Adventures in Odyssey

Chris: 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, 'cause you never know what'll happen when you have an adventure in Odyssey.

Courtney Vincent: Can you hand me that blue marker, Erica?

Erica Clark: Here you go.

Courtney Vincent: Thanks.

Erica Clark: That poster looks really good, Courtney.

Courtney Vincent: Thanks. How's yours coming along?

Erica Clark: Just finished it. Want to see?

Courtney Vincent: Sure. "Vote for Courtney Vincent for student council president because she's a really nice person." Hmm. I think we may need something a little more catchy.

Erica Clark: I thought it would be good to just tell it straight. You're nice, a lot nicer than Shannon Everett ever was.

Courtney Vincent: If I'm going to win this election, I have to be a lot more than nice. Try to think of something that'll stick in people's minds.

Erica Clark: I've tried. There's just not a lot of words that rhyme with Courtney.

Courtney Vincent: What is Shannon's slogan?

Erica Clark: I don't remember. It was in the Owl. She took out an ad. Where's my bag? Here it is. Let me see. It's in here somewhere.

There it is. "Shannon Everett: As good as it can ever get."

Courtney Vincent: You're kidding. Let me see. There. That's terrible. What is this?

Erica Clark: What?

Courtney Vincent: This poem over here.

Erica Clark: Oh, yeah. I read that. Pretty sappy, huh?

Courtney Vincent: Sappy? This is my poem. I wrote this poem.

Erica Clark: You sent a poem to the Owl? Since when are you signing your name anonymous?

Courtney Vincent: I'm not! I've never shown that poem to anybody.

Erica Clark: Then how did it get in there?

Courtney Vincent: I don't know, but you can be sure I'm going to find out.

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Courtney Vincent: Mr. Burton?

Mr. Burton: Yes? Oh, hello Courtney.

Courtney Vincent: There was a poem in yesterday's paper.

Mr. Burton: Oh, yes. Nice, wasn't it?

Courtney Vincent: Yes, it was. That's the point. It was my poem.

Mr. Burton: Oh. Well, why didn't you sign your name?

Courtney Vincent: I would have, but I didn't send it in. Do you know who did?

Mr. Burton: No, I'm sorry. I have no idea. It was put in my box.

Courtney Vincent: What did it look like?

Mr. Burton: It was... well, let me see. Oh, sure. Here it is. Looks like it was typed out on a computer.

Courtney Vincent: I don't even have a computer.

Mr. Burton: Do you have the original?

Courtney Vincent: Yeah, it's in my locker.

Mr. Burton: I'd like to see it.

Courtney Vincent: Okay, I'll be right back. Where is it?

Erica Clark: Hi Courtney. What's the matter?

Courtney Vincent: I can't find it.

Erica Clark: What?

Courtney Vincent: My notebook.

Erica Clark: I was thinking about it last night. Do you think it's possible that someone else wrote the exact same poem?

Courtney Vincent: No.

Erica Clark: That kind of thing happens. What do you think is more likely? Writing the exact same poem as somebody else or getting struck by lightning 17 times in six years?

Courtney Vincent: I can't believe it.

Erica Clark: No, really. It's true. It was on Fantastic Oddities of the World.

Courtney Vincent: Erica, it's gone. Don't you see? My notebook's gone. I've had it for a year. It's got all my poems. It's like my diary. There's a lot of personal stuff in it. Somebody stole it.

Principal McSpadden: Are you sure you left it in your locker?

Courtney Vincent: Yes, Principal McSpadden. I always leave it in my locker, unless I'm writing in it.

Principal McSpadden: When was the last time you wrote in it?

Erica Clark: I saw you writing in it at lunch. That was last week, though.

Courtney Vincent: She's right. I was writing down some slogans for the election.

Principal McSpadden: Have you given out your combination to anyone?

Courtney Vincent: No. Erica knows it, but nobody else does.

Principal McSpadden: I see. I'll tell you what. I'll keep an eye out for it, and I'll put up a note on the lost and found. In the meantime, I'll give you another locker, and I'll make sure Mr. Burton doesn't print any more anonymous poems.

Courtney Vincent: Thank you.

Rusty Gordon: And if I'm elected student council treasurer, you can be sure that your money is safe with me. I'm not the type of person who steals money from his fellow students and then goes out and buys motorcycle equipment. You can count on that. So remember, vote Rusty Gordon for student council treasurer.

Principal McSpadden: Thank you, Rusty. That was a very clever and ominous speech. And so, let's move on to our last set of speeches. The office of student council president, one that comes with very serious obligations. The two candidates have impressed me repeatedly with their dedication. First off, running for the office of student council president, Miss Shannon Everett.

Erica Clark: Are you next, Courtney?

Courtney Vincent: No, Shannon goes first, then me.

Erica Clark: Nervous?

Courtney Vincent: A little.

Erica Clark: Don't be. You're great at speeches.

Courtney Vincent: I just hope I didn't forget any of it. I had to rewrite it last period. It's in my missing notebook.

Shannon Everett: Thank you, Mr. McSpadden. Leadership. It is something we all look to when we don't know what to do. It is also something not many people are willing to accept.

Every year at this school, you elect someone to make certain decisions for you. You want someone smart and honest, someone who will listen to you, someone who knows exactly how you feel.

You want someone who is willing to take a stand. Not only that, but you want a president who is not beholden to anyone. If I am elected—

Courtney Vincent: Erica! That's my speech. Shannon's doing my speech!

Erica Clark: What?

Courtney Vincent: Shannon's doing my speech.

Erica Clark: You mean she's saying what you wanted to say?

Courtney Vincent: No, she's saying my exact speech! It was in my notebook. She's the one who stole my notebook.

Shannon Everett: You sent for me, Principal McSpadden?

Principal McSpadden: Yes, Shannon. Have a seat. I'll get straight to the point. Courtney here has just told me that she believes you stole her speech today.

Shannon Everett: What? She's off her rocker. I didn't do that.

Courtney Vincent: Yes, you did! That speech was in my locker!

Shannon Everett: I don't know what you're talking about!

Principal McSpadden: Wait a minute. Hold it. One at a time. Shannon, can you explain this?

Shannon Everett: She's saying all this stuff to make me look like a thief. She wants to win the election. I wrote that speech myself a couple of nights ago. She made me look like a fool up there. I didn't have a speech, I had to make it up right at the platform.

Principal McSpadden: You made that up at the platform? That was an excellent speech.

Shannon Everett: Of course it was. She probably wrote it last night. I can't believe she would do something like this.

Courtney Vincent: Me do something like this? You're the one who—

Principal McSpadden: Now hold it. Hold it. Calm down. This is not what I expect from two people that I consider prime candidates for student council president.

This election is going to be conducted with honesty and integrity. I won't tolerate dirty tricks. If I hear of anything or if I see anything like that, I'll immediately make you withdraw. Now Shannon, do you have the speech with you?

Shannon Everett: Sure.

Principal McSpadden: Can I see it, please? And yours as well, Courtney. They do appear to be the same. Different handwriting.

Courtney Vincent: She probably rewrote it.

Principal McSpadden: I'm aware of that.

Shannon Everett: Where did you get that? Did you take that out of my English folder? It was in the folder I left in class. You have English the period after me, don't you? I wrote this!

Principal McSpadden: All right, this is not getting us anywhere. I want you to quietly go back to your classes now. I plan to look further into this matter, but in the meantime, I don't want any more accusations. Understood?

Shannon Everett: Yes, sir.

Courtney Vincent: Yes, sir.

Rusty Gordon: Hey, Courtney.

Courtney Vincent: Rusty?

Rusty Gordon: Hi. You're talking to me?

Courtney Vincent: Of course I'm talking to you.

Rusty Gordon: Why?

Courtney Vincent: I just wanted to say that I heard what you did to Shannon today, and I'm impressed.

Rusty Gordon: Go away. I don't need to be harassed, Rusty, right now.

Rusty Gordon: No, I'm serious. I like your campaigning style. Everybody else just makes promises and talks about themselves. They take the easy way out. You go right for the jugular.

Courtney Vincent: What are you talking about?

Rusty Gordon: It's all over school how you accused Shannon of stealing your speech. I like that. Making your opponent look like a lousy crook. Made me wish I would have done that.

Courtney Vincent: You don't understand anything about what happened. You don't even know me.

Rusty Gordon: You're right. Looking at you, I would have never picked you out as an admirer of the Russman.

Courtney Vincent: What?

Rusty Gordon: I guess the irresistible scent of the Russman carries even further than I thought.

Courtney Vincent: What?

Rusty Gordon: And I think you're kind of cute, too.

Courtney Vincent: What are you talking about?

Rusty Gordon: I got your note.

Courtney Vincent: What note?

Rusty Gordon: The one you put in my locker.

Courtney Vincent: Rusty, tell me what you're talking about.

Rusty Gordon: This note. "I know he gets in a lot of trouble, but I think Rusty Gordon is kind of cute."

Courtney Vincent: Oh, no. Rusty, I didn't put that in your locker.

Rusty Gordon: You didn't write this?

Courtney Vincent: Well, yeah, but I wrote it about a year ago.

Rusty Gordon: A year ago, yesterday. You did think I was cute, right?

Courtney Vincent: I don't know what I was thinking. Maybe it was the day I bumped my head really hard on a table. I had to get stitches, I was on some kind of painkiller, I could have said anything.

Rusty Gordon: That's not important. The important thing is that there was a moment of time in your life when you didn't think I was disgusting, right?

Courtney Vincent: I guess.

Rusty Gordon: Yes! The Russman strikes again! Thank you, thank you, yes!

Courtney Vincent: I've got to get my notebook back.

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Erica Clark: Oh, Courtney.

Courtney Vincent: Erica, you'll never believe what happened. Rusty came up to me and—

Erica Clark: What's the matter? What is this?

Courtney Vincent: What?

Erica Clark: This was in my locker. I can't even read it, it's so crumpled up. I'll read it to you. "I like Erica Clark most of the time, but lately she has really gotten on my nerves. She whines way too much, and it's always about silly little things." Erica? "Sometimes I just want to tell her to be quiet. I'm afraid she'll whine about that too."

Courtney Vincent: Look, Erica, you can't tell me that you didn't write this. This is your handwriting, isn't it?

Erica Clark: Yes, but I didn't mean—

Courtney Vincent: You didn't mean any of this?

Erica Clark: I didn't mean for you to ever see that. It was in my diary. I was probably mad at you or something. Can't you see, Erica? Shannon put that in your locker. She's trying to make us enemies.

Erica Clark: Oh, no. I would just hate that. Well, it is so miserable already. I don't have any friends. Erica, I can't be your enemy because then nobody would like me. Please. Why does everyone hate me? Maybe it's because I whine too much. Anything else in your diary I should know about?

Courtney Vincent: No! Listen!

Erica Clark: Are my eyes too close together? Erica! Do you hate the way I dress? Stop it! Do I talk too much? Maybe I should be grateful that you're my friend at all.

Courtney Vincent: Okay, if you want to be like that, you could tell me who you blabbed my combination to.

Erica Clark: What? How else did Shannon get it? You're the only one who knew. Who did you tell?

Courtney Vincent: I didn't tell anybody!

Erica Clark: It must have been somebody!

Courtney Vincent: No! Think about it. You've never been able to keep a secret.

Erica Clark: Oh, so I'm a whiner and a blabbermouth?

Courtney Vincent: Yes, now that you mention it.

Erica Clark: Fine. At least I don't stab my friends in the back.

Courtney Vincent: I didn't!

Erica Clark: I don't want to talk to you anymore. Goodbye.

Rusty Gordon: Nice going, Courtney.

Courtney Vincent: What a day. What's this? "Dear Courtney, your notebook has been found. If you want it back, go to room 114 today at 3:30." Oh, thank goodness. 3:30.

116, 115, here it is. 114. Wait a second. This is weird. It looks like Shannon's group in there. Yeah, I'm just going to go get a—

Shannon Everett: Courtney? Shannon. What are you doing here?

Courtney Vincent: I got a note saying to come here.

Shannon Everett: Right. Somebody wrote you a note to tell you to come to my campaign meeting.

Courtney Vincent: Yeah, it said my notebook was here.

Shannon Everett: That again? What are you really doing here? I was spying, maybe? You heard about our campaign meeting and now you're crashing it.

Courtney Vincent: No, I—

Shannon Everett: When the campaign started, I never thought you'd play this dirty. I thought you were a pretty nice girl. I never expected to be constantly harassed.

Courtney Vincent: You harassed? I'm not harassing you. You set me up.

Shannon Everett: Oh, please. Don't embarrass yourself anymore than you already have. You set me the note. You told me to come here, and you put that note in Erica's locker. And now Erica hates me. You ruined a perfectly good friendship, and all to win an election.

Shannon Everett: Courtney, this is getting out of hand. Why don't you just go? You've already made a fool out of yourself and the whole school's going to hear about it.

Courtney Vincent: What are you talking about?

Shannon Everett: Oh, I'm sorry. I guess you haven't met Sarah. Courtney, this is Sarah. She's a reporter for the Owl. As a reporter, I really don't think she could let a story like this go without being in the school newspaper, do you?

Courtney Vincent: What?

Rusty Gordon: Hey Courtney.

Courtney Vincent: Rusty, not now.

Rusty Gordon: Hey, I saw that article about you in the paper today.

Courtney Vincent: I know. Everybody saw it.

Rusty Gordon: Well, I just wanted to tell you that you've got my vote. Anybody that busts in on your opponent's campaign meeting and accuses her of stealing... boy, that takes guts.

Courtney Vincent: Thanks a lot.

Rusty Gordon: You're welcome. Well, I'll see you. Oh, and if you don't make president, I think you ought to run for sheriff or something. You've got guts.

Courtney Vincent: Thanks, Rusty. Hi, Erica.

Erica Clark: Hi.

Courtney Vincent: What was Rusty doing here?

Erica Clark: Oh, assuring me that I had the Bones of Wrath vote. Maybe the only one I'll get.

Courtney Vincent: I wouldn't say that.

Erica Clark: What do you mean?

Courtney Vincent: You'll get mine.

Erica Clark: Really? You think I want Shannon to be my president?

Courtney Vincent: I guess not. Besides, I've been thinking about it, and maybe you're right. Sometimes I do whine a little too much.

Erica Clark: Don't say that. I never should have put that in there.

Courtney Vincent: Doesn't matter. I guess I'm just sorry we fought.

Erica Clark: Me too. Can we be friends again?

Courtney Vincent: If you'll forgive me for accusing you of blabbing my combination. I know you didn't.

Erica Clark: Yeah, forget it. I read the article in the Owl. "Candidate crashes opponent's meeting, accused of spying." It made you sound like a maniac. What happened?

Courtney Vincent: Shannon set it all up. Made me look like a total fool.

Erica Clark: Well, it worked. Everybody I've talked to thinks politics have gone to your head. What are you going to do?

Courtney Vincent: The only thing I can. I'm quitting.

Erica Clark: Quitting? You're just going to give it to Shannon?

Courtney Vincent: Look, I don't have a choice. The election's tomorrow. If I do it now, maybe I can keep from being humiliated more.

Erica Clark: How depressing.

Courtney Vincent: Yeah. I have to go tell Principal McSpadden so he can make the announcement.

Principal McSpadden: Hello, Courtney. Come in.

Courtney Vincent: Can I talk to you?

Principal McSpadden: Sure, have a seat. I was about to send for you anyway, but you go first.

Courtney Vincent: I just wanted to tell you that I'm withdrawing from the election.

Principal McSpadden: Oh. I see. Does this have anything to do with the article in the paper today?

Courtney Vincent: Yeah, kind of.

Principal McSpadden: Well, I'm sorry to hear that. I could see you were having a rough time with this campaign, but I thought you'd see it through.

Courtney Vincent: Really? Why?

Principal McSpadden: I just never thought of you as a quitter.

Courtney Vincent: I'm not. I just know when I'm beaten.

Principal McSpadden: I understand. I appreciate you telling me. Well, the day's not a complete loss.

Courtney Vincent: What do you mean?

Principal McSpadden: One of the maintenance men came by after school last night. He found this.

Courtney Vincent: My notebook!

Principal McSpadden: He found it in the trash. Thought it looked important enough to turn it into me.

Courtney Vincent: Oh, thank goodness.

Principal McSpadden: You know, this does give your story some credibility.

Courtney Vincent: It does? Oh no.

Principal McSpadden: What's the matter?

Courtney Vincent: There are more pages missing.

Principal McSpadden: Really? Do you remember what was on them?

Courtney Vincent: A couple of poems, diary stuff, my campaign speeches.

Principal McSpadden: Your speeches?

Courtney Vincent: Well, two of them. The one Shannon used and my victory speech. I guess I won't be needing that one now.

Principal McSpadden: Do you remember it?

Courtney Vincent: Sure, I memorized it. Practiced in the mirror about ten times back when I thought I might win.

Principal McSpadden: Well, can you write it out for me?

Courtney Vincent: Why? I can't use it now.

Principal McSpadden: But maybe I can.

Principal McSpadden: Oh, Shannon. Hi. Thanks for coming. Have a seat.

Shannon Everett: Is there something wrong?

Principal McSpadden: Oh, no. I just wanted to congratulate you on your victory today.

Shannon Everett: Thank you. But I haven't really won yet.

Principal McSpadden: Well, you are the only candidate.

Shannon Everett: Yeah, I guess so.

Principal McSpadden: I was wondering, do you have a victory speech written up yet?

Shannon Everett: Sure. Why?

Principal McSpadden: Because we've decided to start screening the speeches that students give. We've been having problems with some of the content. Would you mind doing it for me now?

Shannon Everett: You want me to do my speech? Right here?

Principal McSpadden: Sure.

Shannon Everett: Well, all right. Here goes. "I'm grateful to you for electing me your student council president. This is an honor I don't take lightly. As I begin my term as president, I would like you to think of me as someone you can come to. But I hope you did not elect me to make your decisions for you. I hope you realize that by electing me—"

Principal McSpadden: Oh, go on, Shannon.

Shannon Everett: "I hope you realize that by electing me, you are still responsible for your role in the process." What's the matter? What are you doing, Mr. McSpadden?

Principal McSpadden: I think we need to talk. And I think we'll have to postpone the election.

Erica Clark: So Shannon just confessed?

Courtney Vincent: That's what Principal McSpadden said.

Erica Clark: But how did she pull it off? Getting your notebook out of your locker in the first place?

Courtney Vincent: As a student page, she helped out in the school office. She got all the combinations by going through the school secretary's files. Looks like she won't have that job anymore.

Erica Clark: So what about the election?

Courtney Vincent: We're holding another one in two weeks. And Shannon won't be a candidate.

Erica Clark: All right! So are you going to run?

Courtney Vincent: Yeah, I guess.

Rusty Gordon: Hey Courtney.

Courtney Vincent: Yeah, Rusty?

Rusty Gordon: I hear you're going to be the new president.

Courtney Vincent: Well, I haven't been elected yet.

Rusty Gordon: Well, it's never too early to start planning. Oh, that's why I want to talk to you. See, when I become the new student council treasurer, I think we should start with a fundraiser.

Courtney Vincent: What? Why?

Rusty Gordon: I've got a few things I want to use some of the money for.

Courtney Vincent: Yeah? Like what?

Rusty Gordon: Well, you know, school stuff. Student council stuff. Like chauffeur transportation to and from our meetings.

Courtney Vincent: Oh, really?

Rusty Gordon: Oh, yeah. And paid vacations overseas, you know, to research foreign student councils. I wonder how the student council is in the Bahamas.

Courtney Vincent: Forget it, Rusty. That's not how we'll do things.

Rusty Gordon: What? But—

Courtney Vincent: No, Rusty.

Rusty Gordon: Oh, well, fine. You can forget about any votes from the Bones of Wrath. And you and me are quits, too. I don't care what you write in your diary. Where is Shannon? I want to talk to Shannon.

Courtney Vincent: If I'm elected, I think my first job will be to create a new committee.

Erica Clark: What kind of committee?

Courtney Vincent: A student council ethics committee.

Erica Clark: Good call.

Chris: I'm glad Courtney got another chance to run for student council president. But more important is that she stayed honest and responsible even though Shannon treated her badly.

Courtney did well to follow the advice of Third John verse 11: "Do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God." That's advice all of us should remember.

Have you ever been involved in a school election? If you have, I'd love to hear about it. Just write to Odyssey, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80995.

For friends in Canada, write to Box 9800, Vancouver, BC, V6B 4G3. And don't forget to ask how you can get a copy of today's episode. It's called "The Election Deception."

Adventures in Odyssey is a presentation of Focus on the Family. The Election Deception was written by Marshall Younger and directed by Paul McCusker.

Our production engineer was Bob Luttrell, and our executive producer, Chuck Bolte. And I'm Chris, hoping you'll join us again next time for more Adventures in Odyssey.