The Mailman Cometh
“The Mailman Cometh” is episode #529 of the Adventures in Odyssey audio series. It was written by Torry Martin and Marshal Younger, and originally aired on October 18, 2003.
Summary
The Washington kids, Marvin and Tamika, are determined to show their mom that they should be allowed to do the same things as their older cousin, Xavier.
Plot
It’s just not fair, say Marvin and Tamika. Their older cousin Xavier gets to do all sorts of things that they can’t: wander around the fair without a parent, drink coffee, and more. The brother and sister start to believe that disobedience is an option.
The kids drank coffee, and were very hyper. They tried painting and folding laundry like paper air planes.
Xavier is mowing the lawn when the Washington parents are away. Marvin convinces Xavier to let him drive, and soon Tamika jumps on too. Once Xavier steps away, chaos ensues. Marvin loses control when the ride-on mower kicks into another gear, rolling over the garden and eventually breaking the garage door!
Worse, however, the three try to cover it up. Xavier takes all the blame...until Marvin realizes that Wooton may have seen the whole thing. The mailman shows up at their door, and the kids spill the whole story before Wooton can speak a word... in front of their mother! Elaine grounds Marvin and Tamika for a week – while Xavier, their older and "more privileged" cousin, serves two weeks of time inside.
- This plot section is too short and should be expanded. »
Discussion Questions
- What did Mrs. Washington say made Xavier different from her kids?
- How did Marvin and Tamika respond to their discipline?
- Was it the right way or the wrong way?
- What privileges or rewards do you have now that you didn’t when you were younger?
- How was Wooton's continual exposing with the Marvin and Tamika's disobedience actually a blessing for them?
Cast
Heard in episode
Mentioned in episode
| Character | Mentioned By |
|---|---|
| Ed Washington | Marvin Washington |
| Mrs. Randolph | Wooton Bassett |
Notes
- Trivia
VERSION DIFFERENCE: [view] The broadcast version of this episode included a "Fun Fact" about a scene in the background of a scene in #313: “Top This!”.
- In-Universe
- Tamika's ability to play the piano, established in this episode, and Marvin's ability to play the drums, established in #508: “The American Revelation, Part 1”, would become plot points in #559: “The Coolest Dog”. Marvin's affinity for the drums would also be referenced in #539: “Called On in Class”.
- The movie Me and My Honey referenced in this episode is a sequel to the Betsy the Bumblebee movie that is featured in #127: “Have You No Selpurcs?”.
- This is one of only four episodes in which Elaine Washington appears without Ed, the others being #556: “And That's the Truth”, #630: “Chip Off the Shoulder” and #626: “Life, in the Third Person, Part 1”.
- In this episode, the Washingtons are neighbors with Mrs. Randolph. In #545: “Something's Got to Change”, they move across town to be closer to Connelsville and end up as neighbors to the Rathbone family, the Straussberg family, and Wooton. This is also substantiated by #510: “For the Fun of It”, in which Wooton says that he lives across town from Mrs. Randolph.
- Allusions
- The title is a spoof on the play by Eugene O'Neill titled The Iceman Cometh.
- Tamika's line, "The raptor always knocks twice," might be a reference to the novel-turned-film titled The Postman Always Rings Twice.
- The lawn mower pictured in the official art for this episode is painted in iconic John Deere colors.
Reviews
Quotes
Elaine Washington: Since when did you become a weight guesser?
Wooton Bassett: Since Gus left on his break 15 minutes ago and asked me to cover for him.
Wooton Bassett: Step right up to Wooton the weight guesser! If I get it right, you'll be amazed... so will I... if I get it wrong, you win a prize!
Elaine Washington: So, my darling children...
Marvin Washington: Um, can we rewind about four minutes and act like this never happened?
Elaine Washington: I don't think so. Why don't we all sit down and... have a chat.
Marvin Washington: <very nervously> Chat?
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