Play Date (The Amazing Colossal Adventures of WordGirl)

(Scene: somewhere in the city. A large robot approaches a rooftop.)

Narrator: A giant robot is threatening to destroy the city!

(A robot arm swings down toward the roof of a building, where a man wearing a gray cap is standing. WordGirl shows up and blocks the metal arm, shoving it out of the way.)

WordGirl: This will put an end to your mischief! (She flies toward the robot and hits it in the head, knocking it over. When she returns to the roof, a metal plate lands next to her.)

WordGirl: (reading the plate) “Tobey’s Robot?” Who’s Tobey?

(Huggy tugs on her cape, and points toward an alley below, where a shadow can be seen moving. Something falls onto the pavement as the shadowy figure disappears. WordGirl flies down to investigate.)

WordGirl: Hmm… (she sees that the object is some type of remote, with the initials TTM written on it.)

(WordGirl and Huggy return home. They enter through the front door, as Becky and Bob. Her mother, Sally Botsford, is sitting on the couch, along with a boy she doesn’t recognize.)

Becky: Hey Mom! Hey... you.

Mrs. Botsford: Hi, sweetie! This is Theodore McCallister III.

Theodore: (standing up and extending his hand) Pleased to meet you! You must be Becky.

Mrs. Botsford: (pulling Becky aside, talking in a low voice) He’s the son of this woman that I work with at the D.A.’s office.

Becky: Okay.

(Theodore pats Bob on the head, which greatly annoys Bob.)

Mrs. Botsford: He’s so timid and has a hard time making friends, so his mom and I thought you could...

Becky: I’ll take care of it.

Mrs. Botsford: (speaking at normal volume) That’s my girl! You kids have fun!

Theodore: Thank you ever so much, Mrs. Botsford.

Mrs. Botsford: You’re welcome, Theodore! (walks away)

Becky: So, Theodore...what do you like to do...for fun, and…?

(His smile disappears, and he turns and walks toward the couch.)

Theodore: Ah, television… only a family of imbeciles have a television.

Becky: Whoa! We’re not imbeciles!

Theodore: (laughing) And how would you know?

Becky: Imbecile is another word for idiot! We’re not idiots! We only watch...PBS! (The PBS logo appears on the screen next to her, and she poses beside it.)

Theodore: Hm, interesting. Someone my age who actually has a brain in her head.

Becky: Thanks...I think.

Theodore: (picks up a WordGirl doll on the coffee table) Ah, WordGirl...troublesome, but overrated and beautiful.

Becky: What?

Theodore: I...said overrated.

Becky: You said beautiful!

Theodore: No I didn’t.

Becky: Yes you did!

Theodore: Well, if I thought she was the most beautiful creature I’d ever laid eyes on, would I do THIS? (He pulls the doll apart at the waist)

Becky: Hey, that’s my brother’s!

Theodore: Well, he shouldn’t just leave it lying about where it can be easily broken!

Becky: You’re awfully mischievous!

Theodore: Mischievous! Are you trying to impress me with your vocabulary?

Becky: I’m not trying to impress anyone.

Theodore: Why didn’t you just say I’m a naughty boy? Hmm? That’s what mischievous means.

Becky: Or I can say you are misbehaved. That also means the same as mischievous.

Theodore: Or unruly!

Becky: Or rowdy!

Theodore: Or-- or-- (struggling to come up with another word)

Becky: Roguish, rambunctious, wicked…

Theodore: (upset at being outdone at words) Gah!

(He suddenly notices a remote poking out of a pocket in Becky’s dress.)

Theodore: Where did you get that?

Becky: I found it!

Theodore: It’s mine!

Becky: Is not!

Theodore: Is too! TTM...Theodore Tobey McCallister!

(Becky stares at the remote, and a flash of realization comes over her.)

Becky: (with a gasp) You’re Tobey!

Theodore/Tobey: ...You’re...WordGirl?!

Narrator: Has the mischievous young Tobey figured out WordGirl’s secret identity?? (voice breaks, clears throat) Tune in next time to find out, in the next exciting installment of… WordGirl!