The Mystery of the Clock Tower, Part 1
Numbers 32:23
“The Mystery of the Clock Tower, Part 1” is episode #667 of the Adventures in Odyssey audio series. It was written and directed by Paul McCusker, and originally aired on October 2, 2010.
Summary
Eugene and Matthew investigate why the clock tower at City Hall seems to be stuck at 11:45. Could it have something to do with the anniversary of a lost love from twenty years ago?
Plot
The season opens as Matthew Parker is helping Eugene at Whit's End for his career day assignment. Connie interrupts them via the intercom saying that Mayor Spencer Hicks urgently needs Eugene's help. The mayor says the clock at City Hall isn't functioning properly. It keeps resetting itself to 11:45. He believes it may just be a glitch in the clock's computer system, but he's had all of the town techs look at it.
At the City Hall, Alicia Jennings, the mayor's assistant, explains to Eugene the computer system that runs the clock. The software was written by a company called, "Dredlocks Programming and Software". Eugene tries to change the clock to the current time, but by the time they get back to the actual clock has already reverted to 11:45. Next to the clock itself Matthew discovers a bouquet of flowers. An attached card reads, "Time is running out". No one has any idea to what the significance of this is.
Alicia and Eugene try to contact the software company, but to no avail. Eugene thinks the problem may have to do with something that happened during the time of year in the past. Alicia mentions that something did happen in her past 20 years ago, but won't say more.
Connie goes to Gower's Florist Shop to find out more about the bouquet of roses left by clock. Veronica, who's works for the shop, says the flower symbolizes broken love. She goes on to say that the breed was created by Michael Butler, a previous employee of the shop who now works at Stems and Surprises in Connellsville. She also says that a man bought a dozen of the flowers recently, but she doesn't know who he was because he paid with cash.
Connie talks to Whit and discovers that he actually knew Michael Butler. They decide to drive to Connellsville to talk to Michael.
Twenty years ago, Michael was 19 and in love with Wendy, who was 18. Her parents didn't want her to fall in love with Michael and banned her from seeing him. Michael and Wendy decided to send letters back and forth by means of a secret courier: Alicia Jennings.
When Alicia was 10, she carried letters back and forth between Wendy (her sister) and Michael. Everything was good at first, until something when wrong between them.
Later, Michael wrote a letter explaining that if they wanted to get back together, to meet him at the clock tower at 11:45. Michael waited for Wendy, but she didn't show up at the clock tower.
To get revenge on her sister for treating her poorly, Alicia ripped up the letter from Michael. She also told Wendy that Michael had no letter for her.
City worker Andrew Drevil interrupts Alicia's story to tell them that the door to the clock tower is wide open. They run up the stairs to find a wedding veil by the clock.
All of sudden, the clock starts to move backwards. Eugene looks at the computer system and realizes that the clock is counting down to 11:45 tomorrow night...
Discussion Questions
- There are no discussion questions listed for this episode. »
Cast
Heard in episode
Mentioned in episode
| Character | Mentioned By |
|---|---|
| Jenny Whittaker | John Whittaker |
| Wendy Jennings | Michael Butler |
Notes
- Read a devotional thought about this show. (This devotional is for parts one and two.)
- Trivia
- In the first scene, Eugene Meltsner and Matthew Parker both mention "Cause and Effect", an obvious reference to the title of the album.
- Eugene's mention of thirty-nine steps leading up to the clock is a reference to The Thirty-Nine Steps, a 1915 novel by John Buchan.
- Veronica and Matthew mention Connie's wedding service, "Dreams By Constance".
- Tyndale released a clip of this episode, also heard on the fifth edition of the Odyssey Scoop's "Scoopcast". It can be heard below.
- Career Day was previously an important part of an episode in #208: “Pipe Dreams”.
- Connie's assumption that the black roses Matthew brought her were from a tombstone was probably founded on her experience in #463: “Green Eyes and Yellow Tulips”.
Reviews
Quotes
Matthew Parker: Parking fine?
Eugene Meltsner: Oh, a complete misunderstanding regarding my bicycle.
Matthew Parker: Uh-huh. Cause and effect, right?
Matthew Parker: Those were a lot of stairs.
Eugene Meltsner: Thirty-nine to be precise.
Alicia Jennings: And as you can hear, the clock has reset itself to 11:45. No big knob on the back, Matthew.
Matthew Parker: Rats!
Connie Kendall: If you're gonna give a girl a rose, it shouldn't be black. Has Eugene been showing you old tombstones again?
Andrew Drevil: I'm sorry to bother you again, but were any of you guys in the clock tower just now?
Eugene Meltsner: No, why do you ask?
Andrew Drevil: Because the door to the staircase is standing wide open.
Alicia Jennings: Not again.
Matthew Parker: Whoa, it's freak-out time.
Connie Kendall: Matthew, tell Eugene, Connie is on the case.
Matthew Parker: Have you thought about turning the knob on the back of the clock?
Eugene Meltsner: I'll go see her right away.
Matthew Parker: We'll go see her.
Eugene Meltsner: Oh, yes. Me and my shadow.
Eugene Meltsner: Well Alicia, may I call you Alicia?
Alicia Jennings: Well, sure.
Eugene Meltsner: Has anyone gone into the programming code itself?
Matthew Parker: That's what I was going to suggest.
Matthew Parker: (referring Andrew) Because in the mysteries, the butler always does it. And he's kinda like a butler, you know, being janitor takes out the trash...
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