Buster's Breathless

Summary
Buster learns that he has asthma, and suddenly his friends start treating him differently.

Plot
Arthur and Buster were hunting for the dangerous snig which Buster describes to the viewers as big-horned and that makes an aroo noise. Arthur also says to the viewers that it's hard to find because it blends in with the trees. Suddenly, they hear an aroo noise and goes to see that D.W.'s not camouflaged and she needs to make the aroo more scarier. So D.W. puts on poison ivy. Arthur and Buster are once again on the search of the snig. Buster's about to describe the snig again, but Arthur stops him. Then they hear the aroo again, and goes off to follow it. Suddenly, D.W. pops out roaring, freaking Buster out. Arthur sees the poison ivy on D.W. and he and Buster retreats screaming. D.W. is confused and goes after them.

After the title card, Jane Read puts calamine lotion on D.W.'s spots and recruits Arthur to help distract D.W. At the Sugar Bowl, Buster greets Arthur and D.W. who claims to be Otis. Buster asks D.W. why she has a mask on. D.W. says she doesn't want to get hit in the face with a puck. Arthur translates saying she's got poison ivy and that people will run away from her. Buster begins to tell Arthur and D.W. about his bad cough back in fall. Arthur and Buster were laughing at some joke books when Buster starts having trouble breathing. Buster goes on to say that it sounds like he's trying to breathe through a clogged straw and demonstrates.

Arthur then remembers that Buster's mom came and took him to the hospital right away. Arthur regrets showing Buster the joke books and goes inside. At the hospital, Buster learns he has asthma. At school, Arthur tells Francine and Binky about Buster's cough. Buster then arrives and Arthur takes his math book and pretends to dust it. Francine then made a medicine joke. Binky asks Buster if he leaves class because of asthma. Buster agrees, to get his medicine. Binky thinks it can take a long time. After class, Buster goes to the nurse's office. Arthur, Francine, and Binky watch. As they enter, they trip. Buster was surprised to see them. Arthur then pretends he found his glasses. At lunch, Arthur dusts off Buster's donut. At recess, Binky fakes an illness, but it backfires when Buster corrects him. At baseball practice, Francine still thinks asthma is contagious and runs away from Buster. Later, he announces he's cured. Francine is relieved she can't catch it, which makes Buster suspicious. Buster skips his appointment, which result in Buster having trouble breathing. Buster tells the nurse his friends have been treating him differently. Then Buster realizes his friends didn't understand. Later, Buster's friends imagine a trip through Buster's lungs and learn a lot about asthma.

Back in the present, D.W. reveals herself to Arthur and Buster. Then the Tibble Twins appear and confuse the spots for chicken pox. D.W. tries to explain it's poison ivy, but they run away with D.W. chasing them, ending the episode.

Major Characters

 * Arthur Read
 * Buster Baxter
 * Binky Barnes
 * Francine Frensky

Minor Characters

 * D.W. Read
 * Jane Read
 * David Read
 * Bitzi Baxter (doesn't speak)
 * Tommy Tibble
 * Timmy Tibble

Trivia

 * Asthma is mentioned in this episode.
 * Poison Ivy is also mentioned in this episode.
 * This is the first episode when Michael Magnan is a storyboard writer.
 * This is one of the episodes that focus on health. The others being Sick as a Dog, Operation: D.W.!, Arthur's Knee, Binky Goes Nuts, and Arthur's Chicken Pox.

Production notes

 * The idea for this episode was made by Carol Greenwald when she wanted a way to explain her son's asthma to him, his school, and his friends.

Home Video
VHS: DVD:
 * Arthur Goes to the Doctor (VHS)
 * Arthur Goes to the Doctor (DVD)

Gallery
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Screenshots
 Buster's Breathless.JPG }}