Clara
From Adventures in Odyssey Wiki
| 365: Clara Listen Online! | |
|---|---|
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| Season | 1996 |
| Album | 28: Welcome Home! |
| Aired | November 09, 1996 |
| Written by | Phil Lollar |
| Directed by | Phil Lollar |
| Produced by | Unknown |
| Sound Design by | Dave Arnold |
| Music by | Unknown |
| Prev: Home, Sweet Home Next: Solitary Refinement | |
[edit] General information
Theme: Friendship, Forgiveness
Scripture: Proverbs 17:17
[edit] Summary
Jack is about to leave Odyssey because he doesn't want to confront Whit who long ago said he never wanted to see him again.
[edit] Plot
Jack is at the Odyssey airport, picking up his one-way ticket to Chicago. Eugene walks up, looking for his flight-delayed bags. Eugene wants to know what Jack is doing there. The clerk behind the counter says that Jack is leaving Odyssey. Eugene asks where Jack is going and why he is leaving, but Jack doesn’t want to talk about it. He tries to walk away.
Fortunately, Eugene isn’t easily dissuaded. He follows Jack, pleading with him to explain what is happening. Eugene remarks that Jack should at least stay until he talks with Whit! But Whit is the last person Jack wants to talk to. The last time they were together, Whit said he never wanted to see Jack again. Eugene can’t believe it, and Jack tells his tale.
It happened right after Jenny, Whit’s wife, died. Jack takes Whit to Nebraska, where he is running an orphanage. Whit doesn’t really want to be there, until he meets Clara, a beautiful, hazel-eyed, red-haired, angel-faced six-year-old. The two of them immediately hit it off and soon become inseparable. Jack is pleased to see Whit smiling and laughing again and is also pleased that Clara is finally opening up to someone.
Whit falls in love with Clara. He is so taken with her, in fact, that he wants to adopt her. But Jack hasn’t told Whit an important piece of information about the little redhead: She’s already slated for adoption by another couple, and was even before Whit got there. Whit is extremely angry with Jack over this. Clara doesn’t want to go with the couple. This causes an emotional and tearful separation for Whit and Clara. She leaves with her new parents. . . and Whit says he never wants to see Jack again.
Back to the present. Jack says he’s always intended to contact Whit and try to seek his forgiveness, but something always got in the way. Now, he’s lost his nerve. He’s just about to leave when Whit calls his name. Jason had told Whit that Jack was at the airport. Whit produces a letter from Clara. In it, she thanks both Whit and Jack for finding her some wonderful parents and giving her a great start in life. Whit also apologizes for what he said to Jack and asks him to stay. There is a pause, and Jack agrees to remain in Odyssey. The two old friends hug, united once again.
An airport employee comes up and sheepishly informs Eugene that his luggage was mis-labeled and is now en route to Hong Kong.
[edit] Discussion Questions
- Do you think what Jack did was wrong?
- Do you think Whit was wrong to be angry?
- Explain your answers.
- Do you think Whit was wrong to be angry?
- Clara thanked Whit and Jack for giving her a great start in life. What did she mean by that?
- Why is forgiveness so important?
[edit] Cast
[edit] Notes
- PARENTS: This is an emotional show about love, loss, and adoption. It may be too mature for younger listeners.
- Young Clara was played by Aria Curzon, who later played Mandy Straussberg.
- In this episode, Jack reveals that he ran an orphanage in Nebraska before moving to Odyssey.
- In this episode, it is stated that Whit went to Nebraska after Jenny died, but before he bought Whit's End. This is difficult (but possible) to explain, considering Recollections.
- In this episode Jack says that he originally came to apologize to Whit. However, in Gone..., Jack says that Whit wrote him a letter asking him to come to visit Odyssey; Actually, Jack never explicitly says that he took the initiative to come. He viewed Whit's request to visit him as wanting to make up and decided to accept it.
[edit] Reviews
[edit] Quotes
- Clara-Whenever you're in the middle of a dream, and you think it's going to be bad, you say real loud 'Go away bad dream, BOO,' and the bad dream will go away and you'll wake up.
- Whit-Go away bad dream.
- Clara-BOO. Don't forget the BOO.
- Clara-No! Go away bad dream, boo, go away bad dream, boo, go away bad dream, boo.
- Whit-Clara, I'm sorry honey, but this dream won't go away.
- Jack (reading letter to Whit from Clara) - I'm glad you're still being brave, and remembering me, even as I remember you. You and Mr. Allen were right for giving me up to the Portlands...I couldn't be happier. So if you ever see Mr. Allen again and he still feels bad, you know what to tell him. (to Whit) What?
- Whit-Go away bad dream. Boo.
