"A Lesson From Mike"

[Bob]

Like most of you, I've heard just about every Odyssey episode at one point or another. Some of them, like "Stormy Weather" or "Connie", are classics. Some of them, like "Idol Minds", are memorably awful. But some of them, one way or another, manage to slip past everyone's radar -- and the episode that aired yesterday, I think, is one of those.

I don't know whether this is true for anyone else, but I didn't really remember hearing the episode (though I had heard it before) until I actually listened to it yesterday, and for some reason, this time, it clicked with me. The episode explores the subject of loneliness and human relationships (both of which are very interesting to me) while developing the existing characters that were in the show at the time.

I don't know whether anyone's talked about it here before, but I suspect that it hasn't gotten much attention over the years, so I figured it'd be worth posting about it here.

Any thoughts on this old gem?

[The Top Crusader]

I remember the name... what's the plot?

[snubs]

In the episode, Mike doesn't have any friends and no one will talk to him. He eventually -now I didn't really catch what exactly happened- but he ends up committing suicide by jumping off the train trestle, or he just falls off somehow.

[Jesus' Princess]

I've heard it quite a few times, and I do like it, its just not one of my favorites.

I believe he fell, but I'm not positive.

[Jehoshaphat]

In the episode, Mike doesn't have any friends and no one will talk to him. He eventually -now I didn't really catch what exactly happened- but he ends up committing suicide by jumping off the train trestle, or he just falls off somehow.

While actually the episode start by Heather telling Julie about how Mike died the day before by falling off the train trestle. Julie feels guilty and befriends his mother and all the girls at here school think she is totally weird because she's trying to know about some dead guy. BTW I love this episode it is one of my all time favs.

[snubs]

In the episode, Mike doesn't have any friends and no one will talk to him. He eventually -now I didn't really catch what exactly happened- but he ends up committing suicide by jumping off the train trestle, or he just falls off somehow.

While actually the episode start by Heather telling Julie about how Mike died the day before by falling off the train trestle. Julie feels guilty and befriends his mother and all the girls at here school think she is totally weird because she's trying to know about some dead guy. BTW I love this episode it is one of my all time favs.

I know. You never actually meet this Mike kid.

[The Top Crusader]

Oh, okay! I was thinking of Mike Makes Right or whatever and wasn't making the connection due to the name of the character.

Yeah, this is a good episode... as I recall its only said that he fell. Old school Odyssey got into touchier subjects at times but I guess a child committing suicide wasn't something they wanted to get into. Although unfortunately today its still an issue and while I don't have any stats to back me up, it certainly is something I hear about more now than back in the day, what with cyber bullies and such. It wouldn't be a terrible concept to revisit, but perhaps go the suicide route or maybe make it even harder on those who are left because they honestly don't know if it was an accident or suicide.

But as for this episode, yeah, it was a good lesson I think. I casually knew a kid who attempted suicide at home, was taken to the hospital, ran off and jumped off the hospital parking garage and succeeded. I didn't know him well at all but there was still a part of me that felt guilty that I didn't know him better and maybe could have done something. Comments I have seen here on the ToO that are not pertaining to suicide but accidental death reflects some of the same emotions as the Odyssey character. The sadness is almost more from the regret of not knowing a person better than it is from the actual loss. It sounds strange but its actually common.

[Jesus' Princess]

I think odyssey should touch on teen suicide, it's a big deal right now, I know of so many people who have tried, and or succeeded. It's extremely hard on the people left.

[Buzz]

I love the episode. I just heard it Yesterday, actually, and it really touched my heart... so sad...

[Laurie]

I love this episode. I've never had to deal with suicide but I am dealing with the loss of family members. Each and every time I listen to this episode it touches me in some way.

[Jimmy Barclay Fan]

I have heard this episode so many times, including today, and never thought of suicide. I just imagined he was walking and was careless and slipped and fell to his death. But now I hear his mom said he went there when he was depressed.. maybe it was. He was lonely. if it was, I am sure it broke his Moms heart and made her feel guilty. Sad moving episode.

I had a very good teenage friend named Lindsey, beautiful and popular, who killed herself 2 years ago at age of 16 and broke so many hearts and we all miss her so much. She would have been 19 this Sunday. No one saw it coming. I am sure AIO and FOTF (maybe Focus) could talk about teen suicide and address it. They maybe have done it.

http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A0o ... ype_param=

[Buzz]

I didn't realize he had actually commited suicide... I thought it was just an accident! Now that makes it even sadder.

[Knight Fisher]

It wasn't suicide. If I remember off the top of my head it collapsed. And he only went there when he was depressed. So Julie felt guilty because if they were friends he probably wouldn't have been there.

Good episode.

[Jehoshaphat]

It didn't collaspe I think he really did just fall off.

[snubs]

I think they left it up to the listeners imagination..

[American Eagle]

Heather: "He fell off the train tracks at Miller's Ravine."

Mike's mom: "Ever since he was a little boy, he's put on his headphones, listen to his music, take his sketch pad down to Miller's Ravine. He'd stay there for hours just drawing. He usually went there when he was upset, or angry, or lonely. I didn't like him being down there because I knew that trestle [a support leg, I gather] wasn't stable. I guess I was right."

Julie says Mike only went there when he was depressed, and that maybe "one friend would've been enough".

This is confusing. Heather says he fell off the tracks, while Mike's mom says the tracks (on a bridge?) collapsed underneath him, and Julie seems to think having a friend could've saved his life. One could interpret this a lot of ways, and perhaps that's best.

For now, I'm going to assume a bridge collapsed with Mike sitting on it and that's how he died. However, I'm open to the idea of suicide.

Either way, this episode is one of the best of all-time. The moral of it is more applicable than any episode I can remember. I love how Julie finds a lonely girl at the end and befriends her. That fictional act inspired me to do so in my life, and I don't regret it at all.

5/5 stars, if we're rating this.

[The Top Crusader]

...although it is sort of bad parenting to let a little kid go down to some bridge you see as unsafe for hours on end. >_>

[Jehoshaphat]

I think he lost his balance because the tracks were unstable. Also 5/5 stars for me too.

[SoccerLOTR]

Heather: "He fell off the train tracks at Miller's Ravine."

Mike's mom: "Ever since he was a little boy, he's put on his headphones, listen to his music, take his sketch pad down to Miller's Ravine. He'd stay there for hours just drawing. He usually went there when he was upset, or angry, or lonely. I didn't like him being down there because I knew that trestle [a support leg, I gather] wasn't stable. I guess I was right."

Julie says Mike only went there when he was depressed, and that maybe "one friend would've been enough".

This is confusing. Heather says he fell off the tracks, while Mike's mom says the tracks (on a bridge?) collapsed underneath him, and Julie seems to think having a friend could've saved his life. One could interpret this a lot of ways, and perhaps that's best.

For now, I'm going to assume a bridge collapsed with Mike sitting on it and that's how he died. However, I'm open to the idea of suicide.

Either way, this episode is one of the best of all-time. The moral of it is more applicable than any episode I can remember. I love how Julie finds a lonely girl at the end and befriends her. That fictional act inspired me to do so in my life, and I don't regret it at all.

5/5 stars, if we're rating this.

It very much sounds to me like the trestle broke. His mom didn't want him going there because it was unsafe, but when he was lonely he'd go there. Julie thought if she'd been his friend, he wouldn't have been lonely and thus wouldn't have gone to the unsafe place. I know Heather said he fell off, but really, it's a school rumor thing...not the best source of info there. I'd go with the mom's info (not that this is real life, but hey).
I'm pretty familiar with the ep because it's one I own. Not a favorite, but it is definitely a good one and makes you think. It's a deep episode. And I agree, the end is inspiring and gives you a challenge.

As for a future episode on teen suicide...I don't see it happening. I wish they'd address the issues that start hitting in middle school, but most of their episodes now don't seem to be directed toward any age above 10, and they've shied away from some of the more serious episodes, minus the one with the grandma telling the story of her childhood friend's death and the necklace and all...don't remember the name.

[snubs]

^Yeah. I doubt they wanted to use or say suicide because it probably would have been too intense for youngsters.