Up Close and Personal
An Odyssey Times Interview with Jason Whittaker
By Jerry Phillips
| Times Staff Writer
Jason Whittaker, son of John
Avery Whittaker, recently arrived in Odyssey to take on responsibility for
his father's popular ice cream emporium Whit's End. Until recently, Jason
has worked as a consultant out of Phoenix, Ariz., specializing in "a little
of this and that," he said.
The Odyssey Times
caught up with Jason in his apartment on the second floor of Whit's End,
where he has taken up residence.
Odyssey Times: How do
you feel about coming to Odyssey on such short notice?
Jason Whittaker: I
couldn't be more excited. you know, I've been awfully busy with work for the
last several years, and I decided it was time to slow down. When Dad asked
me to run Whit's End while he was gone, I was thrilled. I've always loved
Odyssey.
OT: Have you been to
Odyssey before?
JW: Quite a few times,
yes. I grew up in Chicago and Dad moved to Odyssey after I had already grown
up and left home. But I visited Mom and Dad here on several occasions. In
fact, it almost feels like I've come home. The people here are great.
OT: A lot of the
people here have called you kind of a "Young Whit." Would you call yourself
that?
JW: (Chuckles) Not
exactly, no. I'm a lot like my Dad in some ways--I have his curiosity,
y'know we're always into things, I've been known to tinker with inventions
of my own at times--but I've never had his gift with people. The way he
knows exactly what to say. I know most of it is because of his age--the
wisdom he gained from his many experiences. But it's going to take some time
for me. It's something I'm going to have to work on.
OT: Your father
mentioned that you might take Whit's End to a new level. What are your plans
for the future of Whit's End?
JW: Well, I won't
pretend to know how to improve something like Whit's End. It's already
operating at such a high level of excellence that taking it to a new level
will be hard to do. Once I get to know it better, I might toy with some new
ideas--y'know, do things my Dad might not do. Whether or not that's an
improvement will be up to the kids.
OT: It hasn't escaped
the attention of the kids that there's another new person helping out around
Whit's End. Can you tell us about him?
JW: Uncle Jack--er,
Jack Allen is an old friend of my Dad's who just happen to show up in
Odyssey the same day my Dad left. He wanted to surprise Dad, but I guess the
surprise was on him. Since he's retired, he decided to stick around for a
while and, fortunately, Tom Riley asked him to help out at Whit's End. I'm
glad he's here.
OT: Uncle Jack?
JW: He and Dad were so
close that Jack was like an uncle to me.
OT: Is there anything
you'd like to say to the people of Odyssey while you have the chance?
JW: Only that I'm happy
to be here and look forward to some wonderful adventures ahead.
[Editorial note: For more
about Jason Whittaker, be sure to listen to his adventures on the
"Adventures in Odyssey" audiocassettes of A Name, Not a Number, Parts
1 and 2 and Red Wagons & Pink Flamingos--just for starters.]
This
article originally appeared in "The Odyssey Times," a
special fictional newspaper produced by Focus on the Family to promote
Adventures in Odyssey.
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