Arthur comes down the stairs in a "Leave it to Beaver"-like version of the Read home.
Arthur said It's really nice when you have a perfect family.
Mrs. Read said Here you go, son. A nutritious lunch all neatly packed for you.
Arthur said Gee whiz. Thanks, mother.
Mr. Read said Son, would you like a ride to school?
Arthur said Golly, father, thanks a million.
The doorbell rings. Outside are Francine and Brain in '50s-style clothes. Francine is wearing a dress.
Francine+Brain said Hello, Mrs. Read. Hello, Mr. Read.
Mr.+Mrs. Read said Hi, kids!
Francine said Arthur, are you ready? We've never ever been late for school, and we don't wanna break a perfect record.
Arthur said I'll be right there. You see, my life is just about perfect. Except for one little thing.
The camera starts shaking.
Arthur said Can you guess?
Kids scream)
Francine and Brain flee as a giant D.W. breaks open the front door.
D.W. said Where's my breakfast?
Everybody runs from the house.
D.W. said Come back here! I'm hungry!
She starts destroying the neighborhood like Godzilla.
People: (scream)
D.W. reaches for the camera and the screen goes black.
Title Card: Family Photo
Arthur sits at the real breakfast table.
Arthur said Okay, okay, so I'm slightly exaggerating.
D.W. pours herself cereal. These corn puffs are soggy! I won't eat them!
Arthur said But only slightly.
D.W. said You can't make me! And I'm not going to preschool either! I'm sick of preschool. I'll do what I want! Do you hear me? Do you?!
Arthur is asleep at a table in the Sugar Bowl. Francine is passing out invitations to Brain and Binky.
Francine said One for you. And one for you. And Arthur... Wake up!
Arthur said Hmm?
Francine said I'm inviting you to my birthday party.
Arthur said I'm sorry. I can't go. I'm too tired.
Francine said The party's not for two more weeks. You'll have plenty of time to sleep.
Arthur said Wanna bet? D.W.'s gone absolute nuts! Last night she wouldn't stop screaming!
Flashback: Mr. Read helps D.W. into her nightshirt.
D.W. said You're just making me go to bed because you don't want me around! You don't love me! You wish I wasn't even born!
Mr. Read kisses her.
David said Sleep tight, D.W. He turns off light and leaves. Let's hope you feel better in the morning .
D.W. follows him and opens the door again.
D.W. said I won't feel better in the morning! Slams door. I won't, I won't, I won't! Slams door. I won't! Slams door.
The flashback ends.
Arthur said She did that all night long. What if she never lets me go to sleep again?
Brain said Actually, that would be a very interesting experiment. We could show your deterioration and then when your brain starts to shut down...
Francine said Arthur, why don't you ask her what's wrong?
Arthur said Why don't you ask her?
Francine said Okay, I will.
That evening, Francine has dinner with the Reads. Mrs. Read serves French fries.
Francine said Thanks, Mrs. Read.
Jan said My pleasure.
D.W. grabs French fries and eats two handfuls at once.
D.W. eats noisily)
Jan said D.W., one at a time!
D.W. said You're always picking on me! You never pick on anyone else! Only me, me, me!
Jan said You know that's not true, D.W. Everybody has to eat politely and that includes you.
D.W. said That does not include me! You never include me! You always make me stay home whenever there's anything fun! Only Arthur gets to have fun! Only Arthur...
Francine said D.W., can I ask you a question?
D.W. said Maybe.
Francine said What's the matter with you?
D.W. gasps, sobs) She runs out of the room.
Francine+Mrs. Read sigh)
Arthur: said sarcastically:) That was great. You really solved the problem.
Francine said I didn't think she'd get so upset.
Davide said It's not your fault, Francine.
Francine said May I be excused? Francine walks up the stairs and into D.W.'s room where D.W. is crying on her bed.
D.W. cries)
Francine said I'm sorry, D.W. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, but you really are being a total doofus. If you know what I mean.
D.W. said Who asked you? (sobs) You don't even live here.
Francine said Well, nobody asked me. But I'm Arthur's friend. When something's bugging him, I wanna help.
D.W. said You know what, Francine?
Francine said What?
D.W. said Go... go... home. I'm too tired to think of any more mean things to say.
The next day, Arthur, Brain and Francine stand in the lunch line at school.
Brain said So did Francine figure out what's wrong with D.W.?
Arthur said No, it only made her worse. Last night she slammed so many doors, I thought we'd get arrested!
He imagines a TV show called "Tantrum 911".
Announcer Join us for another nerve-wracking half-hour of Temper Tantrum Patrol Squad!
A fire engine and a police car race through town.
A group of preschool children are crying in a park while their parents stand around them.
Preschoolers cry)
A while later, the preschoolers are lined up in a police station.
Two police cars and a helicopter come to the Read house at night. Mr. Read opens holding Kate.
David said Thank heavens you're here! Upstairs, and to the right.
Three policemen run up the stairs, past Arthur and into D.W.'s room. D.W. is sitting on her bed.
Policeman said You have the right to remain silent!
D.W. said I will not be silent! I'll be as loud as I want! A-and you can't stop me! No one can stop me! Who made you the boss of the world?!
Policeman said into walkie-talkie:) We need backup, fast!
The fantasy ends. Binky joins Brain, Arthur and Francine at a table.
Binky said Cool. When is that gonna be on?
Brain and Arthur give him odd looks.
Francine said You know what? I think D.W.'s being a pain because she's upset about something.
Arthur said What does D.W. have to be upset about? She's only four years old!
Binky said Yeah. It's not like she's a third-grader!
Francine said It might sound weird, but something's bothering her, and it's up to us to get to the bottom of it. Starting today!
Brain said But we have soccer practice today.
Francine said Starting tomorrow!
Brain said Gee, I'd love to, but I have to clean the garage.
Binky said And I have to, er... I have to do... clean our garage too! Yeah, ha, wow. What a coincidence.
Arthur said Thanks a lot, guys.
Binky said Anytime.
Arthur and Francine lie in the treehouse. Arthur watches D.W. through binoculars. D.W. is eating a sandwich at a garden table while Pal watches.
Arthur said Subject in view.
Francine said What's she doing?
Arthur said She's eating her sandwich, she's making a face, she's spitting the baloney into her hand... She's throwing it into the bushes. Pal is eating the bal... Pal! Put that down!
Francine said Quiet! Spies don't yell.
Arthur said Sorry. I couldn't help it. Seeing Pal eats spit-covered baloney? Yuck!
Francine said Give me those! Where'd she go?
D.W. appears right in front of her looking angry.
Francine yelled Augh!
D.W. said I know what you're doing and it won't work!
That night, Arthur sits outside D.W.'s room in his pajamas using a walkie-talkie.
Arthur said She's not saying anything. And it's 10 o'clock and I'm tired!
Francine is lying on her bed.
Francine said Arthur, I'm telling you. Whatever it is, she'll say it in her sleep. You can't give up.
Arthur said Hm. Wait, this might be it!
D.W. said Oh. It's wrong. Something's wrong.
Arthur said It's wrong. Something's wrong.
D.W. said Because... because...
Arthur said Because…
D.W. said Because Arthur is a dodo brain!
Arthur said Because Arthur is a dodo brain.
Francine can be heard laughing.
Arthur said Stop laughing, Francine!
The next day, Arthur and Francine are hiding in the bushes outside D.W.'s preschool.
Arthur said This is it, Francine. If we can't figure out what's wrong with D.W. today, then I give up.
Francine said I'm telling you, Arthur, we're close. Then you can sleep. Wait, there she is.
D.W. comes out of the preschool. Just then, a group of girls walk in front of Arthur and Francine.
Lisa said So, first we'll go to the movie, and then we'll go back to my house so you can give me my presents!
A car stops. The other girls leave.
Lisa said Remember, Saturday at one o'clock!
Arthur said She's looking right at us!
Francine said Not us. Them.
[Arthur and Francine arrived at the kitchen with Jane cooking and DW is sitting on top of the kitchen counter]
Francine said Hey DW.
DW said Hey Francine, can I ask you a question?
Francine said Sure, anything.
DW said Why don't you go back to your own house and stop bothering us?!
Jane said D.W., this being rude to everybody has got to stop!
D.W. said Well, I know something that might make me feel better. I know I'd feel much better if I could see "Kwazy Kool Kittens: The Journey Home". This Saturday at one o'clock.
Jane said You've seen that movie twice, DW, and you're not going to the movies if you're going to keep having that attitude.
DW said You all don't get it! Lisa didn't invite me to her birthday party! There, I said it!
Jane said DW, do you even know Lisa?
DW said Well, no. But, she's friends with my friend Emily. And she got to go to the party. And besides, everyone here in Elwood basically knows each other.
Francine said So that's what bothered you? Everybody can't go to every party.
DW said Hey, whose side are you on anyway?
Francine said I'm on no one's side, DW, if she barely knows you, she's just not going to invite you, not because she's trying to be mean.
DW said I just want to get some fresh air.
Francine said Okay, I'll buy us some ice cream too. Arthur you stay here.
Arthur said What?! Why?
Francine said I'm sorry, this is just for girls.
Jane said Alright, but remember DW, no going to the movies.
[Outside on the way to the Sugar Bowl, DW and Francine encountered Lisa, Emily, and two unnamed preschool girls]
Lisa said Oh hi DW.
DW said Um hi Lisa, we're just taking a walk and we're having so much fun.
Lisa said Oh that's nice. You know Emily has told me about you.
DW said That's nice I guess, you guys are having fun too right? Without me.
Emily said Yes the fête d'anniversaire is going great, that's French for birthday party.
DW said Wish I could join too.
Lisa said Well, there's always next year. We better get to the movies, we'll see you at preschool DW.
Francine said Lisa seems to be a nice girl, DW, don't you think maybe you're being rough on her?
DW said Maybe... But that'll take forever until her next birthday.
Francine said But I think I have an idea that'll make you feel much better.
[After the two got their ice cream and eat it on the way back to the Read's house]
Francine said DW I want you to come to my birthday party!
DW said Really?!
Arthur said What?! No way!
Jane said What a nice friend you are Francine.
Francine said It's the least I can do.
DW said This is better than Lisa's party! This is a third-grade party! I don't know if I should accept it. That was nice of you Francine. But I have been thinking about it for a while and I realized I don't deserve it.
Arthur said I mean you slammed the door every night and made everyone have a hard time sleeping.
DW said Yeah that. I then realized that I shouldn't make a fuss over not being invited, especially when I don't even know that person.
David said Well to be honest DW, we were going to tell you you're not coming to Francine's birthday party either because you're grounded for two week for yelling at us, being rude and slamming the door every night. It also wasn't fair to take your bad moods out on others. You need to learn your lesson
DW said Oh, I was wondering if you guys are going to say that.
Arthur said Well I guess there's always next year. I guess anyone can be in a bad mood.
DW said I'm sorry to you too Francine. I know you were just trying to help.
Francine said Apology accepted. I'd better go home now, you got my invitation Arthur?
Arthur said Yes. I can't wait.