Standing Alone

Dave Carl: Okay, Goose. Just read the reviews on the new book. Rolling tape.
Goose: Okay. Just getting ready now. Okay. This one is from Willie. I loved reading the book The Overcomers, um even though I'm too young to read.
Dave Carl: Goose, is that Willie, your little brother?
Goose: It might just be.
Dave Carl: Where are the real notes from the readers?
Goose: They may be in my other backpack at home. But these are good ones, too. One reader named Goose Gazry says I absolutely loved reading The Overcomers. There are battles and silly things and really important things taught and it was all really, really fun. I'm reading it to my little brother now, Will Wally Walimer. And Walimer loves it, too. Sincerely, Goose. Gazry. The end.
Dave Carl: Now just say you can get your copy of The Overcomers at pauseandtales.org today.
Goose: What he said. Stop tape.
Narrator: Welcome to the world of Pause and Tales. Wild Mountain can be a pretty dangerous place. Stay on the trails and stick with me. There's adventures to be had there, too.
Staci: Come on, CJ. Jump.
CJ: It's too far.
Staci: It wasn't too far for me.
Narrator: Insight for Living is proud to present Pause and Tales. Howdy and welcome to Wildwood. It's another picture postcard of a day. The sun is bright and warm. The air smells of pine trees and the club is getting ever closer to the completion of their fort. Papa Chuck is working on a job in the town of Modesty. Plans to be there for the next week or so. Other than that, seems as everything is as it should be. As is often the case, though, the way things seem is not the way they really are. The club and especially CJ are about to face a test that, well, they are going to remember for the rest of their lives.
Staci: My dad said we could have the whole stack of it if we came and got it ourselves. It's a bunch of lumber. Probably more than we need to finish the whole fort.
CJ: This is so great. This is better than we ever thought. Nice to have a lumberjack for a dad. My dad gave us a bunch of tools that were too damaged for him to sell at the store. We each get our own hammers, a saw, and a yardstick that's 30 in long.
Staci: Hey, what about you, CJ? Did your dad give us anything?
CJ: I didn't ask. He's a lawyer. He files papers and writes contracts. If we ever need to have a paper to file with, I know where to go.
Marsha: CJ.
Staci: What?
Goose: Guys. Hey, guys. He's in jail. They got him.
Staci: Who's in jail?
Goose: Officer Hunt.
CJ: Officer Hunt is in jail?
Goose: No, not Oh, but he stole all the silk.
Staci: I didn't know Officer Hunt even likes silk. He strikes me as more of a wool sort of guy.
Goose: Not Hunt. Right off the dock.
CJ: Wait. Who knocked Hunt off the dock?
Goose: Stop it. I hate it when you guys do that. Officer Hunt has just arrested a mule who stole an entire shipment of silk. He's in the jail right now.
Staci: Whoa. I've never seen a real prisoner before.
CJ: How did they know it was the mule?
Marsha: I've read that bad guys have a look about them. A trained eye can always tell.
Staci: Yeah, shifty eyes. It's the eyes, isn't it?
Marsha: It's the eyes and the way they walk. Kind of guilty looking.
CJ: Don't forget they wear those striped clothes and that little mask over their eyes. You cannot tell a bad guy by looking at them.
Staci: Ooh, I want to go look at them.
CJ: Me, too. Let's go. This is going to be great.
Staci: Yeah.
CJ: Beat you there.
Goose: Guys, wait for me. I'm coming.
Narrator: Well, the club rambled on over to the jailhouse, which is really just a small brick room added on to the two-room police station.
CJ: Give me a boost up the tree.
Staci: I want to see.
CJ: I was here first.
Staci: When I get settled on the branch, then you can come up.
CJ: Can you see him?
Staci: Shh. What if he hears us?
CJ: So he hears us. Where's he going to go?
Staci: Help me up.
CJ: I need a boost.
Marsha: There's not room for all of us.
Staci: Will, you get down. You've had your turn. Ned, give me your hand.
CJ: Um, move over.
Staci: I felt something moving.
CJ: Ned.
Staci: Sorry. I got distracted.
CJ: I'm coming up.
Staci: Be quiet or he'll hear us.
CJ: That's my leg.
Staci: CJ, let go of my shirt.
CJ: Sorry.
Staci: Hey, look. In the shadow. I can't quite see it. Is Is he looking at us?
CJ: Is it him?
Staci: Is he staring at us?
CJ: No, it's just your imagination.
Mr. Lawton: Uh, hey, kids.
Staci: He was watching us the whole time.
CJ: Okay, I am bitterly disappointed. He's the old mule that hangs around the docks.
Staci: How boring. Goose, tell me again slowly. What did he do?
Goose: Well, Mr. Wayne Armstrong, the dock foreman, was in his office cleaning up last night. He heard a noise on the dock and was What was he cleaning?
CJ: Oh, I'm not sure. Maybe his desk or windows. Well, I bet it was his desk. Well, he heard a noise out on the dock and looking out of his office window
Staci: Oh, what kind of noise?
CJ: I'm not sure. Maybe a kind of clunk. Will that do?
Staci: I'm just trying to understand the story.
CJ: Anyway, he was on the dock. Oh, where was I?
Staci: The foreman looked out the window of his office.
CJ: Yes. Okay. Okay. Okay. He peered out of his small and misty window only to see the frightening and nefarious midnight mule carrying off an entire case of silk on his shoulder.
Staci: Midnight mule?
CJ: Hey, I am trying to tell a story here. I don't know his name. I'm calling him the midnight mule, okay?
Staci: What's nefarious?
CJ: Oh, you guys are making me crazy.
Staci: You don't know, do you?
CJ: It's used a lot with bad guys.
Staci: All right.
CJ: Something Something bad. Can I finish?
Staci: Please go on.
CJ: The foreman ran up to the deck. But when he got there, the mule and the silk had melted into the cold night.
Staci: A mule and a crate melted?
CJ: You're kidding? Just kidding.
Staci: Yep. Looks like he's headed for prison for a long time. Silk is pretty expensive stuff.
CJ: How could parents name their baby Midnight Mule?
Staci: That's just silly.
CJ: His name's not Midnight. I just made it up.
Staci: You crack me up.
Narrator: Sorry I'm late, hon.
Mrs. Brown: CJ, your father's home. Go wash your hands.
CJ: Okay, mom.
Mrs. Brown: Are you all right?
Narrator: Do I look bad?
Mrs. Brown: You look tired.
Narrator: How was your day?
CJ: Great. Did you hear about the midnight mule? He carried a ship full of silk off and now he's going to prison for 10 years.
Mrs. Brown: The midnight mule?
CJ: That's what they're calling him.
Mrs. Brown: I was talking to Carol and she says that she saw him lurking around her house the day before her lawn chairs were stolen. I said I've read that people who start out stealing lawn chairs often end up high jacking silk shipments.
Narrator: What did she say?
Mrs. Brown: She was not amused.
CJ: We saw him.
Narrator: Who?
CJ: Well, Stacy saw him through the jailhouse window.
Narrator: You climbed up that tree and stared at him like he was in a zoo?
CJ: Well, he stole a crate of silk. I wasn't thinking I needed to be polite.
Narrator: He is accused of stealing. That means that he might have done it. He's not a criminal until a jury says he did it. That's what a trial is all about.
Mrs. Brown: I heard that Wayne Armstrong saw him do it with his own eyes.
CJ: See? And I witnessed. Yep, he's going away for a long time.
Narrator: And what if he didn't do it?
CJ: How are you going to prove that when you got an eyewitness?
Narrator: Well, that's what I have to decide. Officer Hunt has asked that I defend Mr. Lawton, the midnight mule.
Mrs. Brown: Theo, you can't be serious. When have you defended a criminal?
Narrator: Well, when I was in law school, I tried a criminal case.
Mrs. Brown: That was 9 years ago.
Narrator: The judge will be here a week from Tuesday and since Brett Barker left town, I'm the only lawyer in Wildwood.
Mrs. Brown: Well, um can you do it? I mean
Narrator: I know what you mean. Look, if there were another choice, I'd drop this like a hot potato. But if I don't do it, he won't have anyone on his side. He needs me. I can't turn him down. I 'm going to do my best to prove he is innocent.
Guest (Female): Hi, I'm Lanca from Calgary. One of the many reasons I love Pause and Tales is Ned the Beaver. He just cracks me up.
Tiffany Rockler: Hello, lovely listeners. Tiffany Rockler from Pause and Tales here to tell you all about the very new and very fashionable t-shirts now on sale in our store. We have a wonderful Tiffany Rockler shirt with a lovely detail.
Ned: Now, Tiffany, that is not true.
Tiffany Rockler: Ned, what are you talking about?
Ned: Well, we have new Goose t-shirts and Ned t-shirts. Just go online to pauseandtales.org to see them.
Tiffany Rockler: Wait. We have no Tiffany t-shirts?
Ned: Probably. Here it comes. Bye, everybody. You all will rue the day.
Narrator: CJ and his mom went to sleep that night pretty much like any other. CJ's dad Theo, however, sat up most of the night. He had some big thoughts to work on and some bigger prayers to pray. There's times when we're asked to step up and take on a job that's more than we can handle. Sometimes Sometimes that's just where God wants us to be.
Theo Brown: And I don't want this job, Lord. But if I have to, please give me your wisdom. I am fresh out of my own.
Narrator: The next morning on his way to school, CJ discovered once again that there's no secrets in a small town.
CJ: This is going to be really great. What? Your dad defending the midnight mule? How'd you know?
Staci: CJ, Stacy. I just heard about it. This is the most exciting thing ever. Your dad's like a a celebrity. He's going to be famous.
CJ: Why will he be famous?
Staci: Are you kidding? When the midnight mule gets sent to prison for 10 years, your dad will be his lawyer.
CJ: Isn't that a bad thing? I mean for his dad.
Staci: Not in a case like this. He has to lose. Somebody saw him. They got a
CJ: Yeah, yeah, I know and I witnessed.
Goose: CJ, I just heard. I 'm so sorry your dad got arrested.
CJ: He didn't get arrested, Goose. He's defending.
Goose: And why shouldn't he? I don't believe he did it.
CJ: He didn't do it.
Goose: Well, that's what I say.
CJ: No, Goose. He did not do it.
Goose: Hey, no arguments from me. Hey, got to go. See you later.
CJ: Goose, he's the lawyer for him.
Goose: I know. Why would he need to steal? See ya.
Staci: Hey, guys.
CJ: Look out. It's you.
Staci: Relax. Hey, CJ.
CJ: Didn't you forget something, Hugh?
Staci: What? What I forget?
CJ: To sneak up on me, hit me on my blind side, and make fun of my bad eye?
Staci: Sorry, Cyclops.
CJ: Ow.
Staci: I'll sneak up on you later.
CJ: One of these days, Hugh.
Staci: Yeah, yeah, yackety yack. Hey, my dad told me your dad is going to be the lawyer for the mule.
CJ: He is.
Staci: Pretty sweet job there. Get written about in the paper, get all this attention, and actually get paid for sitting back and watching that dirty old mule get sent to prison.
CJ: That's right. He will get in the newspaper.
Staci: At least someone in your family is doing something worthwhile. My dad says we need to clean up this town and sending that riffraff to prison is just the way to do it.
Theo Brown: For the first time, I agree with you and I find the experience very disturbing.
Narrator: Well, the rest of the day went along pretty much that same way. CJ's dad was instantly popular and by being his son, CJ was also quite the center of attention. Later that afternoon, almost several times matter of fact, the club was all playing over at CJ's house just a waiting for his dad to come walking home like he had done every day for almost 11 years.
CJ: There he is. Hi, Mr. Brown.
Goose: Hi, Mr. CJ's dad.
Guest (Female): Good evening, Mr. Brown.
Jesse McClow: What in the world is all this? All these polite kids. I thought I'd walked into the wrong house.
Goose: Hey, look, everybody. Look who's coming.
Staci: Hugh's dad.
CJ: And Wayne Armstrong.
Narrator: They sure enough are.
Jesse McClow: Hey there, Theo Brown.
Narrator: Evening, Jesse McClaw. Wayne.
Jesse McClow: Just wanted to say how good it is to hear you're on the case.
Staci: Wow.
Wayne Armstrong: Nice to know that a good old boy and longtime friend is taking care of business.
Narrator: How do you mean?
Jesse McClow: Well, it's just good that, you know, you got such an easy road. Just got to sit back and let things take care of themselves. You get paid for not working much and that thief, guess what he deserves.
Narrator: I think it's time to make it very clear that I will work with all the strength the Lord gives me.
Wayne Armstrong: We don't mean to say that you would be lazy or nothing.
Jesse McClow: No, no, never meant for you to get that impression. You know, just that it's going to be pretty smooth sailing. I mean we got an eyewitness right here in my boss, Wayne.
Narrator: I believe I know just what you're saying. And again, let me make it clear. I do not believe Mr. Lawton stole the silk and I will do my very best to prove it in court.
Wayne Armstrong: Well, if you believe that dirty mule is innocent, that means that you're calling the eyewitness a liar.
Jesse McClow: Is that what you meant? You're going to take the word of a homeless drifter mule over out of a friend that you went to grade school with?
Narrator: That's precisely what I mean.
Jesse McClow: Theo Brown, I tossed you into a trash can back in school and I sure
Wayne Armstrong: You're making a big mistake. You
Jesse McClow: Come on, Wayne. Let's get out of here before something bad happens.
Wayne Armstrong: You watch out, Theo Brown. You won't know when it will happen, but it will.
Narrator: Good night, gentlemen. Good night. CJ, I believe your mother's about ready for supper. Come on in soon and wash up.
Staci: I can't believe he did it.
CJ: I never would have thought he'd call a friend a liar.
Staci: What? Who?
CJ: I can't believe it. Your dad. He He just took the word of a criminal over Wayne Armstrong. He's been the dock foreman for years. They were kids together.
Staci: Yeah. What reason would the dock foreman lie anyway?
CJ: Well, I don't think my dad really meant that Mr. Armstrong was a liar.
Staci: Sure seemed like it to me.
CJ: Yeah, and he even said so. You're not supposed to turn on your friend?
Goose: We'll never turn on your friends.
CJ: He didn't turn on a friend. He wouldn't do that. He just just is doing some lawyer thing. He's just saying that so everyone will think he's really trying to get the mule off.
Staci: So this is a trick?
CJ: Not a trick, just being clever.
Staci: I hope so. My dad says loyalty is the test of a person.
CJ: My dad is loyal. He is just smart about it.
Dave Carl: CJ, dinner's ready.
Staci: All right. See you all tomorrow.
Goose: We'll see ya.
CJ: Tomorrow.
Jesse McClow: What?
Staci: Do you know what just happened?
Jesse McClow: What? That my dad just turned on a friend?
Staci: No. You watched your dad stand up to the two meanest guys in Wildwood. He was as brave as a lion. Ned and Marsha put a little pressure on you and you just caved in.
CJ: I did not cave in. I defended my dad.
Staci: You called him a liar. You called your own dad a liar because you got nervous. Wayne Armstrong is a mean and selfish man who has lied to everyone at one time or another. You defended him and called your own dad a liar. I got to go. You caved in, CJ.
CJ: I know.
Narrator: The town was in a downright tizzy over the news that Theo Brown was going to do his real best to get the mule free. Some folks thought he was being foolish. Some were disappointed in him and some were downright mad. All the while, CJ just watched his very brave dad work away as if none of it mattered. Theo felt alone and a little scared. He needed help and the only person that could give it to him was the last one who would. But that next night, Theo was standing right there on the front porch of Jesse McClow's house.
Theo Brown: Jesse, it's Theo. What are you doing in my house? What are you doing in this part of town? Anybody from the docks sees you here and they're going to take you apart.
Narrator: Look, I need your help.
Theo Brown: You are something else. You want me to turn on my own boss and friends?
Narrator: I want you to help me find the truth. No one from the docks will talk to me.
Theo Brown: I'm not talking either.
Narrator: Jesse, it's impossible for Mr. Lawton to steal the crate of silk.
Theo Brown: Why?
Narrator: What shoulder did Wayne say he put the crate on as he carried it off? He's right.
Theo Brown: Jesse. The mule's right arm is almost completely useless. He can move it, but it's weak and shriveled.
Narrator: So Wayne got mixed up. It was his left.
Theo Brown: All right. You've done this kind of work for years. Could you pick up a heavy crate with one arm?
Narrator: There are ways.
Theo Brown: Listen, something happened that night on the dock. I need you to tell me what it was or an absolutely innocent mule was going to go to prison for a crime he couldn't have possibly committed.
Narrator: My advice to you, Theo Brown, is to get yourself home before you get yourself into some serious trouble.
Guest (Male): Hi, I'm Simon from Calgary. My favorite Pause and Tales character is Goose because he's funny. Get to hear what happens next on today's episode.
Tiffany Rockler: I'm here today with author Dave Carl. I understand you have written the very first Pause and Tales book entitled The Overcomers.
Dave Carl: That's right, Stacy.
Tiffany Rockler: So is The Overcomers something very different or is it a continuation of the big Pause and Tales story?
Dave Carl: Good question, Stacy. It absolutely is a continuation of the big Pause and Tales story. The Overcomers is like one giant Pause and Tales episode. I'm excited for folks to see what comes next.
Tiffany Rockler: Get your copy today at pauseandtales.org.
Narrator: CJ has spent quite some time in some very serious thinking. While walking to school the next morning, he was feeling particularly bad about having let his dad down.
CJ: God, I'm sorry for caving in, Will.
Staci: Morning, sunshine.
CJ: Hugh, get off of me.
Staci: Have I told you lately how much I enjoy your having only one good eye, huh? Makes it so much easier to pounce on you.
CJ: Get off.
Staci: Listen, good fur ball. If your dad turns on Wayne Armstrong, he is going to get it just as sure as you will get it from me. There's no escaping the McClows.
CJ: I will talk slowly so even you can understand. Wayne Armstrong has lied to Stacy's dad at the general store about paying his bills on time. He has lied to Officer Hunt about not getting into fights anymore. He's even lied to Papa Chuck, getting him to do work he never intended to pay for. My dad has never never lied to anyone. If my dad says the mule is innocent, I believe him. Now get off of me, Hugh.
Staci: Yeah, well, you better just watch yourself, CJ.
Narrator: CJ's heart grew a little bigger that day. He did the very thing that'll help make him a wise and godly bear. He decided it was time to change. It's a day CJ will remember for a long time. On the other side of town, however, his dad Theo is having one of the worst days he's ever had.
Theo Brown: Hugh, I can't do it. You know, I've tried. I can't do it without some help. The whole town will ignore the truth if I don't have more to show them that Mr. Lawton is too weak to lift a crate.
Mrs. Brown: Theo, I wish there was something I could do. You have done such a good job. Everyone knows that. Come on in, Walter.
Walter: Theo, got a letter for you. Don't know who sent it. Just found it on my counter in the office with your name on it.
Theo Brown: Thank you.
Walter: See you all later.
Theo Brown: Oh. Oh my.
Mrs. Brown: What is it?
Theo Brown: I can't believe it. Thank you, Lord.
Mrs. Brown: Theo, what is it?
Staci: Jesse. Jesse McClow just saved the day.
Narrator: Well, Theo had all the pieces to the puzzle, but now he had to prove them. He quietly gathered Officer Hunt, Stag Williams, and Jeremiah Horatio, a young walrus, all to the dock where the crate of silk had disappeared. Theo forgot that in a small town, if you want to draw a crowd, just do something mysterious and do it quietly.
Theo Brown: Okay, Jeremiah. Are you ready?
CJ: Been down there 100 times, Mr. Brown. What if I find it?
Theo Brown: Just come back up and tell us.
CJ: Easiest job in the world. Be back in a sec.
Staci: Hey, Theo. What are you looking for?
Narrator: The truth. Just looking for the truth.
CJ: Mr. Brown.
Theo Brown: Is it there?
CJ: It is locked. The whole crate of silk is sitting right off the other side of the ship. Still has the ropes and rigging on it. Looks like the rope broke and it just went right in the water.
Narrator: And the fact that it's in the water and on the other side of the ship would seem to indicate that someone was trying to load it on another ship instead of on the dock.
Staci: So someone was trying to steal the crate?
Narrator: No one could have attempted this without the cooperation of the dock foreman.
Staci: So you think Wayne Armstrong was the thief?
Narrator: Well, that'll have to be proven in court, but I'd say he needs to answer a few questions.
Dave Carl: The crate fell into the water and he tried to blame it on the midnight mule.
Narrator: His name is Mr. Lawton. I think this proves he's innocent. Hunt, don't you think he should be released? It's been a long time since there was this much excitement in Wildwood. Officer Hunt arrested Wayne Armstrong for theft of the silk. Looks like he'll be spending some time in prison. Lots of back slapping and generally people had a lot of good things to say about Theo Brown, attorney at law. The best time of celebrating, however, was yet to take place. And right there in the living room of his own home.
Mrs. Brown: You are pretty famous now, Mr. Big Shot Attorney.
Narrator: Everyone in town knew me before all this. How could I be famous now?
Mrs. Brown: Oh, well, now everybody knows that you are a man of character. I of course knew it before, but now everyone else does, too. That's the best reason to get famous.
Narrator: Thank you, Mrs. Brown.
Mrs. Brown: Um, CJ, come in here and tell your father what you told me.
CJ: Mom.
Mrs. Brown: Go ahead.
CJ: Well, all the kids at school they've been playing a new game.
Mrs. Brown: Oh?
CJ: Well, they've been playing lawyer.
Narrator: You are joking, of course.
Mrs. Brown: Listen to him.
CJ: They're pretending that someone's in trouble and and then he gets arrested and needs someone to save him from prison. They're pretending that they're you.
Narrator: If that don't beat all.
Mrs. Brown: Okay, CJ. Give your father a kiss and get ready for bed.
CJ: Good night, dad.
Narrator: Good night, son. That club will never forget that brave and godly fathers stand up for the truth even if they have to do it alone. I expect he will remember this the rest of his life. Back in the time of Noah, no one thought that it would rain. And when he built the ark, they laughed and said he was insane. But Noah only listened to the truth that God had shown and stood up for what was righteous even though he stood alone. So I will stand up for the truth of the Lord. He's the way, the truth, the life. That's what I'm standing for. Won't turn my back. Won't walk away. I'm not afraid to make it known that I'm standing up for Jesus even if I stand alone. In the days of our friend Daniel, the king passed a decree. He said worship Noah, unless of course it's me. But Daniel said no way. I pray to the true God on the throne. And God the Father blessed him as he stood up all alone. So I will stand up for the truth of the Lord. He's the way, the truth, the life. That's what I'm standing for. Won't turn my back. Won't walk away. I'm not afraid to make it known that I am standing up for Jesus even if I stand alone. So folks get on that train headed down the wrong track or they've all jumped on the bandwagon, thinking you'll jump on in back. Don't hop along with wrong just so they won't make fun of you. When they're in cahoots, just plant your boots and do what you should do. Stand up. Stand up for Jesus. His soldiers of the cross. Lift high his royal banner. He must not suffer loss. So I will stand up for the truth of the Lord. He's the way, the truth, the life. That's what I'm standing for. Won't turn my back. Won't walk away. I'm not afraid to make it known that I'm standing up for Jesus even if I stand alone. Yes, I will stand up for the truth of the Lord. He's the way, the truth, the life. That's what I'm standing for. Won't turn my back. Won't walk away. I'm not afraid to make it known that I'm standing up for Jesus even if I stand alone. Yee-haw. To order a copy of today's program Standing Alone, just log on to pauseandtales.org. Standing Alone was written and directed by David Carl. I Will Stand was written by Sandy Howell and Matt McGuire. Music was by John Campbell and our sound designer was Eric Basil. Pause and Tales is an Insight for Living production.