Adventures In Odyssey

Kirk McGinty idolizes his war-hero father, who died in Vietnam. But when his teacher, Mr. Altman, tells him that the soldiers who fought in southeast Asia were killers, it shakes Kirk's faith to the core. Altman tells Kirk that the men who lost their lives in Vietnam died for nothing. Then Altman gives him a book, which details some of the atrocities that happened at the hands of U.S. soldiers. After reading the book, Kirk isn't sure he wants to participate in the unveiling of the Veterans' Monument at Odyssey's annual Memorial Day picnic, even though he and his mother, Joyce, worked very hard to make the monument a reality.

Joyce tries to comfort Kirk, but when he sleeps that night, Altman's words and the book's images invade his dreams. Kirk wakes up convinced that his father did, indeed, die for nothing.

Meanwhile, Whit visits Altman and questions the wisdom of his actions. Whit informs Altman of the fate of Kirk's father. Altman, in turn, bitterly reveals that he lost a brother in Vietnam.

Later, at the unveiling of the memorial, Kirk is subdued until his mother reads a portion of the last letter Kirk's father ever wrote to her. The letter reveals his sense of duty and the gratitude of the Vietnamese people, and how those things make paying the price of freedom worthwhile. Kirk is touched by his father's words and proudly cuts the ribbon, unveiling the memorial.

Then Altman shows up and apologizes to Kirk for damaging his image of his father. Kirk and Joyce take a closer look at the monument. Altman says he noticed his brother's name carved on the memorial and passes on veiled thanks to Whit, who is the only other person in town who knew about Altman's brother. Altman also says he noticed another name on the monument — Jerry Whittaker. Whit tells Altman that Jerry was his son. The two share a moment of silent pain, mourning their losses, and Altman better understands Memorial Day.

Freddie Hart would love to be someone else — anybody except himself. He's so unpopular, he's the poster child for Geek World. All the kids love to make fun of him and pick on him. Freddie is so miserable, he asks his dad if the family could move to a new city. Dad doesn't think that's practical, so Freddie suggests that he move instead to a different school — Odyssey Academy. No one knows him there, so he could be a different person. Dad doesn't think running away from problems is a good answer for Freddie, though, so Dad tells Freddie to stick it out. But the next day, Freddie gets beat up. Mr. Hart tries talking to the school principal, but he's not at all helpful.

So Freddie gets his wish — a transfer to Odyssey Academy. He's elated. At last, it's a chance to start fresh! Only, almost immediately, the familiar pattern starts: the teasing, the cruel jokes, the snickering. Freddie thinks he's found a friend in Gordie, but after Gordie offers some blunt advice to Freddie about changing his clothes, his hair, and his hobbies, Gordie avoids him like the plague. Soon Freddie is right back where he started.

That night, Freddie tearfully (again) asks his dad if he wouldn't mind moving the family to another city. Dad comforts him, and Freddie says he's tried everything he knows to make friends. He's changed his appearance, his manners, and even his school just to be liked, but nothing works. Dad says that the only way Freddie can really change is on the inside, in his heart. Everyone wants to be loved and accepted, but the important question is, To whom do we want to be acceptable? The answer, of course, is God. Dad tells Freddy that, fortunately, we don't have to change for God - we just have to let God work His changes in and through us. The way we do that is by asking Jesus Christ to come into our hearts. Dad asks if Freddie wants to do that. Freddie says he does. The two of them kneel, and Freddie finally gets his wish — he becomes a new creation.

The Rogers household is about to add a new member, and Joe and Shelly are happy about the prospect of having a baby. But four-year-old Nicky is only excited about the prospect of getting some new boots. Joe promises Nicky they will go shopping, but before they can, Shelly goes into labor. They all rush to the hospital, and Shannon Rogers comes into the world. Everyone is excited, except Nicky. He'd rather have his boots. Nicky feels even worse when Joe and Shelly bring little Shannon home. Shannon gets Nicky's old baby bed and pacifier (thoroughly sanitized, of course), not to mention most of Joe and Shelly's attention. Nick feels rejected and seeks comfort from the only family member who will still listen to him: Jingle Bells, the dog.

A few hours later, Joe finds Nicky and talks with him about his responsibilities as a new big brother. Joe reassures Nicky that his parents still love him more than ever. Nicky feels better and even gets a little excited about being a big brother. But he still wants his boots. Just then, a package arrives for Nicky from his grandparents, who are missionaries in Brazil. Inside the package is a pair of boots. God knew all along.

Fight! Fight! All the kids at Odyssey Elementary are gathered around to watch Billy Barton, the biggest bully in school, beat up poor Donnie Hollman. As the fight progresses, Mike Caldwell walks over. Mike tells a kid named Freddy that Billy should cut it out, then Mike yells for Billy to pick on someone his own size. Billy hears this and is insulted. He finishes up with Donny, then turns his anger on Mike. Fortunately, Mike is literally saved by the school bell signaling the end of recess. But Billy tells Mike to meet him the next day for the thrashing of his life, and to bring a bun and mustard because Billy is going to turn him into hamburger meat . Mike is naturally petrified.

At the fight the next day, Mike gets predictably whipped - until Billy grabs Mike's shirt and tears it. Mike is enraged! He attacks Billy, punching him wildly. Billy backs away from the onslaught as best he can, but a sidelong punch connects solidly with Billy's nose. The blood flows, and so do Billy's tears. Beaten, Billy runs away.

Mike's an instant hero! Everyone is proud, heaping praises upon him. But soon, Mike gets arrogant about the fight and begins taking over Billy Barton's place as the school bully! "Magnificent Mike" generally abuses and pushes around the other kids. Then he runs into Sam, a new kid who's never heard of Billy Barton. Mike tries his conceited routine on Sam, who responds with a swift punch to Mike boy's stomach. Suddenly, the kids have a new hero! Lying on the floor, gasping for breath, Mike realizes that his pride has gone before his enormous fall - a lesson he won't soon forget.

Connie rushes in late, and starts to make excuses to Whit, who is supposed to be behind the counter. Only it isn't Whit, it's Tom because Whit went to go visit his wife's grave, who died four years ago. Tom begins to tell Connie the story of how Jenny saved Whit's End.

In a flashback, Jenny is speaking before Tom and the other members of the town council pleading with them to let her save the Fillmore Recreation Center - which is now Whit's End - from destruction. One of the members, Philip Glossman, doesn't want to sell the property to Jenny because he wants to destroy the building and sell it the Webster Development Firm that wants to turn it into a mini mall. Jenny argues so passionately that she passes out and is rushed to the hospital. Whit arrives and learns that Jenny is suffering from a chronic ailment that is slowly deteriorating her kidneys. The doctors can do nothing because the sickness had gone to far to be stopped now. Because of Jenny's death, the town council puts off voting on the recreation center for a month. Tom and Officer Harley visit Whit to try and convince him to carry on the fight. Whit refuses, saying that fighting for this building is what killed his wife.

Later, he visits the old center where he sees a bunch of children playing happily on the grounds. There, a young girl says that after the center is tore down, none of the kids will have a place to play anymore. Whit listens and is touched. The girl's mother calls for her to leave. Her name is Jenny. Whit takes that to be a sign from God to keep fighting.

Right after the council votes to sell it to the Webster Development Firm, Whit bursts in, saying that a company called Universal Press Foundation wants to buy the recreation center for 3.5 million which happens to be 500,000 dollars more than what the Webster Development Firm had offered! UPF proposes to turn it into "a place of adventure and discovery, filled with books and activities, fun and games, arts and crafts, and uplifting conversation". The council re-votes to sell it to Universal Press.

Coming out of the flashback, Connie learns that the man who owns UPF is Whit himself!

After the seemingly surprise visit from Jana, Whit tries to explain everything to her, but she refuses to listen, and the discussion quickly turns into an argument. Angry, she goes upstairs to find Monty, but he isn't there. He has run away! Jana tells Whit what has happened and they leave for the sheriff's office. When Whit and Jana arrive and try to report Monty's disappearance, he is already at the sheriff's office for breaking a window at Whit's End.

The three return to Whit's house to sort everything out. After talking to Monty, Jana and Whit send him to his room, leaving them to have a father-daughter conversation. Whit begins to explain some Whittaker family history to Jana. Whit begins to talk to her about when her brother, Jerry, died in Vietnam; they all grieved differently. Whit spent much more time Jason, his only remaining son, partly because he missed Jerry so much, and partly because Jason would soon be of draft age himself. Unintentionally, Jana was lost in the whole ordeal, and before Whit knew what happened, there was a huge emotional gap between the two of them. Whit tells her that he would like to fill that gap, and Jana agrees. For the first time in years, they both are happy — except for Monty, as he has to mow lawns in order to pay his grandfather back for the window.

This episode starts with Whit and Tom Riley waiting at the airport for Monty Whittaker-Dowd, Whit's grandson who is visiting for the summer. But, much to Whit's surprise and dismay, Monty turns out to be a rude, spoiled brat.

After much conflict between the two of them, Whit applies a few house rules which he hopes will set Monty straight.

The next day, Whit takes his grandson to Whit's End to earn a bit of spending money. After Monty is told what to do, he waits for Whit to leave, and decides that he doesn't want to work for the money — or to be there at all! Monty calls his mom and lies about how Whit is mistreating him and demands that she pick him up immediately. Jana refuses, saying she can't pick him up for another week. Angry, Monty slams the phone down and cons a Whit's End employee to open up the cash register and give him some money. Monty then leaves for the movies, very pleased with himself.

When Whit finds out, he does not spare the rod on his grandson. Afterward, Whit explains to Monty why he had to be spanked. Monty responds positively.

After this, Monty finally starts having fun, and even joins up with The Odyssey Coyotes, completely forgetting that he ever called his mother. Everything seems to be going well until Jana finally shows up, very upset.

Meg Stevens and her mother, Carol, a new beautician in town, have a problem: Carol is divorced and there is no place for Meg to go after school except to the beauty shop. Meg is an inquisitive little girl, and unfortunately, she's beginning to get into the clienteles' hair! Whit learns of Meg's situation and realizes who might be just the right mentor for her. Whit makes a call to the Odyssey Public Library and tells Chris Gottlieb to expect Meg Stevens - she has some questions no one but Chris can answer. Chris is surprised when the inquisitive one turns out to be a 10-year-old girl. But a surprise also awaits Meg - Chris is in a wheelchair. There are a few moments of uncomfortable conversation. Soon, though, the two become fast friends and end up filling an important gap in each others lives.

Twelve-year-old Phillip Callas has a problem — namely, his six-year-old brother, Dean. Dean is constantly getting himself and Phillip into trouble. Once, Dean nearly destroyed a special school project Phillip had recorded on his tape player. Then, later at baseball practice, Dean embarrasses Phillip by making a pre-supper snack out of a large bug. Phillip blows up at Dean, then sends him home, alone. Phillip half-jokingly wishes that something would happen to his little brother — until the phone rings, and his mother informs him that Dean never made it home. He's missing.

With Whit's help, Phillip searches for Dean. They find him in the bottom of a large hole at a construction site. Dean has taken a nasty fall and is unconscious. They rush him to the hospital. Phillip is upset, believing the whole thing is his fault. He hadn't really wanted anything to happen to Dean. Whit comforts Phillip and prays with him. As Phillip talks to God, Phillip realizes that Dean isn't such a bad kid after all. Fortunately, aside from having a small concussion and some bruises and scratches, Dean is all right. Phillip goes into Dean's hospital room. There, Phillip apologizes for treating Dean so badly, and says that Dean can play with anything he wants when he gets home. And, of course, the one thing Dean wants to play with is Phillip's tape player.

Connie's friend Debbie has gotten tickets to the hottest concert of the year - a concert Connie is sure her mother wouldn't want her to attend. In order to go, Connie deceives her mother into thinking she is just spending the night at Debbie's. Next, Connie works at trying to persuade Whit to let her take the afternoon off.

Whit appears, carrying a box of manuscripts - old stories he's written that he thinks the kids might enjoy reading. Connie makes her request. Whit says "yes" - if they finish cataloging the manuscripts. They dig into the box, and Connie comes across a story called "The Tangled Web." Whit asks her to read it aloud.

It's a tale about a youngster named Jeremy Forsythe, whose mother asks him to go to the store to get flour for her after school. Jeremy doesn't want to go to the store - he'd rather go to Whit's End to get free ice cream and see a display on how movie cameras work. Rather than miss out on fun at Whit's End, Jeremy decides to do both. But somewhere along the way, he loses the money his mother gave him. When she questions him about it, Jeremy panics and says someone took the money.

Jane Forsythe interprets this to mean that someone stole it, and Jeremy picks up on this theme. He concocts a wild tale about a teen-aged thug who pushed him into an alley and threatened to hurt Jeremy unless he handed over the cash. Mom is horrified and takes action. Soon the police force is out looking for the thug, and the school board, town council, and mayor is singing Jeremy's praises. The mayor even decides to honor the youngster for bravery! Jeremy realizes that his lie has gotten way out of hand. When it's time to receive his award, though, he steps nervously to the podium...and graciously accepts it!

Connie is dumbstruck - the kid got away with the lie; however, Whit points out that he really didn't. Jeremy's lie would haunt him for the rest of his life - just like Connie's lie will haunt her if she goes through with it. Whit leaves Connie to think about this. She sighs...then reluctantly calls her mom.