Grandma Thora Appreciation Day/Transcript

Arthur Read: Last night, D.W. and I slept over at Grandma Thora's and learned some terrible things.

Grandma: After supper, how about if we play Parchesi?

D.W.: Thank you, Grandma, but we'd prefer to watch TV.

Grandma: Well, you know I don't have cable, but I do get public television clear as a bell!

(kids groan)

Arthur: Then it got worse!

Grandma: I'm afraid I don't have many goodies. My doctor's getting very strict with me. Here we are! No salt low-fat potato chips.

Arthur: And if that wasn't bad enough....

D.W.: (screams)

Arthur: What? What?

D.W.: It's teeth! Grandma's teeth! Blech.

Arthur: We didn't get much sleep that night.

Grandma: It's been so nice having you here. I get lonely without you sometimes.

Arthur: Grandma Thora must be the saddest person in the world. No cable, no taste of potato chips, and she has to keep her teeth in a glass.

D.W.: And she gets so lonely without me. Arthur, we have to do something.

(Title Card)

(Intertitle: D.W. Chases the Toad)

GRANDMA THORA APPRECIATION DAY

Written by: Kathy Waugh --- Storyboard by: Angus Bungay

D.W.: Wait! Come back!

Binky Barnes: (V.O.) Grandma Thora Appreciation Day.

(We now return to the story)

Arthur: Isn't that a good idea? A surprise party for Grandma Thora!

David: But what's the occasion?

Jane: The kids are upset because Grandma seems a little sad. You know, it's actually a great idea!

David: Sort of a, Grandma Thora Appreciation Day! I like it!

Jane: We could invite all our friends!

David: And decorate the house with balloons and streamers! They could look really festive!

Arthur & D.W. (together): WAIT!

Arthur: It was our idea!

D.W.: And we want to do it all be ourselves.

Jane: Planning a party is a lot of work, you know.

D.W.: How hard can it be? You invite people and they come!

Jane: Speaking of people, let's keep this small, okay? Just Grandma Thora's closest friends.

D.W.: That's no fun! Can't we do something like rent an elephant or a zebra?

Jane: No elephants, D.W., just a nice, small, quiet, party! Are you listening, Arthur?

Arthur: Yeah Mom, a nice small, quiet...

Francine: PARTY?!

Muffy: A PARTY?!

Sue Ellen: Can I come?!

Arthur's Friends: (cheer)

Arthur: NO! NO! I was only asking Mrs. MacGrady! It's a party for my Grandmother and you can't come! I mean, you wouldn't want to come, right? It's a party for old people.

Brain: If you don't want to invite us or include us with your older friends, that's okay, we understand.

Binky: Awwwww. (sniff) Ohhhh!

Arthur: Oh alright, you can come! Just don't tell anyone else!

Arthur's Friends: YAAAAYYYYY! PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY!

D.W.: WE'RE RUINED! We've only been planning for one day and already we're ruined!

Arthur: Maybe they'll forget. And anyway, it's only.... 25 people.

D.W.: MOM WILL FREAK! SHE'LL.....

Jane: Arthur? D.W.? You're so quiet! What are you up to?

Arthur: We're writing our lists.....

D.W.: ...of everything we need to do to make the party perfect!

Jane: Sounds very responsible! Remember, let me know if you need any help!

Arthur & D.W. (together): We won't!

Arthur: Thanks for not telling!

D.W.: We're in this together, Arthur. If you go down the drain, I have to go with you.

Arthur: Well, at least we got the first thing done on our list. And tomorrow, we can buy the food.

Jane: I'm not sure if I like you shopping without me.

D.W.: Mom, we want to do everything by....

Jane: Yourselves. I know. (sigh) Okay.

D.W.: Whoopeee! Don't worry about a thing!

Arthur: D.W., come on! Uh oh, I forgot my list!

D.W.: Don't worry, I have mine!

Arthur: D.W., this is just scribbles!

D.W.: It is not! See, it spells, "candy"!

Arthur: It spells, "Sipixtih"

D.W.: Ohhhh Arthur, I'll read and you buy.

Jane: Didn't you get anything besides candy?

Arthur: It was the only thing D.W. had on her list.

D.W.: Besides, it was cheap and we need a lot of food.

Jane: What do you mean? How many people did you invite?

Arthur: Oh, I don't know. About, ummhmmmuhhh.

Jane: What did you say?

Arthur: I COULDN'T HELP IT! EVERYBODY HEARD ABOUT THE PARTY AND THEY ALL LIKE GRANDMA THORA!

D.W.: I KNEW HE SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE IT, BUT HE DIDN'T LISTEN TO ME, HE NEVER LISTENS TO ME! WHY DON'T YOU TELL HIM TO LISTEN TO ME!

D.W.: Boy, are you lucky! If I were Mom, I would go make you live in the garage! What's next?

Arthur: Think up ways to invite Grandma Thora.

D.W.: Hmmmmm.......

Chinese Fortune Cookie Manufacturer: We'll send this right out, D.W.

Mrs. MacGrady: Guzdawahduzgahgah? What does this mean?

Grandma Thora: That must be for me. Please go to D.W.'s house for a surprise party!

Arthur: That is the most ridiculous thing I ever heard!

D.W.: Only because you didn't think of it!

Arthur: I think we better just call her on the phone. Which only leaves one more thing to do, decorate!

D.W.: Here, Arthur. (hands him a flat balloon)

Arthur: What is this?

D.W.: It's a balloon.

Arthur: Balloons are round, D.W.! Not flat!

D.W.: It's not my fault! I have small lungs! (attempts to blow up the balloon)

Arthur: Now I'm gonna have to blow up all the balloons PLUS do all the decorating! You're not helping at all! You're not.... (balloon hits him in the face) Aaaaaaaah!

Jane: How's it going? Want some help?

Arthur (weakly): Yes.

D.W.: No, we're doing it by ourselves.

Arthur: We'll never get this finished by tomorrow!

D.W.: Yes we will! If you'd stop goofing around!

Jane: WHY, Hello Thora! How nice to see you!

Arthur & D.W.: Grandma!

Grandma Thora: You'll never believe it! My car went bust right at the end of your street!

Jane: Did you hear that kids? Grandma's car broke down and SHE'S COMING IN THE HOUSE!

Grandma Thora: Are you alright, dear?

Jane: I'm fine. Just fine. Is everything okay in there?

Arthur: FINE! JUST FINE!

Grandma Thora: If this is a bad time, I can walk home and call my mechanic from there.

Jane: Nooooo, no problem. Come on in.

Arthur: But how come you're staying overnight? Why don't you go back to your own house?

Grandma Thora: Because Hank can't fix my car until tomorrow. And it made sense to just stay put.

D.W.: But you'll hate it here! Kate snores! You'll never get your beauty rest and we don't have any extra toothpaste! And.... ARTHUR!

(Everyone has gone to sleep, but Arthur shines a flashlight on D.W.)

Arthur (whispering): D.W.?

D.W. (whispering): Ready. Blech! (after looking at Grandma Thora's teeth)

Arthur (whispering): Remember, we have to be VERY VERY quiet! (steps on a toy horn, then yelps)

D.W.: Shhhhhhhh!

Arthur: Whew!

(Arthur and D.W. decorate the house like crazy putting up the balloons and streamers)

Arthur: (trips over another toy and yelps)

D.W.: Shhhhhh!

Arthur (quietly exhausted): That's it. That's the last thing on the list. We can finally go to sleep.

D.W.: I think you forgot something.

Arthur: (flips over the paper) Bake the cake. OH NO!

(Arthur and D.W. look at various cakes in the kitchen)

D.W.: That's a pretty cake.

Arthur: It's too complicated. We have to keep it simple. Like this!

D.W.: Now what?

Arthur: We have to read the recipe. 1 lb. flour. What's a "lb."? Okay, uh, skip that part. 2 sticks of butter. And one cup of milk. Ready?

D.W.: Ready!

(The blender goes crazy)

Arthur: TURN IT OFF!

D.W.: I CAN'T SEE!

David: (glares)

D.W.: Hi, what brings you here?

Arthur: Mom? Dad?

David: Son?????

Arthur & D.W.: HELP!

(The family bakes the cake correctly and Arthur & D.W. eat cupcakes)

David: Here we are. One beautiful cake and four delicious cupcakes.

D.W.: This was fun! Can we stay up late tomorrow night and make taffy?

Jane and David: NO!

(The next day, Grandma Thora is shocked that the kids are sleeping in.)

Grandma Thora (on the phone with Hank the Mechanic): It's the darndest thing, Hank. You'd think they've been up all night! That's fine, I'll wait for you out in the driveway.

(Today is the day of the party as everyone is having a good time. Arthur & D.W. blow noisemakers at David)

Jane: Ok everybody, find a place to hide! Thora should be here any minute!

David: You did tell Grandma to come at 2:00. Right?

Arthur & D.W.: OH NO!

D.W.: She's not answering!

Arthur: I can't believe we forgot to invite Grandma to her OWN surprise party!

D.W.: Why didn't you put it on your list?!

Arthur: I forgot! Why didn't you put it on yours?!

D.W.: I can't write! You know that!

David: Kids, there's only one thing to do!

Binky: PARTY!

(While the guests continue to party, David and Jane are in the kitchen preparing some more.)

Jane: It's a good thing there was pizza in the freezer! Almost ready! Oh, Thora thank goodness, could you take this tray into the.... THORA!

Arthur: GRANDMA!

D.W.:  GRANDMA, YOU CAME!

Grandma Thora: I was worried about you. You were all so tired and acting so strangely. What's going on?

Arthur: Uh, nothing. Just stay there. (music stops) Grandma, could you come here a minute?

Everybody: SURPRISE!

Grandma Thora: But why? It's not my birthday.

Arthur: We know. But we wanted to throw you a party so you wouldn't be sad.

Grandma Thora: Sad? I'm not sad. Why should I be?

D.W.: But we thought you were sad. We made this whole party so you wouldn't be sad.

Grandma Thora: Oh, that's right, D.W.! I was a little sad. But now, after this party, I'm the happiest grandmother in the world!

Binky: Alright!

Grandma Thora: (kisses D.W. and then dances with David)

Arthur & D.W.: (high five each other and smile)

(END)