D.W.'s Deer Friend

Summary
On a camping trip, D.W. befriends a wild deer and decides to try to take him home with her.

Plot
When Mom calls for another weekend trip, Arthur knew it was going to be Ponyland because it is D.W.'s turn to choose. D.W. was still thinking...

D.W.'s Deer Friend

Finally, D.W. chooses Camping, much to Arthur's surprise. Mom and Dad are so happy because it proves that their limiting her T.V. time to educational channels has helped her learned to think for herself and not just repeating what the T.V. says. Until they heard D.W. and the T.V. "It's time to experience the wonders of nature in the great outdoors". D.W. wants to go camping.

So they packed the bags in the car. Arthur was disappointed because he's going to be trapped in the tent all weekend with D.W. She pressed a car horn many times to make everyone ready to go. D.W. was so excited that she can't stop playing wild animal explorer. While Arthur and Dad were fishing, he got a fish. Afterwards, D.W. looks sad and gave a funeral for the fish named "Bucky".

Early the next morning, D.W. noticed a deer. She ran out and says, "Hi!" But the deer ran away. Mom told D.W. that deer are easily frightened and she needs to keep very still or she'll scare them. D.W. waited so long for the deer to come back, imagining a deer named Walter bringing her to the deer herd. They even leaped over a log, flying in the sky and they looked at the sunset.

D.W. wakes up and finds the deer. Dad wonders where is she taking a cereal. She replies that she will bring it to Walter the deer so he can come close to her. Dad says it's not safe and it's not allowed but she can look at the deer. D.W. would rather watch T.V. at home if all she can do is look at the deer. Dad says this is the deer's home. Then, D.W. imagines her bringing a deer home and do some fun activities.

D.W. tells her parents that they'll bring Walter home with them. When her parents said they couldn't bring a wild deer home, D.W. is sad. Mom explained that Walter wouldn't be happy with them because he would miss his family. She soon asked how would D.W. feels if she was taken away from her family beside just Arthur. She soon imagines Walter in her room crying, saying how much he misses his family. D.W. asked why he never told her, until Walter pointed out that she never asked him and she just took him away from his family. This makes D.W. realize Mom is right and chooses that it's just better if she looked at the deer and visit him.

In the end, Walter tells his father that a girl had watched him all weekend behind the bushes. He wishes that he could've brought her to live with them, but his father says she'll never fit in this family. He agrees with his father.

Characters

 * D.W. Read
 * Walter
 * Arthur Read
 * David Read
 * Jane Read

Trivia

 * Walter's sister, Sheilarae, is named after Arthur writer Sheilarae Carpentier Lau.
 * Walter's sister, Mary Alice, might be named after Muffy's real name.

Episode connections

 * This was the second time D.W. was caught by surprise when she saw something dead. The first was Spanky in So Long, Spanky.

Errors

 * When D.W.'s mother responded "Everybody," her mouth didn't move while the scene changes to flashback.
 * D.W. in unable read, but her mother says "I should buy her more books".

Home Video
DVD: VHS:
 * Arthur's Best Friends
 * Arthur's Best Friends

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