friends.....forever.

(Introduction is said in Binky's Voice and We cut to Arthur's Living Room where Arthur is experiencing his magnet and watching t.v..

T.V. Announcer: Up next it's a half-hour of action packed thrills with Earth's Mightiest Superhero Bionic Bunny.

(D.W. comes in.)

D.W.: What's that? A horse shoe?

Arthur: It's a magnet. It's for the science project I'm doing with Buster. He's coming over to watch Bionic Bunny and then we're gonna work on it together.

D.W. Oh. But Bionic Bunny's starting now.

Arthur: Buster will be here. He always makes it in time.

Bionic Bunny: (on TV) Must stop missile!

D.W. Maybe Buster doesn't like Bionic Bunny anymore.

Arthur: (getting annoyed) He'll be here. Okay? He's probably just running a little late.

President of the United States: (on TV shakes Bionic Bunny's hand) Thanks for saving the world Bionic Bunny.

Reporter: (on TV) But who are you really?

Bionic Bunny: (on TV) Just a citizen trying to do his duty. (he flies off)

Reporter: (on TV) Aaaaaaawwwwwwwwwww!

D.W. Buster missed the whole episode.

Arthur: Something must of happened.

(Ext Hallway)

(Arthur dials 555-1212)

Arthur: Hello. May I speak with Mrs. Baxter, please?

(Cuts to Elwood City Press Meeting Room)

Buster's Mom: What!? Buster missing? But I just spoke with him. Yes, he's miniature golfing with his new friend, Mike. Oh, is that all? Arthur, don't scare me like that.

(Back to Arthur)

Arthur: His new friend, Mike. Who's Mike?

(Next day outside the school)

Arthur: So, where were you yesterday? I missed... uh... I mean you missed Bionic Bunny.

Buster: Yeah. I went mini golfing with my new friend, Mike. He got a hole in one. (Laughs). It was great!

Arthur: Yeah? Who's Mike?

Buster: Ah, Mike's great! He's the best mini golfer I ever seen. And he has lots of cool CD's. Everyone who knows him think he's really cool.

(Cuts to golf course fantasy)

(Buster and Mike are riding bikes to the Elwood City Mini Golf course. As they  walk by, people are fascinated by "Mike". Arthur is waiting by the entrance with his golf club over his shoulder. Mike invites him to join  them to play.)

(Back to school)

Arthur: Maybe the three of us could do something together sometime.

Buster: Yeah. Maybe Mike could help us out on our science project. I bet he knows a lot about magnets.

Arthur: Okay. Bring him over to my house after school.

Buster: Great!

(school bell rings)

(In Arthur's Room)

(Arthur's mom walks in)

Mom: I brought up a snack for you and your friends.

Arthur: Thanks, mom. They should be here any minute.

Mom: Have a good time.

(Arthur begins to eat the popcorn and drink the juice brought up. Time passes, still no sign of Mike and Buster)

Arthur: So if the magnetic field goes out sideways from the pole of the magnet...

(Arthur's mom walks in)

Mom: Arthur? What happened to Buster and Mike?

Arthur: I guess they must have forgotten.

Mom: Oh, dear. Well, it's almost time for dinner.

Arthur: Okay. I'll be down in a minute. Yeah I bet the forgot.

(Cuts to fantasy of "Mike" hypnotizing Buster)

"Mike": Repeat after me. I will not go over to Arthur's house.

Buster: I will not go over to Arthur's house.

"Mike": I will never visit Arthur again.

Buster: I will never visit Arthur again.

(End of fantasy)

(Next day at school during lunch)

Francine: Arthur? Arthur! Anybody home?

Arthur: Sorry. I was just wondering where Buster is. He never seems to be around anymore.

Francine: Tell me about it.

(Flashback to Francine and a few kids playing a baseball game)

Francine VO: He was supposed to be the catcher for us the other day. But he never showed up.

(Ball goes into bushes)

Brain: I'm not getting it. You get it.

Francine: Forget it!

(End of flashback)

Francine: When I asked him why he didn't show, he said he was with his friend, Mike.

Muffy: That's nothing! You know how Buster's such an expert on bikes? Well...

(Flashback to Muffy at the bike shop)

Muffy VO: He was supposed to be at the bike store to help me pick one. But he never showed up. So I just had to buy them all.

(Movers load bikes on a truck)

(End of flashback)

Francine: What a drip!

Brain: I recently had a similar experience involving Buster.

(Flashback to Brain playing computer games at his home)

Brain VO: I had arranged to play Space Invader 9 with him over the Internet. He was to dial into my computer at 5:00. But he never did.

(End of flashback)

Muffy: So what?

Brain: Well, it's much less fun playing on your own.

Francine: Whatever. The point is what are we gonna do about it? We can't just let Buster keep ignoring us like this.

Muffy: How about we give him the silent treatment?

Francine: I don't know. The silent treatment is pretty harsh. Arthur?

Arthur: Buster needs to learn how it feels to be ignored. Let's try it.

(While Buster is talking, they pay him no attention)

Buster: Hey guys! Man, that food line sure is long. I'm starved! I barely had dinner last night. Mike and I went bowling and I just had a burger and a shake. Mike taught me all these great tricks. Did you know if you spin the ball sideways, it gives it more force so it knocks over more pins? Of course, you have to be pretty strong, like Mike, to bowl that way. Tonight, we're gonna go to this great science fiction movie Mike told me about where all these people get eaten. Man, I'm hungry. I'm gonna go get some more food. See you guys later!

Francine: Well, we sure taught him a lesson.

Arthur: I think we need to take more drastic action.

(The next day in class)

Buster:Hey buddy! I guess we have to give a progress report on that science project today, huh? Magnets are such a great thing to a project on! I bet we'll have the best project in class!

(Fantasy with the class in the school gym)

Arthur: Every magnet has a north and south pole. As you can see, north poles attract south poles. And vice versa.

(Buster is wearing a medieval suit, which attracts him to the magnet)

(Applause from the class)

"Mike": But what if I have a more powerful magnet?

Buster: Mike?

(Buster is attracted to Mike's magnet)

"Mike": And once more, the magnets repel each other.

Arthur: Correct.

(Arthur is launched into the basketball hoop)

(End of fantasy)

Buster: So what do you think our project should be about exactly? We haven't done much work on it yet.

Arthur: Who hasn't done much work!? I've done plenty of work while you were out bowling with Mike.

Buster: You have? I...

Arthur: I don't want to work with you anymore, Buster. I'll finish the project myself.

Buster: But... but Arthur. I... We have to give a progress report.

Mr. Ratburn: Good morning, everyone. I'm sure you all have been working very hard on your science projects. And as you recall, today I'll be asking you each to describe your project and what you've done so far. So, to start it off. Buster?

Buster: Well, I... was gonna be... Ummm... I don't really know... what I'm doing.

(class snickers)

Mr. Ratburn. I see. Buster, perhaps you and I should have a talk after class.

Buster: Oh.

(In Arthur's Room. Arthur is throwing Buster's things in a box)

D. W: Arthur, what are you doing?

Arthur: I'm throwing out everything that belongs to Buster, or reminds me of Buster, or has anything to do with Buster.

D.W: Are you gonna throw out the radio he gave you when he got a new one?

(Throws it in box)

D.W: How about the CD's you borrowed from him?

Arthur: D.W., will you leave me alone, please?

(Cut to the living room. D.W. is drawing and Arthur is trying to drag the box out to the curb.)

D.W: You can't throw those things out. They belong to Buster.

(Arthur is struggling to take Buster's things to his house)

Arthur: Okay. You can do it. Just 12 more blocks to Buster's.

Buster: Uhh... hey... hey Arthur. Listen. I'm sorry about the science project. I didn't realize I was letting you down.

Arthur: Okay.

Buster: Huh?

Arthur: IT'S OKAY!

Buster: Oh. Hey, let me give you a hand with this stuff. I guess I haven't been seeing you that much since I started hanging out with Mike. But you're still my best buddy. But, you know, Mike's my buddy, too.

Arthur: (sighs)

Buster: I think we should maybe hang out together. The three of us. I think Mike would really like you.

Arthur: Hmmm.

(In front of Buster's apartment)

Arthur: So then whatever metal the magnet is touching turns into a magnet, too.

Buster: Cool! So that's how it works. Hey, Arthur. Is it okay if I work with you on the magnet project? I promise I will work really hard.

Arthur: Yeah. Okay. Bionic handshake?

Buster: All right!

(Arthur's watch goes off)

Arthur: 4:30!

Both: Bionic Bunny!

(Inside Buster's)

Farmer (TV): Thank you for saving our farms, Bionic Bunny.

Reporter (TV): But, who are you, really?

Bionic Bunny (TV): Just someone who's trying to do the right thing in a mixed up world.

Reporter (TV): He's so cute! Ahhhhh.

Buster: That was excellent! Hey, Arthur. What's in that box, anyway?

Arthur: Oh, just some stuff. Will you help me get it back to my house?

Buster: Sure thing. Hey. Mike's coming over soon. We can take it in his car.

Arthur: Buster, will you knock it off? I mean, I can believe this Mike kid is a great mini golfer. I can believe he's a great bowler. I believe everybody thinks he really cool. But now you expect me to believe he has a car? Come on! Kids can't drive cars.

(Horn beeps)

(Outside Buster's)

Buster: Hey, Mike!

Mike: Hey, Buster! What's up?

Buster: Mike, I want you to meet my best buddy, Arthur. Arthur, this is my big brother, Mike.

Mike: I've heard a lot about you, Arthur.

Arthur: You're Buster's big brother?

Mike: Yeah. It's part of the Big Brother Big Sister Program at the community center.

Buster; My mom signed me up. She thinks I need older male influences.

Arthur: Mike?

Mike: Yeah, Arthur?

Arthur: What do you know about magnets?

(end)