Adventures in Odyssey

Chris: Hi, this is Chris. Welcome to Adventures in Odyssey.

John Avery Whittaker: Hi there. I'm John Avery Whittaker, but you can call me Whit. I run a shop in Odyssey called Whit's End. It's a place of discovery, imagination, and excitement, but don't take my word for it. You can find out for yourself on today's Adventures in Odyssey.

Katrina: Boy, this is really depressing.

Connie: Connie? Hi, Katrina. This is a surprise.

Katrina: Is it?

Connie: Well, yeah.

Katrina: Meaning that I wouldn't normally be here at this time of day. Yes, then I suppose it is. Is Eugene here?

Connie: No, he's at the college with you, I thought.

Katrina: Really? Did we have an appointment that I'd forgotten about?

Connie: No, I just mean that with all the time you two have been spending together, it's a fair guess that if he isn't here in classes, he's with you.

Katrina: That's curious because I always suspected that if he wasn't with me or at classes, he'd be here at Whit's End.

Connie: Katrina, I don't want to alarm you, but you're sounding more like him every day. Something wrong?

Katrina: The college announced today that they're implementing a number of budget cuts due to low enrollment. Part of those cuts involved the library.

Connie: Oh, yeah.

Katrina: They terminated my services effective immediately.

Connie: You mean they—

Katrina: They laid me off.

Connie: Oh, no.

Katrina: That is why I'm terribly upset and hope to speak to Eugene. He seems as if he'd be a great comfort at such a stressful time.

Connie: Well, I wouldn't know since he's usually the cause of my stress. But I don't mind subbing for him if I can.

Katrina: Subbing?

Connie: Yeah, like you and I go up to Whit's office and talk about it. Maybe I can help.

Katrina: Oh, if you don't mind.

Connie: Are you kidding? Whit!

John Avery Whittaker: Yes, Connie? Oh, hello, Katrina.

Katrina: Hello, Mr. Whittaker.

Connie: We'd like to borrow your office for a little while. Is that okay?

John Avery Whittaker: Of course. I'll watch the counter.

Connie: Thanks. Come on, Katrina.

Katrina: Thank you, Mr. Whittaker.

John Avery Whittaker: Oh, you're welcome. I wonder what's going on now.

Connie: Boy, this is really depressing.

Katrina: Please don't be sad, Connie. I simply wanted you to understand the scope of my problem.

Connie: I understand all right. You're barely making it as it is, and you can't stay in college if you don't have a job.

Katrina: Exactly.

Connie: And apart from your tutoring, you're not especially skilled in anything.

Katrina: Correct.

Connie: That is depressing. Aren't you depressed?

Katrina: I wasn't. I thought you were going to try to comfort me.

Connie: I'd like to, but I don't know how I can comfort you when I'm so depressed about your situation.

Katrina: Well, I didn't mean for you to feel this way.

Connie: That's all right. Hey, wait. I have an idea.

Katrina: You do?

Connie: Sure. We'll ask Whit if you can have a job here.

Katrina: Oh, you're teasing me.

Connie: No, it's perfect. You said you don't have any particular skill and good thing for me, you don't have to have any to work here.

Katrina: Well, I hadn't honestly thought of it as an option.

Connie: Well, it wouldn't hurt to ask Whit, would it?

Katrina: No, I don't suppose it would.

Connie: Then what are we waiting for?

John Avery Whittaker: Well, look who's here.

Connie: Hi, Mr. Whittaker.

John Avery Whittaker: And how are you, Lucy?

Lucy Schultz: I'm on a mission. Do you have a couple of minutes?

John Avery Whittaker: Oh, I think I can spare one or two. What's up?

Lucy Schultz: I'm researching an article for the Odyssey Times about some interesting people and places around Odyssey. Naturally, I thought of you.

John Avery Whittaker: Really? But the Times has already done an article about Whit's End.

Lucy Schultz: A general article about Whit's End. I was thinking of someplace more specific.

John Avery Whittaker: Like what?

Lucy Schultz: The Bible Room. It's like a mini-museum right in the middle of your shop, but it occurred to me that nobody really knows the story behind it, why you decided to create it.

John Avery Whittaker: I see. There is a story behind it, as a matter of fact. It began with a rabbit's foot.

Lucy Schultz: A rabbit's foot?

Connie: Whit? Oh, sorry, Lucy. I didn't mean to interrupt.

Lucy Schultz: That's all right.

Connie: But since I have interrupted, could I talk to you in the kitchen a minute, Whit? It's kind of important.

John Avery Whittaker: Well, then I suppose so. Do you mind, Lucy?

Lucy Schultz: No, I can wait.

John Avery Whittaker: Thanks. Now, what's this all about, Connie?

Lucy Schultz: Hi, I'm Lucy Schultz.

Katrina: Oh, I'm Katrina Shanks. It's very nice to meet you. Are you the Lucy Schultz who writes for the newspaper?

Lucy Schultz: Uh-huh.

Katrina: You're talented.

Lucy Schultz: Thank you.

Eugene Meltsner: Katrina, what are you doing here? I've been looking everywhere for you.

Katrina: Everywhere?

Eugene Meltsner: Well, everywhere in the common sense of the expression. More specifically, I was looking for you at the college. I stopped by the library to see you and they said you were terminated.

Katrina: It's true, Eugene. I was laid off.

Eugene Meltsner: Oh, Katrina. You must feel dreadful.

Lucy Schultz: You just got fired from your job? How depressing.

Katrina: Not at all. A solution, albeit a temporary one, may present itself shortly.

Connie: Well, Katrina! Oh, Eugene, you're just in time for the good news.

Eugene Meltsner: Good news?

John Avery Whittaker: Katrina, I'd be honored to have you work with us here at Whit's End.

Eugene Meltsner: What?

Katrina: Thank you, Mr. Whittaker.

Lucy Schultz: Wow, your solutions work fast.

Eugene Meltsner: Wait, you mean— what?

Katrina: Isn't it wonderful, Eugene? We're going to be co-workers.

John Avery Whittaker: I think the story behind the Bible Room is best told in the Bible Room, don't you think?

Lucy Schultz: Sure. I love this room. Funny to think that it was once filled with nothing but boxes and clutter. I didn't know what to do with it.

John Avery Whittaker: Now, you said a little while ago that the creation of the Bible Room began with a rabbit's foot.

John Avery Whittaker: Uh-huh. You see, it happened a few years ago, before Connie became a Christian. We had a compulsive prankster named Philo who used to hang around here.

Lucy Schultz: I remember Philo.

John Avery Whittaker: Well, one day he'd pulled a couple of practical jokes on us and I suggested that someone might pull a practical joke on him in return. Philo was confident that nothing would happen because he had a lucky rabbit's foot. Naturally, I tried to set him straight.

John Avery Whittaker: Philo, you can get more protection out of a deodorant spray than you can with that silly good luck charm.

Philo: That's not what Connie said.

John Avery Whittaker: Connie? Oh, what does she have to do with it?

Philo: She's the one who gave me this thing.

John Avery Whittaker: She did?

Philo: Yesterday, right after she read me my horoscope.

John Avery Whittaker: Horoscope?

Philo: Yeah, she reads it to us all the time. Mine said that I could use some extra luck, so she gave me this rabbit's foot.

John Avery Whittaker: Do you know where Connie is now?

Philo: Upstairs, I think.

John Avery Whittaker: Would you mind if I borrowed this thing for a few minutes?

Philo: No, here.

John Avery Whittaker: You can imagine that I was pretty bothered by Connie being involved in things like good luck charms and horoscopes.

Lucy Schultz: You? Really?

John Avery Whittaker: Really.

Lucy Schultz: So what did you do?

John Avery Whittaker: Well, I went up to—

Connie: Whit? Oh, sorry, Lucy. Yes, Connie?

John Avery Whittaker: Hate to interrupt again.

Katrina: It's all my fault. She was giving me the grand tour of the shop, a delightful experience.

Connie: And the lights in the Little Theater won't come on.

John Avery Whittaker: Oh, well, the fuse must've blown again. Yeah, I've been having trouble with it. Where's Eugene?

Connie: He rushed off to buy a newspaper.

John Avery Whittaker: A newspaper? Weird, huh?

Katrina: I believe it may have something to do with me. He's so sweet.

Connie: Do you want to fix the lights now or wait until Eugene comes back?

John Avery Whittaker: Oh, I better do it now. On the condition that you continue the story about how the Bible Room was created.

Connie: You're telling her about that? How embarrassing.

John Avery Whittaker: Well, I left off after Philo told me how you'd given him the rabbit's foot.

Connie: And just before he came to talk to you.

John Avery Whittaker: Okay.

Connie: And don't leave anything out.

John Avery Whittaker: I won't.

Connie: Well, I want you to know that this really is embarrassing. You see, I didn't know Whit was coming to talk to me about the rabbit's foot. And I had just turned to the horoscope page in the newspaper where it said that I was going to get a promotion in my job. So, when Whit showed up to talk to me, I thought he was about to promote me. Boy, was I in for a surprise.

John Avery Whittaker: I was just downstairs talking with Philo Sanderson and during the course of the conversation, this came out of his pocket.

Connie: Rabbit's foot.

John Avery Whittaker: He said you gave it to him. Is that true?

Connie: Yeah, yesterday.

John Avery Whittaker: He also said you gave it to him because his horoscope said he needed good luck. A horoscope you read to him.

Connie: Well, yeah, I did, but—

John Avery Whittaker: And he said not only did you read his fortune yesterday, but you've been reading the horoscopes to quite a few kids for quite some time. Is that true?

Connie: I guess so, but so what?

John Avery Whittaker: So what? Now look, Connie, I know you're not a Christian and I know you don't believe in the Bible. There's not a whole lot I can do about that because it's a personal decision. But I'm not going to just stand idly by and let you introduce the kids that come in here to the occult.

Connie: The occult? What are you talking about? All I did was just read a few horoscopes.

John Avery Whittaker: Connie, what do you think the occult is? Astrology, fortune telling, palm reading, good luck charms. They're all a part of it.

Connie: Wait a minute. I admit I don't know how I feel about God, but I'm sure not into any of that stuff.

John Avery Whittaker: Then why were you reading horoscopes to these kids? Why did you give Philo a rabbit's foot?

Connie: I don't know. I thought it was harmless. Nobody was taking it seriously.

John Avery Whittaker: Really? Then why did you think I was going to give you a promotion when I first came up here?

Connie: Wow. Are you going to fire me?

John Avery Whittaker: No. I can see that you honestly didn't understand what you were doing. But you have to be more careful. These kids are like sponges. They're ready to soak up whatever we give them.

From now on, I want you to come and talk to me first about any new idea you want to present to them. Okay?

Connie: Okay. It's just that the horoscopes are so easy to find. I mean, look. They're in the paper every day.

John Avery Whittaker: So they are.

Connie: But don't worry, I'm not going to read them anymore.

John Avery Whittaker: Good.

Connie: And, Whit?

John Avery Whittaker: Yes?

Connie: Thanks.

John Avery Whittaker: You're welcome.

Katrina: This is interesting. Mr. Whittaker feels passionately about his beliefs, doesn't he?

Connie: Well, I guess you could say we all do.

Katrina: Does Eugene?

Connie: I'm sure he feels passionately about his beliefs too. Whatever they are.

Katrina: You don't know what Eugene believes?

Connie: No, not really. Do you?

Katrina: We've never discussed it. But I am curious about this passion you have for Christianity. I know the teachings of Christ from an academic standpoint, but I confess I've never seen them put into practice firsthand.

Connie: Hang around here and you'll see plenty.

John Avery Whittaker: Well, the lights are working again. I may have to get an electrician to come in. So, where were we?

Connie: You and I talked about the horoscopes and I promised not to read them anymore.

John Avery Whittaker: That's right. And you said something in our conversation that got my mind working overtime. Then Tom Riley and I got to talking.

Tom Riley: Well, you set her straight. It was obvious she didn't really understand how serious it was.

John Avery Whittaker: And that's what bothers me about it. People don't realize what they're doing when they get involved with that stuff. It just starts off as innocent fun and then before they realize it, it begins to control their lives. But you know what really bothers me?

Tom Riley: What?

John Avery Whittaker: Connie said it yesterday. It's so easy to find. And she's right. It's all over the place. On movies, television, and bookstores. Even by telephone. Not to mention things like scales that tell your fortune and bubblegum machines that spit out a zodiacal chart.

Tom Riley: Well, I agree with you 100%, Whit. But what can we do about it? I mean, very few newspapers these days are going to feature a daily Bible verse in place of their daily horoscope.

John Avery Whittaker: Yeah. Well, it really makes you realize just how important church services and home Bible studies are, doesn't it? And yet kids still get involved with that stuff. Even church kids. I just don't understand it.

Tom Riley: Maybe the problem isn't so much one of availability as it is marketing.

John Avery Whittaker: I don't follow you.

Tom Riley: Well, when it comes to message, no horoscope can compare with the Bible. It's the most exciting message that the world has ever heard or ever will hear. But maybe what's happened is that we've taken the exciting and wonderful message and somehow made it seem boring. We've made it something kids just can't relate to anymore.

John Avery Whittaker: So you mean what we need to do is somehow show these kids that the Bible is exciting?

Tom Riley: Well, yeah.

John Avery Whittaker: Tom, would you excuse me for a little while? I have some thinking to do.

Lucy Schultz: So is that when the idea came together for you?

John Avery Whittaker: No fair rushing ahead of the story.

Connie: Something clicked because Whit disappeared into this room for days. I remember Tom and I trying to figure out what he was up to. Then one day—

Eugene Meltsner: Ah, there you are! I was wondering what became of you.

Connie: Eugene, we're in the middle of a story.

Eugene Meltsner: I'm terribly sorry. Look, Katrina, I've purchased the latest Odyssey Times with a complete help wanted section.

Katrina: Thank you, Eugene.

Connie: Anyway, as I was saying—

Eugene Meltsner: You don't seem to understand. There are literally dozens of first-rate opportunities contained in these pages. You don't have to work here. This one, for example. Help wanted, maintenance for office complex.

Katrina: Eugene.

Eugene Meltsner: Oh, here's one. Help wanted, telephone solicitors for Rathbone's New Home Shopping Club. You're wonderful on the phone. I could listen to you for hours.

Katrina: You have, Eugene, but—

Connie: Why would she want one of those jobs when she has one right here? Now, is it all right if we finish our story, please? Would you mind terribly, Eugene? We could discuss this later.

Eugene Meltsner: Later would be perfectly acceptable. I was merely trying to be of assistance.

Katrina: Oh, you're sweet. Thank you.

Connie: Anyway, back to our story. Tom and I kept trying to—

Eugene Meltsner: Pardon me for interrupting again. Mr. Whittaker?

John Avery Whittaker: Yes, Eugene?

Eugene Meltsner: May I speak with you privately in your office, please?

John Avery Whittaker: Well, do you mind finishing the story, Connie?

Connie: No, I'd love to.

John Avery Whittaker: Thanks. Come on, Eugene.

Eugene Meltsner: Thank you. And I apologize once again for any interruption which may have occurred.

Katrina: That's okay, Eugene.

Connie: Anyway, Whit wouldn't give us any clues. In fact, the most he'd say to me was, "Will you please fix me some coffee, Connie?" And that's what I was in the middle of doing when he came out and some of the kids ganged up on him and insisted that he let them have a look.

John Avery Whittaker: All right, all right. Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to introduce you to the Bible Room.

Guest (Male): Look at this! It's Paul's armor.

John Avery Whittaker: That's from Ephesians chapter six. See, we have the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit. Go ahead, try it on.

Guest (Male): Mr. Whittaker, what's this, a model of a city?

John Avery Whittaker: That's right.

Guest (Male): What does it do?

John Avery Whittaker: March around it seven times and you'll find out.

Guest (Female): Mr. Whittaker, there's something wrong with this mirror. It's all dark. I can just barely see myself.

John Avery Whittaker: Oh, really? Well, try saying a Bible verse at it.

Guest (Female): Okay. Philippians 4:13. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Sound Effect: (Voice through speaker): "For now we see through a glass darkly, but then we shall see face to face."

Guest (Female): Hey, it lights up!

Guest (Male): Look, the walls are falling! Look at that!

Guest (Female): There's a lot of great stuff in here, Whit.

John Avery Whittaker: Well, I can't take all the credit. It was you and Tom and Philo who inspired it.

Connie: We did? How?

John Avery Whittaker: Well, you brought the need for this room to my attention, Connie, by reading those horoscopes. Tom, you helped to see that we've somehow made the Bible boring to these kids. But it was Philo and his practical jokes that helped me figure out just why the Bible seems boring and what I could do about it.

See, we humans aren't the only ones who pull pranks. Horoscopes and astrology, all that stuff, they're Satan's practical jokes on us. They confuse our minds so we can't see how real and exciting the Bible truly is. Well, this room is designed to counter that by bringing the scriptures literally to life.

Connie: And that's pretty much how the Bible Room came to be. Eventually Whit put in different kinds of displays and, of course, the Imagination Station and the Room of Consequence.

Lucy Schultz: I'll probably get a photographer from the Times to come take some pictures. This is fascinating. Mr. Whittaker actually felt so strongly about making the Bible real to children that he created this room.

Connie: Yeah, you heard it with your own ears.

Katrina: I'd be very interested in a further discussion of your Christianity.

Connie: Oh, well, we can do that.

John Avery Whittaker: Let me get this straight, Eugene. You don't like the idea of Katrina working here because of the distance from the college?

Eugene Meltsner: Precisely.

John Avery Whittaker: But the bus runs from here to there several times a day.

Eugene Meltsner: I appreciate that, but a bus can be a very dangerous place.

John Avery Whittaker: In Odyssey? Eugene, forgive me for making a wild guess, but I think this has more to do with you than it does with her. Am I right?

Eugene Meltsner: Possibly.

John Avery Whittaker: You don't want her to work here. Why not?

Eugene Meltsner: Because, well, please don't take offense.

John Avery Whittaker: Oh, I won't. Unless you're going to criticize my mustache.

Eugene Meltsner: Of course not. It's only that, well, my life at this time consists of three things: my work at the college, Whit's End, and whatever time I can spare away from the aforementioned.

John Avery Whittaker: Oh, I understand. You like to escape every now and then.

Eugene Meltsner: Exactly. And I must confess that my relationship with Katrina has been part of that escape. I relish the time I have with her away from both college activities and this shop.

John Avery Whittaker: Oh, I get it.

Eugene Meltsner: If Katrina works here then it's as if she has merged with one of the things from which I wish to take a break, to borrow the colloquialism.

John Avery Whittaker: Well, that makes sense and I'm sorry. Maybe I should've talked to you about it before offering her a position. I guess I didn't realize that your relationship with her was so advanced. In fact, I haven't had the slightest idea of what your relationship was.

Eugene Meltsner: Well, I suppose if you asked her about our relationship, she might say that we're very close friends.

John Avery Whittaker: Is that what you think, Eugene?

Eugene Meltsner: I think, well, in as much as I know anything on the subject, Mr. Whittaker, I believe that I'm in love with Katrina.

Connie: Sorry for barging in, but I was wondering if you have an extra copy of that basic Christianity book you had me read when I first became a Christian.

John Avery Whittaker: Oh, yes, Connie. On the second shelf down.

Connie: Oh, thanks.

Eugene Meltsner: Miss Kendall, may I ask for whom it is intended?

Connie: Katrina. We've been talking about Jesus and she wants to know more. Here it is! Thanks, Whit.

John Avery Whittaker: You're welcome.

Eugene Meltsner: Perhaps I should investigate.

John Avery Whittaker: Maybe we both should.

Katrina: So one of the purposes of the death of Jesus was to satisfy the penalty of our sinfulness?

Connie: Right.

Katrina: I see.

Connie: But it didn't stop there. Jesus also—

Eugene Meltsner: Katrina.

Katrina: Eugene. This is remarkable. In all my years of study, I've never appreciated that the teachings of Christianity should have personal ramifications. Why haven't we ever discussed this?

Eugene Meltsner: It's funny, it never seemed to come up at the college.

Katrina: I want to know more.

Eugene Meltsner: Well, you're certainly in the proper hands to find out. If you'll excuse me, I think I'll go find a reasonable excuse with which to excuse myself.

Connie: Eugene, wait! Whit, would you mind if we went into your office again? I think Katrina might like to see some of your other books, and I can talk to her more privately there.

John Avery Whittaker: Sure. Go ahead.

Connie: Thank you.

Katrina: Thanks again, Mr. Whittaker.

John Avery Whittaker: Whit. Katrina, call me Whit.

Katrina: Oh, okay. Whit.

Connie: See, it wasn't enough for Jesus to just die. He had to conquer death too.

John Avery Whittaker: You're not going, Lucy?

Lucy Schultz: No, I need to write up this story about the Bible Room.

John Avery Whittaker: Oh, yeah. Did you get everything you needed?

Lucy Schultz: Everything but a final word from you.

John Avery Whittaker: Oh. Well, I guess you could say that what happened to this room is how it's supposed to work with all of us as Christians.

Lucy Schultz: What do you mean?

John Avery Whittaker: Well, this room was just my junk room where I threw extra boxes and things I didn't know what to do with. But because of Christ, it was turned into a room that helps to make Him real to the children in this town. In other words, this room was redeemed. God took something that was useless and made it useful. Just like He does with our lives.

Lucy Schultz: Bible Room, an example of redemption. Got it.

John Avery Whittaker: I guess you could say that's what Whit's End has always been about. To redeem not only rooms but lives.

Chris: Time will tell what will become of Katrina and her relationship with Eugene. What do you think will happen? If you have any ideas, send them to me at Odyssey, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80995. Or in Canada, write to Box 9800, Vancouver, BC, V6B 4G3.

You may also want to ask how you can get your own copy of today's episode. It's called "It Began with a Rabbit's Foot." That address again is Odyssey, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80995. Adventures in Odyssey is a presentation of Focus on the Family.

"It Began with a Rabbit's Foot" was written by Paul McCusker and Phil Lollar and directed by Phil Lollar. Our production engineer was Dave Arnold and our executive producer is Chuck Bolte. And I'm Chris, hoping you'll join us again next time for more Adventures in Odyssey.