Adventures in Odyssey

Olivia: Hi, this is Chris. Welcome to Adventures in Odyssey. I mean, if I knew I was going to be on the news, I would have done something with my hair this morning, but I still looked good.

Mrs. Kramer: What did you talk about?

Olivia: I talked about the float, the one for homecoming.

Mrs. Kramer: You haven't done anything.

Olivia: What are you talking about? I've been involved with the float. At least my name is on the work list, and I'm here to work on it now.

Mrs. Kramer: Work?

Olivia: Yes, I said work. I'm waiting for everyone else. That's why it was so funny that I happened to be here when the news reporter showed up.

Mrs. Kramer: When are you going to be on TV?

Olivia: Oh, Marissa, I'll call you later. Olivia just got here. Hi, Valerie.

Valerie: Hey, Olivia. Can you believe it? I'm actually here to help.

Olivia: Yeah, well, better late than never, I guess. Um, let's see. Uh, you signed up to paint the candy buckets that the paints on the shelf behind you. Got it. So, um, did I hear you say something about being interviewed?

Valerie: Yeah, a reporter came right after I got here. You know the one, Ted Humphreys. News that makes a difference. He was here with the TV camera.

Olivia: Ted Humphreys came? Well, he was supposed to interview Amber tomorrow.

Valerie: He said something about that he had to change his schedule, so he asked if he could do it today instead.

Olivia: So you did the float interview? Amber's been looking forward to doing that all week.

Valerie: Oh, don't worry. I'm good at stuff like that. Even the reporter said so.

Olivia: You don't understand. Amber's been working on this float for the past 5 months, and and this is the first day you bothered to show up, and and you get interviewed?

Valerie: Yeah, funny, huh?

Olivia: Why didn't you call Amber?

Valerie: Ted Humphreys was in a rush. He had to get to the zoo some story about an escaped otter.

Olivia: Well, we were 5 minutes away.

Valerie: Oh, it's all for the best. I figured I'd do better than the rest of you anyway. I have great presence. My grandma says it all the time.

Olivia: But Amber has worked so hard. I mean, she deserved the recognition. This this is so it it's wrong. I mean, I could

Guest (Male): So what am I doing here?

John Avery "Whit" Whitaker: Hi, Olivia. Are you rehearsing the part of Grumble the Bear in the new kids' play?

Olivia: Makes me so mad, Mr. Whitaker. Amber designed and organized the float, the whole project. She's worked on it non-stop.

John Avery "Whit" Whitaker: Well, so I noticed. It's going to take her months to get the paint out of her hair. Why does that make you mad?

Olivia: No, it it's not her. It's Valerie. Ted Humphreys showed up today to do an interview about the float, and Amber wasn't there, so he interviewed Valerie instead, the one girl who hasn't done a thing. Valerie knew better than to do the interview. She should have called Amber. It's infuriating.

Valerie: I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't be angry. It's not very Christian of me.

John Avery "Whit" Whitaker: Uh, oh, it isn't?

Valerie: Christians aren't supposed to get angry. It's a sin.

John Avery "Whit" Whitaker: Is it?

Valerie: Isn't it?

John Avery "Whit" Whitaker: Well, that depends on what you're angry about and what you do with your anger. For example, Jesus got angry about the corrupt money changes in the temple. So his anger was directed at the right thing. And in Ephesians, the apostle Paul tells us, in your anger, do not sin. So it's not the anger itself that's a sin. It's how you choose to behave in response to your anger.

Valerie: Well, I'm choosing to think some not very nice things about Valerie.

John Avery "Whit" Whitaker: Ah, well, that's where you have to be careful.

Valerie: Okay, well, what am I supposed to do? How do you handle it when you're mad?

John Avery "Whit" Whitaker: Oh, well, various things, I suppose. First, I I try to get away from the thing that's making me angry so I can get a better perspective on it. I'll take a walk or go somewhere quiet to pray or read my Bible.

Valerie: Maybe I should write this down.

John Avery "Whit" Whitaker: You don't have to take notes. Though, come to think of it, writing out my feelings often helps.

Valerie: Oh, in a diary, you mean?

John Avery "Whit" Whitaker: Uh-huh.

Valerie: Okay, I'll try and do some of those things. I I need to do something. Otherwise, I might do some serious damage to Valerie.

John Avery "Whit" Whitaker: Well, why don't you start with a long walk and think about your favorite Bible verse.

Valerie: I think I will.

Eva: You're being silly, Mama. You could do just as well with your hair cutting business in Odyssey as you do in Texas.

Lucia: Eva, it's not easy to start over. I've spent years getting a clientele, building a reputation.

Eva: You can do it again.

David: Hello, everyone's favorite husband, father and son-in-law is home.

Lucia: You can't expect me to walk up to perfect strangers and say, oh, you need a haircut. Let me do it.

David: Okay, not my usual welcome.

Lucia: Sorry, honey. Hi.

David: Hi.

Eva: Mama and I were talking about her moving to Odyssey.

David: Oh, I thought she already had.

Eva: Very funny.

Lucia: See, I've been here a week. David's ready for me to go home.

David: No, no, not true. No, you're welcome to stay as long as you'd like. You're family.

Eva: Yes, family. You've been talking about how much you'd like to be near your grandkids, and you love Odyssey. I noticed that you come here as often as you can.

Lucia: I see. It's true. The town is lovely, and I miss the niños, but I couldn't move here unless I was certain I could make a living. I'd want my own place. I couldn't live with you.

Eva: You couldn't?

David: No, she couldn't.

Lucia: Of course not. I need my own home, my hair business to keep me busy. I would have to work in a salon or find a place.

David: Well, you don't have to make a decision right now. Why don't you go for a test drive?

Lucia: A test drive? Eva, I don't know what he means. What do you mean?

David: Well, you stay with us for now and launch your business from our house.

Eva: Our house?

David: Sure. No one uses the family room during the day when the kids are at school. You could take on a few clients and start building your business right here.

Eva: You know, that's a brilliant idea.

David: Well, did you expect any less from me?

Lucia: I suppose it's worth a try.

David: Sure. We can put a sign on the side of the van. Well, unless I finally sell it.

Lucia: You're selling the van?

Eva: And David, don't forget to renew the ad.

David: I won't. But for now, I'm ready for dinner.

Eva: Oh, I totally forgot. I haven't thought about it at all.

David: Never mind. It's no problem. We can order some takeout from Taco Barn.

Lucia: Taco Barn? Taco Barn? That's not real Mexican.

David: Mhm. Delicious. Well, of course it is. That talking enchilada on their commercial speaks in Spanish, so

Lucia: But it has a horrible accent. A real taco wouldn't talk like that. I'll make you something authentic. Leave it to me. Taco Barn.

Eva: Oh, you only do that to get her riled up.

David: Well, it works, doesn't it? I love her fresh tortillas.

Valerie: Ah, a walk. A walk is a good way to calm myself down. Birds chirping, sun shining. I won't think about Valerie or how each of these cracks in the sidewalk remind me of her cracked and deceptive heart. I don't know if this is going to work either.

Mrs. Kramer: The package was supposed to be here yesterday, Wooton. Uh-huh. Yesterday as in the day before the day?

Wooton Bassett: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm sorry, Mrs. Kramer, but you know I can only deliver what they give to me when they give it to me.

Mrs. Kramer: Well, I'm wise to your game. See, I saw that exposé about the post office on TV last night. You probably buried it in your basement because you were too lazy to deliver it.

Wooton Bassett: Oh, trust me, Mrs. Kramer. I am way too lazy to be digging a big hole in my basement.

Mrs. Kramer: Well, I'm calling the Better Business Bureau, hon, and reporting you, and then the mayor, and then the president.

Wooton Bassett: Oh, great. Well, Mrs. Kramer, if you talk to the president, please let him know I really like that tie that he wore for the last day of the year. Union of Chris. Have a nice day.

Valerie: Well, Wooton, is everything all right?

Wooton Bassett: Oh, hi, Olivia. Yeah, I'm okay, but uh Mrs. Kramer isn't. She was expecting a package that didn't show up when she expected it.

Valerie: But that wasn't even your fault.

Wooton Bassett: Yeah, I know. It's okay.

Valerie: Okay? Doesn't it make you mad?

Wooton Bassett: Well, actually, I feel kind of bad for her.

Valerie: Bad for her? Why?

Wooton Bassett: Well, let's see. Uh, her pet spider has web fungus, and escaped her orangutan ate all her orchids, and she has a rare disease making oysters that cause her toenails to turn purple.

Valerie: Really?

Wooton Bassett: No, but I always remember that when people get mad, it's usually cuz they're upset about something else that has nothing to do with me. And since I don't really know what's making them cranky, huh, I come up with my own ideas.

Valerie: Interesting.

Wooton Bassett: I think so too, and actually she does seem to have a purplish tint to her fingernails. Maybe one of those fungal creams would help.

Valerie: Maybe that would work with Valerie.

Wooton Bassett: It's on sale for $1.99 at the drug store.

Valerie: Oh, no, no, no. I mean, thinking of all the bad things that could be happening in her life that I don't know about. I thought she was being mean for the sake of being mean, but maybe there are other things in her life that make her act that way.

Wooton Bassett: Yeah, it could be. Uh, try thinking of some things.

Valerie: Well, uh, she burned her bagel this morning, lost her hamster behind the sofa, and she wasted a week's worth of allowance to buy a hair curler that actually straightened her hair.

Wooton Bassett: Oh, I hate it when that happens. Poor Valerie.

Valerie: Yeah, I still don't feel bad for her though. I mean, it's like get over it. Buy another toaster.

Wooton Bassett: Yeah, the point is, Olivia, that sometimes we have to try to be understanding even if we don't understand what we're supposed to be understanding about, understand?

Valerie: I Actually, that makes sense.

Wooton Bassett: Oh, thanks a lot.

David: Well, thanks for the invite, Simon, but I am planning on a quiet evening at home tonight. Me, my recliner, and the big game on TV. Strange. No, not strange that I'm excited about the game. Strange because there are a lot of cars in front of my house. Well, have a great night. I know I will. Thanks. I'll talk to you later. Bye-bye. It's odd. I haven't seen this many cars out front since that hot air balloon landed on our roof. Oh, there we go.

David: Ooh. What in the world?

David: Eva, Eva, what is going on?

Eva: Hi, honey. Uh, would you mind blow drying Mrs. Green's hair? She has dinner reservations, and I need to wash the color out of Mrs. Green's hair before she leaves up to her name.

David: What?

David: But but but what is this?

Eva: It's the salon, remember? You suggested we start it in the family room.

David: A couple of clients, I thought.

Olivia: I know, I know, but Mama's been advertising all week and offered an introductory special, and there's all the homecoming festivities this weekend.

David: There must be a dozen women in here.

Eva: So you should be happy that your plan works. Mother clearly won't have a problem starting her salon.

David: But but but I have a problem. I wanted to watch the game, remember?

Eva: Oh, yes. Well, Mrs. Elliot is over by the TV. You can watch the game while you blow dry her hair.

Olivia: My scalp is burning.

Mrs. Kramer: Eva, please help Mrs. Green and scalp.

Eva: Sorry, honey. I'm sorry. Please help us out just this once.

David: All right, all right. Just this once. Hello, this is Elliot. My name is François, and I will be drying your hair today.

Eva: Oh, thank you, François.

Guest (Male): It looks like we might have the first score of the game. Henderson at the 35, the 30. Major attempt and unsuccessful block. And look at the speed.

David: Go, go, go, go, go. Oh.

David: Oh, no. He's injured. We're in trouble.

Eva: I'm sorry, François, but could you please change it to the cooking channel? They're having a week-long special on ravioli.

David: Uh, but Mrs. Elliot, this is an important game. Don't don't you watch football?

Eva: Not since my poor Gram passed on. May he rest in peace. We watched it together all the time. It makes me miss him so much.

David: Ah. Ravioli it is, Mrs. Elliot.

Eva: Oh, thanks, François.

David: Ravioli, not football. Ravioli.

Mrs. Kramer: And with the pastry the squares, you'll notice the lovely creasing along the edges. Pure joy, I think.

Chris: It's hard to trust a lot of entertainment these days, but you can always trust Adventures in Odyssey. Adventures in Odyssey audio dramas have been teaching kids biblical truth for over 35 years, and a club membership will give them even more episodes to keep them strong in the Lord. Whether you play episodes in the car, before bed, or anytime, you can be sure they're learning to be more like Christ. Learn all about the club at adventuresinodyssey.com. That's adventuresinodyssey.com.

John Avery "Whit" Whitaker: How's your chocolate Sunday, Olivia?

Olivia: Fine, Mr. Whitaker. Thanks.

John Avery "Whit" Whitaker: Hmm. I was just wondering if that news feature about your float had aired yet.

Olivia: Well, it's supposed to air this weekend. Something special on preparing for homecoming. I'm sure Valerie will enjoy her moment of stolen glory.

John Avery "Whit" Whitaker: So you're still pretty angry about it, huh?

Olivia: Yeah. I can't even bring myself to work on the float now, not if she's there.

John Avery "Whit" Whitaker: That's not good.

Olivia: Well, I tried everything you said. I walked, tried to pray, tried to read my Bible, and and wrote my feelings in my diary. I even tried feeling bad for Valerie because she burned her bagel.

Wooton Bassett: Oh, hi, everybody.

John Avery "Whit" Whitaker: Oh, hi, Wooton.

Olivia: Hi, Wooton.

Wooton Bassett: Hi, can I have a vanilla milkshake, please, Whit?

John Avery "Whit" Whitaker: Oh, just sure. Just plain vanilla, no sprinkles or peanut butter or licorice twists?

Wooton Bassett: Uh, preferably all three, but this one is for Mrs. Kramer.

John Avery "Whit" Whitaker: Oh, I'll come bring it right up.

Wooton Bassett: Thanks.

Olivia: Hang on. You're taking Mrs. Kramer a milkshake? Does that mean she apologized for how she treated you the other day?

Wooton Bassett: Uh, no. She threw a pair of orthopedic slippers at me this morning because her package still hadn't arrived.

Olivia: And then why are you taking her ice cream?

Wooton Bassett: Well, cuz she missed and the slippers wound up in the neighbor's yard where the Doberman ate them. So now I feel real bad for her.

Olivia: Oh.

Wooton Bassett: Yeah, and I also have another trick for dealing with angry people.

Olivia: Milkshakes?

Wooton Bassett: Not just milkshakes, although that one is pretty good, but anything extra nice that will help break their anger. Oh, here you go. One vanilla milkshake.

David: Oh, thank you, Whit. Hey, Olivia, if you want to come with me to deliver it, then you can see how it works firsthand.

Olivia: Why not? Maybe I'll learn something.

David: Okay, Lucia. I am done drying Mrs. Elliot's hair, and I've learned more than I ever wanted to know about stuffing ravioli. And I think I'll

Lucia: Oh, Wooton, cuz I need someone to wash Alexia's hair.

Olivia: And I can't do it. I am too busy.

David: Really? Because I was actually thinking about leaving and

Lucia: No.

David: I was thinking about going to a salon to watch the game because it's bound to be empty since everyone in town is here.

Lucia: No, no, no, no, please, David. Help out a little bit longer.

David: Oh, please. Really?

Lucia: Yes. Yes, she's sweet little Alexia there. She's been waiting so long to get her hair washed.

David: Okay, but only because you make a tortilla like nobody's business.

Lucia: Such a good son-in-law. David, now remember not to use too much shampoo. It clogs the follicles. And use a conditioner in the white bottle.

David: I know. Clogs the follicles. I remember. Lucia?

Lucia: You're doing wonderful. David