Adventures in Odyssey

Guest (Female): Okay, Eugene, before we go out to Mr. Riley's, I need to videotape you. Ready?

Guest (Male): Yes, I am, Sam.

Guest (Female): The videotape is rolling.

Guest (Male): Oh, right. Eugene Meltsner here with um, I'm sorry, Sam, what did you want me to say?

Guest (Female): I want you to tell my future viewing audience what's going on here.

Guest (Male): Oh, I see. Eugene Meltsner here reporting for Sam Johnson's video documentary. Greetings and salutations. Is that what you want?

Guest (Female): Yeah, go ahead.

Guest (Male): Okay. I'm standing here in the little theater at Whit's End, once a location of Thespian activities.

Guest (Female): Stick to the little words, please.

Guest (Male): Oh. Um, of course. Once a location of children's plays and skits, but now Operation Central for candidate Tom Riley's bid for the esteemed position of Mayor in our fair town. Oh, it's a throbbing heartbeat.

Guest (Female): Just the facts, please.

Guest (Male): Oh, right. Tonight Tom Riley will meet his opponent Bart Rathbone face to face in what may be the great debate of the century.

Guest (Female): Century?

Guest (Male): Decade. Well, year then.

Guest (Female): Okay.

Guest (Male): Locally, but the debate has been overshadowed by allegations from Philip Glassman on assignment for the governor of our beloved state.

Guest (Female): Oh, and don't forget the agents.

Guest (Male): Oh, of course. And agents for the Environmental Detection Agency, who claim that there are toxic chemicals on Tom Riley's farm. They closed the farm with a statewide recall of Riley's apples. Needless to say, Tom's livelihood, as well as his campaign, could be destroyed.

Guest (Male): Well, will that summary suffice?

Guest (Female): Yeah, thanks. That was really dramatic.

Guest (Male): Well, thank you. Would you like me to follow it with something?

Guest (Female): Like what?

Guest (Male): A dramatic musical theme, perhaps?

Host(s): Hi, this is Chris. We're just about to have a time of wonder, adventure, and excitement. Would you like to join us? Then get ready, because you never know what will happen when you have an adventure in Odyssey.

Guest (Male): Whoa!

Guest (Female): Eugene, are you all right?

Guest (Male): You look just like my Aunt Agatha. That's it. That's it. Makeup's coming off.

Guest (Female): Sit still, Tom.

Guest (Male): Slap on some more of that dark stuff, Connie.

Guest (Female): Okay.

Host(s): A mysterious phone call and a new nemesis? Emily Jones and Matthew Parker are on the case in the new book, 'Jones and Parker Case Files: The Nemesis'. Sixteen new stories full of fun, faith, and intrigue. Kids ages 8 to 12 will sharpen their detective skills and learn important lessons as they read along.

Host(s): Inspect clues, examine the evidence, and try to guess who done it.

Guest (Female): We're going to have a blast.

Host(s): For more, go to adventuresinodyssey.com/jonesandparker.

Guest (Male): That's all right, Mr. Watkins. I understand how you feel. No, no sense you buying apples you can't sell. No, it's not your fault, but I'm telling you, the whole thing is a scam.

Guest (Male): I got to go, Mr. Watkins. You have my number here and at campaign headquarters if you have any questions. Oh, thanks. Bye.

Guest (Male): I'm coming! I'm coming!

Guest (Male): Hi, Riley.

Guest (Male): What do you want, Glassman?

Guest (Male): Oh, I thought I'd stop by to see how things are going.

Guest (Male): How do you think they're going? You closed down my farm and all my customers are returning their apples.

Guest (Male): I feel awful about it.

Guest (Male): Uh-huh, but not awful enough to take back your statements. I can't cheat on the test results. You've seen the statistics, the reports. The Edgebiter chemical spill has done some long-term damage. I've seen them, and I'm going to come up with some test results of my own.

Guest (Male): Oh, what's the point? My agents are experts.

Guest (Male): Your agents. That's what I mean. They're your agents, so I'm going to get an independent expert to look the place over. Then we'll see what's what.

Guest (Male): But you can't.

Guest (Male): And I can do it too. It's my right. Obviously, I'm going to have to prove myself innocent, since you already found me guilty.

Guest (Male): Okay, Riley. Go ahead, give me a clue. Who's your hotshot expert that's going to save your land?

Guest (Male): Greetings and salutations.

Guest (Male): Hi, Eugene.

Guest (Male): Hi, Sam.

Guest (Female): Hi. Are you guys having some kind of power meeting? Wait, let me get this on videotape.

Guest (Male): You mean these two are your experts?

Guest (Female): Well, I'm not the expert. Eugene is. I'm just the cameraman. Wait until I get the lens cap on.

Guest (Male): I don't believe it. Do you have a place for me to set up my microscope? Riley, I can't think of anyone better than Eugene to try and save your farm.

Guest (Male): Well, thank you.

Guest (Male): Oh, you can smirk now, Glassman, but I'm not giving up without a fight.

Guest (Male): Go ahead, Riley. That's probably another one of your customers calling to cancel apple orders. But you just keep on fighting, okay? You just keep on fighting.

Guest (Male): And the countdown is on for the big debate tonight between mayoral candidates Bart Rathbone and Tom Riley. We spoke to candidate Rathbone this afternoon about what he expects to happen.

Guest (Male): Yeah, well, I'm not expecting a lot of surprises tonight. Riley's got plenty of explaining to do about those rotten apples he's been selling.

Guest (Male): Some claim that you orchestrated the announcement about Riley's farm to help your chances in the debate. I didn't orchestrate nothing. I mean, maybe if I'd had time to think about it, but no. I don't have anything to do with Glassman and those agent guys. I am going to win this election fair and square, or whatever it takes.

Guest (Male): Riley was unavailable for comment. However, Bernard Walton, his campaign manager, offered this statement.

Guest (Male): Well, when all is said and done, the voters will know the whole truth and nothing but the truth, because you can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all the people all the time, and I'm not kidding.

Guest (Male): Are the rumors true that you've brought in your own independent help to do tests on Riley's land?

Guest (Male): Well, that's right. He's someone with a lot of credibility around town as both a person and a scientist. You wait till we hear from him. I'm sure we'll get this campaign back on a sure footing.

Guest (Male): Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!

Guest (Female): Eugene, are you all right?

Guest (Male): Seem to have lost my footing. Moss on the rock.

Guest (Female): Do you need help?

Guest (Male): No, no, stay back. You don't want to get your camera wet. I'm in perfect health.

Guest (Female): Okay.

Guest (Male): But I would be most grateful if you'd rewind the videotape and erase the part where I slipped. It is most humiliating.

Guest (Female): You know I can't do that, Eugene. That'd be cheating.

Guest (Male): Very well, if you insist.

Guest (Female): So, where are we?

Guest (Male): Well, my estimations would place us upstream at a northeasterly trajectory from Tom Riley's farm. The Edgebiter Company used to be headquartered there at the top of the hill. You could still see the pipeline and erosion where the undiluted pesticides were leaked into the stream. But thus far my tests have shown no sign of chemical contamination.

Guest (Female): Well, what do we do now?

Guest (Male): We work our way down the stream toward Riley's farm, testing incrementally along the way. But we'll need to hurry.

Guest (Female): Hurry? How come?

Guest (Male): Because the debate is only a short time away, and Mr. Riley needs our help.

Guest (Female): You think Mr. Riley will lose the election because of this?

Guest (Male): I'm afraid he'll lose more than the election, Sam.

Guest (Male): Oh, Connie, do we really have to do this?

Guest (Female): Yes, you can't go on television without it.

Guest (Male): But it's makeup. I've never worn makeup in my life.

Guest (Female): You want to look good, don't you?

Guest (Male): Well, I want to look good, yeah, but not like somebody's Aunt Agatha.

Guest (Female): You have an Aunt Agatha who looks like this?

Guest (Male): Everybody does.

Guest (Female): Oh, I'm sorry. I'll just blend in more of the flesh tones.

Guest (Male): Connie!

Guest (Female): Don't argue, Tom. You need it or the camera lights will make you look pale and pasty.

Guest (Male): Well, how's our champ coming along? Champ, for which girl's team? Oh, it's not that bad, Tom. Oh my. You look just like my Aunt Agatha. That's it. That's it. Makeup's coming off.

Guest (Female): Sit still, Tom. Bernard!

Guest (Male): It's all right, Tom. Slap on some more of that dark stuff, Connie.

Guest (Female): Okay.

Guest (Male): Tom, I think we should use some of this time to go over a few of the topics they're going to be asking you about.

Guest (Male): Okay, dope. Now, let's talk about your farm.

Guest (Male): I'm tired of talking about that.

Guest (Male): But you have to, Tom. They'll ask. People want to hear you say it straight.

Guest (Male): I have been saying it straight. There's nothing wrong with my farm. Where's Eugene? Any sign of his test results yet?

Guest (Male): No, nothing yet. Maybe someone ought to go out and check on him.

Guest (Female): I will. As soon as I do your eyes.

Guest (Male): Oh no. Oh no, you are not putting one of those little brush thingies near my eyes.

Guest (Female): Look up.

Guest (Male): Get away. No, hold on. Wait a minute. Get back. Wait a minute. No, come in.

Guest (Male): Hi you guys.

Guest (Male): What do you want, Bart?

Guest (Male): We're supposed to start in a minute, and I just thought I'd peek in and, you know, say something clever.

Guest (Male): Like what, Bart?

Guest (Male): I don't know. I couldn't think of anything. So how about, may the best man win?

Guest (Male): Thanks, Bart.

Guest (Male): Thank you, Bart.

Guest (Male): Of course, that means you may as well call it quits now if you catch my drift.

Guest (Male): Get out, Bart.

Guest (Male): Yeah. See you in the ring. Hey, Riley. You know in that light, you look just like my Aunt Agatha.

Guest (Female): Maybe I should start over.

Guest (Male): Excuse me. Pardon me. Excuse me.

Guest (Male): Hey! Be quiet there, you guys. Thanks, Bart. My name is Jack Allen, and by a sudden lapse of reason, I was the one both candidates agreed should moderate tonight's debate. Welcome.

Guest (Male): Since you're here to listen to them and not me, I won't waste any time. Let me formally introduce the man you just met, owner of Rathbone's Electric Palace.

Guest (Male): Where our motto is, if we don't have it, you don't need it.

Guest (Male): And the first to announce his candidacy in the mayoral race, Bart Rathbone.

Guest (Male): All right! Yeah! Let me add him.

Guest (Male): Our next candidate has been a member of the city council for the past 12 years and owns his own farm and orchard.

Guest (Male): Used to, you mean.

Guest (Male): Please, Mr. Rathbone.

Guest (Male): What, what did I do?

Guest (Male): Ladies and gentlemen, Tom Riley.

Guest (Male): Well, thank you. Thank you very much. Gentlemen, you know the rules for this debate. Questions have been gathered by the Odyssey Times from citizens all over Odyssey. By another lapse of reason, local radio celebrity Brian Durn has been selected to read the questions to the candidates.

Guest (Male): And no tampering here. Answers to the questions will be strictly timed to two minutes apiece. Please ask the first question, Mr. Durn.

Guest (Male): Yeah, right. Okay, Mr. Rathbone. This particular voter wants to know what you think of government-assisted programs for special interest groups.

Guest (Male): Are you kidding? I love them. The more, the better, I say. What are we paying our government to do if they aren't going to look out for our special interests? Like baseball cards. I have a real special interest in baseball cards, and I think this city's gone too long without stuff to help me find them. Next question.

Guest (Male): If you're finished, it's Mr. Riley's turn, Mr. Rathbone.

Guest (Male): What, what do you he wants to add something?

Guest (Male): Yes, if you're finished. Remember, you have up to two minutes.

Guest (Male): I don't need two minutes to answer a question like that, but hey, if it's free air time. Let me tell you about a special sale we're having on our color television sets.

Guest (Female): It's getting dark. Are we almost at Tom's farm yet?

Guest (Male): Almost. This is very peculiar, Sam. So far I haven't found any traces of unusual or toxic chemicals. In the stream or on the land. This doesn't align itself to the environmental agents' tests at all.

Guest (Female): Do you think they were lying?

Guest (Male): I'm not inclined to believe someone is lying unless proven otherwise. What would they have to gain anyway?

Guest (Female): Oh, I thought everyone said that Mr. Glassman has it in for Mr. Riley for some reason.

Guest (Male): Well, that's what some think, but no one knows for sure. Admittedly, Mr. Glassman seemed to get a lot of pleasure over the idea of building a freeway through here, but I don't. I don't believe. What's that noise?

Guest (Female): What noise?

Guest (Male): I think I hear someone up ahead. It would be to our advantage to be as quiet as possible.

Guest (Female): Why? Do you think we should spy on them?

Guest (Male): Not spy, Sam, merely investigate, until we can determine who or what we've encountered.

Guest (Female): It's the two agents from the Environmental Detection Agency.

Guest (Male): Hmm. They have a most peculiar setup for environmental testing. It actually appears as if they're pouring something into the stream rather than taking it out.

Guest (Male): Hey, this is great! Just like 60 Minutes or something. I'm going to videotape them.

Guest (Male): Quiet, please. I'd like to hear what they're saying.

Guest (Male): After that first day when we showed him the phony equipment, it's like he never came around again. He never even asked how we were doing the tests. Talk about a fool. Go figure. We dump all kinds of chemicals into his stream, then test the stream to create a report that says his farm is polluted.

Guest (Male): Are you kidding, Sam?

Guest (Female): You better believe it.

Guest (Male): What he's talking about.

Guest (Female): Oh no! My battery light just came on. I'm running out of juice.

Guest (Male): Let it run as long as possible. You don't expect people to think in a town like this. I mean, you know. Too much clean air.

Guest (Female): Hi guys.

Guest (Male): Whoa!

Guest (Female): What are you doing out here?

Guest (Male): I'm looking over her for you.

Guest (Male): What was that? Get down. Agents with the state government, come out with your hands up.

Guest (Female): Uh oh.

Guest (Male): We don't have any guns, Bird.

Guest (Male): Quiet, they don't know that. Come on.

Guest (Female): What are we going to do?

Guest (Male): I'm not entirely sure. Who are you people? What are you doing here?

Guest (Male): Well, I'm here to get Eugene and Sam.

Guest (Male): Eugene and Sam, huh? You must be the two experts that Riley brought in.

Guest (Female): He's the expert. I'm just the cameraman.

Guest (Male): Cameraman, he has a video camera, Bert. Hey, how long have you been back here?

Guest (Female): I just got here. Look, we're late for the debate.

Guest (Male): Yes, we should be strolling along now.

Guest (Male): Only after you give us the tape and that video camera. Tape?

Guest (Female): In the video camera?

Guest (Male): Yes, the video camera. Hand it over.

Guest (Male): On one condition.

Guest (Male): Yeah, like what? Like, you catch us first. Run, Sam! Run!

Guest (Male): Get him, Frank! Stop in the name of the environment.

Guest (Female): Why am I always the last one to know what's going on around here? Wait for me!

Guest (Female): Focus on the Family and Adventures in Odyssey present the Imagination Station books. An exciting series for readers ages 6 and up. Through Whit's greatest invention, young readers will travel to the Colosseum in ancient Rome and a longboat in Greenland.

Guest (Male): I am Eric the Red.

Guest (Female): The Viking.

Guest (Female): And there's so much more. When you visit theimaginationstation.com, you can find study guides and devotionals, plus fun family activities. More information at theimaginationstation.com or 1-800-AFAMILY.

Host(s): Want to contact us about the episodes you're hearing?

Guest (Female): Visit our website at adventuresinodyssey.com.

Host(s): Or talk to someone at Focus on the Family. Call 1-800-A FAMILY. With a parent's permission, of course. We always love hearing from you.

Guest (Male): It's my opinion that we should look to our government to reinforce and encourage individual effort and achievement, not replace it.

Guest (Male): That's just typical, Riley. You want to ruin everybody's fight.

Guest (Male): Mr. Riley has another 90 seconds before your response, Mr. Rathbone.

Guest (Male): Big deal! I want to respond now or I'll forget what he said.

Guest (Male): Continue, Tom.

Guest (Male): All I'm saying is that I believe in our rights as Americans, but our responsibility too, and the consequences of what we do. And we can't keep looking to our government to bail us out.

Guest (Male): Yeah, I believe in all that junk too.

Guest (Male): Bart.

Guest (Male): We should get the government off of the people's backs. In fact, I am going to create a government program to do just that.

Guest (Male): Bart.

Guest (Male): I believe in everybody's rights everywhere, because everything is beautiful in its own way.

Guest (Male): Bart.

Guest (Male): I would like to teach the whole world to sing in perfect harmony. We are the world. We are the children.

Guest (Male): Bart.

Guest (Male): Don't stop thinking about tomorrow, because it'll soon be here.

Guest (Male): Bart, we can't continue this debate unless you follow the rules.

Guest (Male): Rules, rules. This is a free country. Anybody should be able to do what they want. That's the difference between me and Riley. I'm into freedom. And he's a, what do you call it? An intolerant hate-monger.

Guest (Male): What? Did I stutter?

Guest (Male): Gentlemen, please.

Guest (Male): Ah, let him go. This is getting good.

Guest (Male): Unlike you, Riley, I believe in toleration. And as mayor, I won't put up with anybody who isn't tolerant.

Guest (Male): You won't tolerate intolerance.

Guest (Male): Right.

Guest (Male): So you're intolerant of people who tolerate intolerance.

Guest (Male): Yeah! My first act as mayor will be to form a committee to investigate intolerance and stamp it out.

Guest (Male): But what about things like free speech?

Guest (Male): What about things like that? People can have free speech, as long as they agree with you.

Guest (Male): Well, yeah! Nobody likes disagreeable people.

Guest (Male): Well, that doesn't make sense.

Guest (Male): It doesn't make sense because you don't understand what I'm saying.

Guest (Male): Oh, brother.

Guest (Male): Keep going, Sam. The car's right there. We can't let them get that tape.

Guest (Female): I'm running as fast as I can.

Guest (Male): Get down. Stop now! I mean it. We're not kidding either.

Guest (Male): Hurry, get in, get in.

Guest (Female): I'm in. I'm in.

Guest (Male): Keys! Keys! Where are my keys?

Guest (Female): They're almost here.

Guest (Male): I can't find them. I can't find the keys.

Guest (Female): What are we going to do?

Guest (Male): Lock the doors.

Guest (Female): Eugene!

Guest (Male): I'm looking. I'm looking. Where are the keys?

Guest (Female): I don't know!

Guest (Male): Open the door, Bernard. They're in the ignition. You better do it.

Guest (Female): You should never leave your keys in the ignition, Eugene.

Guest (Male): I'll remember next time. Hang on!

Guest (Female): What's going on here?

Guest (Male): I'm not doing it.

Guest (Female): What are we supposed to do, Eugene?

Guest (Male): Rush this tape to city hall.

Guest (Male): Bart, I'm talking about practical experience and common sense. In trying to stand for everything, it's clear that you stand for nothing.

Guest (Male): Oh yeah?

Guest (Male): Yeah.

Guest (Male): Then why don't we get down to the brass tacks and talk about your contaminated apples, huh? Huh?

Guest (Male): My apples are not contaminated.

Guest (Male): Oh, says you. But the Environmental Detection Agency says they are.

Guest (Male): But show me the statistics. No one has complained, no one has been sick.

Guest (Male): They would be if Glassman didn't close your farm.

Guest (Male): That is not true.

Guest (Male): You use pesticides on your farm, don't you? Huh? Huh? Huh?

Guest (Male): Well, yeah, sure I do.

Guest (Male): There! You're killing this here planet and you ought to be ashamed of yourself.

Guest (Male): I am not killing anything. All good farmers use pesticides to some degree.

Guest (Male): You are an anti-environmentalist.

Guest (Male): I'm a farmer. My father ran a farm and so did his father before him. I love the land. I don't worship it, but I do my part to take care of it. Now, tell me what you do, Bart. Tell me about all those disposable products you sell in your shop.

Guest (Male): People like my disposable products. See? See? He's intolerant. I think I've just sewn up this election. You want to take away people's disposable products and feed them contaminated apples.

Guest (Male): They are not contaminated.

Guest (Male): Prove it.

Guest (Male): We can prove it.

Guest (Male): Time, please.

Guest (Male): What's this now? Some kind of stunt? Eugene!

Guest (Male): Here, sir.

Guest (Male): What's going on? Is that Sam?

Guest (Female): Yes, sir. We recorded a tape of the agents confessing that they rigged the test results.

Guest (Male): Excuse me, hold on, hold on. Philip Glassman here. On behalf of the state government, I demand that you give me that tape.

Guest (Male): With all due respect, Mr. Glassman, we'd rather make two dozen copies and then give you the tape.

Guest (Male): What is all of this? I'm having a debate here.

Guest (Male): Ladies and gentlemen, I suggest that we take a short break to review this tape.

Guest (Male): But I didn't get to make my closing remarks.

Guest (Male): There's a videotape player in the City Council Chambers.

Guest (Male): Informed sources at the state capital say that agents Bert Ferder and Frank Ernest have been placed on administrative leave while a full internal investigation of the case is conducted. Philip Glassman denies any knowledge of the affair.

Guest (Male): I'm incensed by the whole thing. I feel like I've been duped. I'm as much a victim as Tom Riley.

Guest (Male): As for Tom Riley and his apples, it's business as usual.

Guest (Male): I said from the start, I was innocent. I'm just grateful to Eugene Meltsner and Sam Johnson for proving it.

Guest (Male): Now we return to our election night coverage where the latest polls show Tom Riley currently at 77%, ahead of Bart Rathbone's 14% of the vote.

Guest (Male): I've just received information from Bart Rathbone's campaign headquarters at Rathbone's Electric Palace that Bart Rathbone is about to make a speech. So let's go to our camera there.

Guest (Male): Well, gang, I don't want to milk this thing. We put up a good fight, but sometimes you got to take your lumps when the chips are down. I just called Tom Riley and told him it's okay with me if he wants to be mayor. Thanks for all your hard work in this campaign, and don't forget to check out our midnight madness sale on our car stereos in the back.

Guest (Male): Now, over to Tom Riley's headquarters where Bernard Walton is introducing Tom Riley.

Guest (Male): Ladies and gentlemen, the next mayor of Odyssey, Tom Riley.

Guest (Male): Thank you. Thank you very much. Well, I don't know what to say. This is an honor for me. I guess I just want you to know that as your mayor, I'll do my best for you. Those who worked hard on this campaign, but more importantly, all the good folks of Odyssey. I want to be diligent and wise, and by the grace of God, we'll be a faithful servant to you. Thanks for all your support. Thank you.

Guest (Male): And thank you, Mayor Riley.

Guest (Male): Yes, sir. Yes, sir. I know, sir. A fiasco. That's right. I'm with you 100%. I had no idea that Ferder and Ernest would be so careless. My fault, completely my fault. I'll make it up to you, I promise. Riley as mayor is not the end of the world. We'll fix it. We will. Hello? Hello? Okay, Riley. You go ahead and move into your little mayor's office. But you don't have the slightest idea of what you've gotten yourself into. You haven't seen the last of us, not by a long shot.

Host(s): It doesn't sound like Glassman's going to take his defeat lying down. I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens in the days ahead when Tom takes over as mayor.

Host(s): You know, there are a lot of things that happen in our towns and neighborhoods that seem very wrong. Sometimes we feel helpless to do anything about them, but our country was founded on the idea that everybody has the right to have a say in what happens to us. Maybe that means getting involved in your school government or local organizations or making sure to vote in elections. Or like we've seen with Tom, it may mean running for an office. But one thing's for sure, we can't make a difference unless we get involved.

Host(s): That's it for now. Remember, if you ever want to write to us, just send your letter to Adventures in Odyssey, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80995. Or in Canada, write to Box 9800, Vancouver BC V6B 4G3. Oh, and don't forget to ask about getting a copy of today's episode too. It's called Tom for Mayor. That address again is Adventures in Odyssey, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80995.

Host(s): Adventures in Odyssey is a presentation of Focus on the Family. Tom for Mayor was written and directed by Paul McCusker. Our production engineer was Bob La Trell, and our executive producer is Chuck Bolty. And I'm Chris, hoping you'll join us again next time for more Adventures in Odyssey.