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Welcome Home, Mr. Blackgaard

Album: 26: Back on the Air

Episode: 342

Lesson/Theme: Forgiveness.

Bible Verse: Matthew 6:14-15; 18:21-22

Characters: Bart, Edwin, Tom

Writer: Phil Lollar

Sound Designer: Dave Arnold

Original Air Date: January 20, 1996

Last Air Date: May 15, 2009

Description:
Things are rough for Edwin Blackgaard. Having recently fled Odyssey, Edwin has spent his time with Shakespeare, doing a two-man Hamlet in Hooterville and Pecanburg, where we catch up with him. After a particularly disastrous performance (in which the town’s livestock actually outnumber the people in the audience), Edwin is visited backstage by Morton Dunkey, attorney at law. Morton informs Edwin that he has been named in Regis’s will! Edwin has inherited a piece of property in Odyssey, a store called the Electric Palace! At first, Edwin refuses his inheritance, but the stipulations of the will force him to accept. Shakespeare doesn’t understand why Edwin is so hesitant to go back to Odyssey. Edwin explains that the townspeople will probably never forgive him for running away during his brother’s takeover. Now he’ll have to face the music. They head back to Odyssey. Edwin braces himself for the trouble he is sure he will encounter. But he doesn’t come across any problems. In fact, the people of the town, including Jack and Tom, welcome Edwin back with open arms. Edwin is so grateful, he feels he must do something for everyone. He decides to give away all of the merchandise in the Electric Palace! After the store is cleaned out, Jack visits Edwin and convinces him that it isn’t the people of Odyssey who need to forgive him, Edwin needs to forgive himself. Edwin realizes Jack is right. That night, Edwin gets proof that the town isn’t holding a grude against him. Everyone throws him a party and brings back all the merchandise they took from the store. Edwin is again grateful, so much so, he decides to treat everyone to a one-man performance of Hamlet. Which is almost bad enough to make them take back their merchandise again.

Questions:
Why was Edwin so certain that the townspeople of Odyssey would hate him? Why didn’t the townspeople hate him? Jack told Edwin he needed to forgive himself. What did Jack mean? Have you ever done anything for which you needed to forgive yourself?