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Second Thoughts

Album: 21: Wish You Were Here

Episode: 275

Lesson/Theme: Family relationships.

Bible Verse: John 15:17

Characters: Bernard, Eugene

Writer: Marshal Younger

Sound Designer: Mark Drury

Original Air Date: July 30, 1994

Last Air Date: February 11, 2009

Description:
Bernard and Eugene are tooling down a lonely stretch of highway in Iowa on their way to San Diego. Suddenly, a deer runs across the road! They swerve to avoid it and end up running off the road. Bernard's truck is damaged. Fortunately, a mechanic/farmer named Kyle drives by them. Kyle tells them he can fix their truck. He also offers his home as lodging for Eugene and Bernard while they wait for the truck's replacement parts to arrive. Once there, Kyle introduces them to his wife, Sandra; his daughter, Carrie; and his son, Graham. Right away, it is obvious that there is tension between Kyle and Graham. Graham is interested in computers and big cities, while Kyle wants Graham to one day take over the garage and the farm. This conflict intensifies over the next several days. Things get bad when Graham puts his prize pig in his father's station wagon and heads off down Route 24 to find a buyer. Graham is underage, so it doesn't take the police long to pull him over and bring him and the pig home. Graham and his dad have another fight. Graham is grounded indefinitely. Bernard and Eugene discuss the matter and agree to talk separately with father and son. Bernard tells Kyle that maybe he is overreacting, Graham is trying to tell him something. Kyle would be wise to listen. Meanwhile, Eugene talks with Graham. The two of them figure out how to blend Graham's love of computers with working in his father's garage. At first Kyle is unsure. But he soon realizes that Graham is trying to mend the relationship, and that he can do no less. After all, they are father and son.

Questions:
Why did Kyle and Graham find it so difficult to talk to each other? Why did Graham want to run away from the farm? How else could he have handled the situation? Do you sometimes have trouble talking to your mom or dad? What should you do about it?