Arthur's Faraway Friend/Transcript

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Arthur and Buster are lying under a tree in the Reads’ garden.

Arthur: We can’t take this lying down. A couple of months is… practically forever.

Buster: I don’t wanna go, but I kinda do. Since my parents got divorced, I’ve never spent a lot of time with my dad.

Arthur: I’ve got a plan!      He jumps up.

Buster: What? What?

Arthur: We’ll do exactly what the heroes in our book would do.

Buster follows Arthur to the house where Arthur gets to shovels.

Arthur: We’ll dig a pit under my house, and you’ll live in it. They’ll never find you. Arthur starts digging.

Buster: I’ll live in a pit?

Arthur: (pants)  Yeah. And I’ll sneak you leftovers from the table.   Buster stops.     Dig! Dig!

Buster: You know, Arthur, seeing my dad is more fun than living in a pit.

Arthur: (pants)   But you don’t want to go. Do you?

Buster: I guess I sort of do want to go.

In his imagination, Arthur as Robin Hood climbs a rope up a cliff. Buster holds the rope but suddenly lets go.

Friar Buster: Oh, I’ve got to go. See ya!

Arthur Hood: Ahhh!

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While playing rollerskate hockey, Arthur has a Jedi-like vision of Buster.

Arthur: Use the force, Arthur.

Buster: What are you talking about?

Arthur: Oh, I don’t know. I just thought it was funny.

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Arthur sits at the dinner table looking glum. D.W. comes in with a package.

Mrs. Read: This package came in the mail for you, Arthur.

The package is addressed to “Arthur Ried, 1125 Main St., Elwood City”.

Arthur: It’s from Buster. He always spells “Read” wrong. He can read all right, but he can’t write “Read”.