Introduction[]
Buster’s hopping on a pogo stick in front of the Read house. Arthur sits on the ground and waits.
Buster: Woo-hoo! Look at me! I'm a kangaroo!
Arthur: Come on, Buster! It's my turn now.
Buster: You had it for forty-eight bounces. I've only had... twenty-two... twenty-three...
Arthur: But you've had it for longer.
Buster: So? I can't help it if I hop slower!
Arthur: Sometimes I wonder whether all best friends fight. Like, did Orville and Wilbur Wright ever argue with each other?
A fantasy shows the Wright Brothers in their flyer.
Wilbur Wright: Give me a push, Orville!
Orville Wright: You got to fly it last time!
Wilbur Wright: That wasn't a real turn!
Orville Wright: Ah, forget it! If you won't take turns, then everyone can just ride the train for the next century!
Another fantasy shows Igor arguing with Dr. Frankenstein.
Igor: I'm just saying, why is it “Frankenstein's monster”? I do just as much work as you!
Dr. Frankenstein: I did not spend 150,000 marks and four years in medical school to share credit with a lab assistant.
Behind them, the monster breaks free.
Another fantasy shows voices coming from the refrigerator.
Jelly: It should be jelly and peanut butter! Alphabetical order!
Peanut Butter: Ah! Keep a lid on it! Without me, you'd get moldy with that jar of borscht on the bottom shelf!
The fantasies end.
Arthur: But Buster and I always find a way to work things out.
He pulls the pogo stick away.
Buster: Hey!
Title Card: Buster Roars (Elephant)[]
It is snowing over the Read house. Mrs. Read and D.W. are having breakfast. Arthur bursts in.
Arthur: Snow day, everyone! No school!
D.W.: Arthur, it's Saturday.
Arthur: Oh, yeah. Still, look at the snow! I gotta call Buster. We can build snowmen, and go sledding on the golf course and have a huge...
He dials on the phone.
Mrs. Read: And help Dad shovel out.
Arthur: But, Mom!
***
Arthur and Mr. Read finish clearing the driveway and the car.
Mr. Read: Thanks for the help, Arthur.
Arthur: I'm gonna go call Buster now.
Mr. Molina looks out of his house.
Mr. Molina: Arthur? You wouldn't want to do my walk, too, would you? Alberto has the flu!
Arthur: Um... I kind of have plans.
Mr. Molina: I'll pay you five dollars.
He waves a bill.
Arthur: (gasps)
He starts shoveling the Molinas’ driveway.
***
Arthur and Buster get milkshakes at the Sugar Bowl. Arthur’s is huge.
Buster: Five dollars for one driveway? You should go into business.
Arthur: Yeah, but then I'd have to spend the whole day shoveling snow.
Buster: Let's say you did eight jobs a day. You could make... He writes “5.00 x 8 = $4000” on a napkin. ...four thousand dollars! Arthur, you could buy a spaceship!
Arthur adds a period to make “$40.00”.
Arthur: It's only forty dollars a day. I can't buy a spaceship.
Buster: What about a used one?
Arthur: I can't buy any spaceship! But I could buy a skateboard. Or a catcher's mitt, or even a new sled! Look, I can't sit here and talk all day! I have work to do!
He runs out. Buster drinks Arthur’s milkshake.
***
Arthur rings the Tibbles’ doorbell. He looks at the snow in the yard and sees it covered with stacks of money. Mrs. Tibble opens.
Arthur: Morning, Mrs. Tibble! Do you need your money shoveled? I mean, your driveway?
Mrs. Tibble looks at the yard and nods.
Arthur shovels the Tibbles’ driveway.
Mrs. Tibble gives Arthur money.
***
Arthur rings a lady’s doorbell. He shovels the driveway and gets money.
Arthur shovels another person’s driveway when a snowball narrowly misses him. Francine and Binky stand on the sidewalk.
Francine: Hey, Arthur!
Arthur: Huh?
Francine: We’re gonna go sledding on the golf course. Wanna come?
Arthur: Um, thanks, but I still have some work to do.
Binky: Work?! But it's Saturday! (gasps) Is this a homework assignment?
Arthur: I'm just doing it for some extra money, Binky.
Francine and Binky walk on.
Francine: Suit yourself! Remember us when you're rich.
***
Arthur walks up to a big house and sees Buster standing on the porch.
Arthur: Buster?! What are you doing here?
Buster: Well, after hearing you talk about your rocket ship, I figured, "Why can't I be rich, too?"
Arthur: But I was gonna do this house!
Buster: It's pretty big! Let's do it together. Hey! We could be partners!
Arthur: Okay.
A lady opens.
Buster: Shovel your walk, ma'am?
Both boys start shoveling the driveway.
Arthur: (pants)
He sees Buster cleaning the porch railing with a broom.
A while later, Arthur de-ices the car window.
Arthur: (strains)
Behind him, Buster and the lady are talking.
Buster+Lady: (laugh)
A while later, Arthur shovels while Buster brushes snow off the car’s hood. Arthur looks annoyed.
Buster sprinkles sand on the front steps. He gives Arthur the thumbs-up. Arthur is still shoveling.
Finally, the driveway is cleared.
Lady: It's beautiful! And you've even sprinkled sand on the steps. How does fifteen dollars sound?
Arthur: Thank you. (pants)
Buster: That's great, ma'am.
Arthur and Buster leave.
Buster: Wow! Talk about easy money! One for me, one for you. One for me...
Arthur: It's seven-fifty each!
Buster: Okay. Here's seven for you and seven for me. I'll take the extra dollar since I was here first.
Arthur: Buster, I did all the work! You spent half the time dusting the steps!
Buster: But she loved the steps! Plus, I did all the wet icy snow while you were doing the light fluffy stuff.
Arthur: Well, you took a huge cocoa break!
Buster: That was for customer relations! And every time I looked up, you were leaning on your shovel catching your breath!
Arthur: Know what? Keep your dollar! This partnership's over!
He walks away.
Buster: Oh, yeah? Well, so is... this one! I quit!
They walk in opposite directions.
***
The next morning, Mr. Read comes into the kitchen where his wife is pouring coffee.
Mr. Read: (yawns) More snow. I'd better go shovel out.
Mrs. Read: I'll wake up Arthur.
Mr. Read: Ah, let him rest. After all that hard work yesterday, he'll probably sleep till noon.
He steps outside and sees that the driveway has been cleared.
Mr. Read: Arthur?!
***
Arthur rings the Molinas’ doorbell.
Mr. Molina: Oh, Arthur. I've already promised the job to that nice boy on all the posters.
Arthur: Posters??
Mr. Molina points at posters on a telephone pole.
Arthur reads Buster’s poster.
Arthur: “Buster’s Magic Snow Shoveling. Watch the snow just disappear. No icy patches like certain other shoveling businesses.” Oh, no!
There are several posters on each telephone pole all along the street.
***
Arthur gets a box of posters from the print shop.
Arthur: "Everclean Snow Shoveling. Elwood City's first and best snow removal business." That should do the trick. 10 dollars?!
The print shop attendant shrugs.
***
Arthur hangs up a poster right next to Buster’s.
Buster: Hey! You're covering my flyer!
Arthur: I am not!
Buster: You are, too! See?! Your corner's touching my corner!
He rips off Arthur’s poster and throws it down.
Arthur: You can't do that!
Buster: I just did.
Arthur rips off Buster’s poster and crumples it. Buster rips off another poster.
Arthur: That's a poster for a lost kitten!
Buster: Oh, forget it! You can have this stupid telephone pole!
He walks off.
***
Arthur eats a sandwich at the kitchen table. D.W. sits at the other side of the table.
D.W.: Okay, Arthur. I've decided to help you.
Arthur: Help me?! D.W., you can hardly lift a shovel!
D.W.: Yeah, but I can find more jobs for you... for a fee, of course.
Arthur: Hmm.
***
Arthur shovels someone’s driveway and Buster approaches him.
Buster: Getting your little sister to find you work?! No fair! Who's gonna say no to a four-year-old girl?!
Across the street, D.W. is talking to a lady.
Arthur: No one!
Buster: Grr!
***
Arthur shovels yet another driveway when he hears Buster singing to the tune of "Jingle Bells".
Buster (recording): “Magic snow! Magic snow...”
Arthur: Huh?!
Buster walks by holding a megaphone to a tape recorder.
Buster (recording): “If you're all snowed in! If you're all snowed in it's the way to go! Magic snow! Magic snow!
Arthur: Grr!
***
Arthur walks down the street pulling a toboggan with a recorder. Rap music sounds from a tape.
Arthur (recording): “Who cleans your driveway? Arthur! Arthur!”
D.W. comes running.
D.W.: Arthur! Arthur! Buster's lowered his prices! He's only charging four dollars a walk!
Arthur: What?! That's a dollar less than what I'm charging. Okay, we'll beat him at his own game. Three-fifty, and we'll de-ice the car for free.
***
A while later, Arthur de-ices a car.
Arthur: Ha! I'm working for peanuts. Buster would be crazy to compete with me now.
Meanwhile, Buster de-ices front steps and breaks his shovel.
Arthur: Aw.
Arthur continues de-icing the car during an icy rain.
***
Arthur hangs up posters on a fence.
Buster hangs up his posters over Arthur’s.
Arthur shovels a driveway.
Buster knocks icicles off a roof.
Arthur shovels a driveway when a snow plow pushes snow from the street into the driveway.
Buster talks to a man at the door.
Buster: All for a mere three dollars.
D.W. talks to a lady while Arthur shovels snow.
D.W.: Only two dollars and fifty cents.
Buster talks to a lady. He is panting while he speaks.
Buster: At two dollars, I'm the best deal in town. And I'll even throw in this hat.
He takes off his hat.
***
Arthur rings Grandma Thora’s doorbell.
Grandma Thora: Arthur. What a nice surprise.
Arthur: Hi, Grandma. Er, do you need your walk shoveled again?
Grandma Thora: No, sweetheart. Your friend Buster has already started.
Buster comes around the house dragging his shovel.
Buster: Back... patio's finished. Let's see about those gutters.
He climbs up the porch roof.
Arthur: But I'm your grandson! You have to give me the job.
Grandma Thora: Sorry, but I've already hired Buster. Besides, he only charges a dollar.
Arthur: Well, then. I'll do it for free.
He starts shoveling.
Grandma Thora: But, dear... You'll never make any money that way.
***
Arthur walks over the playground looking exhausted. Francine, Muffy and Binky are playing in the snow.
Francine: Arthur, you missed it! We had the greatest snowball fight with some fourth-graders!
Muffy: And we built a French chateau out of this big snowdrift on my front lawn.
Arthur: Gee! Sounds like fun.
Binky: Not as fun as it was tearing it down.
Binky+Francine+Muffy: (laugh)
They throw snowballs at each other while they run off.
Binky: Take that!
Arthur looks sad. Buster stands a few yards away looking equally sad.
***
Arthur sits on the living room couch with his feet in a bowl of hot water. He watches the weather forecast on TV.
Mr. Read: Long day, huh?
Arthur: After posters, sound equipment, a push broom and a new shovel, I made... ten dollars.
D.W.: Ahem!
He holds out her hand. Arthur gives her a dollar.
Arthur: Make that nine.
Weatherman: And now the local weather... After a weekend of snow, look for blue skies tomorrow.
Mr. Read: Hear that? Sounds like you have school tomorrow.
Arthur: delighted: Really? I mean, oh, that's too bad.
Mr. Read: I'm getting a hot chocolate. You want one?
Arthur: Thanks, Dad. Phew! School tomorrow. What a relief!
He turns off the TV.
***
The next morning it is snowing. Arthur lies in bed. D.W. runs into his room.
D.W.: Arthur! Arthur! No school, Arthur! No school!
Arthur looks outside and sees that the snow is almost as high as the garden fence.
Arthur puts on his winter boots in the hallway.
Arthur: Early bird catches the worm.
As he walks out, his parents exchange looks.
In the street outside, the other kids are playing in the fresh snow. Arthur walks sadly by.
***
Arthur meets Buster. Both are carrying shovels.
Buster: How's business?
Arthur: Okay. But I'm probably gonna have to cut the advertising budget.
Buster: Hey, are you getting puffy blisters on your toes?
Arthur: Toes, heels, thumbs - you name it!
Buster: Hê... Well, I'd better go. I promised to do the temple parking lot for 75 cents.
Arthur: I'm doing the community center playground for 50.
Muffy comes in a pickup truck with a plow in front, driven by Bailey.
Muffy: Number 12. This house here, Bailey. The car clears the driveway in a few seconds. Okay. 22 is next. Move it out!
On the other side of the street, Francine, Binky and Brain come buy with snowboards.
Binky+Brain+Francine: (laugh)
Arthur: Buster, how would you feel about skipping the temple parking lot?
Buster: Are you trying to steal my job?
Arthur: No. Let's give Muffy both our jobs. It's a snow day, and, well, you don't get that many chances to go sledding with your best friend.
Buster: Oh! I heard the hill on the 14th hole is super fast!
Arthur: Maybe, if we put our profits together, we can buy a new sled!
Buster: Hey, Binky, Francine!
Arthur: Wait for us!
They catch up with their friends.