Introduction[]
Arthur lies reading in bed in the evening.
Arthur: Treasure Island, one of my favorite books. When I read it, I imagine I'm a pirate, like Long John Silver.
He stands up in bed and imagines that he is a pirate on a small island.
Arthur: Avast! Thar's the X! Dig up the buried treasure, lad!
Pal digs on an actual X on the ground. He retrieves a bone.
Arthur: Human treasure, lad, not dog treasure. Keep digging!
Pal goes on digging.
The fantasy ends. Pal is scratching the mattress.
Arthur: Hey, you can stop digging now! Imagining I'm someone else is one of the things I love about reading. But I wonder what it'd be like if I could actually be someone else, like Mr. Ratburn.
The class is seen over the ridge of Mr. Ratburn’s nose.
Mr. Ratburn: Good morning, class. Let's start the day off with a little math quiz.
Class: Aw...
Mr. Ratburn: (thinks:) Hm. That wasn't a very big groan. Maybe I'm getting too soft on them. (loud:) On second thought, let's start the day with a big math test!
Class: Aww!!
Mr. Ratburn: (thinks:) Ah! That's more like it.
The fantasy ends.
Arthur: Hey, I have an idea! Why don't you imagine what it's like to be me for a day and I'll imagine what it's like to be you?
He puts his glasses on the nightstand and lies down.
Arthur: Okay, ready? (hypnotically:) You are becoming me... You are becoming me... You are becoming me... You are becoming me...
The camera zooms in on his face, then a spiral swirls.
Title Card: Arthur with Umbrella[]
Most of the rest of the episode is seen through Arthur’s eyes. Arthur’s eyelids open, showing a fuzzy view of his room.
Arthur: (yawns)
He puts on his glasses and the room snaps into focus. Arthur looks at his feet and hands.
Arthur: Ten toes, ten fingers. Yep, I'm all here.
He walks out into the hallway and steps on a doll.
Arthur: Oh!
He walks to the bathroom mirror.
Arthur: Good morning, Arthur.
D.W.: Arthur! Stop talking to yourself. Do you have any idea what time it is?
She holds her Mary Moo Cow watch in Arthur’s face.
Arthur: It's only 7:30.
D.W.: Oh, so that's what it says. Well, you better get moving or you'll be late for training.
Arthur: Training? For what?
Pal whines. He is holding a sign saying 312.
Arthur: (gasps) The 3K race. It's today! Oh, no, I completely forgot I signed up for it.
Flashback: A third-person view shows Arthur walking up to Miss Turner who is sitting at a table outside the library.
Miss Turner: Care to enter the library's 3K race, Arthur? It's to raise money for a new children's reading room.
Arthur: Gee, I don't know. How far is three kilometers?
Brain comes and takes the signup sheet.
Brain: It's exactly 1.86 miles. The most we've ever run in school is half a mile. It might be too long for you.
Arthur: So, why are you signing up?
Brain: My dad and I run a lot on the weekends. Three kilometers will be a snap for me.
He runs off.
Arthur: (thinks:) Hmph! Too long for me? We'll see about that.
He signs up.
Arthur: (clears throat) 3K, huh? No sweat.
Miss Turner gives him the 312 sign.
The flashback ends.
Arthur: (thinks:) 1.86 miles - that really seems like a lot now, but I'd like to show the Brain I can run just as far as he can. I guess a little training couldn't hurt.
He flexes his muscles.
D.W.'s face is seen upside down in the backyard. The reflection in the window shows that Arthur is hanging by his knees and D.W. is pulling his arms.
Arthur: Ouch! Ouch! Hey! Ow! Ow! You're hurting me.
D.W.: It's for your own good, Arthur. You should stretch before your trainers get here.
Arthur: Trainers? I thought you were my trainer.
Timmy: Hi, Arthur.
Tommy: Ready for your workout?
Arthur: Oh, no.
D.W.: Trust me, Arthur. If you can survive an hour with them, the race will be a snap.
Arthur: (groans)
***
Arthur runs through the yard.
Arthur: (pants)
Timmy: (giggles): I've got you now! Whoa!
He is running with a garden hose which pulls him back.
Arthur: That was close.
Tommy: Not close enough! (laughs)
He dumps a bucket of water over Arthur.
Arthur: No! (sputters)
***
Arthur jumps rope.
D.W: ...18… 19... 20... 20... 20…
Arthur: You already said 20.
D.W.: I don't know what comes after 20.
Tommy: Hey, Timmy! I bet I can spin the rope faster than you.
Timmy: Cannot.
Tommy: Can, too.
Timmy: Cannot.
Tommy: Can, too.
Arthur: Hey, guys, slow down. It's too fast. I can't keep up. Stop. Aah!
Arthur falls and gets a close-up view of an ant in the grass. Arthur turns and D.W.’s face appears.
D.W.: Arthur, never say "stop" when you're jumping rope.
Arthur: (groans)
Timmy: Okay, run to that tree.
Arthur runs and touches the tree.
Timmy: And back.
Arthur does.
Timmy: Now to the sandbox. Pick up the purple dinosaur. Now bring it back. Quick!
Arthur: (pants)
Timmy: Thanks.
The Tibbles leave with the dinosaur.
Timmy+Tommy: (giggle)
D.W.: Hey! They stole my dinosaur!
She runs after them.
The next morning, the Reads have breakfast.
Arthur: (chews noisily)
D.W.: Arthur wants some more pancakes, Dad.
Arthur: I do?
D.W.: You need lots of crabs so you'll have energy for the race.
Mr. Read: "Carbs," D.W. It's short for "carbohydrates."
D.W.: Trust me, Arthur.
Mr. Read puts more pancakes on the table and D.W. hand him a doughnut.
Arthur sits in the car and was rubbing his stomach
Arthur: (groans) I ate too much. Mom, could you slow down? I feel a little carsick.
David: You know, Arthur, if you feel nauseous you don't have to run.
Arthur: (thinks:) Hm. I could just skip the race. But what if the library can't raise enough money for the children's reading room?
He imagines Miss Turner talking to Mr. Haney in the library.
Miss Turner: Isn't it wonderful?
Mr. Haney: It certainly is.
Knocking is heard from the other side of the wall.
Foreman: (on P.A.) Mr. Haney, this is the foreman of the building crew. You are five dollars short so we had to leave out some features like doors and windows.
Mr. Haney runs to the wall holding money.
Mr. Haney: Wait, don't go! I have five dollars right here!
Foreman: (on P.A.) Throw in another ten, and we'll give you a roof, too.
There is thunder and it starts raining into the library.
Mr. Haney: We're doomed!
Miss Turner: And it's all because Arthur signed up for the race but didn't run.
Mr. Haney: Hm.
The fantasy ends.
Arthur: No, I should run. I feel okay.
D.W.: I know what you need, Arthur. Let's see... I had it just last week. Something to settle your stomach.
She reaches between the seats and pull out a dirty lollypop with a fly on it.
Arthur: Eww. Mom, pull over! Quick! (sighs)
***
Arthur is downtown, where the race starts. Buster walks up to him.
Buster: Hi, Arthur. You don't look quite yourself today.
Arthur: Really? I was a little carsick on the ride over but now I feel fine.
Buster: No, that's not it. Is there someone inside your head watching everything you do on a TV set?
He knocks against Arthur’s glasses/the TV screen.
Arthur: Cut it out!
Buster leaves. Brain stands behind him. He is wearing fancy running shoes.
Brain: Hey, Arthur.
Arthur: Whoa!
Brain: Oh, these are my new condor 86x low riders with pump action. They inflate when I clap my hands...
He claps and the soles become about two inches thick.
Brain: ...and give me an extra spring to my step.
Arthur: Oh, yeah. Well, er...
He shows a very old sneaker.
Arthur: These are my, uh, lucky sneakers. I wear them for all my races.
Brain: Well, don't push yourself too hard. Remember, Arthur, walking across the finish line still counts.
He walks away.
Arthur: (thinks:) Yeah, but finishing before you would be a lot of fun.
***
The kids kneel at the starting line. Mr. Haney is the starter.
Mr. Haney: On your mark...
Muffy: Wait! Isn't the Elwood City Times covering the race? I want to look my best.
She combs her hair.
Mr. Haney: Ahem. On your mark, get set...
He fires the pistol and the other kids start running.
Arthur: (gasps) Oh, no!
Arthur notices that his shoe is untied and ties it. Then he starts running.
Arthur overtakes Fern, Sue Ellen and Binky.
Sue Ellen: Hey!
Binky: Huh?
Arthur passes his grandma who waves.
Arthur: Hi, grandma.
Arthur overtakes Brain.
Arthur: (pants) Hi... Brain.
Brain: Hm? How did you...
Arthur: Sorry, can't talk now. Got to run. (pants, chuckles) (thinks:) Actually, this isn't so bad. I don't feel tired at all. Hey, I might even win this race.
He imagines walking to a podium on which Mr. Haney and Miss Turner stand.
Crowd: (cheer)
Mr. Haney: Congratulations, Arthur. Yours was the fastest time in Elwood City history.
He hangs a medal around Arthur’s neck.
Miss Turner: And we've decided to name the new reading room the Read Reading Room, after you.
Mr. Haney: You ran a great race! You should be very proud of yourself.
The fantasy ends. Brain slowly overtakes Arthur.
Brain: You're doing really well. You know, we should run together someday.
Arthur: Okay.
Brain: But not today!
He claps, his soles inflate and he speeds up.
Muffy runs past a photographer and turns around so he can photograph her face.
Muffy: Yoo-hoo, over here! Try to get my good side.
Arthur: (gasps) Muffy, watch out. There's a...
Muffy runs backwards into a barrier.
Muffy: Ow!
Brain runs out of sight. Arthur turns to Muffy.
Muffy: Ow!! (sobs)
Arthur: Muffy, are you alright?
Muffy: No, I'm not alright. My new outfit is ruined.
Her pants are torn at the knee. Arthur helps her up.
Arthur: I'll never catch up with the Brain now. Oh, well, there will be other races.
Arthur runs through a tunnel.
Arthur: (pants)
The finish line comes in sight.
D.W.: Come on, Arthur! Just a few more steps. You can do it!
Arthur crosses the line and stops to catch his breath. His family walk toward him.
Mr. Read: Yay!
D.W.: Way to go!
Mr. Read: That's my boy!
Arthur: Thanks.
He drinks a cup of water his dad hands him.
D.W.: Don't drink too much, Arthur. You don't want to practice on a full stomach.
Arthur: Practice? For what?
D.W.: The marathon, of course. It can't be much longer than this race. Maybe it's ten Ks or four Ls or a Q. We'll ask Tommy and Timmy this afternoon.
Arthur: Oh, brother!
He drinks more water.
***
The last scene is a third-person view again. The next day in the kitchen, Arthur looks at a photograph in the Elwood City Times that shows him helping up Muffy.
Arthur: Wow! Check it out. I'm famous. That's even better than winning the race.
Arthur walks up to the camera.
Arthur: Well, I hope you enjoyed being me for a day. I really liked being you. But next time, let's switch. You run the race, and I'll watch me on TV.
He waves and steps out of the picture.