Missed It By That Much
Summary
Middle-schooler Rachel Weaver is late for everything. But when Connie threatens to kick her off the volleyball team, Rachel tries her very best to be on time.
Plot
Rachel Weaver is always late. Everyone knows it, especially the kids at Whit's End. They're gathered there, waiting for Rachel to show up so they can leave for a roller-skating trip that Connie is going to chaperon. Finally, Connie decides to leave. She yells for the kids to hop in the bus outside. Then she tells Whit to inform Rachel that they got tired of waiting. Connie adds that if Rachel isn't on time for the volleyball tournament the next day, she's off the team. They leave, Rachel shows up, and Whit delivers Connie's message. Rachel makes all sorts of empty excuses for her tardiness, but finally realizes that it really is her fault.
At home, her father agrees and says that habitual lateness is downright rude. Later, a depressed Rachel falls asleep in front of the television and has a terrible nightmare. She meets Rod Serly and takes a trip into the Twilife Zone! There, she is late for every important event in her life — even her funeral! She wakes up from the nightmare in a cold sweat, determined not to be late for anything again — especially for the next day's volleyball tournament.
But getting there the next morning proves to be its own real-life Twilife Zone. First, her parents oversleep. Then, her dad's car won't start. Rachel takes off on her bicycle and gets a flat tire. She cuts across a neighbor's backyard and is chased by a ferocious dog into the woods, where she falls in a creek. Just then, Whit drives past. Rachel hops into Whit's car, but when he steps on the gas, it, too, dies!
At the school, Connie is just about to boot Rachel from the team when Rachel walks in — wrinkled, disheveled and soaked, but ready to play volleyball! The kids cheer. Later at Whit's End, the team has a grand celebration. Rachel's team lost — but more importantly, she showed up on time.
Discussion Questions
- Why is it so rude to be late?
- What could Rachel have done to break her bad habit of always being tardy?
- Read Matthew 25:1-1 How does Jesus feel about tardiness?
Cast
Notes
- Trivia
- This episode introduced The Twilife Zone.
- The portion of this episode containing Officer Harley can be heard in the Gold Audio release of The Adventure Begins.
- The title of this episode is a reference to Maxwell Smart's famous catch phrase in Get Smart: "Missed it by THAT much!"
- This episode would later be remade into #119: “Better Late than Never”, which replaced Rachel Weaver with Robyn Jacobs and omitted the character of Officer Harley entirely.
Quotes
Connie Kendall: Alright, everybody on the bus!David Harley: Okay, I don't want a riot here! I want everybody to line up alphabetically according to their height!
Connie Kendall: We're waiting for Rachel!
John Whittaker: Rachel Weaver?
Connie Kendall: Who else?!
Frank Weaver: You need to learn to be—
Rachel Weaver: Punctuated! I know, Dad. Mr. Whittaker just talked to me about it.
Resources
- Episodes in The Officer Harley Collection
- 1988 Season Episodes
- Episodes sorted alphabetically
- Episodes sorted chronologically
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- Episodes directed by Steve Harris
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