Arthur & Los Vecinos

Synopsis by KorraIsBack. The first time through, I thought this was a boring episode. The second time, I like it a bit better.

Comments by: Victormaru , Rob , Bloom_dreamlover , & Dave .

Mr. Sipple, the rabbity man who lives on Arthur's street and gave D.W. a cabbage in #11901 - "D.W. Rides Again", is moving. The duck-people movers, who look like the duck people who were getting Muffy's house ready for her party in #11001 - "Arthur's Birthday are removing the last of the stuff from Mr. Sipple's house. They load a rocking chair and a carpet into the back of the moving truck. Mr. Sipple, wearing a sailor's hat is helping them. He picks something up from inside the truck and takes it to where D.W. and Arthur, who have been standing in their yard watching the movers.

He tells them that they've always been good neighbours, so he wants them to have "Thelma". Thelma is a plastic singing fish mounted on a plaque, like "Singing Billy Bass". When Arthur pushes a button on the plaque, the fish starts wiggling and singing.

Row, row, row your boat,

Gently down the stream.

Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,

You have caught a bream.

Arthur and D.W. like Thelma. Mr. Sipple goes back to the truck, and climbs onto the back of it and waves to Arthur and D.W., who wave back. Then the truck drives off.

<span style="color:rgb(255,255,0);font-family:arial,helvetica;">Apparently Mr. Sipple is riding along with his furniture in the back of the truck...

<p style="color:rgb(255,255,255);">D.W.'s near tears as the truck leaves.

<p style="color:rgb(255,255,255);">Arthur says it's hard to believe that he feels sad that Mr. Sipple is going. When he first moved in, Arthur couldn't wait for him to go! After all, Mr. Sipple loved to barbeque fish in his yard late at night -- Arthur didn't like the smell...

<p style="color:rgb(255,255,255);"><span style="color:rgb(255,0,102);font-family:arial,helvetica;">BBQ fish? Grilled fish is pretty good actually, and snapper is often served whole but I guess Sipple must of been doing something really awful with that fish. Between that and sea shanties ans Thelma he seems to have had a real fish fettish.

...and sing really loudly in the shower, which D.W. didn't like, since it drowned out her singing. But now they'll always have something to remember him by...

D.W. then starts complaining -- he's not being careful enough with Thelma, who's not a toy, but D.W.'s new pet. When Arthur says it's not a pet, it's a singing plastic fish, D.W. gets furious, claming that Arthur was just jealous, as her pet doesn't need walking the way Pal does.

Arthur rolls his eyes gloomfully.

Arthur and D.W. are having a staring contest in front of the garage. D.W. wins and proclaims herself the "stare-master". Arthur thinks she was cheating. They would argue longer, except that something distracts them. Pal's at the bottom of the driveway, barking at a dog. We've not seen this dog before, it's a brown bulldog about twice Pal's size.

Arthur warns Pal to be careful, and he and D.W. walk down the driveway. Arthur picks up Pal. The bulldog licks D.W. on the leg. Pal, in Arthur's arms, continues to scowl at the bulldog. D.W. starts panicking, thinking she'll need to go to "the veteran" for "rabbits shot".

A man walks along the sidewalk towards Arthur and D.W.. He's the same kind of cat-person as Sue Ellen is, only he's more the color of Brain. He's carrying a "For Sale" lawn sign under his arm. He introduces the dog to them.

Man with sign: That's just Amigo, don't worry, he wouldn't hurt a fly.

<span style="color:rgb(255,255,0);font-family:arial,helvetica;">Whoever these new neighbours are, they share Arthur's skill in naming pets, since Amigo is just Spanish for Pal.:)

D.W. hides behind Arthur. The man introduces himself, he's their new neighbour. They're the Molinas. Arthur introduces himself, and so does D.W., who tells the man she's four. The man says his daughter, Vicita is three-and-a-half. He also has a son, Alberto, who is thirteen; he figures that's a little older than Arthur.

Arthur: Err, yah, five years older.

The man tells D.W. and Arthur to tell their parents that they're all invited over next weekend, once his family's moved in. He then calls to Amigo, and they walk back towards their house.

D.W. looks pleased by the prospect of meeting Vicita.

D.W.: Three and a half. I remember when I was that age. So innocent.

D.W. walks off, beginning to make plans. She figures that Vicita will need "someone to show her the ropes". Arthur isn't so excited -- the only thing he and Alberto will have in common is that they'll live on the same block!



Buster is looking though a pair of binoculars at Alberto, who is dressed in an martial arts outfit and practicing what looks like fencing moves with a large bamboo rod in the Molina's yard. Buster and Arthur are in Arthur's room, and Buster is spying on Alberto with Arthur's Bionic Bunny binoculars.

Arthur says Alberto is practicing Kendo, which is the martial art of fencing with bamboo sticks, which he practices every morning. Arthur looks sulky while he says this. Arthur figures that Alberto's probably a master at it.

Buster: Cool. Maybe he'll teach it to you!

Arthur figures that because Alberto's thirteen, he won't want anything to do with Arthur. Arthur figures he'll be more likely to get a wedgie from Alberto. Buster doesn't know what that is. Neither does Arthur, but Arthur doesn't want to find out.

<span style="color:rgb(255,0,102);font-family:arial,helvetica;">Arthur and Buster have managed to survive to the age of eight and not yet experience a wedgie? How realistic is that with people like Binky and the other Tough Customers around -- whose greatest joy is pulling down a student's pants, as noted in #60402 - "Brother, Can You Spare a Clarinet?"<span style="color:rgb(255,0,102);font-family:arial,helvetica;">.

<p style="color:rgb(255,255,255);">It's Arthur's turn to spy out the window on Alberto.

<p style="color:rgb(255,255,255);">* * *

<p style="color:rgb(255,255,255);">D.W. and a demented looking Nadine are in D.W.'s room. D.W. is telling Nadine what she has planned for Vicita; she is sorting through her collection of board games. The first game they'll play together will be "Tower of Cows", as it's easier than "Confuse the Goose". D.W. wonders if Vicita will even know what a goose is!

<p style="color:rgb(255,255,255);">D.W. imagines all the fun they'll have together.

<p style="color:rgb(255,255,255);">D.W. says that best of all though, she'll be in charge for once. <p style="color:rgb(255,255,255);">D.W. figures it will be just like having another Kate, only Vicita will be able to talk and walk and won't have to live in D.W.'s room.
 * D.W. imagines teaching Vicita how to ride a two-wheeler bike.
 * ...and how to be a good little sister. We see Vicita and her brother at the breakfast table, getting their cereal. Vicita pours milk onto her bowl of cereal, and knocks the carton over. Then she immediately blames her brother, saying he did it. Vicita then looks at D.W. -- who's watching through the window -- and D.W. gives her a thumbs up.
 * She imagines declaring to Vicita that it's time to play rodeo. D.W. says she will be the cowboy, and Vicita will be the cow. Vicita enthusiastically hands D.W. a length of rope so that D.W. will be able to tie her up.

<p style="color:rgb(255,255,255);">The Reads go next door to visit the Molinas. Everyone is wearing their nice clothes. Arthur and D.W. are misbehaving already. D.W.'s complaining because she wasn't allowed to bring her new pet, Thelma, with her, and Arthur's complaining about having to wear a bowtie just to go to the neighbours, and says that the only people who wear bowties are "nerds and waiters and that science guy on TV". <span style="color:rgb(255,255,0);font-family:arial,helvetica;">Heck, Bill Nye, that science guy on TV. At the doorway to the Molina's, as they wait to be let in, Mom tells Arthur and Mom tells Dad that if she tugs on her ear, that's the signal that "the kids are exhausted" and it'll be time to leave. Dad looks nervous and straightens his tie. Neither Mom and Dad look very happy, but they're determined to make the best of it.

Mr. and Mrs. Molina welcome the Reads in.



Everyone's in the living room. Mr. Molina is telling Arthur's parents how they lived in Youngstown for five years, but before that, they lived in Equador. Mrs. Molina brings in lemonade, and Mr. Molina has a tray of hors d'ourvres called ceviches -- Arthur's Dad tries one. It's fantastic. Arthur's Dad asks where he got them. Actually, he made them himself. He tells Arthur's Dad that if he drops by his new cafe, he'll give him the recipe.

Vicita introduces herself to D.W. Vicita is three-and-seven-eighths, and tells D.W. this. Vicita takes ahold of D.W.'s hand and tells her she's going to be her friend. Vecita pulls D.W. up to her room.

Up in Vicita's room, D.W. tries to put her plan of being the boss into action, saying that as VIcita's new here, D.W. will be her teacher. But Vicitia is busily looking for a game to play. She pulls out a game called "Pick Up Ticks" and says that this is what they'll play first.

Vicita does the same sort of "I winnnnn" gesture that was so common in #21702 - "Arthur the Loser", and tells D.W. she's "a great friend".

<span style="color:rgb(255,255,0);font-family:arial,helvetica;">This probably isn't the way the game is played. For that matter, "Tower of Cows" looks like it has dice and cards in it, and D.W. never bothers with them... we'll see this in a moment.

Vicita does the same sort of "I winnnnn" gesture that was so common in #21702 - "Arthur the Loser", and tells D.W. she's "a great friend".



Alberto and Arthur are wallflowers on the couch in the living room. Alberto's Dad, Ramone, suggests Alberto show Arthur his room.

Alberto: Sure, why not?

They walk up the stairs, Arthur following Alberto. Arthur feels he has to say something, so he does.

Arthur: Ah, pretty cool stairs!

Alberto stares at Arthur for a sec. Arthur realizes that that was the "dumbest thing in the world to say". Arthur isn't even sure that he wants to see Alverto's room, as he knows what it will be like -- posters of rock bands, or worse, pictures of girls.