First-Hand Experience

From Adventures in Odyssey Wiki

[edit] General information

Theme: Friendship, Doing things for God's glory

Scripture: Colossians 3:17 See more with this reference

[edit] Summary

Bernard is leaving Odyssey to pick up a new truck and Eugene is going on a journey to discover himself. They head down separate paths... but soon find themselves heading in the same direction.

[edit] Plot

Bernard Walton is off to San Diego, California, to buy a new truck. As he heads out of town, he comes across Eugene. Eugene is also heading out of town for his summer break. He has bought an open-ended bus ticket, and Bernard agrees to take him to the station. Once there, Eugene randomly picks out his destination. It turns out to be Bakersfield, California. Eugene comments that he and Bernard may see each other on the road. They part to head off on their respective journeys.

But a few hours down the road, Bernard’s truck starts giving him trouble. He pulls over to see what the problem is. A little while later, Eugene’s bus speeds past Bernard. Eugene sees Bernard stranded. Eugene pulls the emergency cord, grabs his knapsack, and bolts from the bus. The two manage to make it to a truck-stop diner. Bernard gets his truck fixed. He takes off, leaving Eugene to wait for the next bus.

While Eugene is waiting, a policeman walks up with a woman from the previous bus. The woman accuses Eugene of stealing her knapsack. Things are confusing for a few moments until the policeman deduces that Eugene grabbed the wrong knapsack when he got off the bus. Unfortunately, the lady’s ticket was non-refundable and non-transferable. She’s stuck. The police officer suggests that Eugene buy her a new ticket. After all, it was his fault she had to retrieve her knapsack and get off the bus. But Eugene doesn’t have the money for that. So he gives up his open-ended ticket to make everyone happy. Now Eugene is stranded.

Hours later, a waitress at the truck stop tells Eugene he can’t stay there forever. The waitress suggests that Eugene mingle with the plumbers at their annual convention. It’s convening at the hotel across the street. Eugene agrees, and runs into Bernard. Bernard offers to take Eugene along with him to California. Eugene accepts. He has found that sometimes you don’t know who your friends really are . . . until you need them.

[edit] Discussion Questions

1. What do you think about Eugene’s decision to buy an open-ended ticket, one without a clear destination? Was that brave or foolish? Explain.
2. If someone like Eugene sat down next to you on a bus, how would you treat him? Why?
3. Why didn’t Bernard want to admit that he had done something nice for Eugene?

[edit] Cast

Characters	Actors
Bernard Walton	Dave Madden
Dean	Dave Arnold
Eugene Meltsner	Will Ryan

[edit] Notes

[edit] Trivia

• Bernard's radio starts to play the AIO theme. Bernard says "I wanted to hear the rest of that" when it fades out.

• There are no AIO episodes where only two named people are heard. This episode comes the closest with Eugene and Bernard being the only named ones heard for all but one line. At the beginning of this episode, a character named Dean is heard saying "See you, Bernard."

[edit] Quotes

• Bernard Walton: It's been my experience that experience for the sake of experience isn't a very good experience.

[edit] Reviews

[edit] Resources

First-Hand Experience on whitsend.org

First-Hand Experience on AIOHQ.com

First-Hand Experience on AIO Soda Fountain