Adventures in Odyssey

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

Whit: Oh, hi there. I'm John Avery Whittaker, but you can call me Whit. We were just getting ready for a time of wonder, excitement, and discovery. You care to join us? You never know what'll happen next when you have an adventure in Odyssey.

Rusty: Come on, Rodney. What do you want to do?

Rodney: I don't know. What do you want to do?

Rusty: I don't know. Want to go check out the video games at Finneman's?

Rodney: Nah, I'm bored with that.

Rusty: Then what do you want to do?

Rodney: I don't know. You think of something. I'm tired of doing all the thinking around here.

Rusty: Hey, there goes Sam. You want to beat him up or something?

Rodney: Too easy. Hey, Sammy!

Sam: Yeah?

Rodney: Come here.

Sam: What do you want? I don't have any money.

Rodney: Rusty and me were wondering where you're going in such a hurry.

Sam: Elliot Richie's house.

Rodney: You're going to Elliot Richie's? Did you hear that, Rusty?

Rusty: I heard. Why are you going to that noodle's place?

Sam: He's going to help me with my science report.

Rodney: How cute. Maybe we should tag along, Rusty. You know, check out Dr. Frankenstein's setup. Everybody knows he's got a whole laboratory in that playhouse of his.

Rusty: Yeah, maybe Elliot can teach us how to turn rocks into nickels or something.

Sam: Forget it, guys.

Rodney: Forget it nothing. We want to see what Elliot's lab looks like, and it's going to take a bigger army than you to stop us. Whoa, what was that?

Sam: It came from Elliot's house.

Rusty: Look, there's smoke coming from the backyard.

Sam: Come on!

Rodney: Hey, get this gate open!

Rusty: Is he over the top?

Rodney: Too high. Wait, listen. Hey, Elliot! Hey, Elliot, are you back there? What happened?

Elliot: Oh, nothing. Just cooking hamburgers on the grill. I think they're done.

Rodney: Oh, yeah. I guess so.

Sam: Let us in, Elliot.

Elliot: Everything's all right. Thanks for checking. I better get back to the grill.

Sam: Hold on, Elliot. It's me, Sam. We're supposed to study together.

Elliot: Oh, yeah. Okay, hold on. I'll let you in. Come on in.

Sam: Thanks. Bye, Rodney, Rusty. What in the world were you doing back there?

Elliot: I was just working on some stuff. Come on, I'll show you.

Rusty: Man, that smells. Might never eat at Elliot's house. Let's go, Rodney.

Rodney: Are you kidding? I think Elliot's up to something back there. I wonder what he's got in that playhouse of his.

Rusty: I hear he's got a crazy sister living in there, and they can't let her out because she chews on the furniture.

Rodney: Give me a break. Let's go in.

Rusty: You're just going to walk in?

Rodney: They left the gate open, didn't they?

Rusty: Are you sure there's no crazy sister?

Rodney: Grow up, will you? Well, here it is.

Sam: Wow, look at all this equipment. Test tubes, burners. You've really fixed this old playhouse up. It doesn't look anything like it did when we used to play cowboys in here.

Elliot: I had to make sure it was insulated properly. Besides, my parents didn't want all my chemicals in the house. They thought I might blow something up.

Sam: Smells like you did. What are you doing in here?

Elliot: Well, actually, it's kind of hard to explain.

Sam: You haven't turned into some kind of mad scientist, have you?

Elliot: No, I'm sort of messing around with an idea.

Sam: Mess is right. What are all these calculations on the blackboard? BV over H squared equals G?

Rodney: Yeah, BV over H squared equals G. It's my personal motto.

Rusty: Yeah, I don't know how many times I've heard Rodney say those very words.

Elliot: What are you two doing in here? Come on, Rodney, get lost.

Rodney: Get lost yourself. I want to know what's going to go on. What is this junk?

Elliot: Don't touch that, Rodney!

Rodney: I'm just interested in what you're up to, Elliot. I've always been fascinated with science.

Elliot: Really?

Rusty: Yeah, sure. We're just science lovers.

Rodney: So, like, what exactly are you working on?

Elliot: Nothing. Don't worry about it.

Rodney: Come on, tell us. I'm curious.

Elliot: You'll think it's stupid.

Rodney: No, we won't. This stuff is incredible. There's no way we'll think it's stupid.

Rusty: Yeah, Elliot, tell us.

Sam: You don't have to tell them, Elliot.

Elliot: Okay, I'll tell you if you promise you won't laugh.

Rodney: Promise. Cross my heart.

Rusty: Come on, we won't laugh.

Elliot: Well, I'm kind of working on a cure for cancer.

Rodney: A cure for cancer? You've got to be kidding. You're in the sixth grade. Are you crazy? You just stopped sucking your thumb three months ago.

Rusty: Let's go, Rusty. We don't want to keep the genius from his cancer research.

Elliot: I'm making great progress! It's not a joke. I'm really working on it. You believe me, don't you, Sam?

Sam: I think we better get started on the science report. And then he said he was working on a cure for cancer. It was really embarrassing. I could hear Rodney and Rusty laughing the whole way down the street.

Whit: Is he making any progress?

Sam: Huh?

Whit: Is he getting anywhere with his cure?

Sam: Wait a minute. You mean you think Elliot really might come up with a cure for cancer?

Whit: Are you so sure he won't?

Sam: Come on, Elliot? Cure cancer? He's smart at science, but he barely keeps up with anything else in school.

Whit: That happens that way sometimes.

Sam: But he's still just a kid.

Whit: Every great man was once a kid.

Sam: I know, but well, it's crazy. He started messing with all this science stuff, and I got bored.

Whit: I don't know why that had to keep you from being friends.

Sam: We're still friends. But it's just that he got so weird about it. And he can't see how everybody else sees him. I almost laughed with Rodney and Rusty.

Whit: You may get another chance. Hello, Rodney. Rusty. What are you boys up to today?

Rodney: I'd like one of your world-famous Whit's End sodas to go. I'm parched.

Whit: Parched?

Rusty: Thirsty. Oh, yeah. Me too.

Whit: Coming right up. Hold that thought, Sam.

Rodney: Hey, Sammy. How's it going? You and Elliot finish curing cancer? Maybe you want to solve world hunger now.

Sam: Give me a break.

Rodney: You want to be careful hanging around Elliot. Get too close and you'll wind up with terminal geektitis. You figure he has a cure for that?

Sam: Just forget about it. Why can't you leave him alone?

Rodney: Leave him alone? Hey, I feel sorry for him. He makes me want to do something to help him. You know, give him a dose of reality to make him normal like the rest of us.

Sam: What's that mean?

Rodney: Just something me and the Bones of Rat have been thinking about.

Sam: Anytime you and the Bones of Rat start thinking, there's trouble. What's going on?

Rusty: You're not going to tell him our plan, are you?

Rodney: Nah, he'll blab.

Sam: What are you up to, Rodney?

Rodney: Don't worry about it.

Whit: And here are your sodas.

Rodney: Thanks. Pay him, Rusty.

Rusty: What? But I always pay.

Rodney: That's because you're so good at it.

Sam: Wait a minute, Rodney.

Rodney: See you guys later.

Rusty: Here's some money, Mr. Whittaker. Keep the change. Bye.

Whit: Thanks, Rusty.

Sam: They're up to something.

Whit: They sure are. He was 15 cents short. Are you doing anything after school tomorrow, Sam?

Sam: Not really.

Whit: Can you stop by here?

Sam: Sure, I guess so. What for?

Whit: Well, we'll call it a surprise.

Sam: What kind of surprise?

Whit: You'll see tomorrow.

Sam: The Imagination Station? That's the surprise?

Whit: Well, sort of. There's a new program I want you to try.

Sam: Where am I going?

Whit: Port Huron, Michigan, in 1856.

Sam: 1856? Why 1856?

Whit: Climb in and you'll find out.

Sam: Okay.

Whit: Comfortable?

Sam: I guess.

Whit: Then push the red button.

Sam: Will do!

Sam: Where am I? Mr. Whittaker? Can you hear me?

Thomas: Help!

Sam: What? Who's there?

Thomas: Help!

Sam: Somebody's in trouble. Where are you? I'm coming! Where are you?

Thomas: Out here!

Sam: Out where? Where are you?

Thomas: In the middle of the lake!

Sam: The lake? Oh, no!

Thomas: Help me!

Sam: Where are you? I can't. Wait a minute. You're not drowning.

Thomas: Could you come and help me?

Sam: You're in a boat.

Thomas: I don't have anything to paddle with.

Sam: But you're in a boat.

Thomas: I'm stuck and I don't have any paddles and I can't swim. Please, will you be so kind as to help me?

Sam: Oh, brother. Okay. Here, you may use some of my clothes while yours are drying. Though I have to admit yours are rather interesting. By the way, my name's Thomas.

Sam: I'm Sam. You're not from around here, are you? You don't look familiar to me.

Thomas: No, I don't live here. I'm just visiting. So how'd you get in the middle of the lake?

Thomas: It was a practical joke from some boys who don't seem to like me very much. I thought we were going fishing, but when we reached the middle of the lake, they jumped out and took the paddles with them. Inasmuch as I can't swim, I was stranded until you came along. Thank you.

Sam: You're welcome. Is this your room?

Thomas: Yes, it is.

Sam: I have a friend who has a room like this. Gadgets, gizmos, test tubes. You must shop at the same store.

Thomas: Oh, I didn't buy these instruments. I made them.

Sam: You made them? You're kidding.

Thomas: Not at all. Haven't you ever wondered how electricity works? Or the telegraph? Or how balloons fly? I heard a man talking the other day about how one day we will travel in flying machines.

Sam: Really? Flying machines, huh?

Thomas: You don't believe it's possible?

Sam: Oh, it's possible all right.

Thomas: Then you're a man of science like I am?

Sam: A man of science? Nah, I can just tell a lot of things that are going to happen in the future.

Thomas: Tell me, what are your theories?

Sam: Hmm, my theories. So you're telling me that one day we'll be able to put frozen food in a square container and it'll be ready to eat in just one and a half to two minutes?

Thomas: Yep. And all you have to do is just put it in there and leave it?

Sam: Well, you may have to rotate it once to ensure even cooking.

Thomas: That's remarkable. What an imagination you have.

Sam: Yeah, it's pretty wild. Oh, you'll have to pardon me, but I have an experiment to conduct.

Thomas: Really? What kind of experiment?

Sam: You're most welcome to join us. Michael has agreed to be the subject in an experiment of gas-induced flying.

Guest (Male): Huh? Take a little more, Michael. You must not have taken enough.

Guest (Male): Oh, I can't.

Sam: This is nuts, Thomas. It doesn't work this way.

Thomas: It must.

Sam: You're making him sick. He looks like he's going to throw up.

Thomas: Listen to me. It is common knowledge that the reason a balloon floats is because it's filled with gas. So by feeding Michael this Seltzer powder, his stomach should be filled up with gas and he'll be able to float.

Sam: I don't know how to explain it, Thomas, but it doesn't work.

Guest (Male): I think he's right. I'm going to die in a minute.

Thomas: No! Jump up in the air or something.

Sam: Thomas, honestly.

Thomas: Maybe he needs more Seltzer.

Guest (Male): No, please. No.

Guest (Female): Thomas! Thomas! What's going on out there?

Thomas: Everything is perfectly well, Mother.

Guest (Female): It is? Then why does Michael look so ill?

Thomas: It's an experiment, Mother, and rather complicated to explain.

Guest (Female): Another one of your experiments? Michael, you should come inside with me.

Guest (Male): Oh.

Guest (Female): Come along, Thomas.

Thomas: Yes, Mother. Uh-oh. Thomas, are you all right?

Thomas: I'm sure I'll be in good health as long as I don't sit down for a while. I'm used to it.

Sam: Do you get spanked a lot?

Thomas: Only when I deserve it, which is usually when I've been experimenting.

Sam: Your parents don't like your experiments?

Thomas: They don't understand them. Ever since I was little, I liked to explore and experiment, and what's it done for me? I get spanked, my parents don't understand me, and those friends I haven't poisoned won't speak to me.

Sam: I'm your friend.

Thomas: Are you? Then what do you think I should do? Should I give up this madness and pursue more normal activities?

Sam: Well, I don't know. What you do does seem kind of strange. Reminds me of another friend of mine.

Thomas: What would you tell him to do?

Sam: I guess I'd tell him to stop trying so hard. I'd tell him that he should get out and play more and stop trying to discover things that he'll never discover. We're just kids, you know.

Thomas: Yes, just kids. Sam, I believe you're right. It's ridiculous for me to think that all my tinkering will ever amount to anything. I should do what everyone else does. Like you said, I should take time to play.

Sam: Good idea.

Guest (Female): Thomas! Thomas! Your father is home and he wants to see you right away.

Thomas: I better go. Hey, I may not see you again. I've got to go home.

Sam: Oh, really? Well, can't you come again?

Thomas: I doubt it.

Sam: Oh. I suppose this is goodbye, then.

Thomas: Yeah.

Guest (Male): Thomas! Where are you? Thomas Alva Edison, you come home right now!

Sam: What did he just call you?

Thomas: Thomas Alva Edison. That's my name.

Sam: But we just did a unit in history on you. You're Thomas Edison?

Thomas: A what in history?

Sam: You invented the light bulb, the record player, the movie projector!

Thomas: What are you talking about?

Guest (Male): Thomas!

Thomas: I have to go. Goodbye, Sam.

Sam: Wait, wait! Forget what I said! Do you hear me? Forget what I said! Keep experimenting! Keep experimenting! Mr. Whittaker, what happened? Where am I? Why is it so dark in here? I can't see anything. Hey, help! Where am I? Hey, I can't get out!

Whit: Sam?

Sam: Mr. Whittaker, it's you. What happened?

Whit: Well, I don't know. Why are you in the closet?

Sam: The closet? I don't know. I was just in the Imagination Station.

Whit: The what?

Sam: The Imagination Station! You sent me back to Thomas Edison's time, remember?

Whit: Who? Sam, why don't you come out of there? I'll get you some water.

Sam: No, wait. I'm okay. Why is it so dark in here? Is there a power outage?

Whit: Power outage?

Sam: As in the power station shut down?

Whit: A power station? Interesting phrase, but it's dark because the sun's gone down and I haven't lit most of the lamps yet.

Sam: Why don't you just turn on some light?

Whit: Light?

Sam: Light switch to turn on a light bulb? You don't know what a light bulb is?

Whit: Sorry.

Sam: Come on, Mr. Whittaker, you're scaring me.

Whit: You have me a little concerned as well. I honestly don't know what you're talking about, but you'll have to excuse me. You see, I have a magic lamp presentation to make at the auditorium.

Sam: You're going to bring out a genie or something?

Whit: I'm going to show pictures.

Sam: Like movies?

Whit: Movies?

Sam: Good grief, this can't be happening. Mr. Whittaker, I think I really messed up.

Whit: How?

Sam: Do you have a set of encyclopedias?

Whit: They're in that bookcase there. Let me put on a lamp for you.

Sam: Great. Thanks. A, B, C, D, E. Here it is. Ecuador, Eden, Edinburgh, Elliot, First Eels. Uh-oh. No Edison. Mr. Whittaker, I've made a big mistake.

Whit: Besides hitting your head?

Sam: I think I may have changed history. I think I may have convinced Thomas Edison not to become an inventor. And now there's no light bulbs, no record players, no power stations. I can't believe this.

Whit: Sam, I really don't understand what you're saying.

Sam: What am I going to do? Everything's changed and it's all my fault. Why didn't I just keep my mouth shut?

Whit: I think you'd better explain, Sam.

Sam: I should have been more encouraging.

Whit: Sam.

Sam: My sister's going to kill me when she finds out she can't blow dry her hair anymore. I better go home, Mr. Whittaker.

Whit: Home? You mean the orphanage, right?

Sam: What? Maybe I should send for a doctor. No! What do you mean, orphanage? Why am I at an orphanage? Where are my parents?

Whit: Oh, Sam, what's wrong with you?

Sam: Nothing! Where are my parents? Tell me!

Whit: They're gone, Sam. You remember, the gas explosion four years ago?

Sam: Gas explosion?

Whit: Yes, I'm sorry.

Sam: I don't believe this. It can't be happening! Is this what I did? It's all my fault! It can't be happening! Mr. Whittaker, what happened?

Whit: Welcome back, Sam.

Sam: What? What's going on? Wait a minute. Those are lights. Light bulbs! And my parents, are they all right?

Whit: Of course they are.

Sam: But I thought I had changed history. You mean I didn't?

Whit: No, changing history isn't part of the program.

Sam: So Edison really did become an inventor?

Whit: Well, of course he did.

Sam: That's a relief. Mr. Whittaker, I couldn't believe I caused all that. All because I didn't keep my mouth shut.

Whit: Most of us suffer from that problem. It's easy to criticize, to throw cold water on people's ideas and dreams, but encouraging people, even those who want to do seemingly impossible things, can be very hard. Yet it's probably what they need from us the most. Hi, Elliot.

Elliot: Where's the lecture? Am I late?

Whit: What lecture?

Elliot: I was told there was a lecture on fiber optics here today.

Whit: Well, there's no lecture here.

Elliot: Are you sure?

Sam: Wait a minute, Elliot. Who'd you hear this from?

Elliot: Rodney.

Sam: Rodney? Uh-oh. Elliot, we've got to go.

Elliot: Where?

Sam: Your laboratory. I think Rodney's up to something.

Elliot: I don't understand. Just get the door open.

Sam: Hey! Rodney, Rusty!

Rodney: Hi! You scared the wits out of me. What are you doing here?

Elliot: Put those test tubes down, both of you.

Sam: What's going on here? Does the phrase "breaking and entering" mean anything to you?

Rodney: I wouldn't have broken nothing if you didn't startle me.

Rusty: Yeah, we were just trying to help out a little.

Sam: What'd you do to his stuff?

Rodney: Nothing. Just adding a few ingredients, is all.

Sam: Just get out of here, okay, guys?

Rodney: What's with you, Sam? You Mr. Hero today?

Sam: I've just had enough of you picking on Elliot. You never know what it might do or lead to.

Rodney: Huh?

Sam: Just stop messing with him. Get out of here or I'll call the police.

Rodney: The police? Okay, okay, lighten up. Come on, Rusty.

Rusty: Sure. What a couple of party poopers.

Elliot: It doesn't look like they did much.

Sam: Do you have a broom? There's stuff all over the floor.

Elliot: Why'd you stick up for me?

Sam: Why not?

Elliot: You haven't stuck up for me in a long time. Why'd you do it?

Sam: Because you're my friend. And who knows? Maybe one day you will find a cure for cancer.

Elliot: You really think I could?

Sam: Absolutely. You know, every great man once was a kid.

Elliot: What's that mean?

Sam: It means you could be headed for great things, Elliot.

Chris: You can never be sure what'll become of the family and friends you take for granted now. Any one of them is capable of doing great things for our world and for God. In fact, only God knows what wonderful things you may do as you grow up.

But one thing is certain: it's hard for anyone to know their potential if they're constantly teased and criticized. But if they're encouraged and helped, anything is possible. Thank you for joining us for today's adventure. Don't forget, if you ever want to write to us, our address is Odyssey, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80994-5.

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 "The Potential in Elliot." That address once again is Odyssey, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80994-5.

Adventures in Odyssey is a presentation of Focus on the Family. "The Potential in Elliot" was written by Marshal 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.