Adventures in Odyssey

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

It's springtime in Odyssey. Flowers are blooming, grass is growing. There's a sense that the world is coming alive again. You'd have to have your head buried in the sand not to notice it. Or perhaps have your eyes glued to the miniature screen of a portable Verminoids video game.

Such is the case with my older brother Barrett. And speaking of case, it was Barrett and his Verminoids game that gave me my very first case. Who am I? Emily Jones, private investigator, or private eye as some call us. So back to Barrett and his Verminoids game, because that's where my story begins.

Barrett: Ah! Oh, that's it! Almost there! I got it! I got it! No, wait, wait a minute. I didn't get it. I did get it! I got it! I beat the level! Woohoo!

Simon: Hey Barrett, why are you still inside? You're going to turn into a mushroom if you don't get some sunlight.

Barrett: Yeah, but Dad, I just beat this incredibly hard level on my portable Verminoids game. I'm about to enter the final chapter: The Drool Bats of Valminor. If I can get three more power cells, I may be able to acquire Brute Cleaver, the magic blade of Karim Liddel, bane of all drool bats. Ha!

Simon: Okay. Now I know you have to get outside and away from that game.

Martha: Simon, the neighbor's dog got into the trash again. I just spent the last 15 minutes cleaning it up on the side yard.

Simon: Yeah, I'll talk to them about it later. First I want to mow the lawn and get rid of some of those weeds. And Barrett here is going to trim the hedge for me.

Barrett: I am?

Simon: Yeah.

Barrett: But I just trimmed it last summer.

Simon: It looks good. High. Yeah. Get on with it, son.

Barrett: But my game, Dad, my game!

Simon: Will still be waiting for you when you are done. Hey, do you hear that?

Barrett: What?

Simon: I can hear the hedge calling your name. It's saying, "Come and bring that great electric hedge trimmer, bane of all that is untrimmed and untidy!"

Barrett: That's not funny, Dad.

Simon: Wait a minute. And I give you this, Hedge Bane the Horrible, half of my chocolate energy bar. It will aid you in mustering up all of your strength.

Barrett: Mustering my strength. Got it.

Simon: Have fun.

Emily: Barrett went out to the backyard where Dad was mowing the lawn and Mom was working in the garden. He took one look at the hedge trimmer and the size of the hedge and did what any kid like Barrett would do: He gave up immediately and hid behind the large oak tree to play the next level of his Verminoids game.

Barrett: Oh, right! Sweet victory! Ouch! Hey, where did these ants come from?

Emily: Okay, you have to pay attention here, because two things are about to happen. First, I walk up with my faithful sidekick Matthew Parker.

Matthew: I'm not your faithful sidekick. You called me over to look at that nest.

Emily: Right, faithful sidekick.

Matthew: I am not!

Emily: Just let me get on with the story. So, Matthew and I walk up, and when I call Barrett's name, he tries to hide his Verminoids game under a small pile of leaves next to him. Check it out.

Hey Barrett!

Barrett: Oh! Hey! Hey Matthew, hey.

Emily: I thought you were supposed to be trimming the hedge.

Barrett: I am trimming it. Well, I'm scouting out the area first. Seeing what needs to get trimmed. What about you? Weren't you supposed to be doing something for Mom? Cleaning the flower beds?

Emily: I finished that a long time ago. Matthew and I are going into the woods to check out something really awesome.

Barrett: Yeah, well, have fun with that.

Emily: You want to come see? It's really cool.

Barrett: I'm busy.

Emily: With what? Scratching ant bites and playing Verminoids?

Barrett: I'm not playing Verminoids! Who said I was playing Verminoids?

Emily: Well, I couldn't help but notice the concave indentations in your thumbs, about the size of the buttons on your game, I would think.

Barrett: Yeah, well, my thumbs haven't puffed out since I was playing earlier. A lot earlier. Nowhere near the present. And it takes thumbs a while to repuff.

Matthew: Yeah, wow, how did you even see that, Emily? I was still back at the ant-biting part.

Emily: Basic powers of observation. So, Barrett, you want to see what we found in the woods or not?

Simon: Hey Barrett! Have you started trimming the hedge yet?

Barrett: No, actually Emily wants to show me something in the woods. I'll be right back!

Simon: Okay, but make it quick. I really want that hedge trimmed today. And not today somewhere in the world, today my time.

Barrett: That's an affirmative!

Simon: Thank you.

Emily: Now let's get out of here.

Barrett: Well, I hope this is good. Like a crashed spaceship or nest of radioactive snakes.

Matthew: I think Verminoids is warping your brain.

Barrett: I wasn't playing Verminoids!

Matthew: The subconscious mind has a tendency to manipulate even casual conversation.

Barrett: Huh?

Emily: Quiet, you two. We're almost there. See it?

Barrett: See what?

Emily: That raccoon's nest inside the log just over there. It has baby raccoons in it. I think they're newborn.

Barrett: Cool. Where? All I see is an old French fry carton.

Emily: Don't get too close. Mother raccoons get very protective of their babies.

Barrett: Is she even in there?

Emily: Probably. I bet she's deeper in the log, sleeping.

Barrett: Sleeping in the middle of the day?

Matthew: Sure, they're nocturnal. They forage for food at night.

Emily: Well, Matthew, I didn't know you were such an expert on raccoons.

Matthew: Yeah, I know a little about a lot of things. Sometimes I can almost feel my brain flex.

Barrett: All right. It's been lovely, really. But I think I'd better head back now and trim that hedge or something. Thank you for the nature walk, Mr. and Mrs. Sherlock Einstein.

Matthew: Sherlock Einstein? You are so confused. Which comes from...

Barrett: It's not from playing Verminoids, which I wasn't playing under the tree!

Matthew: I was going to say that it comes from not studying in school.

Barrett: Oh, right. Well, okay. So, bye-bye! So long! Thanks for the distraction! It's been unbelievable, a real life-changer!

Matthew: Your brother is...

Emily: Yeah, I know.

It was no surprise that when we returned to the backyard, the hedge still hadn't been trimmed. It was also no surprise to find Barrett under the tree. What was a surprise was that he was pacing around and talking to himself.

Matthew: I'm sorry, Em, but I think the cheese has finally slipped off your brother's cracker.

Barrett: This can't be happening. This just can't be happening!

Emily: What's wrong, Barrett?

Barrett: Nothing! Nada! Not a thing!

Matthew: You lost your Verminoids game.

Barrett: What? How do you know that? I mean, if I had been playing it in the first place, which I wasn't!

Emily: I noticed that your thumbs were repuffed. Nicely observed.

Matthew: So, Barrett, why don't you just own up to it? You were playing the game and now you've lost it.

Barrett: All right! Fine! Yes! I admit it! I was playing Verminoids. But when I came back from our little field trip, it was gone! Do you hear me? It's gone!

Emily: Calm down, Barrett. Hand-operated computer games don't just disappear.

Barrett: Do you know how long I've worked to get where I am on that game? Do you have any idea what it means to lose something so precious?

Emily: Okay, take it easy. Let's just look around for any clues about what happened. Hmm, there used to be a lot of leaves here. Something disturbed the area.

Barrett: It was me! I was tearing the place apart looking for my game!

Emily: Yeah, but look at the footprints in the dirt, here and here. See? The prints have a star logo on the tread. Those are Starburst shoes. And if I'm not very much mistaken...

Barrett: Let me look! Hey, let go of my foot! Nope, no star in the bottom. I could have told you that. Starburst shoes are very last season.

Emily: Wait a minute. You know who wears shoes like that?

Simon: Hey Barrett, Nelson Swanson was just over here looking for you. He said he had something to show you.

Barrett: Nelson!

Simon: Yeah, and funny thing, I couldn't help but notice that the hedges are, shall we say, untouched?

Barrett: Oh yeah, sorry, Dad. Don't worry, I'm on it!

Simon: You know, you're killing your dad. If you just got the job done, you could get on with other things.

Barrett: Yeah, I know. And I will, honest.

Simon: Okay. Well, I'll see you a little later.

Barrett: Nelson!

Emily: Wait just a minute, Barrett. Don't jump to conclusions.

Barrett: I don't have to jump. The conclusion is right there in front of my face. That shoe print! Nelson stole my Verminoids game!

Emily: Just hold on, Barrett. All we really have here is a shoe print. It's circumstantial evidence.

Barrett: No, Emily. What you have here is a solved mystery. Excuse me!

Emily: Hey, where you going?

Barrett: I'm going to have a talk with Nelson!

Emily: He freezes me when he gets like that. Matthew, you follow Barrett and see where this Nelson lead goes. I'll stay here and go over the crime scene again.

Matthew: Right, but don't solve the case without me.

Emily: I wouldn't dream of it.

Barrett: Well, I'll be! If it isn't Nelson Swanson himself, laying in his dad's hammock as if he didn't have a care in the world! And what's that he's playing with?

Nelson: Oh, hi Barrett. Guess what?

Barrett: Guess what? Yeah, yeah, I could do that. I'll guess that you're playing Verminoids.

Nelson: Wait, Barrett, hold on! Hi Matthew. Look, I'm trying to vanquish a drool bat.

Barrett: Oh yes, I can see that. I've vanquished a few in my lifetime. Vanquished quite a few, in fact. That's why I was looking for you a little earlier.

Nelson: I bet you were. I wanted to ask you about power cells in Festwig's Castle. Like maybe how to steal some?

Barrett: Steal some? Like you stole my Verminoids game!

Nelson: Like I stole what?

Barrett: Like you stole my Verminoids game!

Nelson: I stole your Verminoids game?

Barrett: Yes!

Nelson: Me?

Barrett: Who else am I talking to?

Nelson: Me?

Barrett: Exacto! This could go on forever.

Nelson: You're joking, right?

Barrett: What? Joking? Nelson! Do you think—do you think I don't have eyes in my head?

Matthew: I'm sure there's a rational explanation for this. Nelson, where did you get this game?

Nelson: According to Barrett, I stole it.

Barrett: See! I told you so! Confession's good for the soul, Nelson. I'm proud of you for admitting that you have a problem. Now just give me back my game and I'll be on my way.

Nelson: Barrett, you have to listen very carefully to what I'm about to say. Ready?

Barrett: Go for it!

Nelson: I did not steal your game! I bought it yesterday with money I earned doing yard work around the neighborhood.

Barrett: Oh boy, here we go again. Man, this is so textbook! Denial, denial, denial! Shame is a prison, Nelson, and you're its inmate.

Matthew: Nelson, can I see your game for just a second?

Nelson: Sure.

Barrett: Matthew, what are you doing?

Matthew: When you first buy Verminoids, you have to log into their website and register a unique identifier name that can't be changed. The login here is set for Nelson Swanson. See? There's no doubt about it. This game is absolutely his.

Barrett: Oh. I see. I forgot about that login thingy.

Nelson: Can I have my game back now?

Matthew: Sure, Nelson, here you go.

Nelson: Thanks.

Barrett: Well, you know, this should teach us all a very important lesson, don't you think? Never under any circumstances jump to conclusions. It's a valuable tip for life. Yes, sir!

Matthew: Okay, we're leaving now.

Nelson: Good idea.

Matthew: I can't believe you thought he was a thief.

Barrett: Right. Let's go, oh great detective.

Emily: While Barrett made a fool of himself over at Nelson's, I stayed back to look over the scene. The most obvious thing was that the leaves that had been there in abundance earlier were now gone. But something else caught my eye.

Matthew: Hi Emily, any luck?

Emily: Maybe. How about you guys? Barrett?

Barrett: I think I should probably just be quiet for a while.

Emily: Really? Nice work, Matthew.

Matthew: Thanks. What are you looking at?

Emily: Ants.

Matthew: Ants?

Emily: See the line of them down there? I think this is where the anthill was. I suspect it was under the leaves, the leaves that are now gone. You were bitten by ants earlier, right Barrett?

Barrett: Mm-hmm.

Emily: And did you see the anthill?

Matthew: I think you're going to have to answer out loud.

Barrett: I didn't see any hill, but I sure felt some ants.

Emily: That's the point. There was an anthill here at the base of the tree. But look at the gouge marks around where it was. This whole area looks like it was completely annihilated by something powerful and low to the ground. Something like...

Barrett: A lawnmower!

Emily: More than likely.

Barrett: Oh no! But that means... Dad!

Emily: Wait, Barrett! He really didn't learn anything about jumping to conclusions, did he? We'd better hurry.

Simon: Phew! Well, I guess that just about does it.

Barrett: Dad! Dad!

Simon: Oh, hey Barrett. Son, I'm looking at my hedges and noticing that they're pretty much the same length and shape as they were this morning.

Barrett: Yeah, sorry Dad. Don't worry, I'm on it! But can I look in the lawnmower bag?

Simon: What? Now what's going on?

Emily: His Verminoids game is gone, Dad. He was playing it under the tree and...

Barrett: Emily!

Simon: Verminoids again. Well, I guess that works out well then.

Barrett: Why?

Simon: Because you're banned from playing for a week.

Barrett: What?

Simon: Shall we make it two weeks?

Barrett: But let's talk about this!

Emily: Barrett, there's no point in haggling over something you don't have. Can we open the mulching bag on the mower, Dad?

Simon: Why?

Emily: His game may be in there.

Simon: Really? You think I hit it with the lawnmower? Why, I'm sure I would have heard something.

Emily: Mind if we look just in case?

Simon: Well, be my guest.

Barrett: Oh no! I can't look!

Matthew: Then close your eyes, Barrett. This won't be pretty. No. No. Hmm, nothing.

Barrett: Nothing? Well, that's great! Right? Isn't that great? Oh, wait a minute! Hide your eyes again, Barrett! What's this?

Simon: That is what's left of a yogurt cup.

Barrett: Can I open my eyes yet?

Matthew: You're good, Barrett. Yogurt cup.

Simon: Yeah, I've run over a few pieces of trash in the yard today. It's Mr. Farrell's dog again. I'm going to have to talk to him about it. I also got what was left of that power bar I gave you earlier, Barrett.

Barrett: Oh! Phew!

Emily: Wait a minute. I think I can solve part of this mystery.

Barrett: Which part?

Emily: About the trash. It's probably not the neighbor's dog.

Simon: Well, why do you say that?

Emily: Didn't Mom say she found the trash knocked over earlier this morning?

Simon: She did.

Emily: And I happen to know that the Farrells' dog is a golden retriever. See? The teeth marks on this yogurt cup are too small for that dog.

Simon: Then...

Emily: It's our mama raccoon!

Simon: A raccoon! Well, that makes perfect sense.

Barrett: Look, this is all good news for the mystery of our trash, but where's my game?

Emily: I know! Mama raccoon stole your game!

Barrett: Really? Well, let's go get it!

Emily: Wait! No!

Barrett: What now?

Emily: Raccoons forage at night. So your game went missing at the wrong time.

Barrett: Then where is it? If Nelson didn't take it, or the lawnmower didn't eat it, did the ants carry it down inside their little anthill?

Emily: Probably not, but... that's it! The anthill! Guys, follow me back to the tree!

Matthew: What are you looking for? We've already searched everywhere under the tree.

Emily: I don't want to look under it. I want to look in it.

Barrett: My video game climbed up that tree? Now you're getting silly.

Emily: No, look there!

Simon: Wait a minute, Emily. Yeah, I see what you're talking about.

Matthew: It's a bird's nest.

Simon: A big bird's nest. Yeah, it looks like a crow's nest to me. And they have been all over the place today.

Barrett: Is it? I mean, that's great! So?

Emily: Barrett, you said you ate half of Dad's energy bar before you came outside, right?

Barrett: Yeah, chocolate. Kind of messy, but I ate the whole thing.

Emily: And then you played Verminoids under this tree.

Barrett: Yeah.

Emily: Now look what's left of the anthill. Those gouge marks. The lawnmower didn't do that. A crow did it. They like ants. And my guess is that the crow smelled the chocolate from your fingers that wound up on the game and took it back to its nest.

Simon: Yes! Look, he's up there! I can see him.

Barrett: Crows can carry something that size?

Emily: Sure. The crow probably thought it was a big nut or something. That's right! Oh, wait a minute. Do you know what crows do with nuts?

Barrett: Don't tell me he's up there eating my game!

Emily: Oh, it's worse than that. First they try to crack them open with their beaks, and if that doesn't work, they fly really high and drop it onto something hard.

Barrett: What? There it goes!

Matthew: And it's got the game!

Barrett: After it!

Simon: I am never going to get that hedge trimmed.

Barrett: Where's he going?

Emily: The street! He's going to drop it on...

Barrett: No!

Matthew: The street. Oops.

Barrett: My game!

Emily: Wait, Barrett, a car is coming!

Barrett: It's Mom! Stop, Mom! My game!

Matthew: Oh, this is bad.

Martha: Hey everybody!

Barrett: My game!

Martha: What's wrong? What happened? Did I hit something?

Barrett: My game!

Simon: Oh, hey honey.

Martha: What's going on here?

Emily: You ran over his Verminoids game.

Martha: But what was it doing in the middle of the road?

Emily: It's a long story.

Martha: I don't understand.

Simon: Don't ask me. My mind is reeling from all the practical lesson points I could give to Barrett right now.

Emily: You may want to let him get over his grief before you lay into him.

Simon: Yeah, maybe. Or maybe not.

Emily: While you're deciding, you might want to get him out of the middle of the road first.

Simon: Yeah, good idea.

Barrett: My game!

Simon: Well, son, I don't think it's fixable.

Emily: They're not made to be dropped 30 feet. But do you see how smart that crow was? I think it knew Mom was coming. They drop things under cars to help break them open.

Martha: Emily, honey, I don't think your brother is enjoying your appreciation of nature.

Emily: No.

Barrett: It's going to take me forever to get back to the level I was on.

Simon: Actually, it won't.

Barrett: It won't?

Simon: No. Because you won't be getting another game. It has become way too important to you, Barrett. You've stalled, lied, falsely accused a friend, neglected your responsibilities. I think we're going to have to readjust your priorities. Now, about that hedge.

Barrett: The hedge. Right, Dad. I'm on it.

Simon: Okay. But I will say that I am impressed, Emily. You did some excellent detective work today.

Emily: Thanks, Dad.

Simon: And you too, Matthew.

Matthew: Yep, the regular Mr. and Mrs. Sherlock Einstein.

Barrett: Hedge. Gone!

Emily: And so ended my very first case. The one that began my career as Emily Jones, private investigator. And our new company, the Jones and Parker Detective Agency. Mystery is our middle name.

Matthew: Wait a minute, you just made that up.

Emily: Yeah, so? But Mystery isn't our middle name.

Matthew: Technically Detective is the middle name, because it's in the middle of the name.

Emily: Well, we can't be the Jones and Parker Mystery Agency.

Matthew: I didn't say we should. But if you're going to come up with a motto, you should at least talk it over with your partner.

Emily: Sidekick.

Matthew: Partner!

Emily: Let it go, Matthew. Cue the theme music.

Matthew: Whoa, we have theme music?

Chris: Let's hope we'll get to hear more mysteries featuring the Jones and Parker Detective Agency. And speaking of mysteries, I'm going to give you one to solve. Ready? What did you learn from today's show? Maybe it's a watched hedge never trims, or a video game in the hand is worth two in the bushes. I think I'll let you investigate this one for yourself.

But here's a clue: Check out Proverbs 15:19 in your Bible. Let me know what you find. After you read that verse, be sure to write to us when you solve the case of the missing theme. The address is Adventures in Odyssey, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80995. Or in Canada, write to Box 9800, Vancouver, BC, V6B 4G3.

You can find more about today's adventure, Game for a Mystery, including discussion questions, devotionals, and how to get your own copy on our website at whitsend.org. Today's adventure is included in Album 51, Take It From the Top, along with 11 other episodes. Adventures in Odyssey is a presentation of Focus on the Family.

Game for a Mystery was written by the intriguing Kirby Atkins, with sound design by the enigmatic Christopher Diehl, and music by the secretive Tim Hosman. Our cast included Cristina Pucelli, Andy Pessoa, Zach Callison, and Joe McCrery. And I'm the abstract, mysterious, inscrutable Chris, hoping you'll join us next time for more Adventures in Odyssey.