Adventures in Odyssey

Narrator: And now, Adventures in Odyssey.

Guest (Male): Matthew, why are you trying to sell me on the glory of being a water boy?

Guest (Male): Because I want you to sit with me in the dugout, Nelson. It gets lonely. None of the players even talk to me.

Guest (Male): Then why do you do it?

Guest (Male): My dad thought it would be healthy for me. You know, getting involved in sports. The idea sounded good in theory.

Guest (Male): Hang on. I have to get something out of my locker.

Guest (Male): I don't know. I think I'd feel out of place.

Guest (Male): None of the players would even know you're there. We'd be invisible.

Guest (Male): You're not invisible now. What do you mean?

Guest (Male): Haven't you noticed that people are staring at you?

Guest (Male): Who?

Guest (Male): Everyone.

Guest (Male): Is there something hanging from my nose?

Guest (Male): No. This is really weird.

Guest (Male): All right, why are you guys looking at me like that?

Guest (Male): Bonnie? What's going on?

Guest (Female): You haven't heard?

Guest (Male): Heard what?

Guest (Female): The rumors that Vance King has made you his target of the week.

Guest (Male): Oh no.

Guest (Male): What?

Guest (Female): It was nice knowing you, Matthew.

Guest (Female): See you, Matthew.

Guest (Male): Target of the week? What does that mean?

Guest (Male): Every Friday Vance King picks a random person to pick on for the entire next week. He pranks them, teases them and humiliates them.

Guest (Male): I was the target of the week once last year. It was the longest week of my life.

Guest (Male): But why me? I've never done anything to him. He's on the baseball team, I give him water.

Guest (Male): Vance King shows no partiality or mercy.

Guest (Male): Okay, I'm being silly. He's not going to attack in the middle of the cafeteria in front of all these people.

Guest (Male): Hey, Matthew!

Guest (Male): Don't scare me like that.

Guest (Male): I just said your name.

Guest (Male): Warn me before you speak to me.

Guest (Male): Has he struck yet?

Guest (Male): No, that's the worst part. The anticipation.

Guest (Male): You're wrong. It's not the worst part.

Guest (Male): Thanks, Nelson. You're a real Mr. Comforter, aren't you?

Guest (Male): Hey Matthew.

Guest (Male): Vance!

Guest (Male): Oh, didn't mean to startle you. I just thought I'd come by and say congratulations for being this week's contestant as target of the week.

Guest (Male): Thanks, Vance.

Guest (Male): Tell him what he's won, Jay.

Guest (Male): Well, Vance, Matthew has won seven unforgettable days and nights of degradation, denigration, and humiliation.

Guest (Male): That's right, Jay. You'll be poked, pranked, and prodded by some of the best in the business.

Guest (Male): You'll also receive physical harm at no extra cost. Oh, great. I am so looking forward to this week, Matthew. I can't wait to get started.

Guest (Male): Yeah, me either.

Guest (Male): It's going to be a long week.

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Guest (Male): You'd be perfect.

Guest (Male): I don't know, Mr. Whittaker. You remember the last time I was on Kids Radio?

Guest (Male): I've forgiven you for that.

Guest (Male): But you do such a great job announcing the baseball games all by yourself, why would you need me?

Guest (Male): I think it would be a nice change of pace to have a color commentator. You can give the show a little more life.

Guest (Male): I don't even know that much about baseball and more than that I don't really like baseball.

Guest (Male): What?

Guest (Male): I mean not everything about baseball, just the parts of the game when nothing is really happening. Which if you think about it in a three-hour game is about three hours.

Guest (Male): Hi, Mr. Whittaker.

Guest (Male): Hello, Nelson.

Guest (Male): Matthew.

Guest (Male): Hi. Ouch.

Guest (Male): Matthew, a little cool out for bare feet, don't you think?

Guest (Male): Oh wow, you are on the no shoe diet too. You know it really works. I lost 17 ounces immediately after I took off my shoes, but I put all the weight right back on.

Guest (Male): What's going on?

Guest (Male): Vance King struck.

Guest (Male): Vance King?

Guest (Male): I'm his target of the week and he took my shoes when I was in the shower after gym class.

Guest (Male): He stole them?

Guest (Male): No, he gave them back. With a little present attached.

Guest (Male): Oh, what present?

Guest (Male): He superglued a noisemaker to the bottom of my soles. So I had to walk around school the rest of the day sounding like a rubber duck.

Guest (Male): Oh wow, I got pair of shoes just like that. I like to wear them to prove I'm not trying to sneak up on anybody.

Guest (Male): It was pretty embarrassing.

Guest (Male): I can imagine. So target of the week. What's that all about?

Guest (Male): Vance terrorizes a different person every week.

Guest (Male): Oh, practical jokes.

Guest (Male): If fear and intimidation are considered practical jokes then sure.

Guest (Male): Really? Well, if he's that bad, why doesn't somebody tell the principal?

Guest (Male): I tried.

Guest (Male): And?

Guest (Male): He said he'd look into it.

Guest (Male): Well then, I'm sure he will.

Guest (Male): But what can he do? Vance never leaves any proof. It's all circumstantial or he gets away before any teacher sees what he's done.

Guest (Male): Then it's my word against his, which is no good since they think he's a good kid. I mean, he's an A student and acts perfect in class.

Guest (Male): I could have a word with your principal.

Guest (Male): Thanks anyway, it's only a week. And if I don't survive, there'll be forensic evidence to convict Vance later.

Guest (Male): Is it really that bad?

Guest (Male): I'll put the shoes on. And then just listen to them.

Guest (Male): Oh, that's the coolest thing.

Guest (Male): That's terrible.

Guest (Male): Think about me as I walk home. You coming, Nelson? Is it okay if I walk a few dozen yards behind you?

Guest (Male): Sure.

Guest (Male): See you, Mr. Whittaker.

Guest (Male): Bye, Wooton.

Guest (Male): Bye, Matthew.

Guest (Male): See you, Matthew.

Guest (Male): So, what do you say? Will you announce the game with me?

Guest (Male): I don't know. I mean, sitting in a hot, sweaty booth for a whole baseball game, the hard work of thinking of intelligent commentary all without a single nacho in sight. Sounds pretty challenging.

Guest (Male): They have nachos at the concession stand.

Guest (Male): You don't say.

Guest (Male): Yes, I will throw in nachos.

Guest (Male): Woohoo! Color me a commentator, pal.

Guest (Male): This is bad. Maybe you should take them off again. My feet hurt. I've got blisters on my calluses.

Guest (Male): Hey.

Guest (Male): Hey yourself.

Guest (Male): No. They're on the sidewalk. Somebody wrote, hey.

Guest (Male): Oh, that's weird.

Guest (Male): There's more all the way up the street. Looks like it says everyone.

Guest (Male): Keep walking. Hey, everyone. You know what Matthew Parker does for fun when he thinks no one is looking?

Guest (Male): What do you do when no one is looking?

Guest (Male): Nothing. I mean, I can't think of anything.

Guest (Male): There's more going this way. Keep walking. The answer is on the other side of this fence.

Guest (Male): This could be really embarrassing.

Guest (Male): I'm climbing over.

Guest (Male): You want me to come with you? No, it might be a trap.

Guest (Male): Well, do you see anything?

Guest (Male): No, I don't see anything. There's no answer.

Guest (Male): Wait a minute. This fence is, oh no, it's got wet paint on it. Brown paint. Oh, this is so gross.

Guest (Male): I can't believe I fell for it.

Guest (Male): So, Parker, what do you do when no one's looking? And have fun walking home past the high school. They'll be letting out about now. I'm sure they'll get a kick out of seeing you and your paint job.

Guest (Male): That's it, Nelson. I've had enough.

Guest (Male): What are you going to do?

Guest (Male): Put a stop to it. Just like you said. Somebody has to stand up to them.

Guest (Male): But...

Guest (Male): Don't try to talk me out of it, Nelson. It's time to make a change. The hunter has become the hunted.

Guest (Male): So we're going to get him at tomorrow night's game.

Guest (Male): Would you define get him and what do you mean by we?

Guest (Male): You, me, with this.

Guest (Male): A baseball glove?

Guest (Male): Exactly the same kind Vance has. But I've cut the webbing on this one. At the right moment, we'll switch gloves and Vance will drop the first ball that goes to him. It'll humiliate him. Low risk, high yield.

Guest (Male): How are you going to switch gloves?

Guest (Male): Between the eighth and ninth innings, we'll hide his glove and put this one in the very same place.

Guest (Male): There's that we again.

Guest (Male): Don't worry. Shouldn't we wait for a different game? I mean, this one is pretty important. We're on the brink of the playoffs.

Guest (Male): Are you kidding? We're playing Odenton. They're terrible. We should be way ahead by that point.

Guest (Male): Wow. You're going to try to out-prank the prankster. This is one game Vance isn't going to forget.

Guest (Male): All right, this is John Avery Whittaker at Lawson Field, where the Odyssey Coyotes are in a playoff game with the Odenton Barons.

Guest (Male): The Coyotes are in the field while Coach Chang Fang hits to them and gives them the benefit of his sage instruction.

Guest (Male): There is a flow as the other team rolls like a river toward home plate. We want to disrupt that flow. Do you understand?

Guest (Male): All right. We must drop a rock in their river cutting them off at second before we worry about first.

Guest (Male): Huh?

Guest (Male): Okay, team. Everyone in the dugout. It's time for the battle to begin.

Guest (Male): Go team!

Guest (Male): And we'll be right back for the start of tonight's game.

Guest (Male): Do you have the glove?

Guest (Male): Yeah. Maybe we should switch them now and get it over with.

Guest (Male): Be patient, Nelson. Ninth inning, not before. We are cougars, waiting for the right moment to pounce.

Guest (Male): Whittaker back in the booth with Wooton Bassett, joining me tonight for the last regular season game, it's the Odyssey Coyotes. How are you, Wooton?

Guest (Male): Oh, I'm great, Whit.

Guest (Male): The Coyotes are trying to make the playoffs for the second consecutive season. All they have to do tonight is win against the Odenton Barons.

Guest (Male): Odenton has had a disappointing season so far. They've had no wins and 16 losses, but they would like nothing better than to play the spoiler and end Odyssey's season right here.

Guest (Male): Let the three hours begin.

Guest (Male): We're in the top of the ninth. The score is Odyssey 10, Odenton 2. Jamison winds up and the pitch.

Guest (Male): It's a ball low. The count is two and two.

Guest (Male): Two and two. That was the count an hour ago. Getting weak, must have nachos.

Guest (Male): Ball inside and the count is three and two. Jamison with the pay-off pitch and it's fouled off.

Guest (Male): Will we rule again?

Guest (Male): Of course we will.

Guest (Male): Grounded to third. Maguire fields it and throws him out. We'll go to the bottom of the ninth inning. Last chance for Odenton right after this.

Guest (Male): You made the switch? I took his glove. I don't think anyone saw me.

Guest (Male): And you replaced it with the other one?

Guest (Male): Not yet. It's under my shirt.

Guest (Male): Why haven't you switched it?

Guest (Male): Not so loud. Act natural. I have to wait to hand him the new glove. If I give it to him now, he'll practice before the inning starts. He'll know it's a bad glove.

Guest (Male): Here he comes.

Guest (Male): Where's my glove? He's looking at us. Abort the mission, abort. No, here, put the glove beside you.

Guest (Male): He's going to see it.

Guest (Male): His head's turned, do it. Okay.

Guest (Male): Hey, Nelson. Why didn't you say my glove was right next to you? Throw it here.

Guest (Male): Okay, here you go, Vance.

Guest (Male): Thanks.

Guest (Male): That was close. He's not going to have time to warm up.

Guest (Male): We did it.

Guest (Male): Yeah.

Guest (Male): Great.

Guest (Male): All right, folks, this is it. Odyssey is one out away from going to the playoffs.

Guest (Male): Wait, wait, wait, wait. One more out and it's over?

Guest (Male): That's right.

Guest (Male): Oh, come on, Odyssey, come on. You guys can do it. You make this out and I'll give you my entire collection of three-cent stamps.

Guest (Male): Miller is at the plate. Ken Blaylock is pitching. Hoping to close it out right here.

Guest (Male): He can do it.

Guest (Male): The pitch. Miller hits a high fly ball to center field. This could be it, folks. Vance King is right under it. And he... Oh no.

Guest ( (Male): Oh, he dropped it.

Guest (Male): Oh no, for the love of all that is great about the United States of America, no.

Guest (Male): I'm not sure how he missed that one. It just popped right out of his glove.

Guest (Male): Yes! That was perfect. He looked like a complete fool. Look at him. His face is red. That could not have been better. I have to admit that was pretty funny.

Guest (Male): Ooh, that ball's going a long way. Is it? Is it?

Guest (Male): Yes, it's a deep drive to left field and that's a home run. Odenton scores two runs and that makes it 10-4.

Guest (Male): This is getting interesting, folks. Odenton has come back from eight runs down and it is now 10-8.

Guest (Male): Odenton has two runners on and the winning run is at the plate in the person of Mark Partridge. Mark already has a double tonight.

Guest (Male): Odyssey has just fallen apart here in the bottom of the ninth.

Guest (Male): Oh no. This is bad. Really bad. This game should have been over. Odyssey could lose. We got to get those last out. Come on, guys, let's get the last out.

Guest (Male): Ken is ready to pitch what could be the most important pitch of his career thus far. And he winds up. The pitch. That's a deep drive to right and the ball is gone. Oh, home run.

Guest (Male): Odenton has won the game coming back from eight runs down to win 11-10. I can't believe it.

Guest (Male): Odyssey will miss the playoffs. A complete meltdown here in the final inning for the Odyssey Coyotes. Boy, what a heartbreaker. The Odyssey fans are stunned.

Guest (Male): Yes I am, Whit. I'm stupefied.

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Guest (Male): I feel terrible about what I did, Mr. Whittaker.

Guest (Male): Oh, I'm sure you do.

Guest (Male): But at the same time.

Guest (Male): Same time what?

Guest (Male): I can't get rid of the feeling that it's not really my fault.

Guest (Male): Really? Well, whose fault is it?

Guest (Male): Vance's.

Guest (Male): Is it?

Guest (Male): He started it with his whole target of the week threat. If he didn't terrorize me with his pranks and bullying, I wouldn't have done it. In fact, every kid in school is probably glad he dropped that ball.

Guest (Male): For once, he found out how he makes us feel.

Guest (Male): So, you did it on behalf of all the other kids too.

Guest (Male): Yeah.

Guest (Male): Oh, that's interesting.

Guest (Male): What is?

Guest (Male): Well, you're complaining about the effect Vance's pranks has on everyone at school, while your prank affected everyone at school. Everyone's still reeling from getting knocked out of the playoffs.

Guest (Male): But that's different. I wasn't trying to be mean.

Guest (Male): Maybe that's not what you intended.

Guest (Male): And I'm not a bully. I just want Vance to get what he deserved.

Guest (Male): Revenge?

Guest (Male): Well, isn't that it?

Guest (Male): I guess.

Guest (Male): Well, that's the problem with certain kinds of pranks. It's definitely the problem with revenge. You can't control what happens and sometimes it's more people get hurt than you ever imagined.

Guest (Male): But what should I have done? Just let him torture me?

Guest (Male): You could have exercised a little more patience with your principal.

Guest (Male): What do you mean?

Guest (Male): I found out this morning that your principal looked into the target of the week just like he said he would.

Guest (Male): And a number of students confirmed what you said. Vance is going to be serving detention for a long time.

Guest (Male): Really?

Guest (Male): Wow.

Guest (Male): So, if you had more patience, you wouldn't have had to take matters into your own hands.

Guest (Male): Great.

Guest (Male): What am I supposed to do now?

Guest (Male): The right thing.

Guest (Male): Yeah.

Guest (Male): Which right thing exactly?

Guest (Male): Well, there were people who were affected by what you did.

Guest (Male): I guess I should apologize to Nelson again and prove that I mean it.

Guest (Male): And?

Guest (Male): Vance.

Guest (Male): And?

Guest (Male): The baseball team. This is going to be really hard.

Guest (Male): Well, probably, doing the right thing often is.

Guest (Male): Well, where are you headed first?

Guest (Male): My dad's making me go to the end of the season baseball banquet. That's probably the best place to apologize to the world.

Guest (Male): I know we're all disappointed in how the season ended. But I must say, as your coach, that I am still proud of all the hard work and dedication that you guys show.

Guest (Male): Hey, Ken.

Guest (Male): What?

Guest (Male): Where's Vance?

Guest (Male): I don't know, beats me.

Guest (Male): He's not coming?

Guest (Male): Would you be here if you were him?

Guest (Male): Did Vance say anything to you?

Guest (Male): About what?

Guest (Male): About the glove.

Guest (Male): The glove? What are you talking about?

Guest (Male): Nothing, never mind.

Guest (Male): We have a lot of awards tonight. But let us remember that awards are but transient reminders of a deeper truth about ourselves. So, let us consider that as I give out these special ribbons for unique services performed this past season.

Guest (Male): This first one goes out to a young man who turned the clubhouse into a bastion of refreshment and rejuvenation with his liquid delights. In giving us water, he became water, pouring himself out each and every game.

Guest (Male): Matthew Parker.

Guest (Male): Oh boy.

Guest (Male): All right, Matthew. Matthew, you were at every practice and every game and I never heard you complain. You came, you served, you conquered our thirst.

Guest (Male): Here you go, Matthew.

Guest (Male): Thanks, Coach.

Guest (Male): And, well... Words are not necessary. Nay, they are inadequate at a time like this.

Guest (Male): Actually, I have something to say.

Guest (Male): Oh. Okay.

Guest (Male): It was my fault. I lost the game the other night. I was the reason Vance missed that pop-up in the ninth inning. I cut the webbing of his glove.

Guest (Male): You mean that you felt a symbolic responsibility for his error?

Guest (Male): No, it was supposed to be a prank. I was trying to get revenge for all the stuff he did to me all week.

Guest (Male): I never expected you guys to lose the game because of it. It was a really stupid thing to do and I'm really sorry.

Guest (Male): No need for that. Let us consider our disappointment in the quietness of our individual hearts.

Guest (Male): You should take your seat, Matthew.

Guest (Male): I think I'll go home now.

Guest (Male): All right, everyone, calm down. Breathe in, release, good.

Guest (Male): Our next ribbon acknowledges the most valuable pitcher award. Come on up, Ken Blaylock.

Guest (Male): Thanks, Coach. And hey, I've got something to say too.

Guest (Male): And if you're going to tell me that you lost the game, I'm leaving right now.

Guest (Male): Actually, I did lose the game and so did everybody else on our team. It would be easy to blame Matthew and that was a pretty lousy thing for him to do. But you know what? It wasn't all his fault. Just like it wasn't Vance's or mine. Though, I know I wasn't pitching my best. The fact is, we didn't play as a team in the ninth inning.

Guest (Male): We took it for granted that Odenton would be easy to beat. I mean, we thought we had the game won. We were overconfident and sloppy. It's that simple. So, maybe we should keep that in mind when we're passing the blame around. It wasn't any of us, it was all of us.

Guest (Male): Thanks for the award.

Guest (Male): So Ken said all that? Wow.

Guest (Male): I know, it was weird. All I know is that no one on the team has bothered me about it.

Guest (Male): Maybe that's because nobody is talking to me.

Guest (Male): What about Vance?

Guest (Male): He wasn't there, but I still have to find him.

Guest (Male): Why?

Guest (Male): To apologize.

Guest (Male): You're going to apologize to him? That's crazy.

Guest (Male): Maybe. But I have to do it. I was about to walk over to his house.

Guest (Male): Whoa. As if I'd want you at my house.

Guest (Male): Hey, Vance.

Guest (Male): So, heard you came clean at the banquet.

Guest (Male): Yeah.

Guest (Male): That took guts, spilling the beans like that. Looks like you got off easy.

Guest (Male): Maybe. Except that I didn't get a chance to apologize to you for the glove. I'm really sorry.

Guest (Male): Yeah, I figured it was you. I knew you weren't going to take being target of the week easily. And you know what? I'm going to give this one to you. But only this one.

Guest (Male): Does that mean you're going to leave me alone?

Guest (Male): For now. But not for good. Once my detention is done, I'll be seeing you.

Guest (Male): So, this isn't the scene where you say you respect me for doing what I did and now we'll be best friends for life?

Guest (Male): No. See you around, Parker. You too, Squirt.

Guest (Male): Bye. I'm definitely going to walk on the other side of the street from you.

Guest (Male): I don't blame you.

Host: I think that Vance was onto something with his Target of the Week idea. In fact, why don't you pick someone this week to make them your target?

Host: But with one little change, instead of making someone's life miserable, choose someone who's tough to like, maybe a bully like Vance, and find ways to show them kindness and love. Romans 12 tells us not to pay back evil with evil, but to live at peace with our enemies.

Host: Our job is to love those bullies, even when it's tough. Like Matthew learned, when we take matters into our own hands, we end up becoming a bully ourselves.

Host: Choosing a Target of the Week gives us the chance to follow the Apostle Paul's words, which tell us to overcome evil with good. Who knows what could happen if we showed extra kindness instead of seeking revenge?

Host: I'd love to hear about your own Target of the Week. Tell me all about it by writing to Adventures in Odyssey, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80995. Or in Canada, that address is Box 9800, Vancouver BC V6B 4G3.

Host: You can find out more about today's adventure, Target of the Week, including discussion questions, devotionals, and how to get your own copy on our website at wetzan.org.

Host: Today's adventure is included in album 51, Take it from the Top, along with 11 other episodes.

Host: Adventures in Odyssey is a presentation of Focus on the Family. Target of the Week was written by Marshall Younger with sound design by Jonathan Crow, and music by John Campbell.

Host: Our cast included Zach Callison, Georgina Cordova, Andre Stoika, and Jess Harnell. And I'm Chris, hoping you'll join us again next time for more Adventures in Odyssey.