Fifteen

-Arthur: [Arthur preparing to brush his teeth.] Do you ever feel that you're always in a rush?

-Mom: [Calling in off-screen:] Arthur, hurry up! You're gonna be late for school!

-Arthur: [Cut to the scene where he is taking a math test.] Like your constantly running out of time?

-Mr. Ratburn: [Off-screen:] Two minutes left. Finish up.

-Arthur: [Cut to the scene where he is playing a soccer game against Mighty Mountain.] Everyone's always racing around. No one ever slows down.

-Mr. Ratburn: ''[Mr. Ratburn blows a whistle.]''

-Arthur: The game's over? [Cut to a scene where Arthur plays a video game.] Even when you're just relaxing, you still--

-Buster: Arthur, you only have 15 seconds.

-Arthur: Why? I'm almost at the next level.

-Buster: No, not for the game. The show has to start. See? [The timer appears on 15 seconds onscreen, Buster starts the countdown.]

-Arthur: But, but I'm not done yet! I still have lots more to save. Wait! [Push-fading appears, Arthur straining and pushing against it.] You can't just starting countdown one time to say something important about the crazy pace of life! [Push-fading pushing Arthur.] That's not fair!

-Buster: 1!

Fifteen [Title card shows Arthur hopping onto D.W.'s tricycle.]

''[The scene starts at school where George and his friends packing up to go home. Suddenly, the loudspeaker had some loud squeaks interrupts their packing by Mr. Haney to have an announcement.]''

-Mr. Haney: [On PA:] Hello? Testing. Is it on? [Squeaking starts again.] Oh. [Clears throat.] Good afternoon, students. Tomorrow, we shall have a special assembly during 1st period. Our very own George Lungdrain...

-Miss Tingley: [Miss Tingley whispers to Mr. Haney's ear for a correction.]

-Mr. Haney: Oh, yes. Thank you, Miss Tingley. That's right. Lundgren. [Resumes the announcement.] George Lundgren will be appearing on a radio quiz show called "15 Minutes of Fame". He will be playing for a grand prize of $500. Which would he wins, will be donated to our school. That would be all. Oh, I always find those announcements so exhausting. Why can't we just send an email—oh. Whoops. [Loudspeaker once again squeaks and Mr. Haney closed the loudspeaker to end his announcement.]

-Arthur: Congratulations, George. How did you get onto the show?

-George: I just send my name on my postcard and they picked me out of the hat.

-Mr. Ratburn: Remember class, your art history reports are due tomorrow.

-Buster: Do we still get merit points if everyone turns their report in on time?

-Mr. Ratburn: Yes. If every single project is handed in on time, the class gets 15 merit points.

-Francine: And then, we'll break the 500 mark.

-Binky: And that means...

-Students: No Homework Day!

[Cut to the scene on the next day where Arthur and Buster are outside of the front school and parked their bikes at the bicycle parking section.]"

-Buster: [Speaking Dutch:] ''Goedemorgen. Hoe gaat het?''

-Arthur: What does that mean?

-Buster: It's "Good morning, how are you?" in Dutch. I learned it while I was doing my report on a Dutch painter, Peter Bruegel.

-Arthur: [Arthur gasps.]

-Buster: Did you know that his nickname was-- [Buster pauses and looks concerned at Arthur.] What's wrong?

-Arthur: My report on Michelangelo. I left it at home.

-Buster: Well, go back and get it.

-Arthur: But I'll be late for school!

-Buster: If you don't hand it in, we won't get "No Homework Day". Knowing Ratburn, he'll probably turn it into "Extra Homework Day".

''[Flashback of the future starts. Mr. Ratburn pushes a wheelbarrow of homework. Dreadful music plays.]''

-Mr. Ratburn: ''[Mr. Ratburn gives Muffy the French book on her desk.]'' Muffy, learn French by tomorrow.

-Muffy: Ooooooooooohhh!

-Mr. Ratburn: ''[Mr. Ratburn hands Binky a "How to Write a Novel" book on his desk.]'' Binky, write a novel, and don't try to hand in a novella.

-Binky: Aw.

-Mr. Ratburn: If Arthur had only hand his report in on time, things would have been very different.

-Students: [Class starts looking mad at Arthur.]

-Arthur: I... I was in a hurry. You said I was sorry. [Arthur lowers his head down to his desk, ashamed.]

[Flashback ends.]

-Buster: You have time! Go!

-Arthur: [Arthur was on his way home to retrieve his report by riding his bike.]

[Cut to the scene at Arthur's house where Dad was going to his work.]

-Dad: [Dad notices Arthur's art report on Michelangelo.] Uh oh. Jane, Arthur left his report here. He said if he didn't get his report in today, it in there would be big trouble!

-Pal: ''[Camera scrolls downright where Pal was licking his table and pauses when Dad said these words "big trouble." He ran to the living room to warn Kate about the situation.]'' Kate, quick! I need your help.

-Kate: [Kate closes her book and starts crawling following Pal to the kitchen dining room.]

-Dad: [Dad closes Arthur's report.] I'll drop off Arthur's report at school on the way to my meeting.

-Mom: [Mom grabs the recycling box.] Could you take out the your recycling on your way?

-Dad: [Grabs the recycling box and leaves.]

-Mom: [Mom turns on the radio.]

-Radio advertiser: So stay tuned 'cause "15 Minutes of Frame" is coming up with yours truly, Flip Wuttles, and our lucky kid from Lakewood Elementary School...]

-Dad: ''[As the radio voice fades, Dad was on his way to take out his recycling box then deliver his son's report. Suddenly, the wind blew his report and Dad's old paperwork. He drops the recycling box. Dad groans. He grabbed a folder, put it in his bag, picks up the newspapers and aligned the recycling box. He then walks his way to the school. The wind blew the newspapers and opened the folder which is revealed that it is Arthur's report.]''

-Mom: [Mom was washing the dishes.]

-Pal and Kate: [Camera scrolls downright at Kate as she was crawling, and Pal as he was walking.]

-Pal: Kate, there's some kind of thing called "the report" that Arthur desperately needs.

-Kate: What's a report?

-Pal: [Pal shakes his head.] I have no idea, but Mr. Read said it twice, and then the words "big trouble"... which, uh, I understood.

-Kate and Pal: [Continues crawling and strolling.]

-Kate: Oh, dear!

-Pal: And whatever it is, I think it was on this table. [Pal jumps on the chair, then jumps on the table.] Mr. Read kept looking down at it.

-Kate: Well, is the report there?

-Pal: I'm not sure. Hmm. I see lots of papers. But it can't be important. I think this green stuff is called "money". Also useless. [Pal gasps in surprise.] Look! Crumbs!

-Kate: Pal, focus!

-Pal: Right. Hello? What's this? ''[Pal jumps down and receives the key. He drops the key.]''

-Kate: Hmm. I think that's a key.

-Pal: Is it edible?

-Kate: No, but keys opens things. I have a big plastic one that opens a big, plastic box. Not the most amusing toy.

-Pal: Maybe Mr. Read put the report in something, and the key opens it.

-Kate: [Kate's expression turns to determined.] The plot begins.

[Cut to the scene where George and his ventriloquist dummy Wally was practicing the questions before he goes to the game show.]

-Wally: What scientist discovered radium in 1898?

-George: Um... I forget. Just tell me.

-Wally: How would I now if you don't know? I'm a dummy, remember?

-George: ''[George sees Arthur riding on his bike to retrieve his report. He waved his hand.]'' Arthur? Arthur?

-Arthur: [Arthur turns and stops the bike.]

-George: I'm going to the quiz show soon, and I can't remember who discovered radium. What if they asked me that?

-Arthur: I think it was Marie Curie.

-George: Of course! I knew that! [Bumps Wally on the head.] Could you just tell me a few more questions? I'm really, really nervous.

-Arthur: Um... [Arthur looks at his watch.] Okay, but, just for one minute.

[Cut back to the scene where Pal and Kate are strolling to find out what opens at the living room.]

-Kate: ''[Kate grabs the key from Pal. She tries the key to the tape recorder. It didn't work, she says by shaking her head.]''

-Pal: ''[Pal tries the key on Mary Moo Cow's mouth. Pal spits some lint from his tongue.]'' Ugh! Cow lips!

''[Camera scrolls right to Mary Moo Cow. Cut to the scene into the living room.]''

-Kate and Pal: [Continues walking to the living room.]

-Kate: [Kate sighs.] Oh, Pal, I think it's hopeless. We'll never find out where this key fits.

-Pal: We mustn't give up, Kate? [Pal smells the scent.]

-Kate and Pal: [Kate and Pal notices the closet drawer.]

-Pal: I say! I think that's a brunette desk.

-Kate: And look! There's a keyhole, too! Now, how to get up there.

[Cut back to the scene where Arthur and George practicing some questions.]

-Arthur: [Arthur flips the index cards.] Okay, last one. And I really have to go. If I don't get my report on Michelangelo handed in, I'm toast.

-Wally: You look more like a bagel to me.

-George: Wally, let him ask a question.

-Arthur: Who is a British king during the American Revolution?

-Wally: Even I know this one. Here's a hint. It's your name.

-George: King George III!

-Arthur: [Arthur hands in the index cards for a reference to George.] Good luck! You'll do great! [Arthur continues riding the bike.] Almost there, almost there... ''[Arthur notices a squirrel blocking the sidewalk. Arthur screams and swerves the bike, and crashed the bike. Arthur is okay, but the wheel broke.]'' Oh, no!

[Cut back to the scene at the living room.]

-Pal: [Pal was pulling the pillow to make a pile of pillows so Kate and Pal can find the report where they don't know where Arthur's report is.] That's the last one. Are you sure you want to do this?

-Kate: ''[Kate nods. She begins climbing on the pile of pillows.]''

-Pal: Steady on go.

-Kate: [Kate giggles while moving left to right.] This is fun.

[Cut to the scene in the front of the house where Arthur was desperately going to find his report.]