Mr. Ratburn assigns everyone to write a short story, either real or made-up. As Francine and Buster describe their possible ideas, Arthur decides to talk about the story of how he got Pal. D.W. calls his first draft boring, however, and suggests turning Pal into an elephant. Cue a slew of rewrites, as Arthur tries to ensure his whole class will like the story.
Tropes for this episode include
- Actually Pretty Funny: While putting away his laundry, Arthur is so buried in thinking of revisions that he accidentally puts his folded shirts in the fridge and doesn't notice. David quips about it must be a new fashion style. Jane wonders what Arthur's thinking about since his head seems to be in the clouds.
- Anything but That!: Throughout most of the episode, Arthur has been picking up different genres and writing styles to graft onto his story about adopting Pal. But at one point, Francine suggests he add romance. One Imagine Spot later of one character getting romantic in his story, Arthur rips the paper in two, screaming out a repulsed "I CAN'T DO IT!"
- Be Yourself: Of the story-telling variation. Arthur is convinced that his standard story-telling about the day Pal was born isn't compelling enough. He tries grafting on everyone else's suggestions and approaches at story telling, from adding drama, to making the puppies into "elephant-puppies", to recycling the premise in outer space, to making it a cowboy dance. By the time he takes it to class, it's barely recognizable as his own story, or even a story. Once prompted by Mr. Ratburn to tell the original telling, everyone is enthralled with it, showing Arthur he never needed any bells and whistles to make his story special.
- Dumbass Has a Point: In the Cold Open, D.W. interrupts Arthur's Imagine Spot about becoming a successful author by pointing out that his notebook paper is blank. Arthur tells her to go away but realizes that there is a problem with wanting to do a great story: you still have to write it.
- Drunk on Milk: A few days before they have to submit their stories, Arthur has about six sodas in front of him and is hiccuping as he starts saying that everyone's story will be better than his. Francine reassures him it's not the case, but Buster is reading the latest draft and gently suggests he should get another soda.
- Flashback Episode: This one has a few to "Arthur's Pet Business," namely the scene where Arthur found out that Perky hid to have puppies.
- Gale-Force Sound: At the library, Arthur cries out in frustration "I can't do it!" when displeased at yet another failed story attempt, and the others around him shush him so loudly a wind blows from the noise, causing Arthur to scream as his ripped paper blows away from the force.
- Plagiarism in Fiction: Played With; Arthur tells Francine there's already a story about a princess having to guess a troll's name to save her baby, and Buster says that's Rumpelstiltskin. Francine points out she can change the details.
- Truth in Television: Any writer can tell you that people can tell you how a story is wrong, but they sure don't know what to suggest to fix it.
At the local street fair, the Reads are walking with Buster to browse all the booths. Kate starts crying when she wants a balloon from Pickles the Clown, but only Pal realizes the reason. He slips loose of his leash when Jane orders D.W. to walk Pal while Arthur pushes Kate's stroller, in an attempt to calm her down. Arthur starts to worry as he and Buster search for his dog, while Pal tries to get a balloon from an allergic Pickles.
Tropes for this episode include:
- Bait-and-Switch:
- An amusing bit at the street fair has a bank employee announce "free giveaways," resulting in a crowd forming in excitement hoping for free valuables. But when the employee reveals they're giving out bank-branded sample pencils, the crowd boos and leaves in disappointment."What did you think? They have the name of the bank on them. Anybody? (voice breaking) Nobody wants a pencil..."
- As Arthur and Buster are searching for Pal, an announcement comes on over the P.A. system saying a dog has been found and for its' owner to report to Town Hall's lost-and-found. But when Arthur and Buster rush over there, they find out it's not Pal, but a fairly ugly chihuahua, and Arthur and the chihuahua both stick out their tongues in disgust.
- An amusing bit at the street fair has a bank employee announce "free giveaways," resulting in a crowd forming in excitement hoping for free valuables. But when the employee reveals they're giving out bank-branded sample pencils, the crowd boos and leaves in disappointment.
- Both Sides Have a Point: Pal slips out of his leash while D.W. is holding it. Arthur and D.W. get into an argument about it. On Arthur's side, he legitimately points out that D.W. wasn't watching him, which she wasn't because Kate's crying distracted her. With D.W., on the other hand, she points out that Pal ran off on his own.
- Comically Missing the Point: Muffy believes that Pal is running away from them because he's rude. Francine seems to assess he's in a hurry.
- Desperate Object Catch: Rather, desperate dog catch. When Pal falls from the sky with one balloon, Francine surges forward and catches him.
- Determinator: Pal is fiercely loyal to Kate, to the point where he refuses to let go of Pickles the Clown's balloons even when he's floating several feet off the ground. Muffy even lampshades that he ought to let go so Francine can catch him.
- Didn't Think This Through: Pal sneaks up on Pickles when the latter is tying his shoe. He uses his head as a leverage point to grab the bunch of balloons floating away. Pal then gives a whimper as he realizes the balloons as so light, they carry him away.
- Early-Installment Weirdness: Could be considered one for the Pal and Kate episodes, except this one does not have Animal Talk.
- Entertainingly Wrong: When Pal tries to tug on his leash to encourage Arthur to get a balloon, Arthur says that Kate's crying must be scaring him.
- Everyone Has Standards: Muffy thinks that Pal and Arthur are rude. Even so, she agrees to help find Pal. When she and Francine see Pal dangling in the air and clinging to balloons, she chases after him with Francine and calls in alarm.
- The Greatest Story Never Told: No one knows that Pal was racing to get a balloon for Kate to stop her crying. He whimpers about it at the end as Jane says they'll never know what calmed her down.
- Heroic Bystander: Francine saves Pal by running forward as he starts to fall from the sky with one balloon. She gets a round of applause from everyone else.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: As Kate cries, D.W. gets a balloon from Pickles the Clown, but right before the Read family can realize all Kate wanted was a balloon, Buster decides to try and cheer Kate up by taking the balloon and squeaking the air. But when he ends up deflating it, Kate starts crying again, and David dismisses it as that the noise was bothering her.
- Plot Allergy: Pickles the Clown is allergic to dogs. That's why Pal at first can't get a balloon from him, since Pickles then asks for a cop to take him away.
