Adventures in Odyssey

Chris: Hi, this is Chris. I'm glad you could join us for Adventures in Odyssey, a place of discovery, imagination, and excitement. But don't take my word for it. Find out for yourself on today's Adventure in Odyssey.

Rodney: So Wednesday, we're beating up Todd, right?

Rusty: I thought we said Thursday.

Rodney: No, Thursday we're egging the nursing home.

Sam: What did the mother bullet say to the daddy bullet?

Rodney: We get into the bathroom and climb up into the ceiling.

Lucy: All right, but he's tricky. Don't let him talk you into anything.

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Guest (Female): You like these pants, Sam?

Sam: Yes.

Guest (Female): Hmm, 50% off. We'll never beat that price. You sure you like them?

Sam: Yes.

Guest (Female): Are you just saying that so we can leave?

Sam: Yes.

Guest (Female): So you don't like them?

Sam: I can't tell anymore. Everything looks the same now.

Guest (Female): Well, I think they're nice. Let's go to the counter. Oh, isn't that Kathy Evans?

Sam: Where?

Guest (Female): By the shoes. I think it is. That's Brian with her. I haven't seen Kathy in a long time. Let's go talk to her.

Sam: Mom.

Guest (Female): You probably talk to Brian all the time at school, don't you?

Sam: He's not really my friend anymore.

Guest (Female): What do you mean?

Sam: We haven't talked since the third grade.

Guest (Female): Why?

Sam: Well, he's in the Bones of Wrath. He's always getting in trouble.

Guest (Female): Really? That's hard to believe. He used to be a nice kid.

Sam: Not anymore.

Guest (Female): Maybe you should talk to him then. You could be a good influence.

Sam: He won't want to talk to me.

Guest (Female): Yes, he will. You were his best friend.

Sam: Yeah, once.

Guest (Female): Well, he's right here. He can't avoid you. Just try to strike up a conversation, okay?

Sam: All right.

Guest (Female): Kathy!

Kathy: Nancy! How are you doing?

Nancy: Oh, good. It's been a long time.

Kathy: Sure has. Hi, Sam.

Sam: Hi, Mrs. Evans.

Nancy: I haven't seen Brian in years.

Kathy: Yeah.

Nancy: Last time I saw Brian, he was in the backyard climbing our tree. Hello, Brian.

Butch: Hi.

Kathy: We're looking for school clothes.

Nancy: So are we. Can't pass up these sales.

Kathy: No kidding. Except we can't seem to find... where did you get those navy blue pants?

Nancy: Oh, they're over here in the boys department. Come on. I can't seem to keep Brian in the same pair of pants for much longer than a couple...

Sam: So, you getting clothes?

Butch: Yeah.

Sam: Me too. Pants. Great prices, huh?

Butch: I don't know. I don't buy clothes.

Sam: Oh, yeah. Guess not. Neither do I. My mom does it. Pretty cold today, huh?

Butch: Look, you don't have to talk to me. Why don't you go look at some mittens or something?

Kathy: Brian, we're going to go to Nancy's for a little bit.

Butch: What?

Kathy: We thought it'd be nice to catch up on things. And you guys can too.

Butch: You're just going to talk?

Kathy: Well, you don't have to sit and listen to us. You can go into Sam's room and play.

Sam: My room?

Butch: You know, I think I'd rather go home and try on my new clothes.

Kathy: You can try them on after we go to Sam's. Come on, let's go.

Sam: Here we are.

Butch: I remember this room. Still clean. Let me guess, you hang up your clothes when you get home from school, don't you?

Sam: When they're not dirty.

Butch: Figures. Do you floss?

Sam: Sometimes.

Butch: Recycle?

Sam: Yes.

Butch: How many library cards do you have?

Sam: What?

Butch: Never mind. Oh, yes, and the Bible on the nightstand. Verses underlined and everything.

Sam: Look, Brian, you don't have to...

Butch: My name is Butch.

Sam: Butch? Since when?

Butch: Since I said so. Oh, look what we have here. The Sam Johnson Hall of Fame. One, two, three, four, five trophies? Very good. For excellence in academic heptathlon competition.

You know, you're not the only one who has trophies on their dresser. I've got one at home too.

Sam: Really? For doing what?

Butch: Nothing. I stole it. Oh, and I see you have tickets for the academic awards banquet next week.

Sam: Yeah.

Butch: I've never been to one of those. That probably doesn't surprise you, does it?

Sam: You're pretty smart.

Butch: Yeah, but I don't run right home after school and practice my multiplication tables. I'm going downstairs. I think I'd rather be bored somewhere else.

Rodney: Let's find out who it was and just pound them.

Rusty: We got to do more than pound them.

Rodney: You mean you want to do something in addition to pounding them?

Rusty: Exactly.

Rodney: Oh, okay. Just as long as pounding is included.

Butch: Hey guys, what are you talking about?

Rodney: Somebody hung a goofy-looking picture of the principal from the flagpole this morning.

Rusty: And it wasn't us.

Rodney: They're on our territory. We're the Bones of Wrath. We pull the pranks. We cause the trouble.

Butch: So what are we going to do about it?

Rodney: I'll tell you what we're going to do. We're going to do something even better.

Butch: Like what?

Rodney: You know that awards banquet next week?

Butch: Yeah.

Rodney: Wouldn't it be hilarious if suddenly, in the middle of the program, the sprinkler system went off?

Rusty: Cool. I love it.

Rodney: All those people in their monkey suits and Cinderella dresses soaked from head to toe.

Butch: That's great. This is the best idea ever.

Rusty: We can get all the teachers and all the smart kids. It's a nil one get one free prank.

Rodney: You got it.

Butch: So what's the plan?

Rodney: All right, we get inside, we get into the bathroom and climb up into the ceiling.

Butch: The ceiling?

Rodney: Yeah, I've been up there a couple of times. We used to open up ceiling tiles and pour stuff on people walking by. Anyway, when we get up there, we flick our lighters a couple of times near the sprinkler sensor above the lunchroom.

Butch: That's it? That's all it takes?

Rodney: That's it. We've got some of those sensors in stock at the Electric Palace. They're easy to set off.

Rusty: How are we going to get inside?

Rodney: Inside where?

Rusty: The school. You have to have a ticket to get in the banquet.

Rodney: I didn't think of that.

Rusty: I could pound somebody and just take them.

Rodney: Nah, if the kid squeals, it could blow the whole thing.

Butch: I know somebody with tickets.

Rodney: Who?

Butch: Sam Johnson.

Rodney: Well, could he get them?

Butch: Sure, he's an easy target.

Rodney: Now you can't just take them.

Rusty: Yeah, you have to be sneaky.

Butch: I can be sneaky.

Sam: I got it!

Butch: Hi, Sam.

Sam: Brian. I mean, Butch. What are you doing here?

Butch: I was a real jerk the other day, Sam. I was wondering if we could be friends again.

Chris: Find out what's going on in other parts of Odyssey in the new Elsewhere in Odyssey comic strip. Catch up with some long-lost characters with fully illustrated art and original stories. They've been here in town all along, but now you can read about what they've been up to. Plus, new surprises wait around every turn. The Elsewhere in Odyssey comic strip, a new weekly release only in the Adventures in Odyssey Club.

Need even more Adventures in Odyssey? Peek behind the scenes with the official Adventures in Odyssey podcast. When you tune in, you'll learn more about the actors behind your favorite characters. You'll hear how the writers come up with their ideas and how the sound designers create all those crazy sounds. You'll also get to hear the team answer questions from fans like you. Find the official Adventures in Odyssey podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Or better yet, visit adventuresinodyssey.com/podcast.

Want to contact us about the episode you're hearing? Visit our website at adventuresinodyssey.com 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.

Sam: We got a lot of new stuff in here since you saw it last.

Butch: Can't wait to see it.

Sam: I got a new bike. It's a ten-speed.

Butch: Oh boy, I bet it goes fast.

Sam: It does. I even got a speedometer for my birthday. Got it up to almost 45 miles an hour once going downhill.

Butch: Really? Can a person breathe going that fast?

Sam: What?

Butch: Never mind. Anything else you want me to see?

Sam: Come over here. Can you reach that box?

Butch: Sure.

Sam: Thanks. You should recognize this stuff. Remember this?

Butch: Wow. My Cedric Wilson baseball card. I can't believe you kept this.

Sam: Remember when my dad took us to see him play against the Cubs?

Butch: Sure. That was a great day. Cedric hit one out, right? 500-foot shot. That was incredible. He hit .336 that year, 42 home runs, 127 RBIs.

Sam: How do you remember all that?

Butch: He was my favorite player. I don't even know if he's still playing ball. Is he?

Sam: No, he retired two years ago.

Butch: Hmm. I probably couldn't even name five players in the majors now. You think I could keep this card?

Sam: Sure, it's yours.

Butch: Thanks. What else you got in here?

Sam: Well... here.

Butch: No way. My skateboard. How did you get this?

Sam: You left it over here one day. It just got lost underneath some stuff and you forgot all about it. Do you still have yours?

Butch: I think it's here somewhere. I bet I can still outrace you.

Sam: No chance.

Lucy: Hey, Sam.

Sam: Hi, Lucy.

Lucy: Can I ask you something?

Sam: Sure.

Lucy: The other day I saw you at Finneman's with Brian Evans.

Sam: Butch.

Lucy: Whatever. What's going on? I mean, what were you doing with him?

Sam: Playing video games.

Lucy: I know, but with Brian?

Sam: So?

Lucy: Well, he's, you know.

Sam: What?

Lucy: He's with the Bones of Wrath.

Sam: I know that.

Lucy: He's always getting into trouble and he gets other people into trouble too.

Sam: I'm not causing any trouble if that's what you mean.

Lucy: That's not what I mean. It's just that we can't figure out why you're hanging around with him.

Sam: We?

Lucy: Us, the kids from church. It's okay, tell everyone there's nothing to worry about.

Sam: All right.

Lucy: But he's tricky. Don't let him talk you into anything.

Sam: I won't.

Rodney: Okay, so Wednesday we're beating up Todd, right?

Rusty: I thought we said Thursday.

Rodney: No, Thursday we're egging the nursing home. I put Todd down for Thursday. I can't make it on Wednesday.

Rusty: Why not?

Rodney: I got to go to the dentist.

Rusty: What time?

Rodney: 5:30. So if we beat up Todd Wednesday, we have to make it a half an hour later.

Rusty: Nah, Todd's dad gets home early on Wednesday.

Rodney: So how about Friday?

Butch: The night of the banquet?

Rusty: Hey, we could do it before. Banquet doesn't start till seven.

Rodney: Nah, if we get caught, it'd spoil the whole thing. Speaking of the banquet, Butch, where are the tickets?

Butch: Uh...

Rodney: What'd you lose them?

Butch: No.

Rodney: Then where are they?

Butch: I didn't get them yet.

Rodney: Why not?

Butch: I just haven't had a chance.

Rodney: You've been with Sam every day this week. What do you mean you haven't had a chance?

Butch: Actually, I was thinking maybe we should get the tickets from someone else. I don't want to take them from Sam.

Rodney: Why not?

Butch: He's not fun to pick on. He's not a geek like we thought he was. I'd just rather pick on someone else.

Rodney: Are you becoming friends with him?

Butch: No.

Rodney: You are!

Rusty: Get out of here, Rodney. Little Butch has a new playmate.

Butch: Cut it out.

Rodney: Wait a minute, wait a minute. I have a test to see whether Sam's rubbing off on you. Answer this question. How much time have you spent in his treehouse doing any of the following: finger painting, making baby snow cones, or pretending to be any type of crime-fighting teen?

Butch: Hey look, you don't know what you're talking about, okay? Sam's okay.

Rodney: Oh, yeah? Well, if he's such a cool guy, why don't you bring him here? Maybe he'd be a good bone.

Butch: He doesn't want to be a bone.

Rodney: Why wouldn't he? I mean, if he's such an interesting, fun-loving kid, why wouldn't he want to expand his horizons and join us, at least for a meeting?

Butch: I'm not going to do that.

Rodney: Why not? Because you're going soft. Are you a bone or not?

Butch: Yeah.

Rodney: Okay, if you're a true bone, you bring him here for the next meeting.

Sam: Could you hand me that paddle, please? We're drifting too much.

Butch: Here you go.

Sam: Thanks. So your dad just lets you borrow this raft?

Butch: Yeah.

Sam: Wow.

Butch: He trusts me. I've been out here a lot before. I've never been on this side of the... uh-oh.

Sam: What?

Butch: Look over there. There's a policeman on the bank. Looks like he's waiting for us.

Sam: Butch!

Butch: Give me the paddle. We'll go over to the cove where he can't get to us. If he sees us, we'll have to outrun him. You got your tennis shoes on?

Sam: Butch!

Butch: Come on, paddle, paddle!

Sam: Butch!

Butch: What?

Sam: We didn't do anything wrong.

Butch: Oh. No, I guess we didn't. He's probably just patrolling the area or something, huh?

Sam: Probably. I think he's a park ranger.

Butch: Oh.

Sam: Butch?

Butch: Yeah?

Sam: I wanted to ask you something. Remember when we used to go to church together?

Butch: Yeah.

Sam: I thought maybe you'd like to come with me this Sunday.

Butch: I'd love to see the people's faces if I walked into church. No way, Sam.

Sam: How come?

Butch: I'm not into that stuff anymore.

Sam: You used to like it.

Butch: I'm older now. Church is a little kid thing.

Sam: It is not! There's lots of older kids there.

Butch: But the guys at school that go to church, well, most of them are wimps.

Sam: Church people are not wimps.

Butch: Oh, yeah?

Sam: Yeah! Do you think I'm a wimp?

Butch: You think you're not?

Sam: No.

Butch: Prove it to me.

Sam: How?

Butch: Come to a bones meeting with me.

Sam: A bones meeting?

Butch: Tomorrow after school, we meet in that empty house next to the cemetery.

Sam: I don't think so.

Butch: What'd I tell you?

Sam: I am not a wimp.

Butch: Okay, I'll make you a deal. You come with me to the bones meeting tomorrow and I'll go to church with you on Sunday.

Sam: Really?

Butch: Really. Is it a deal?

Rodney: And the traveling salesman says, "But I wanted all three." I really crack myself up.

Butch: Hey guys.

Rodney: Hey Butch, Sam. What a pleasant surprise.

Sam: Hi Rodney, Rusty.

Rusty: How's it going?

Rodney: You got here just in time. We were telling jokes. You got any?

Sam: Jokes?

Rodney: Sure, tell a joke, just one.

Sam: Well, I only know one.

Rusty: Is it funny?

Sam: Yeah.

Rodney: Well, go ahead.

Sam: All right. What did the mother bullet say to the daddy bullet?

Rodney: What?

Sam: We're going to have a BB.

Rusty: Are you done?

Sam: Well, yeah.

Rusty: That's it? That's your joke?

Sam: Uh-huh.

Rodney: No, no, I don't think you get the idea. When we're talking about jokes, we don't mean little kid cutie jokes. We're talking about something that'll make Rusty here blush.

Sam: You want me to tell a dirty joke?

Rodney: Yes!

Sam: But I don't know any.

Rodney: Come on, everybody knows some dirty jokes.

Sam: No, really, I don't. Besides, it's wrong to tell dirty jokes.

Rodney: Oh, come on. Butch, could I talk to you over here for a minute?

Butch: Sure.

Rodney: I'll let you think about it, Sam. I'm sure you won't disappoint us.

Rusty: You really don't know any?

Sam: No.

Butch: What do you want? What are you doing? We never start our meetings with dirty jokes.

Rodney: I thought we'd start today. New tradition. Why? Is it too much for you? Would you like to leave the room too? You know, you're starting to get on my nerves.

Butch: Why?

Rodney: Because you don't have the ticket yet, do you?

Butch: No. I'm still trying to get him to trust me.

Rodney: I don't care what you have to do, but the banquet's tomorrow night. And if you don't get the ticket, you can't let us in. And if we don't get in, we can't pull this prank. And if we don't pull this prank, you can find yourself another gang to join. Maybe Sam's Sunday school class. You got it?

Butch: Yeah. I'll get the ticket tomorrow.

Rodney: Good. Okay, I've got a good joke. Listen up.

Lucy: Hi, Sam.

Sam: Hi, Lucy. How's it going?

Lucy: All right. I was surprised you missed the skating party last night. I thought you were coming.

Sam: Oh, yeah. I had to go somewhere else.

Lucy: Oh. Where'd you go?

Sam: I was with Butch.

Lucy: You missed the skating party to do something with Butch? What'd you do?

Sam: We just got together. Us and some other guys.

Lucy: Other guys? You mean the Bones of Wrath?

Sam: Yes, it was just a meeting.

Lucy: You went to one of their meetings?

Sam: Yes, Lucy, and it's not what you think.

Lucy: But why are you going anywhere near those guys in the first place?

Sam: They're not as bad as everyone thinks. Butch is a pretty nice guy once you get to know him.

Lucy: That's not the point. They're probably trying to recruit you. You're not thinking about joining them, are you?

Sam: What, do you think I'm crazy?

Lucy: They did get you to go to one of their meetings.

Sam: Don't worry, that was my last one. I'm not going back.

Lucy: Good. But are you still going to be friends with Brian?

Sam: Yes. As a matter of fact, he's coming to church with me this Sunday.

Lucy: Really? Are you sure they're not up to something?

Sam: No. Butch is my friend again, that's all. Why is this such a big deal to you anyways?

Lucy: I don't trust them and you shouldn't either.

Butch: Check.

Sam: Where?

Butch: My bishop.

Sam: Oh.

Butch: You know, there was something I wanted to tell you, something funny. I can't remember what it was.

Sam: If it's a dirty joke, I don't want to hear it.

Butch: Look, I'm sorry. We usually don't do that at our meetings.

Sam: Can I ask you a question?

Butch: Sure.

Sam: Why are you in the Bones of Wrath?

Butch: What do you mean?

Sam: Whenever you're with them, you just get into trouble. Why do you want to do that?

Butch: I don't know.

Sam: How can you even stand being with them? I couldn't wait to get out of that meeting the other day. With you guys telling those jokes...

Butch: I quit.

Sam: What?

Butch: I quit the Bones.

Sam: Really?

Butch: Yeah, yesterday, after the meeting, I quit.

Sam: Butch, that's great!

Butch: Yeah. I don't need those guys.

Sam: I didn't even know you were thinking about quitting.

Butch: Oh, sure, for a while now. A couple weeks or months.

Sam: Wow. This really changes things. Hey, listen, I found something I wanted you to see.

Butch: Look, I got to go, but I need to ask you about the banquet. Do you have any extra tickets?

Sam: Here, look at this.

Butch: It's a Bible.

Sam: You remember it? It's mine, but I let you borrow it for a while because you lost yours. Look in the front. Remember the Bible school when you had to write down a prayer in the front? Read it.

Butch: "Dear Jesus, thank you for the trees and the sun and the water and dogs. And for my best friend Sam. Thank you for moving him next door to me. Amen."

Sam: After I found it in there, I read it over and over, memorized it. You were the best friend I ever had. Anyway, I thought you might like to see that. Now, what did you say about the banquet? What's the matter?

Butch: Nothing. I just...

Sam: You look like you're going to be sick.

Butch: I'm okay. Sam?

Sam: Yeah?

Butch: I was wondering...

Sam: Wondering what?

Butch: Could I go with you to the banquet tonight? You still got an extra ticket, right?

Sam: Sure. But why?

Butch: I just want to go. I've never been to one.

Sam: It's not really that exciting.

Butch: That's okay.

Sam: It's two hours long.

Butch: That's fine, I want to go, okay?

Sam: Okay, you can come.

Butch: Fine. I'll see you tonight. I'll meet you here. I got to get out of here.

Sam: Okay. Butch? What in the world?

Guest (Male): And the award for excellence in social studies go to the following people. If you would come up and get your award after I call your name. Angela Barrett.

Lucy: Where'd Brian go?

Nancy: He went to the bathroom. He's been gone an awfully long time.

Lucy: I know. I noticed he looked kind of nervous and pale. Maybe he's sick.

Nancy: Yeah. Maybe I better go look for him.

Sam: Hey Butch.

Butch: Hi Sam.

Sam: I didn't see you after the banquet the other night.

Butch: I got a ride home.

Sam: Hmm. Didn't see you in church Sunday either.

Butch: Oh, yeah, that. You know, I overslept.

Sam: I figured out what happened.

Butch: What are you talking about?

Sam: You know what I'm talking about. You guys set off the sprinkler system, didn't you? You set me up. You pretended you were my friend. You tricked me. I hope you enjoyed your prank. See ya.

Butch: You know, it's so easy for you. You've got your Peter Pan parents and your wonderful report cards and your cheerleader friends. Well, some of us don't have it that easy, okay?

Sam: Yeah, I know. But why do you have to make things so hard? Being in the Bones of Wrath doesn't help anything.

Butch: You don't understand. Those guys are my friends. And I don't have many of those.

Sam: How about me? I wanted to be your friend.

Butch: But not anymore.

Sam: All I know is that I'd still be your friend if you would quit being Butch and start being Brian again.

Butch: Brian's gone.

Sam: That's too bad. Let me know if he comes back. I miss him.

Butch: Yeah.

Sam: Goodbye, Butch.

Chris: Psalm 1:1 says, "Blessed are those who do not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners." Life often presents us with a lot of different choices about the things we do, things we don't do, and the people we call our friends. Though he didn't want to lose Butch as a friend, in the end Sam decided that doing what was right was more important.

I hope that in whatever choices you have to make or in the temptations you have to face, you'll remember that the Lord honors those who honor Him. Well, that's all for now. 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. And don't forget to ask how you can get a copy of today's episode. It's called "The Good, the Bad & Butch."

That address once again is Adventures in Odyssey, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80995. Adventures in Odyssey is a presentation of Focus on the Family. "The Good, the Bad & Butch" was written and directed by Marshall Younger. Our production engineer was Bob Latrell and our executive producer was Chuck Bolte. And I'm Chris, hoping you'll join us again next time for more Adventures in Odyssey.