Tornado!

Chris Anthony: And now, Adventures in Odyssey.
Bryan Dern: Good morning. Well, it was a good morning until my boss dragged me out of bed to do double duty as That's right. Your Saturday morning talk show host. It's me, crying Brian Durn with you all morning. So, what are we talking about this morning, huh? Oh, did anybody out there see the sky? Yeah, I'm no weatherman, but I don't think green is a healthy color. Pretty nasty looking if you ask me. Huh? Yeah, wait a minute. Melvin Stewart, our intrepid newsman, looks like he's he's about to have a stroke. Uh something you want to say, Melvin?
Melvin Stewart: Uh yes, Brian. A massive storm system, unlike anything this area has seen in years, is bulldozing its way through the county, spawning thunderstorms, large hail, and deadly tornadoes. In its wake, at least 11 houses have been destroyed in the western part of the county. The Odyssey Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning and a tornado watch. In the next couple of hours, be prepared for heavy rain, very strong winds, and lightning.
John Avery Whittaker: Wit's End.
Connie Kendall: Oh, Wit. Am I glad you called. They just said on the radio that we're going to have a really bad storm, maybe with tornadoes. That 's right. It's supposed to hit Connellsville within the hour. How's the weather in Chicago? Oh, good. What? The line's breaking up. I better go. Look, don't worry. I'll make sure Wit's End is safe. No, no. Don't try to come back. Everything will be okay. Look, you have fun at your board meeting. Okay. Bye. Eugene. Eugene. Oh, he's with Katrina this morning. What should I do? What should I do? Oh, I know. Clear the building and close the shutters on all the windows. That's a good start. Connie. Oh, David. You scared me.
Mandy Strauss: Sorry. Will you please tell Mandy that the Imagination Station isn't for her doll? She keeps trying to send it back to the Civil War.
Connie Kendall: Connie wants to meet Abraham Lincoln.
Mandy Strauss: I keep telling her it doesn't work like that. Besides, I want to go back to King Arthur and
Connie Kendall: You know, I'm I'm sorry, guys, but neither of you can use the Imagination Station right now. In fact, I've got to close up the shop.
Mandy Strauss: What? Why?
Connie Kendall: Well, there's a big storm coming in today. A big storm. You need to hurry home right away, and I mean run.
Mandy Strauss: Holly doesn't like bad storms.
Connie Kendall: Yeah, well, she's not the only one. Go on now. I have to clear the building and close up the shutters. Okay, everybody. We've got a really bad storm coming in, and I've got to close the shop.
George Strauss: David, hold the rope tight. That's it. And one more knot hanging there. There. Well, that should protect mom's gardening stuff for now.
Mandy Strauss: You think we'll really have a tornado, dad?
George Strauss: Well, maybe, son. Uh-oh. Mrs. Galloway is trying to take her lawn furniture inside. She's too old to be lifting that. Come Come on, David. Let's go help her.
Mandy Strauss: Whoa. Run away, garbage can.
George Strauss: Well, it must have come from the Rathbones next door. You know, I haven't seen anybody there all day.
Mandy Strauss: He's having a big tornado sale at his store.
George Strauss: Figures. Okay, David, put the trash can back on their porch, and I'll go help Mrs. Galloway.
Mandy Strauss: Okay, dad. Can Connie and me help?
Mary Strauss: No, Mandy. You're too little.
Mandy Strauss: But I want to help.
Mary Strauss: No, go ask mom.
Mandy Strauss: I wish I was big enough.
Bart Rathbone: Hey, beautiful, ain't it, Dolores?
Doris Rathbone: Yeah. We racked up 3 grand in just the last hour.
Bart Rathbone: It makes you want to have a tornado more often.
Willis: Hey, excuse me. You the manager?
Bart Rathbone: It depends.
Willis: Is this price right?
Bart Rathbone: Uh $29.99. Yeah, yeah. What's the matter? The print is not big enough for you?
Willis: Oh, the print's fine, but the price is outrageous. This is a $5 flashlight.
Bart Rathbone: Hey, hey. It's the law of supply and demand. You know where you can get one cheaper, go ahead.
Willis: Hey, pop. The radio says Odyssey's been upgraded to a tornado warning now.
Bart Rathbone: Upgraded, huh? Uh make that $35.99.
Connie Kendall: A tornado just hit Connellsville.
Willis: Well, that's it. I'm getting out of here.
Bart Rathbone: Hey, hey. Where you going? Wait. You ain't finished buying. Wait.
Connie Kendall: You know, pop, we ought to get home, too. We ain't done nothing to protect our house.
Bart Rathbone: There's no protecting our house as long as Rodney's living there.
Connie Kendall: Thanks, pop.
Bart Rathbone: Besides, I got a business to run here. Odyssey won't get hit by no tornado. It's all a bunch of hooey about nothing.
Connie Kendall: I don't know, pop. It looks pretty spooky out there.
Bryan Dern: And he's standing by with a live report now from downtown Connellsville.
Willis: Hey, hey. Check it out. Melvin. Oh, oh, Melvin. Are you there?
Melvin Stewart: Uh I haven't seen anything like this before in my life. Mass destruct tornado ripped into the Connellsville mall and leveled the West End. Trees are down everywhere. I Hear me?
Bryan Dern: Melvin. Oh, Melvin. Well, that was Melvin reporting live, I hope from Connellsville, where as many as three twisters have been sighted.
Mandy Strauss: These steps are awful steep, mommy.
Connie Kendall: Just hold my hand.
Mandy Strauss: It's a kind of dark down here.
George Strauss: It's the safest place in the house right now, son. You okay, Buttons?
Mandy Strauss: I'm okay.
George Strauss: Okay, where's that light switch? Aha. And there was light. And there was darkness.
Chris Anthony: It was the first day, and it wasn't good.
George Strauss: David, hand me the radio. David.
Mandy Strauss: Dad, is that just the wind?
George Strauss: I think so. Yes.
Mandy Strauss: Don't worry, Connie. Everything will be all right.
Bryan Dern: And we're back. Crying Brian Durn here at Ground Zero. Now, that's right, folks. A tornado has been spotted just on the horizon from our studio. And boy, is it a
Mandy Strauss: Pop. I'm scared.
George Strauss: It It's okay, son.
Connie Kendall: Dear Jesus, please keep us safe.
George Strauss: How's Mandy, honey?
Connie Kendall: Well, look. She's asleep.
George Strauss: Amazing. My little Mandy.
Mandy Strauss: Oh, Steven.
George Strauss: Get into the table quick, everybody.
Mandy Strauss: Dad.
Guest (Male): Take your kids on a journey into the past with the Imagination Station book series from the creators of Adventures in Odyssey. They'll learn more about the Bible and cool moments in history. Check it out at the imaginationstation.com.
George Strauss: Is everybody all right?
Connie Kendall: Yep, I'm all right.
George Strauss: Okay.
Mandy Strauss: I'm okay.
George Strauss: All right. Mandy, wake up, honey.
Mandy Strauss: Oh, what's wrong, daddy? I think I fell asleep.
George Strauss: You sure did, Buttons.
Chris Anthony: But Polly stayed awake. She can tell you all about it.
George Strauss: Okay, I will check to see if it's safe outside. Well, a few cracked windows, roofing tiles blown off, but I think we're okay.
Mary Strauss: Oh, thank god. I'd better check on Mrs. Galloway.
Mandy Strauss: Look at the Rathbones house.
Chris Anthony: Oh, no. Steven.
George Strauss: I see it. Good grief. Looks like that tree just missed our house and landed on theirs.
Connie Kendall: But there aren't any birch trees in this neighborhood.
George Strauss: Uh the tornado must have dropped it from a completely different area.
Mandy Strauss: Wow. Are they all right, daddy?
George Strauss: You stay here while Wait, here they come.
Mandy Strauss: I told you, pop. We need to get home, I said. Didn't I say that, huh? Huh?
Bart Rathbone: Yeah, yeah, yeah. You said it. You said it.
Mandy Strauss: Yeah, I said it.
George Strauss: I don't believe it. That tree fell right through my room. Hope my stereo's all right.
Mandy Strauss: Forget your stereo. Look at my house here.
Bart Rathbone: It just ain't fair. It got the Electric Palace, and now this.
George Strauss: Uh Mr. Rathbone.
Bart Rathbone: Huh? Oh, Strasbourg.
George Strauss: Yeah.
Bart Rathbone: I see your house is still standing. Come to gloat?
George Strauss: Well, no, actually. I was wondering if we could help.
Bart Rathbone: Well, yeah, you could get that tree out of my house.
George Strauss: Well, you you have insurance, don't you? I mean that's you're covered with
Bart Rathbone: Are you kidding? I got the best insurance inside of the Mississippi. Dolores's brother's an agent. He'll take care of it. Won't he, Dolores?
Mandy Strauss: Oh, sure he will. My brother's as reliable as you are, pop.
Connie Kendall: Uh-oh. We're in big trouble.
Bryan Dern: Yeah, thank you. Uh this is crying Brian Durn coming at you live from Odyssey High School Gymnasium, where a temporary Red Cross shelter has been set up to help the victims of the four Yes, I said four tornadoes that hit Odyssey just a couple of hours ago. Uh most of the downtown area is all right. And for those of you who keep calling about it, so is Wit's End. Now, the Sycamore area of Odyssey got hit the hardest with homes and stores like the Electric Palace being severely damaged. A lot of neighborhoods are without electricity. And yes, fair citizens, as some of us are without homes at all. Oh, wait. I see local businessman Bart Rathbone. Oh, Bart. Bart Rathbone.
Bart Rathbone: What?
George Strauss: Uh I'm surprised to see you here. Uh you here to volunteer?
Bart Rathbone: Are you kidding? I'm looking for a bed. Rodney swiped the last good one.
George Strauss: And you're staying here?
Bart Rathbone: That's what it's for, ain't it? Look, Doreen. I lost my business. I lost my home, and I ain't in no mood for a candid interview right now.
George Strauss: All right.
Bart Rathbone: Though I would like to say that if there's anybody out there tempted to buy insurance from my brother-in-law, then think again. He puts in little fine print words about what they won't cover, like fire, floods, earthquakes, and tornadoes. He's a low-life bum, and he's just getting back at me cause of that pickup truck I sold him last year.
George Strauss: Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Let me get this straight. Who are you?
Willis: The name's Willis. And I'm one of the hundreds of people who got ripped off by price-gouging Rathbone here. Do you know that he was charging 35 bucks for a 5 buck flashlight before the tornado came?
George Strauss: How about it, Bart? Were you trying to make some money off of the tornado?
Bart Rathbone: I look, I was just exercising my rights as an entrepreneur and our freedom from enterprise system.
George Strauss: Listen, Rathbone.
Bart Rathbone: What?
George Strauss: You can just pack up your family and scram. You've made enough money off of this town to stay at a hotel. You don't need to mooch off of our generosity in this shelter. Now, get lost.
Mandy Strauss: Hit the road.
Rodney Rathbone: Get out of here. We don't want you.
Bart Rathbone: Yeah, yeah. Well, listen. I know my rights, and I can stay here if I want.
George Strauss: We're telling you to beat it, Rathbone.
Bart Rathbone: And I'm telling you I got nowhere to go.
George Strauss: I save your whining. You won't get any sympathy from the people in this town.
Bart Rathbone: I don't need your sympathy. I just want this cot. Now, leave me alone. I've had a bad day.
George Strauss: And you're going to have a bad night, too. Let's show him the door.
Rodney Rathbone: Yeah, get out of the door.
Bryan Dern: Well, looks like the natives are getting restless at the emergency shelter here at Odyssey High. Yeah, I'm crying Brian Durn back to you in the studio.
Connie Kendall: What you doing, Mandy?
Mandy Strauss: Polly and I are making a picture.
Connie Kendall: Let's see. Oh, that's really good. I like those smiling faces.
Mandy Strauss: I'm making it for the Rathbones.
Connie Kendall: Really? Why?
Mandy Strauss: Cause I'm too little to do anything else.
Connie Kendall: Oh, what do you mean?
Mandy Strauss: They must be really sad because they can't live in their house. And since I can't move the big tree away or fix their windows or make them a new home, I thought I'd make them a picture.
Connie Kendall: Aw, that's very sweet of you. But how did you decide on the Rathbones?
Mandy Strauss: Well, because I heard on the radio that everybody is mad at them, and no one wants to help them. Mm. Why doesn't anyone want to help them, mommy?
Connie Kendall: Well, I think some people are angry because uh well, because Well, it's hard to explain, sweetie.
Mandy Strauss: I think somebody should help them because Jesus said in the Bible that we should. So, Polly and I talked about it, and we decided that we want to help the Rathbones, even if no one else wants to. So, we're making them a picture.
Connie Kendall: I am sure Jesus thinks that's a wonderful thing for you to do.
Mandy Strauss: May I take it to him when I'm finished?
Connie Kendall: Well, how about if we both take it to him?
Mandy Strauss: Okay. We'll finish this, and then we'll do something even better, won't we, Connie?
Rodney Rathbone: Okay, mommy. You wait here while I go inside.
Connie Kendall: Honey, this is Mr. Allen's antique gallery. I thought you wanted to give your picture to the Rathbones.
Mandy Strauss: I do. But I want to give them something else, too. A surprise.
Connie Kendall: Mm. Maybe you should tell me what it is.
Mandy Strauss: If I tell you, then it won't be a surprise. Please, mommy.
Connie Kendall: Mm. Okay. If you say so. I'll wait out here.
Mandy Strauss: Hello?
Jack Allen: Well, hello.
Mandy Strauss: My name is Amanda Strasbourg, and Polly and I want to make a deal with you.
Jack Allen: I see. Well, who is Polly, and what kind of deal do you want to make?
Mandy Strauss: This is Polly.
Jack Allen: Oh, well. Hello, Polly.
Mandy Strauss: You have dolls in the window.
Jack Allen: Antique dolls, yes.
Mandy Strauss: Polly wants to be friends with your antique dolls.
Jack Allen: Be friends with them?
Mandy Strauss: Yes, sir. I'm going to sell her to you, and you can put her in the window and sell to someone else.
Jack Allen: Now, wait a minute, Amanda. If you sell her to me, then she won't be with you anymore.
Mandy Strauss: I know. But we made up our minds. You can buy her from me so I can get the money to someone who needs it.
Jack Allen: Oh, that's very thoughtful. Do your parents know you're selling Polly?
Mandy Strauss: Mm kind of. That's my mommy outside.
Jack Allen: Oh. Well, I'll tell you what we'll do. We'll bring your mother in and and talk about it.
Mandy Strauss: That'll ruin the surprise.
Jack Allen: You're going to give your mother the money?
Mandy Strauss: No. I'm going to give the money to Mr. Rathbone. Oh, no. Now I ruined the surprise.
Jack Allen: You're giving Bart Rathbone the money you make from your doll? But why?
Mandy Strauss: Because he doesn't have any money or a house, and nobody in Odyssey wants to help him. So, I'm going to.
Jack Allen: Oh, that's that's very kind of you, Amanda.
Mandy Strauss: So, will you buy Polly?
Jack Allen: If you really want me to.
Mandy Strauss: Yes, please.
Jack Allen: Oh. Then you better sit down so we can negotiate.
Mandy Strauss: No, go. Huh?
Jack Allen: Well, so we can decide on a fair price.
Mandy Strauss: Oh.
Jack Allen: Ah you drove a hard bargain, but there you go, Amanda.
Mandy Strauss: Thanks, Mr. Allen. Bye-bye, Polly.
George Strauss: I think she said goodbye.
Mandy Strauss: I heard her.
George Strauss: Hello, Connie. Has Wit gotten back from Chicago yet? Oh. Oh, no, no. That's all That's all right then. Something I wanted to talk to him about. Well, if you have a minute, tell me what you think of this idea.
Chris Anthony: Want to contact us about the episodes 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.
Mandy Strauss: There's thing here in their store?
Connie Kendall: Well, the Electric Palace wasn't as damaged as their house, so the Rathbones are staying here until they can figure out what to do. Are you sure you want to do this, sweetheart? It's not too late to change your mind. I'm sure Mr. Allen will give you your money back for Polly.
Mandy Strauss: No, thank you. This is what I want to do.
Connie Kendall: Okay.
Mandy Strauss: Daddy, we ain't open.
Connie Kendall: My daughter wants to give you something.
Rodney Rathbone: What?
Connie Kendall: My daughter wants to give you something.
Rodney Rathbone: Hold on. What'd you say?
Jack Allen: What's going on here? We ain't open. Oh, hey. It's Mrs. Strasbourg from what used to be our neighborhood. You remember her, Dolores?
Mandy Strauss: Yeah, I remember her. But you said it wasn't supposed to act like I recognized anybody.
Jack Allen: Well, I meant anybody who came here to make fun of us.
Mandy Strauss: Oh.
Jack Allen: You didn't come here to make fun of us, did you, Mrs. Strasbourg?
Connie Kendall: No. My daughter has something she wants to give you.
Jack Allen: Really? Uh what?
Mandy Strauss: Here, Mr. Rathbone.
Jack Allen: What's this?
Mandy Strauss: It's a picture. I made it for you. See? Those smiling faces are you and Mrs. Rathbone and Rodney when you get your new house.
Rodney Rathbone: Oh, that's cute. Kind of looks like Rodney, too.
Jack Allen: It's the eye in the middle of the forehead that does it there. Well, that's great. Yeah, thanks a lot, kid. Uh got to go now.
Mandy Strauss: Mr. Rathbone?
Jack Allen: Oh, yeah?
Mandy Strauss: I brought you something else. Here. I thought maybe this would help you buy a new house for your family.
Jack Allen: Well, oh, I I don't know what to say here.
Mandy Strauss: It's 50 bucks, pop.
Jack Allen: I know, Dolores. I know. But Thanks, kid. I mean I never had nobody do nothing like this for me before. And thanks. Thanks, kid. Well, I'll see you.
Mandy Strauss: Do you think he was happy, mom? He looked like he was going to cry.
Connie Kendall: He was happy, sweetheart. But I'm even happier. Come here. I am very proud of you.
Bryan Dern: It's crying Brian Durn with you for day three since Odyssey became Tornado Alley. What a mess, huh? Now, but the weirdest thing is uh this little news item, we'll call it Strange but True. I mean I believe in neighbors helping neighbors, but but this Well, do we have that tape? Do we have that tape? Okay, this is Jack Allen, owner of the J and J Antique Gallery, making an announcement late yesterday afternoon. Let's roll it.
George Strauss: Yesterday, a little girl, who will remain anonymous, came into my shop to sell me her favorite doll. Why? So she could give the money to a family in need. Now, even though she didn't have to do it, she did it anyway out of the goodness of her heart. And this was a family that many people would think were beyond the reach of such compassion. This little girl didn't think so. Most of us know of a family that desperately needs our help, but we've held back for some pretty petty reasons. It's time for a change. Time to go beyond ourselves to the true meaning of compassion, just like that little girl did. So, come to our gallery where I'll be setting up the means to help this family in need.
Jack Allen: So, Jack Allen, what's the price?
Connie Kendall: Hey, did you hear this? Jack Allen's going to pick some family in Odyssey and help them.
Mandy Strauss: Yeah, I wonder who.
Jack Allen: Well, he better not come a knocking on our door asking for help after the way this town has treated us.
George Strauss: Hello, Rathbones.
Jack Allen: Huh? Jack, what are you doing here? Don't you know the Electric Palace is closed?
George Strauss: Well, the front door was standing open. I'm sorry.
Jack Allen: Oh, so you're in. I suppose you're looking for a handout for this family you're trying to help, right?
George Strauss: Not at all.
Jack Allen: Well, listen. You can just forget about You're not?
George Strauss: Just the opposite. You're the family we decided to help.
Jack Allen: Wait. What he's talking about?
George Strauss: Try this for starters.
Connie Kendall: What is it, pop? An eviction notice?
Jack Allen: Is this some kind of a joke? There is a thousand bucks in here.
Mandy Strauss: What?
George Strauss: Yeah. It's to take care of some necessities like food while we work on your house.
Jack Allen: Oh, work on the house?
George Strauss: Well, people around Odyssey have volunteered to fix your house. We'll do what your insurance won't do and you can't do by yourselves.
Jack Allen: Uh is this a trick or something?
George Strauss: No trick, no. Just a little help from some folks who care.
Connie Kendall: Go figure.
Jack Allen: Hey, I'm flabbergasted. You know, for for once in my life, now I don't know what to say.
George Strauss: Don't say anything. Just take it for what it is. I'll be in touch.
Jack Allen: Uh yeah, bye.
Mandy Strauss: Bye.
Jack Allen: Well, Dolores, what do you know about that?
George Strauss: Well now, look at this big package that came in the mail today, and it's addressed to a miss Amanda Strasbourg.
Mandy Strauss: For me? What is it?
George Strauss: Well, you have to open it and see.
Mandy Strauss: Oh, this is exciting.
George Strauss: Yeah.
Mandy Strauss: Why don't I ever get any big packages in the mail?
George Strauss: David.
Mandy Strauss: Oh, mommy, daddy.
Connie Kendall: Well, look at that.
Mandy Strauss: It's Polly. Polly.
Connie Kendall: I see. I see, honey.
Mandy Strauss: Why did somebody send her that scrabby old doll?
Rodney Rathbone: She's not scrabby.
Mandy Strauss: Look, she's all cleaned up.
George Strauss: See no card, no return address. Do you think Jack sent her?
Connie Kendall: Well, it's the kind of thing he'd do, but why?
George Strauss: Maybe we shouldn't try to figure it out. Maybe it's enough just to enjoy the generosity of the gesture and leave it at that.
Mandy Strauss: Yeah. Welcome home, Polly.
Rodney Rathbone: Hey, pop. There's something here on the credit card statement from the J and J Antique Gallery. You buy something there?
Jack Allen: Oh, listen. It must be a mistake. Uh that's it. Somebody made a mistake.
Rodney Rathbone: Okay.
Jack Allen: Then again maybe not.
Chris Anthony: Sometimes it's easy to think that there are those people we shouldn't help or show god's love to. Maybe they get on our nerves, or we don't like them because they offend us. To us, they seem unlovable. But like we saw in today's adventure, Jesus didn't give us exceptions about who we're to show his love to. Over and over again, he tells us to love our enemies, love our neighbors, and as his disciples, to love one another as he loved us. Is it easy? Not always. Often we have to do it by faith, trusting that god will show his love through us even when we don't feel it, just like we saw Mandy do with the Rathbones. And when we do that, the results might just surprise us. Well, that's all for now. Don't forget if you want to write to us about anything that's on your mind, our address is Adventures in Odyssey, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80995 or in Canada write to box 9800 Vancouver, BC V6B 4G 3. And when you write, ask about how you can get your own copy of today's episode. It's called Tornado. Adventures in Odyssey is a presentation of Focus on the Family. Tornado is written by John Bibee and directed by Phil Lollar. Our production engineer was Mark Drury. And I'm Chris, hoping you'll join us again next time for more Adventures in Odyssey.