Early in the film, about the time of C-3PO and R2-D2's escape pod launching (most likely after), we see Luke at work out on the desert flats of Tatooine. This was supposed to be our first glimpse of the boy who would develop into the "new hope" for the galaxy. He is dressed in his typical farmboy outfit he wears through most of the film but with a floppy hat and goggles.

While out on the flats, a glimmer in the sky catches Luke's eye and he takes out his macrobinoculars to investigate. What he sees nearly knocks him off his feet with excitement. He's witnessing the battle overhead between the Star Destroyer and the Blockade Runner - the very first images we see in the film.

All this time, Luke's little droid helper, a Treadwell droid named WED-15-77, has been going about his business doing whatever it is he's programmed to do. Luke, upon seeing the battle overhead, leaps into action and starts running towards his parked landspeeder to go tell his friends. He yells at the droid telling it to "get in gear" but the droid picks up a slight flutter and breaks down.

Luke then decides it's best to just leave him there and takes off full of excitement, anxious to make his friends aware of the ongoing battle in the stars overhead.

Here's the script passage from The Art of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope:

EXTERIOR: TATOOINE - DESERT WASTELAND - DAY
A death-white wasteland stretches from horizon to horizon. The tremendous heat of two huge twin suns settles on a lone figure, Luke Skywalker, a farm boy with heroic aspirations who looks much younger than his eighteen years. His shaggy hair and baggy tunic give him the air of a simple but lovable lad with a prize-winning smile.

A light wind whips at him as he adjusts several valves on a large battered moisture vaporator which sticks out of the desert floor much like an oil pipe with valves. He is aided by a beatup tread-robot with six claw arms. The little robot appears to be barely functioning and moves with jerky motions. A bright sparkle in the morning sky catches Luke's eye and he instinctively grabs a pair of electrobinoculars from his utility belt. He stands transfixed for a few moments studying the heavens, then dashes toward his dented, crudely repaired Landspeeder (auto-like transport that travels a few feet above the ground on a magnetic field). He motions for the tiny robot to follow him.

LUKE
Hurry up! Come with me!
What are you waiting for?!
Get it in gear!

The robot scoots around in a tight circle, stops short, and smoke begins to pour out of every joint. Luke throws his arms up in disgust. Exasperated, the young farm boy jumps into his landspeeder leaving the smoldering robot to hum madly.

On a related note, the treadwell droid makes a comeback in EPISODE II. Here are some bits of info from Starwars.com on that:

The Lars family has had a stubborn dim-witted treadwell droid in their possession for over 20 years. It suffered a final meltdown in the days preceding Luke Skywalker's departure from Tatooine.

WED-15-77 was a recalcitrant yet hardworking droid that belonged to the Lars Homestead for over 20 years. It assisted young Luke Skywalker on a variety of chores, but preferred working for Beru Lars since she always had it do the same predictable jobs.

For ATTACK OF THE CLONES, the treadwell design has been resurrected and once again inhabits the Lars homestead, showing that the droids may be simple but are long-lasting even under the harshest of conditions.

Description: Luke's original introduction (From the BEHIND THE MAGIC CD-ROM, courtesy SithVids.

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