Reading Group Guide
1. Kyle escaped his Greek oppressors while the song “Thriller” played in the frat house. If you were planning an escape (from wherever), what song would you want for your background music?
2. Would you agree that anyone who chooses Hanson’s “MMMBop” or Barry Manilow’s “Mandy” or anything by Air Supply as their escape song deserves to get caught during said escape?
3. Gretchen had a heart for wildlife and was willing to make personal sacrifices to make a difference. Have you ever given to environmental causes?
4. Have you ever met anyone like Regina? If so, how long did it take for that person to drive you nuts?
5. Would you consider carpooling in order to reduce the demand for oil? If you would not choose to carpool, is it because you don’t consider it important or because you have annoying neighbors and can’t stand to ride in a car with them?
6. If your neighbor was an environmental wacko and roller- skated to work rather than driving a car, and this same neighbor ridiculed you for owning a gas- gulping Corvette, would you
(A) cave and trade the Corvette for a hybrid car,
(B) keep the Corvette and ignore your neighbor, or
(C) attach a ski rope to the back of your Corvette and offer to pull your neighbor whenever he needed to get somewhere fast?
7. If you inherited oil wells and had a huge increase in income, what would you do with the excess monies? Travel? Give to the poor? Support mission projects in underdeveloped nations? Buy up all the Hanson, Barry Manilow, and Air Supply albums you could find? All of the above?
8. What person in your life most resembles Uncle Benny? How?
9. God’s Word says that “every good and perfect gift is from above.” What does that say about oil (since oil is “from below”)? Does that make the gift of oil wells a bad gift? Discuss at length.
10. What can you do this week to use your own gift(s) to benefit others?
11. When was the last time you made silver dollar pancakes for your friends or family?
12. That long?
13. Then go buy some pancake mix, serve a yummy breakfast to your friends and family, and afterward urge them to go buy the latest Ray Blackston novel. Thank you!
