♪ Every day when you're walking down the street ♪ ♪ Everybody that you meet has an original point of view.

♪ ( laughs ) ♪ And I say hey!

♪ Hey!

♪ What a wonderful kind of day ♪ ♪ If we could learn to work and play ♪ ♪ And get along with each other ♪ ♪ You got to listen to your heart ♪ ♪ Listen to the beat ♪ ♪ Listen to the rhythm, the rhythm of the street ♪ ♪ Open up your eyes, open up your ears ♪ ♪ Get together and make things better by working together ♪ ♪ It's a simple message and it comes from the heart ♪ ♪ Believe in yourself ♪ ♪ For that's the place to start ♪ ♪ And I say hey!

♪ Hey!

♪ What a wonderful kind of day ♪ ♪ If we could learn to work and play ♪ ♪ And get along with each other.

♪ Hey!

♪ What a wonderful kind of day ♪ ♪ Hey!

What a wonderful kind of day.

♪ Hey!

ARTHUR: Hey, D.W. Hey!

Whoa!

( crash ) Um... ( clears throat ) You might want to think about... Shh!

I want to do it myself!

Okay, okay.

Sometimes I don't think D.W. really appreciates how easy her life is because of me.

I mean, she can always come to me for great advice.

Do not fear mosquitoes.

If you blow gently on them, they will go away.

( blows ) Ow!

More gently next time.

Now I shall tell you how to tie your shoes with your mind.

I constantly encourage her.

Trust me, D.W., you can do this.

That's it, you're doing it!

You're roller-skating!

( D.W. screams, crashes ) Uh, that was great.

Now we'll work on stopping.

And when she gets to kindergarten, everyone will respect her because she's Arthur Read's sister.

Hey, isn't that Arthur's sister?

ALL: Welcome, Arthur's sister!

Best of all, I teach her things, like checkers.

D.W.: King me!

( loud clang ) ( yelps ) Ta-dah!

Thank you, thank you!

The Great Francine will now accept your applause.

Ah, yes, the first morning of circus camp.

I remember it well.

Wait till you're on the trapeze, 15 feet off the ground.

It's harder than flipping cereal into your mouth.

You may have been good at circus camp, Catherine, but I'm going to rule.

We'll just see about that.

Yes, we will.

MR. FRENSKY: Hey, Laverne, I think we may have two circus stars in this family.

Got to run!

CATHERINE: Good luck, squirt.

Say hi to Boris for me.

Whoa!

BINKY: This sure beats band camp.

MAN: Greetings, young apprentices.

I am Boris-- tumbler, trapeze artist, ringleader and more importantly, your camp counselor.

Arthur Read?

Here.

Binky Barnes?

That's me.

And Frensky?

Are you related to Catherine Frensky?

She's my sister.

This is an honor.

Catherine was one of my best pupils, a real natural.

Okay, let's join the rest of the kids on our first stop: tumbling.

Follow the feet.

Let's begin with what you already know.

How about a basic cartwheel?

Frensky, show them how it's done.

Ow!

I-I think my hand slipped.

Happens to all of us.

All right, everyone, on the mat.

Whoo-hoo!

Hey, I've never even done one of those before.

Oof!

( laughs nervously ) Just got to get the right momentum.

If Arthur can do it... Aah!

Now, I know back flips look scary, but you'll be in this harness and I'll be spotting you.

Let's have a volunteer.

Frensky, how about you?

Um, okay.

Now just reach back and bring your legs over.

Ow!

FRANCINE: Sorry!

That's okay.

Just keep your legs together next time.

Take five-minute break while your counselor gets an ice pack.

Hey, Squirt, I found some circus stuff for you.

These gloves are great for the trapeze.

Oh, and remember this adorable top from my tightrope routine?

( crowd cheering ) FRANCINE: Yay, Catherine!

Did you see that?

She's amazing!

( whistling ) No, thanks-- I don't want your sweaty old clothes.

I thought you could use something to bring you luck.

I don't need luck.

I'm great at circus camp.

You're better than me at horseback riding but you won't win this, too.

You can't win at circus, Francine.

It's not a competition.

Whatever.

Need a hand?

( moans ) Thanks.

I was practicing for hours last night and my arms feel like jelly, but I think I've finally nailed tumbling.

Okay, kids, who's ready to perform on the flying trapeze?

KIDS: Me!

Me!

Me!

Me!

Trapeze?!

What happened to somersaults and cartwheels?

You'll love trapeze, Frensky.

It was your sister's best routine.

FRANCINE: Why does everyone expect me to be like Catherine?

I don't even look like her.

Sure you do.

What?!

I do not!

You're right-- you're shorter.

But other than that... Well, at least I don't sound like her.

Do I?

Maybe just a little, but in a good way.

Just hold on to the bar and swing across.

Natatcha will catch you.

Whoa... ( screams ) Nice try, Francine.

MR. FRENSKY: Hey, Franky, how was camp?

( angrily ): Terrific.

I can't wait to see you in the final performance.

We got the invitation today.

Um, actually, Dad, the performance won't be a big thing this year.

You don't have to come.

Of course we're coming.

We wouldn't miss it for the world.

So, what do you think you'll do?

The tightrope, like Catherine?

No, I will not do the tightrope or the trapeze or back flips or anything else that Catherine did!

( slams door ) ( quietly ): Catherine, Catherine, Catherine, Catherine.

( yawns ) Might as well just call myself Catherine II.

That's what everyone wants.

( dramatic music plays ) ANNOUNCER: You loved Catherine, the greatest action hero ever known!

And now, from the producers of Catherine... it's Catherine II-- Francine!

Yes, it's Catherine II!

She's kind of back, and she's almost as great as the first one.

Almost... sort of.

( alarm blares ) If you loved Catherine, you'll probably at least like Catherine II.

I liked the first one, but this just didn't work for me.

Yeah, sequels are never as good.

Just a sequel, huh?

We'll see about that.

( in fake French accent ): Hello, Binky, Arthur!

Francine?

What are you wearing?

( in fake accent ): I am just trying a little something new, something, how you say, unique?

Now I am not so much like the Catherine, "nest blah"?

Maybe, but she's nothing like Francine either.

Hello, everyone.

I'm Fishface, your clowning instructor.

"Clowning is a delightful and entertaining circus art.

"But make no mistake, it's also very serious business.

So pay attention."

Okay, we'll start with the unicycle.

You with the beret, what's your name?

( clears throat ) Yksnerf.

Yksnerf?

There's no "Yksnerf" on the attendance sheet.

There's a Frensky.

That's "Yksnerf" spelled backwards.

( in fake accent ): Uh, it must be-- how you say?-- the typo.

Sounds reasonable.

How about trying the unicycle?

Great-- another thing for me to stink at.

Okay, it's all a matter of balance.

Try pedaling a little.

That's it-- look, you're doing it!

Whoa...!

FISHFACE: Stop!

I can't!

( yelling ) ( crash ) ( kids laughing ) Sorry.

Are you okay?

Everything hurts, but that's normal.

I'm getting pretty good at this.

Oof!

Poor Francine.

Only two days until the performance and she still can't do a somersault.

I really hope she doesn't embarrass herself.

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it has been an amazing, exciting few weeks, and now it is time.

I give you the Elwood City Kids' Circus!

( applause and cheering ) ( applause and cheering ) ( applause ) ( applause and cheering ) Where's Francine?

I haven't seen her at all.

I don't know.

The show's almost over.

( horn honking ) Whoa!

( thunk ) ( laughing and cheering ) ARTHUR: Oh, no, she's going to try juggling.

I can't watch.

( laughter ) Oof!

( audience laughing ) ( applause ) ARTHUR: Francine, that was the funniest thing ever.

You were the hit of the show!

Thanks, guys.

But I owe it all to this guy.

No, no, you were a natural.

When Francine told me she was ready to take clowning seriously, well... ( chokes up ) it just got to me.

( squeaking ) There's my girl.

I'm so proud of you.

I, um, was never very good at clowning myself.

I think I will take those circus clothes you gave me.

That frilly pink shirt could be pretty funny in a clown routine.

It's already so ridiculous.

It is not!

That shirt is haute couture.

Is that French for "dorky-looking"?

Forget it.

KIDS: And now... That's my sister, and that's my brother.

Sean is my older brother.

I'm Sean.

Tim is my twin.

My name is Tim.

They're both twins.

They're my brothers.

We're siblings.

We like gymnastics.

SEAN: We are like Francine and Catherine because they compete against each other and we compete against each other and do our best.

This is our home gym in our garage where we have gymnastics equipment.

This is the pommel horse.

This is the bar.

SISTER: The beam is something you try to balance on the best as you can.

You can make your own beam, like this one right here.

It's made with wood and carpet.

SEAN: You could also get a beam that's homemade, a regular store-bought trampoline, and you can use mattresses to help pad.

We also do sport acrobatics.

Sport acrobatics involves people balancing on each other and moves that are very difficult.

Meghan puts her hands on Sean's knees, she puts her shoulders on his hands.

Meghan presses up to a handstand and then does a stag and presses back down.

And that's the "candlestick."

SEAN: If you don't have equipment, you could climb trees, and that's a lot like gymnastics.

And now... ( humming happily ) Ooh!

Can I see Wacky Zack, the Zombie King?

No.

Mom, it's just a comedy.

Binky's mom took him and... Arthur, it's rated PG-13.

You're not seeing it.

But... No.

Don't you hate hearing the word "no" all the time?

Since it's Arbor Day, can we have class outside?

( inhales deeply ) No.

Hmm... No.

BITZI: No.

No!

No.

( gasps ) Daddy, how could you?

I mean, uh... not right now, Muffin.

We don't have the space for a hippo quite yet.

( bawling ) Sometimes, it seems like "no" is all I ever hear.

D.W.: Arthur, no!

( Arthur hits ground ) Great-- now I have to make a whole new batch of mud!

That was one "no" I wish I had heard.

?

?????6?6?6???6???6?

One... two... Liftoff!

You beat Francine, but Buster still holds first place.

Your turn, George.

BUSTER: Wait a second.

You'll go farther if you straighten your legs and start back here.

Oh, uh, thanks.

BUSTER: Hey, look-- we're tied!

Nice jumping, George.

( school bell ringing ) Well, since you all seem to know the multiplication tables so well, this pop quiz should be a snap.

( students groan ) ( whispering ): Psst, George.

Got an extra pencil?

Here.

Thanks.

Aw... RATBURN: Four minutes left.

RATBURN: Time's up.

Put your pencils down.

George, I can't read this.

It's in crayon.

Don't you have a pencil?

Um, I did, but... You should have asked for one if you needed it.

You can retake the quiz after school.

Thanks, buddy-- I owe you one.

Is that the last slice?

Aw...

I missed the Boston cream pie last week, too!

( whining ): Oh, it's my favorite!

( chummily ): Hi, George.

Uh, hi.

Um, I, um... don't suppose you'd want... Oh, no, George, really I couldn't.

Are you sure?

Yeah, sure.

I really like... ( sadly ): pears in syrup.

Thanks, buddy-- you're the best!

This isn't my coat.

BUSTER: No, it's mine.

I thought we could trade.

Trade?

Go ahead, try it on.

It's real nylon.

It's too big.

No, that's the way it's supposed to be.

How does this look?

Pretty good.

It makes everyone look good.

That's why I like it so much.

Me, too.

I think there's some candy in one of those pockets.

Help yourself.

Ew!

( grumbling ) Then Wacky Zack comes over to this kid's house.

His parents don't know he's a zombie... so the kid hides him in the bathroom, but then his Dad goes to take a shower... Aah!

( growling ) ( roaring ) ( inhales deeply ) ARTHUR ( chuckling ): Anyway, it's a really funny movie.

Um, I haven't actually seen it, but Binky told me about it.

Hey, George, do you have the time?

( angrily ): No!

What is it with you people?!

Get your own watch!

Fine, forget it.

Wait.

Arthur, I'm sorry!

GEORGE: And now Buster's wearing my jacket, too.

I never wanted to trade in the first place.

So why did you agree?

You could have said no.

I don't know-- I just didn't.

You can't keep on saying yes to Buster.

What if he wants your shoes next time?

GEORGE: You're right, I have to do something.

But I'm really bad at saying no.

What if I lose my nerve?

Maybe you could practice with someone.

GEORGE: Okay, so you're Buster, and you have to try to get the juice from me.

Got it?

GEORGE ( as Wally ): But I can't do Buster!

Can't I be someone else?

I do a mean Pinocchio.

No.

Well, at least give me ears.

I need my props!

( sniffing ) Ew-- did you wash these?

We're starting, Wally.

Okay.

( clears throat ) Hey, George, can I have that box of juice in your hand?

No, you can't.

What?!

After all we've been through, I can't have one measly box of juice?

I thought we were friends!

I trusted you, George!

I treated you like my own flesh and blood!

( weeping ): Why, George, why?

Okay, okay!

You can have the juice!

Pineapple?

Yuck-- I hate pineapple!

Hey, that was fun!

What do you want me to take from you next?

I think I'll practice alone.

And I really like you, Buster.

It's just that sometimes I feel like you're taking advantage of me, and, well, it makes me kind of mad.

( tape stops, then rewinds ) ( stops rewinding ) GEORGE ( on tape ): Testing... testing... ( meekly ): Hi, Buster.

I want to talk to you about something.

Oh, I sound so whiny.

BUSTER: Hey, George!

What are you doing?

Um... nothing.

Nice tape recorder.

Can I see?

♪ Baxter Day ♪ ♪ Oh, it's Baxter Day... ♪ Ha-ha-- this is pretty cool.

Could I borrow it sometime?

Buster...!

Sure, take it.

Right now?

Okay, thanks.

Hey, you want to go to Muffy's?

She just got "Virtual Goose" version 29.2.

No, thanks.

It's hopeless, Wally.

I'll probably wind up giving Buster everything I own.

Thanks, buddy-- you're the best!

The kid with the ears told me to give you the bill.

Everything?

What about me?

I guess he'll probably take you, too.

Hi, Mr. Molina.

Want your rain gutters cleaned for five dollars?

( kisses five-dollar bill ) ( flies buzzing ) ( slurping ice cream ) Hey, where's Wally?

I thought you had him now.

Huh?

I don't know.

Oh, well, he'll turn up.

GEORGE ( as Wally ): Hey!

And I thought D.W. was bad!

BUSTER ( downstairs ): Hi, Mrs. Nordgren.

Is George home?

GEORGE: He's here!

Did he see us?

I don't know.

BUSTER: Thanks, Mrs. Nordgren.

GEORGE ( as Wally ): He's got the backpack!

He's coming for me!

We'll go out the window!

I don't think that's such a great idea.

It's a long way down.

BUSTER: George?

GEORGE ( as Wally ): Go away!

There's no one here!

BUSTER: Aw, come on, George.

Please open up.

I just want to talk to you.

Here.

Try not to lose him.

I don't want your dummy.

I came to give you your stuff back.

Here's your jacket, the pencil I borrowed the other day and your tape recorder.

Press play.

BUSTER ( on tape ): Hi, George.

I'm sorry I kind of made you lend me all this stuff.

I didn't mean to.

If I knew how it made you feel, I wouldn't have done it.

Anyway, thanks for being a good friend.

♪ Funky rabbit!

♪ ( gasps ) ♪ Funky rabbit!

♪ ♪ Funky rabbit!

♪ ♪ Yeah!

I'm a funky rab-rabbit.

♪ ( tape stops ) ( chuckles nervously ) Thought I recorded over that part.

You heard me on the tape?

Yeah.

Anyway, no hard feelings?

Oh, and could I ask a favor?

W-what is it?

Next time, if something's bothering you, could you just tell me?

It'll save us both a lot of time.

Sure.

You still want to go to Muffy's?

Yeah!

Okay, I'll meet you downstairs.

He's not such a bad guy.

Now that he's brought your jacket back, can I borrow it?

No.

How about the tape recorder?

Uh-uh.

The pencil?

I could use something to clean my ears.

Good night, Wally.

Hi, everyone, it's me, Buster.

We always have something to dance about in Elwood City, but you won't believe all the cool dances people are doing all around the country.

On my trip with my dad, I see people rock, stomp, twirl, pop and boogie to the beat.

I'm filming all the groovy fun and sending it back to my friends in Elwood City on my very own video postcards.

They're Postcards from Buster.

cess.wgbh.org ♪ And everybody that you meet has an original point of view.

♪ ♪ And I say hey!

♪ Hey!

♪ What a wonderful kind of day ♪ ♪ If we could learn to work and play ♪ ♪ And get along with each other ♪ Hey!

♪ What a wonderful kind of day ♪ Hey!