Best Laid Plans

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#455: “Best Laid Plans”
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July 10, 2000
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Scripture

Proverbs 16:9

9In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.

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Best Laid Plans

“Best Laid Plans” is episode #455 of the Adventures in Odyssey audio series. It was written by Marshal Younger, and originally aired on November 11, 2000.

Summary

When Jason Whittaker is late to speak at the Timothy Center, Connie tries to keep a restless crowd calm.

Plot

Connie and Tom are distraught at the Timothy Center as they find that their guest speaker, Jason Whittaker isn't going to be coming and Connie will have to deal with dozens of gang members from Connellsville on her own. Jason, meanwhile, has gotten stuck in the mud taking a back road and comes to the house of a boy named Josh. When Josh's mom arrives, she invites him in and gives him some dry clothes to wear.

Back at the Timothy Center, things aren't going very well. Connie tries singing, but that doesn't seem to work with the gang members. A talent show ends up with one gang member doing 'lovely armpit noises'.

Back at Josh's house, Josh is trying to put a model together with Jason's help, but Jason seems to be too busy looking out the window. When Josh explains that was just what his dad used to do before he died, Jason concentrates more on the plane. He even offers to help them with some work around the house.

Connie's still having trouble back at the Timothy Center, however Tony from one gang gets up to give a silly "testimony" and then Leslie (2-Large), one of the gang leaders gets up. Connie is nervous about letting him speak, but he reads a touching poem that he has written. Everyone is inspired.

Back at Josh's house, the three of them are playing Monopoly when Eugene arrives to pick Jason up. Jason invites Josh to Whit's End sometime. Josh's mom says she's sorry that Jason missed his meeting, but Jason says that he isn't. When he finally gets to the Timothy Center, Connie has similar sentiments. God's plan worked everything out of the things that seemed to have gone wrong at first.

Discussion Questions

  1. Why was Connie so disappointed when she first found out that Jason would be late?
  2. How do you think the night may have turned out differently if Jason wasn't late to the Timothy Center?
  3. God's plans often differ from the plans we have already set up. What are some situations in the Bible where people had to change their plans because God told them too?

Cast

Heard in episode

Role Voice Actor
Amy Wendy Schaal
Connie Kendall Katie Leigh
Jason Whittaker Townsend Coleman
Josh Christopher Fornof
Leslie (2-Large) Chad Reisser
Steve Gabriel Encarnacion
Tom Riley Walker Edmiston
Tony Fabio Stephens

Mentioned in episode

Character Mentioned By
Ben Shepard Steve
Ellen Shepard Steve
Aubrey Shepard Steve
Bethany Shepard Steve
Eugene Meltsner Josh
John Whittaker Jason Whittaker


Notes

Trivia
  • One of the interesting parts about this episode was how the part of Josh (played by John Beebee's son Christopher Fornof) was recorded wild. (While it may have been fun for the actors, it's less fun for Bob Luttrell who had to edit the voice tracks.) With no Josh to record at the recording sessions, another person substituted for his voice at the recording session, being certain not to overlap with the main actors (Jason Whittaker and Amy). Then, more than a month later, Christopher Beebee was recorded as Josh and the same person filled in for Jason and Amy when Chris was recording his lines. When you hear the episode, does it sound like Jason and Josh are talking to each other? What's amazing is that they were never in the same room and in fact, they never heard the other talking.
  • This episode began a recording session that ended with Worst Day Ever. That’s not to say they started with the best and ended with the worst!
  • This episode was written two years before it was recorded. It was originally intended to be the introduction to the Timothy Center and featured Whit in the part that Jason now holds. Some of the parts in the original version of the show, including the “fake testimonies,” were featured instead in #432: “You Win Some, You Lose Some”.
  • Tony, the leader of the Brothers in this episode, is played by Fabio Stephens of Curt Stevens fame and would show up again in #468 – #469: “Chains” and #481: “Grand Opening, Part 1”.
  • The included poem from this episode (quoted below) was once plagiarized by a student for a school assignment. Her teacher recognized it and told actual author Marshal Younger.
Allusions
  • Josh references having a rookie baseball card for legendary Braves right fielder Hank Aaron. Said card (original from 1954) would be worth at least several hundred dollars today.
Reviews

Quotes

Jason Whittaker: Why can't ducks wear glasses?
Josh: Why?
Jason Whittaker: Because they don't have EARS! HA, HA, HA!!


Connie: Row, row, row your boat. Row, row, row your— People, I can't do a round by myself!


2-Large: I was trapped by the invisible walls of my fate. Tricked by the idea that I could not escape. Chained up in a ghetto where my father died. Fooled into thinking I would never go outside. Imprisoned by my friends who knew nothing but war-shackled to everything that had gone on before. I would always be here in this dead-end life of mine, my heart turned back by a city limit sign. And yet...And yet I now see a way out of my concrete jail. A new way to soften a heart that's grown stale. No longer cursed in this place for the wealth. No longer fighting with man or myself. I understand now what it takes to get real; if you want to stand up- you have to learn how to kneel. I surrender. My weapons are down at my feet. Cause we'll never have freedom - when there's blood on the street.