13x01 - No Acting, Please/Prunella and the Disappointing Ending

[bunniefuu]

♪ Every day, when you're
walking down the street ♪

♪ Everybody that you meet
has an original point of view ♪

(laughing)

♪ And I say, hey ♪

♪ And I say, hey ♪
Hey!

Hey!

♪ What a wonderful kind of day ♪

♪ If we can learn
to work and play ♪

♪ And get along
with each other ♪

♪ You got to listen to
your heart, listen to the b*at ♪

♪ Listen to the rhythm,
the rhythm of the street ♪

♪ Open up your eyes,
open up your ears ♪

♪ Get together and make things
better by working together ♪

♪ It's a simple message,
and it comes from the heart ♪

♪ Believe in yourself ♪

♪ Believe in yourself ♪
♪ Believe in yourself ♪

♪ Believe in yourself ♪

♪ For that's the place
to start ♪

♪ For that's the place
to start ♪
♪ Place to start ♪

♪ Place to start ♪

♪ And I say, hey ♪

♪ And I say, hey ♪
Hey!

Hey!

Hey!

Hey!
♪ What a wonderful kind of day ♪

♪ What a wonderful kind of day ♪

♪ If we can learn to work
and play ♪

♪ And get along
with each other ♪

Hey!

Hey!
♪ What a wonderful kind of day ♪

♪ What a wonderful kind of day ♪

Hey!

Hey!
♪ What a wonderful kind
of day. ♪

♪ What a wonderful kind
of day. ♪

Hey!

ARTHUR (over TV):
Hey, D.W.!

Hey!

Whoa!

Whoa!
(loud thud)

(loud thud)

(letters shattering)

RATBURN:
And that, in short,

is the difference between
liverworts and mosses.

(bell rings)

Class dismissed.

Ugh! I thought class
would never end!

I'm starving!

Me, too.

I wonder what's for lunch.

Hold on.
I'll tell you.

Let's see.

Two days past the full moon.

It should be baked ziti.

What's that?

Buster's School Lunch Almanac.

He's been keeping a record

of everything we've eaten
since first grade.

BUSTER:
Yup.

She's % accurate.

(sniffing)

Hmm. That's odd.

It doesn't smell
like baked ziti.

(flies buzzing,
liquid bubbling)

(sniffs)

Ugh! It smells more
like... baked gym shoes!

With a side order
of sweaty socks.

(flies buzzing)

Who are you?

Skip Bitterman,

substitute chef.

(snorts and sighs)

Goulash, anyone?

(swallows)

Ugh!

How can someone
ruin a cr*cker?

Look at the color
of this pudding.

I'd save it for my food cabinet,
but I'm afraid to touch it.

(grunting, crackling)

Ptth!

I give up.

The stale roll won.

I wonder where
Mrs. MacGrady is.

She probably just has a cold.

BUSTER:
I hope

she's back soon.

I think this goulash just moved
on its own.

(burbling)

Aah!

Good morning, class.

I have an important
announcement to make.

I'm sure you've all
been wondering

where Mrs. MacGrady is.

Did she quit?

If it's about money, Crosswire
Motors would be happy to...

BUSTER:
The aliens took her!

They're making her teach them
Earth cooking.

Everyone, sit down, please.

Mrs. MacGrady is sick.

She has cancer.

Her sister's coming
to stay with her

to help her out.

What?

What?
What?

What?

Cancer?

Cancer?
Cancer?

Cancer?

Mrs. MacGrady?

The good news is,

they caught it early,
and her doctors are working

very hard
to make her better.

Yes, Francine?

When is she coming back
to school?

We don't know that yet,

but it probably won't be
for several weeks.

Perhaps longer.

The one on
the left says,

"I want to rule the world!"

The one on the right says,
"I'm artistic and refined!"

They're both so Daddy.

Which do you like better?

I think it's a tie.

Get it? A tie.

I'll take them
both, Sebastian.

And please have
them gift-wrapped.

You could pretend
to be a tiny bit interested.

It is for my father's
birthday, after all.

Muffy, Mrs. MacGrady has cancer.

Excuse me if I don't feel
like going shopping.

Francine, she'll be fine.

How do you know that?

I just do.

This is Mrs. MacGrady
we're talking about.

She never gets sick.

Well, she's sick now.

You know,
some people don't get better.

My grandfather d*ed from cancer.

Oh, you're being so negative.

(gasps)
Oh, look!

A money clip
shaped like a hubcap.

Should I get that instead?

Are you sure we brought enough?

There are four
giant jars

of homemade
chicken soup in here.

I can barely
lift it.

What about honey
and-and stuffed animals?

And Mary Moo Cow DVDs?

Mrs. MacGrady does not want
Mary Moo Cow DVDs!

How do you know?
Did you ask?

(doorbell chimes)

(doorbell chimes)
D.W.:
Wait!

D.W.:
Wait!

I have to get ready.

Well, hello, Arthur.

What a pleasant surprise.

Good to see you, too,
Nurse Read.

Come on in.

ARTHUR:
Would you take
that mask off?!

(whispering):
I don't watch
to catch the cancer!

Don't worry, sweetie.

You can't catch it, I promise.

Really?

Absolutely, positively promise.

But you two can wash

your hands, so I don't
catch anything from you.

Right now, I can catch things
really easily.

Mmm! Delicious!

Tell your father
I'd like that recipe.

Aren't you going
to have any more?

I'll have
some later.

Would you two mind
if I put my feet up?

I should probably
examine you.

Whatever you say, Nurse.

Hmm...

Your knees sound normal.

Say, "Havana bananas."

Havana bananas.

No problem
with tongue twisters.

Are you sure
you're sick?

You don't even
have the sniffles.

Well, cancer isn't
exactly like a cold.

There are many different types
of cancer.

But, here, let me
try to show you.

See? We're all made up of
teeny-tiny things called cells.

You could think of them
as flowers in a garden.

Your body makes them
every day.

Unfortunately, my body is also
making a few weeds.

Right now, my
body's trying hard

to get rid of those weeds.

And it takes
a lot of work.

We'll let you rest.

But we'll be back.

And we'll bring oranges
next time,

and honey and videos.

And more
Mary Moo Cow CDs.

(whistle blows)

(whistle blows)
Yeah!

Yeah!

How could you let
them get seven goals?!

The sun was in my eyes.

Anyway, who cares?

It's just a game.

Well, yeah,
but that was embarrassing!

What's the point
if we win or lose?

It's not like it's going
to make Mrs. MacGrady better!

Am I the only one
who understands that?

Oh, Francine,

I just wanted
to remind you

Daddy's birthday
dinner starts at...

I'm not going!

Endgame by Samuel Beckett.

Sounds like
a gripping thriller.

Thank you, Bailey!

What great presents!

This was
a terrific birthday.

My gifts weren't
very original.

Nonsense!

I loved your ties.

Look at these colors.

Chip gave you that one.

Oh, well, uh...

Oh, it's all
Francine's fault!

She was supposed
to help me shop,

but she's been so gloomy lately.

Well, I can understand why,

what with Mrs.
MacGrady being sick.

How are you
feeling about that?

Fine.

Maybe you'd like
to visit her.

I've been meaning to
send over a care package.

(yawns)

I'm exhausted!

Here's the receipt
for the ties.

It's okay
if you want to return them.

Good night.

(steam hissing)

"Cream of Bunion Soup."

I wonder what it looks like.

Ugh!

Hiya, Francine!

Aah!

Sorry to have
startled you, dear.

I was just looking
for something.

Waffle iron, pepper mill,
egg slicer.

Ah! Here we go.

Meet Flip, my lucky spatula.

Flip and I have been through a
lot together, haven't we, Flip?

You're darn tootin'!

So, you're back now?

You're all better?

Nope, I just came
to pick up my stuff.

Because I'm sick,
I need an easier job.

From now on, I'll be
spinning the bingo wheel

at the community center.

But... but you
can't leave.

This place won't be

the same without you!

Sorry, kiddo.

That's just the way
the crumpet crumbles.

Wait!

Don't go!

Come back!

(gasps)

(snoring)

(door opening)

What's wrong,
Franky?

Bad dream?

Uh-huh.

Uh, can I stay home
from school today?

BINKY:
Hey, you're not sick.

Why weren't you
in school today?

I don't know.

Just didn't feel like it,
I guess.

Want to visit
Mrs. MacGrady with us?

We're bringing her
some vegetables and...

this.

A rock?!

Not just any rock.

This one's special.

Look at it.

See?

It's shaped
like Iowa.

I think it has
healing properties.

Buster, a rock
isn't going

to cure Mrs.
MacGrady's cancer.

How can you be so sure?

Hey, this one looks like Texas!

What's this?

Lance Armstrong's
e-mail address.

I got it when we met
at the Bike-A-Thon.

You should write him.

Why?

So he can give me
pointers on my biking?

You know he
had cancer, right?

No.

Is that why
he retired?

Are you kidding?

He had cancer before he broke
any world records

and a long time
before he retired.

When he got cancer,

most people thought
he'd never race again,

but he got better

and went on to win
the Tour de France,

the world's hardest
bicycling race.

(cheering, applause)

And then, he went on to win it
six more times.

(cheering, applause)

That had never
been done before.

And no one
has done it since.

Anyway, I thought
he'd be a good person

for you to talk to.

Like he'd ever write back.

(purring)

All right, all right.

I'll give it a sh*t.

(purrs, meows)

Dear Mr. Armstrong,

allow me to introduce myself.

My name is Francine Alice Fre...

(sighs)

Hi, Lance.

How are you?

Hope this isn't a bad subject,

but I heard you
had cancer and...

(groans)

I'm afraid.

Really afraid.

I have this friend.

She's the cook at our school,

but she's so much more
than that.

She's Mrs. MacGrady.

Once, she played
in a rock band with me.

She's one of the coolest
and most amazing people
I know.

She's really wise,
but fun, too.

And now...

she has cancer.

So, this is what
I want to know.

Will she be
all right?

Could you please
let me know that?

Thanks. Francine.

What do you think
the orange things are?

ARTHUR:
Carrots?

Maybe cheese?

I'll just say "Skip's
Mystery Stew Number Six."

ARTHUR:
Hey, Francine.

What's wrong?

You look like you've
seen a ghost.

You didn't eat the stew,
did you?

I'm fine.

I just received some...
weird news this morning.

"Dear Francine, thank you
so much for your e-mail.

"Maybe I could talk to you
in person about your friend

"when I'm in Elwood City
next week.

Lance Armstrong"?!

Lance Armstrong e-mailed you?

Yeah, Binky put us
in touch,

and I told him
how worried

I was about
Mrs. MacGrady.

Hey, guess what--

Francine's going
to meet Lance Armstrong.

(gasps)

You're not going

to wear that, are you?

What's wrong with it?

(Muffy laughing)

You're so funny.

Seriously, meet
me after school.

The left says,
"Smart and sassy."

The right says,
"Cool and confident."

Neither are you,
but they're both bargains.

It doesn't matter
what I wear.

We're going to talk
about Mrs. MacGrady,

not go to an
awards ceremony.

Oh.

Speaking of which,
want to visit her with me?

I'm bringing a care package.

Um, I would,
but I promised my Dad

I'd rake the yard.

But it's spring.

So?

Leaves still fall, you know.

And, well, I want to remember
Mrs. MacGrady the way she was,

not sick with cancer.

There you go again
being all doomy and gloomy.

I'm sure she's doing fine.

Ooh! % off!

(doorbell chiming)

Be right there.

(sighs)

The party never ends.

(gasps)

D.W. (grunting):
He's stuck.

ARTHUR:
Push harder.

(Arthur and D.W. grunting)

Hi.

This is Chilly Billy.

Grandma gave him to me
when I had an operation.

I thought you
might like him.

And here's four more jars
of soup.

Oh, dear...

I haven't finished
the first batch yet.

But please,
give him my thanks.

MUFFY:
Is this a bad time?

I could come back later.

No, no, come on in.

The more, the merrier.

MUFFY:
Mmm! A cashew cluster!

My favorite.

Sure you don't
want one?

They're imported.

Not right now, dear.

Ugh!

This tastes like cough syrup.

How come I keep getting
the gooey ones?

D.W., watch out.

That's all right.

I'll just get some paper towels.

I'll do it.

Oh, by the way,

I love your
bandana.

It's so retro chic.

Thank you.

I thought about getting a wig,

but this will do
till my hair grows back.

Your hair?

You mean you're bald
under there?

Smooth as a honeydew melon.

It's a side effect
of the medicine,

but her hair
will grow back.

See, the weeds keep popping up
in Mrs. MacGrady's garden,

but the medicine's
getting rid of them.

Right?

Something like that.

(yawns)

We'll let you
rest now.

Come on, D.W.

I thought
the bandana

was just
a style choice.

I had no idea you were so...

Sick?

Cancer's no walk in the park,

but if it makes you feel
any better,

I intend
to get better!

(doorbell rings)

Hi, you must be Francine.

Uh-huh.

Pleased to meet me.

Um, actually,

that's Catherine, my sister.

I'm Francine.

Shouldn't you be hanging out
at the mall or something?

Can I get you something,
Mr. Armstrong?

Sparkling water?

Protein shake?

No, thanks.

I was wondering if you
wanted to go for a ride.

My bike's
downstairs.

That is, if it's okay
with your parents.

Sure!

I'll just change into
some normal clothes.

Could I have
an autograph?

Anywhere on this hand is fine.

Whoo-hoo!

Whoo-hoo!

Whoo-hoo!
Whoo!

Whoo!

(Francine laughs)

You don't seem like
someone who's had cancer.

Why is that?

I don't know.

You're so... healthy.

LANCE:
When I had cancer,
I was very sick.

Some of my doctors didn't even
think I would survive,

let alone ride
my bike again.

So how'd you get
better?

Lots of medicine,
a few operations.

I also had tons of support
from my family and friends.

I just wish I could
do something!

Being a good friend
is doing something.

Do you think
there's a plant somewhere

that could cure cancer?

Maybe in the rain forest?

LANCE:
There might be.

And you might be the person
to discover it.

But until then, I can think

of some other ways
for you to help.

BUSTER:
"Pedal For A Cure."

Oh, it's to help fight cancer.

Okay, I'll do it.

All the money
we raise goes

to help people
with cancer.

We're all
doing something.

Prunella's knitting
Mrs. MacGrady a scarf.

George is helping out
with her gardening.

So I expect all these

to be handed out
by the end of the day.

Over people have
signed up already,

and it's just been
three days!

Hey, what if you
got a celebrity

to support the race?

Like Lance Armstrong!

Like Lance Armstrong!
Muffy,

Muffy,

it was his idea.

Oh.

Speaking of great ideas,

I was wondering if
you wanted to come with me

to Mrs. MacGrady's and...

Uh, I can't today.

I still have tons of flyers
to pass out.

Tell her I'll visit
her really soon.

Gotta ride.

(bicycle bell rings)

Hello, dear.

This is my sister Martha.

She just flew in
to help me out.

We're off to a
doctor's appointment.

Are those for me?

Yes, but I could
come back later.

Don't be silly.

Just leave it inside

and lock the door
when you leave.

And while you're in there,

help yourself to some food.

Just forgot
the car keys.

Do you think Mrs. MacGrady would
mind if I did a little cleaning?

I think she'd love that.

I was just going
to do some when I got back.

You can be part
of our support team.

"Cleans dirty dishes
in no time."

Bailey?

This dish wash lotion
doesn't work.

(doorbell chiming)

(doorbell chiming)
What do I do?

What do I do?

Oh, that's the door!

ARTHUR:
Hey, Muffy.

Where's Mrs. MacGrady?

She had to go
to a doctor's appointment.

Are those all for her?

There was a special
at the supermarket.

I figure you can't have
too much vitamin C, right?

And they came with
a free doll.

Have you ever thought

you might be bringing Mrs.
MacGrady too much stuff?

She's running
out of room!

D.W.:
Chilly Billy,
meet Bono Bonobo.

We just want to help.

Yeah, what else can we do?

I'm so glad you asked.

(vacuum cleaner whirring)

MUFFY:
We tidied up a few things.

Love, Muffy, Arthur and D.W.--

your support team.

Amazing turnout,
Francine.

Thanks for all
your help.

You ready to ride?

(horn blaring)

(panting)

Hey, the finish line
is this way!

Where are you going?

To find a cure
for Mrs. MacGrady!

(panting)

There it is!

Plantus Curem Allcancerus!

Just a... a little bit...
farther!

(spectators cheering)

MRS. MacGRADY:
Wow!

That was some
performance!

We should have
this ride every year

and call it
the Tour de Francine.

You came!

Does that mean
you're all better?

Not quite.

But I'm feeling
pretty good today.

I'm sorry I haven't
come to see you.

I just... I was
afraid that...

You don't have to explain.

It can be pretty frightening

to see someone you care about
when they're sick.

There is something
you could do

to make it up to me,
though.

Just name it.

First put some of this
hand sanitizer on.

Now what?

Now give me a big hug.

I've really
missed you.

I've missed you,
too, Franky.

BUSTER:
June .

Today's lunch:
a strange gray rectangle.

Possibly... a sponge.

(gasps)

That's it!

I can't take this anymore!

What is this?

A little of this,
a little of that.

I call it
"Whatchamacookin."

Well, I call it terrible!

It smells like feet

and I'm not
going to eat it!

Neither am I!

MRS. MacGRADY:
Settle down, Spartakids.

There'll be no revolt
in my lunchroom.

Aunt Leah!

You're back!

Thanks for filling in, Skip.

Ah, cooking's not for me.

I think I'll stick
to investment banking.

Now, who's hungry?

Me! Me!

Me! Me!
I am!
I am, Mrs. MacGrady!

I am!
I am, Mrs. MacGrady!

I am, Mrs. MacGrady!

Correction!

Lunch is... unknown,

but will taste delicious.

To watch more Arthur

and play games with all
of the Elwood City friends,

visit pbskidsgo.org.

You can find Arthur books

and lots of other books, too,

at your local library.

♪ What a wonderful kind of day ♪

♪ Hey! What a wonderful kind
of day ♪

♪ Hey! ♪