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

Hey, D.W.!

Hey!

Whoa... (crash) Go, Francine!

Tie it up and send us into overtime!

Don't hold back, Francine!

Leave it all on the field!

(crowd groans) (buzzer) (cheering) When I told you to leave it all on the field, Frankie, I didn't mean your cleats!

(chuckling) "Tarantulas: the world's most advanced soccer cleats."

Awesome.

DAD: Hey there, superstar.

Sorry about how the game ended today.

Dad, could we please go to the store tomorrow and buy me some new cleats?

Oh, I'm sorry, Francine, we can't... ...because I already bought you a pair.

Oh.

Uh, thanks.

They're... nice.

Nice, huh?

Not what you had in mind?

Well, I did kind of have my heart set on Tarantulas.

Awesome.

Whoa, $100?

Frankie, that's a little more than I can afford.

But I'll tell you what.

If you make half of that hundred, I'll return these and pay the other half.

Deal, superstar?

Deal.

How am I going to make $50?

And the toes have mega-traction, and the laces are made out of the same fabric they use for space suits.

Ooh, do they come in teal?

Black sneakers are so last month.

All I have to do is make $50.

But where am I going to find a job?

Francine, fate and falafel have thrust us together.

I'm in the market for an employee.

You are?

Doing what?

You name it.

Raking leaves, cleaning gutters, fertilizing shrubbery, filling groundhog holes...

Okay, I'm up for any... That's so nice of you, Mrs. MacGrady, but I think Francine may already have a job.

I do?

Well, okay, but the offer still stands if that one falls through.

Francine, you don't want to do that job.

Think of the blisters you'll get.

(gasps) I know exactly who you should work for.

Who?

Me, of course.

You?

You have leaves for me to rake?

Oh, no, Bailey does all that.

You can be my personal assistant.

It's the latest thing, according to Econo-Miss magazine.

What does a personal assistant do?

Hmm... Well, I didn't get that far into the article.

But we'll figure something out.

Friends don't let friends do manual labor.

Now, we have to agree to a fair wage.

I should warn you, I'm a tough negotiator.

Eight dollars a day?

How about nine?

But that's more than I...

Okay, ten.

But I'm not going a penny higher.

You drive a hard bargain.

What do you want me to do first?

Well, first I need you to help me drink this pitcher of pumpkin smoothie and eat these chips and guacamole.

I couldn't possibly finish them myself.

That's it?

I'm a pretty good boss, huh?

Okay, personal assistant, Daddy says I can add some things to my play house.

Should I get a treadmill or a hot tub?

You'll probably get more use out of the treadmill.

Hmm...

I think I'll go with the hot tub.

But good suggestion.

Oh, no!

You cornered the market on pig bellies.

You win another game of Megalopolis.

Muffy, shouldn't I clean or something?

Clean?

You just wiped the floor with me.

Come on, let's play again.

Bailey, roll my dice.

(cello music playing) Five, ten.

Job well done.

But I didn't do anything.

And I'm still paying you.

Aren't I the best boss ever?

Listen, if you're so dead set on doing something, why don't you change the music on your way out?

Okay.

Um, Bailey...?

I heard, Miss Francine.

(bagpipes playing) So, how goes the Francine Frensky Tarantula Cleats fund?

I got a job today.

So fast?

Amazing.

Doing what?

Well, I'm...

It's kind of hard to describe.

It's at Muffy's.

Boy, with the size of that house, I'm sure they'll keep you really busy, Francine.

(bored): Oh, yeah.

Super-duper busy.

That's my girl-- she's not afraid of hard work.

What do you think will best bring out my toenails, Francine: Ruby Slipper or Scarlet Letter?

Muffy, I'm not so sure about being your personal assistant anymore.

Oh, no!

Is it too hard?

No, it isn't hard at all.

I just follow you around, look at dresses, and get my nails done.

That isn't hard work?

I'm exhausted!

But you're paying me to do a job.

I don't feel like I'm doing anything.

Sometimes, I don't understand you at all, Francine Frensky.

Okay, I'm having an epipha-Muffy.

Why don't you be my life coach instead.

What's the difference?

A signing bonus of an extra five bucks.

Bailey, give her... Stop.

You don't need an assistant or a life coach.

You have Bailey.

With him here, there's nothing for me to do at all.

Thank you, Miss Francine.

Okay, then I'll ask Bailey to leave.

What?

What?!

Bailey, you haven't had a vacation in... 743 days, Miss Muffy.

Exactly.

You deserve a break.

And meanwhile, Francine can do everything you do.

BAILEY: But... but tomorrow is the day I dust, Miss Muffy.

MUFFY: Relax.

The dust will be here when you get back.

That's what I'm afraid of.

Don't worry, Bailey, I can handle this.

Now, this'll be a challenge.

May I get you some more lemonade, Miss Muffy?

By all means, Frensky.

Uh... Let me show you where we keep the lemonade.

For my after-school snack, Frensky, nothing fancy.

Just some brioche, gruyere and an endive salad.

Right away, Miss Muffy.

Um, does that come in a can?

BAILEY: I'll fetch the snack, Miss Francine.

Thank you for taking the order.

I thought you were off.

Oh, I am.

And having a very relaxing time of it, too.

Now, make sure you vacuum everything, even my stuffed animals.

FRANCINE: No problem, Miss Muffy.

(door closes) Whoa, this sure is more complicated than the one we have.

(vacuum cleaner roaring) (Francine shouts) Down, boy!

Down!

Oh, no!

My fault, Miss Francine.

I should have warned you.

You had it on the "Black Hole" setting.

Why don't I just finish up in here?

You've already done most of it.

MUFFY: Frensky!

I'm thirsty!

Well, okay.

But I'll handle everything else.

Frensky, you brought me the wrong clutch purse.

Please run upstairs and get me the one with the gold clasps.

And while you're there, could you find my other earring?

Should I do that before or after I serve you your smoothie?

What?!

Forget about that.

Get a needle and thread.

My opera gown needs hemming.

(gasps) Oh, no!

You've ruined it!

No, no, it's not ruined.

I'll just get some water and... (ripping) Oops.

Now it's ruined.

What was that ripping sound?

Have you printed out my homework yet on the laser printer?

I'm on it, Muffy.

I just happened to pass by the printer.

Here's your homework, Miss Muffy.

I don't want to interfere, Miss Francine, but if I quickly stitch up that gown, whip up a new batch of smoothies and locate the earring, that might free you up to do, um... something else.

(sighs) MUFFY: And Frensky, before you go, please polish my snow globe collection.

Now hurry, Daddy, we'll be late for the opera.

Are you sure you're okay to drive, sir?

Relax, Bailey.

It's your vacation.

(car squealing) Bailey, I don't know how you do it.

It is a gift.

I'm exhausted.

Maybe I should just give up.

Those cheaper cleats aren't so bad.

Miss Francine, I have many talents, but for fatherly advice, I suggest looking over there.

Dad!

What are you doing here?

Hey, kiddo.

I took an extra shift for my share of your cleats.

I bet those Tarantulas are going to feel good when you put them on, huh?

We sure earned them.

(panting) Door-to-door service, Miss Muffy.

Francine, I'm going to have to let you go.

Let me go?!

Why didn't you tell me before I pedaled you all the way to school?

Bailey needed to sleep in.

The poor man has never worked so hard.

And it's his vacation.

So here.

(gasps) You bought me the Tarantulas?

Think of it as an early retirement gift.

I can't take them.

Thanks, Muffy, but I can't.

Who turns down free shoes?

Does this mean you won't stop working for me?

I've got a better idea.

Here you go.

My azalea bushes are sure going to miss you.

Enjoy your cleats, dear.

Thanks, Mrs. MacGrady, but could I work one more day or two?

There's something else I want to pay for.

(crowd cheering) (crowd cheers, whistle blows) You played like your feet had wings on them!

They did.

Now who's up for ice cream?

Uh-uh, Dad.

This time, it's on me.

And now a word from us kids.

Hi, my name is Zoe, and I'm in Miss Thompson's third grade class.

Today, we're having a clothing drive.

We're collecting clothes for people who need them.

Francine had a lot of jobs to do, and we have a lot of jobs to do in our clothing drive.

What are the types of jobs you think we need to do to get the word out about this clothing drive?

We can make an announcement over the loudspeaker.

We can make posters.

The students who are writing the speeches will be saying this speech over the loudspeaker.

The whole school is going to hear this speech.

(gasping excitedly) We want to let everyone in the school know about our clothing drive.

I'm drawing someone putting a shirt in the box.

Xiera, Evan and I are working on a speech.

"Good morning, everybody.

We are doing a clothing drive."

And then we made an announcement on the PA. Good afternoon, King School.

We have a special announcement from our third grade students.

Our class is doing a clothing drive.

Please participate in the clothes drive.

You can donate shirts, pants, jackets, underwear, gloves and hats.

Please make sure the underwear are in good shape.

Thank you very much.

Our jobs are important.

We can't let each other down.

Thank you.

My job is to label the boxes.

We are making graphs to keep track of all the clothes we are collecting.

We're sorting clothes.

It's fun to have a job when you know you're helping people.

Bye!

And now back to Arthur.

(whirring) Muffy Crosswire has lots of good qualities.

She's smart.

Thanks, Brain.

Keep a dollar and 40 cents for yourself.

Normally I never tip more than 18%, but Brain's smoothies are so good, I round it up to 20%.

She can be really kind.

Oh, that poor woman.

Pardon me, ma'am, but would you like some help carrying those bags?

Bailey!

And she always tells you exactly what she thinks.

You weren't looking at that dress, were you?

'Cause you could never pull that off.

I wasn't looking at any of them.

I was just waiting for you.

Oh.

Sor-ry.

But there's one thing I will never, ever understand about Muffy.

(gasps) It's here!

In Elwood City!

The Little Miss Crocus contest!

I'm going to win!

I have to win.

Where do I sign up?

Bailey!

Her love of beauty pageants.

Yuck.

FRANCINE: I just don't get it.

These contests are vapid, cheesy and shallow.

I know!

So why are you entering it?

Did you see the tiara in the poster?

It's gorgeous!

Besides, I've never won one before, and I've tried three times.

First, there was Little Miss Daffodil.

I lost that because it was during my "gap-tooth" years.

EMCEE: And the crown goes to... Griselda Dorffman!

(applause) MUFFY: Then there was Little Miss Strawberry.

On the last day, I broke out into hives.

EMCEE: And the crown goes to.... Philomena Peckensniff.

(applause) MUFFY: Finally, there was Little Miss Aloe.

EMCEE: And the crown goes to... Blanka Rozak.

MUFFY: I still have no idea why I lost that one.

(crowd laughing) But this time, I'm going to win.

And nothing's going to stop me.

Hey, look, it's Lydia.

I guess she signed up, too.

Oh, great!

There goes my chances.

Why?

Because she's in a wheelchair.

What does that have to do with anything?

She'll get the sympathy vote.

The judges will take one look at her and it'll all be over.

JUDGE: What a trooper.

So brave.

I think we've made our decision.

And this year's Little Miss Crocus is... Lydia Fox.

(applause) MUFFY: But the contest just started!

You haven't even seen my act yet.

We don't need to.

This is real beauty.

That's ridiculous.

I know.

And I bet it's too late to get my money back.

Oh, no, Muffy entered.

Now I'll never win.

Why not?

Because she's rich.

She'll have a professional hair stylist, a dress that costs a bazillion dollars, and I bet she hires a circus performer to teach her an amazing act.

(crowd gasps) (cheering) And if that doesn't work, she can always just bribe the judges.

Oh, my!

Where did these keys to three brand new luxury sedans come from?

Well, finders keepers.

And this year's Little Miss Crocus is... Muffy Crosswire!

(applause) Just because Muffy has money is no guarantee that she's going to win.

You'll see.

I'm a goner.

Good luck, Lydia.

You too, Muffy.

Did it ever occur to you that Lydia might win because she deserves to?

She's smart, funny and an amazing athlete.

I know that.

But beauty contests aren't about those things.

They're about how you look.

In the looks department, Lydia and I are equally adorable.

So... who are the judges going to choose?

The wheelchair gives her the edge.

How about this?

Just quit.

Hmm... That's a great idea!

You mean it?

You'll really quit?

Of course not.

I'm going to get Lydia to quit.

Thanks, Francine.

So you see, Lydia, this contest is really important to me, and you'd probably only win because of your wheelchair.

You wouldn't want that, so why don't you just skip this one?

That didn't sound too bad, did it?

I'm sure she'll listen to reason.

EMCEE: Okay, contestants, I'll give you a tour of the green room.

Okay, here goes nothing... And if you do win, it'll probably be because you're in a wheelchair.

You wouldn't want that, so maybe you should just drop out.

Oh, that did sound pretty bad.

You should drop out, too.

I wouldn't want to win just because my daddy had money.

I'd never know if I was the prettiest girl or just the richest.

I'm only thinking of you.

That was awful, what she just said to you.

Well, what about what she said to you?

She's horrible.

Look at her, trying to butter up the judges.

Somebody should make sure she doesn't win this pageant.

You're singing my song, sister.

What if someone put glue in her hair spray?

(humming) Aah!

My beautiful hair!

MUFFY: Or what if she had a little costume accident?

(gas hissing) EMCEE: Our next contestant is the lovely Portia Demwiddy.

Oh... What's happening?

(laughing) But I guess we can't really do those things.

No.

It'd make us as big a bully as she is.

We'll just have to beat her fair and square.

What are you wearing for your gown?

I can't believe you're letting me borrow this.

It's perfect for you.

And when I finish with these rhinestones, your ride is going to look amazing.

I wish there was something I could help you with.

Actually, there is.

If you hold the baton a little more loosely between your thumb and forefinger, you'll get a much smoother twirl.

That's it.

You got it.

(phone rings) Could you get that?

I don't want to stop.

(with formal accent): Good afternoon.

Crosswire residence.

Who's this?

Oh, hey, Francine, it's Lydia.

Is Muffy trying to get you to quit the pageant?

Don't listen to her.

You don't have an unfair advantage.

What "unfair advantage"?

(gasps) Hey, Francine!

Oh, you're so funny.

You knew I was kidding.

Gotta go, bye.

Okay, I admit it.

I thought you were a shoo-in to win because you're in a wheelchair.

I was going to ask you to drop out, but then... Portia did it for you.

And I heard how mean it sounded.

I feel terrible for even thinking it.

Well, don't feel too bad.

I was going to ask you to quit because I thought you'd bribe the judges.

You and I have a lot in common.

Who knew?

Come on, let's keep working on your act.

(playing hula music) (applause) Thank you, Beulah McInnerny, for that wonderful hula routine.

Next up is Lydia Fox.

(rock music playing) Ooh!

Ahh!

♪ Yankee Doodle, do or die ♪ ♪ A real live nephew of my Uncle Sam ♪ ♪ Born on the Fourth of July... ♪ And now our final contestant, Miss Portia Demwiddy.

(classical piano music playing) Girl's got game!

(electricity crackles) Where...?

Where's my spotlight?!

What?

Did you...?

No, I swear.

Did you?

Uh-uh.

EMCEE: I'm sorry, Miss Demwiddy, there appear to be some technical difficulties.

You'll have to complete the routine without it.

Miss Portia Demwiddy!

(applause) I can't.

I need my spotlight.

This is unacceptable.

I want someone fired!

(yelling) And that concludes the talent portion.

The judges will now make their decision.

(whispering) Well, that makes it a whole new ballgame.

One of us might actually win this thing!

And the third runner-up is... Griselda Dorffman.

(applause) It's only a silly pageant.

It's not like it means anything, really.

EMCEE: Second runner-up is... Philomena Peckensniff.

(applause) And it's not about whether you win or lose.

It's how you play the game.

And we did the best we cou... EMCEE: First runner-up is... Lydia Fox.

(cheering) And... Muffy Crosswire.

Oh, yes!

Where's that tiara?

Mama's ready to get crowned!

(clears throat) Yes, Muffy Crosswire is also our first runner-up.

We have a tie for first runner-up!

(applause) And the new Little Miss Crocus is... Beulah McInnerny?

LYDIA: I'm glad she won.

She doesn't look like your typical beauty pageant contestant.

True, and her ukulele playing was pretty great.

Sorry about my little... No biggie.

Beauty pageants are pretty ridiculous.

I was just thinking the same thing.

"Little Miss Crocus"?

What kind of name is that?

Why doesn't anyone ever have a Little Miss Rocket Scientist Pageant?

Little Miss Field Goal.

Little Miss Algebra.

Little Miss Quantum Physics.

BUSTER: To watch more Arthur and play games with all the Elwood City friends, visit pbskids.org.

You can find Arthur books and lots of other books too at your local library.

Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org