Prequels of Love
John 13:34-35
“Prequels of Love” is episode #609 of the Adventures in Odyssey audio series. It was written and directed by Kathy Buchanan, and originally aired on February 10, 2007.
Summary
From chicken costumes to phone scams, we hear the stories of how Bart Rathbone, Whit, and Bernard Walton met, or proposed to, their wives.
Plot
Bart, Whit, Bernard and Marvin are in the Electric Palace around Valentine's Day. Bernard and Marvin are there to buy cards - Bernard for his wife and Marvin for Tamika, after being told by his father that he needs to practice loving Tamika more. As they shop, a tornado warning comes over the TV. They all hunker down in the basement and begin talking. The conversation shifts to how Bart and Bernard met their wives, and how Whit proposed to Jenny.
Bernard was visiting his favorite fast food restaurant (Chick-A-Doodle's) when he saw Maude. At the time she was dressed in a chicken costume, holding a sign about their new chicken sandwich. While eating at an outside table, Bernard began choking and Maude performed an ill-advised Heimlich maneuver. He discovered from the manager at the restaurant that Maude was taking classes at the local community college to be a psych-therapist and joined a class himself in hopes of seeing her again. Sure enough, they meet up in the classroom and pair up for a practice session. Bernard agrees to be the patient to Maude's therapist. Maude is not impressed with Bernard's answers or attempts at humor and he eventually ridicules her studies when she tries to delve too deeply into his psyche. His comments offended Maude and Bernard was recommended for psychological testing before finishing the class. As Bernard took the test, Maude came by to see him, telling him that she felt like she understood his actions. Bernard assured her that she did not, that if she understood him she would know that he was only in the class to be with her. Flattered, Maude writes him a prescription with her phone number on it.
Bart met Doris at a funeral. Bart was there attempting to sell the deceased's son life insurance while Doris was there to try to score the deceased man's car. When the family stomped off, Bart introduced himself to Doris and asks her out for a doughnut. Doris, after taking some flowers from the funeral, agrees. On their date, they both try to con the other into paying for their food. They both decide they would make good partners and team up to be part of a phone scam to steal money from people on the premise of being an animal foundation. As Doris tried to convince one potential donor that dogs were almost extinct, the police arrived to arrest Bart. He encouraged Doris to slip out the back as he took the blame. Doris turned herself in as well, saying she preferred to be locked up with Bart than to eat Cheetos alone.
Whit proposed to Jenny on the beach. Unfortunately, in his attempt to make everything perfect and romantic, he failed to consider what Jenny would actually like. As they walked down the beach towards the rock cliff on top of which Whit concealed a romantic poem, Whit tried to convince Jenny that climbing the rock face would be no problem for her since she loved heights - reminding her of the time they went to the fair and rode the Ferris Wheel. Unfortunately, Jenny was not the girlfriend he had taken to the fair. Whit's profuse apologies finally wore Jenny down enough to climb up the rocks, despite the danger. Jenny slips and falls down the bluff. Her injuries necessitate a ride in an ambulance. Confronted by Jenny about his disrespectful behavior, Whit asked her over the noise in the ER to marry him. Despite the less-than-romantic setting, Jenny happily agreed.
Bart and Bernard call their wives to assure them of their safety and remind them of their love. Marvin borrows Whit's phone to tell Tamika that he appreciates her more than he realized.
Discussion Questions
- Was Whit being sensitive to Jenny's feelings?
- How can you be sensitive to others?
- Do you need to learn how to love someone in your life?
Cast
Heard in episode
Mentioned in episode
| Character | Mentioned By |
|---|---|
| Tamika Washington | Marvin Washington |
| Ed Washington | Marvin Washington |
| Elaine Washington | Marvin Washington |
Notes
- Trivia
- This episode marks the third recorded appearance of a tornado in Odyssey after #34: “Stormy Weather” and #397: “Tornado!”.
- To date, this is the final episode to feature or mention Doris Rathbone and the last to feature Walker Edmiston in the role of Bart Rathbone. Edmiston would sadly pass away only five days after this episode originally aired and would be briefly replaced by his friend Robert Easton in Bart's final appearance during the following season.
- Jim Custer and Marshal Younger reprise their roles of a young Whit and Jack Allen, respectively, in this episode. Custer had portrayed a young Whit since #93: “Rescue from Manatugo Point” and the two interacted together for the first time in #464 – #465: “The Triangle”.
- Bart's deal from the beginning of the episode was also used in #586: “A Cheater Cheated”.
- Bernard seems to have re-established his window-washing contract with the Electric Palace by the time of this episode after dropping Bart as a client in #538: “Stubborn Streaks”.
- Curiously, Doris proclaims her love for Cheetos in this episode rather than the usual Odyssey favorite Cheese Doodles.
- Audio
- While Doris and Bart are in the diner you can hear a jukebox. The song that is playing on the jukebox is "I Love Pork Rinds". The song also plays during the wraps of this episode.
- Kendre Berry's voice has begun to change by the time of this episode.
Reviews
Quotes
Bart Rathbone: Shoppers! Don't forget about the Electric Palace's half-off rebate program! Just bring back your receipt whenever the second Tuesday of the month falls on the fifteenth!
John Whittaker: If a funnel cloud has been spotted, we need to get below ground. Bart, where's the basement?
Bart Rathbone: Upstairs!
Bernard Walton: The basement?
Bart Rathbone: Yeah, can't we just go upstairs instead? I keep my private snack supply downstairs.
John Whittaker: Bart!
Bart Rathbone: Okay, fine. But don't touch my pork rinds!
Bernard Walton: Hi, whats your name?
Maude: Choodle the Chicken!!!
Bernard Walton: No, I mean your real name!!!!
Maude: Huh? Oh, I'm Maude.
Jack Allen: So Whit, tonight's the night you are going to ask her?
John Whittaker: It is, Jack. I wrote a poem to Jenny and put it in a bottle.
Jack Allen: Ahh, and it'll wash up in her bathtub!
John Whittaker: Very funny.
Bart Rathbone: Never heard of her. But what an unfortunate last name.
Doris Vineropoli: I'm here too.
Bart Rathbone: Doris!? I mean—uh, you're definitely not Doris! You're the—mail lady.
Doris Vineropoli: No. I'm Doris.
Bart Rathbone: Doris! You was in the clear, and free, why didn't you run?
Doris Vineropoli: Yeah, I was going to. But then, then I realized: I'd rather be in jail with you than eating Cheetos by myself!
Bart Rathbone: Aw... I love yous, too!
Bernard Walton: Maude, Maude, stop! You really don't know me so well.
Maude: Of course I do!
Bernard Walton: No, no, because if you could really see right through me, you'd know I only took this crazy class so I could get to know you, and that I haven't stopped thinking about you since I saw you at Chick-A-Doodles, and I'm sitting here right now taking this test on whether or not I have a fear of cereal because I wanna see you again! Did you know that?
Maude: Oh, Bernard... really?
Bernard Walton: Maybe I am insane.
Maude: Well, I—I think I have just the thing here. <rips paper> Your prescription, Mr. Walton.
Bernard Walton: Oh, it's a phone number.
Maude: Well, maybe we can have dinner sometime.
Bernard Walton: Oh. I'm almost done with this test... you like chicken?
John Whittaker: WILL YOU MARRY ME?!
Doctor: Well, answer the question. Are you gonna marry him?
Jenny Morrow: Yes! Yes, of course I'll marry you, John Avery!
John Whittaker: YES!
Doctor: Good. Now, any allergies?
Marvin Washington: <on the phone> Hi, Tamika. It's me, Marvin. Can you tell Mom and Dad I'm okay? I'll be home in about ten minutes. And Tamika...I just wanted you to know, I think I'd really miss it if you didn't talk so much; I mean, you can be really funny sometimes. No, I don't need to borrow any money; I was just sayin' that—never mind. Happy Valentine's Day.
Bart Rathbone: <on the phone with Doris> I, ah... I just wanna say I love you.
Bernard Walton: <on the phone with Maude> No, I am not going through a midlife crisis!
Bart Rathbone: No, really, it's Bart!
Bernard Walton: First you dress up as a chicken, and now you're a quack. What's next—a cow?
Doris Rathbone: Well! How rude! See if I ever come to one of his funerals again.
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