1 00:00:08,245 --> 00:00:21,325 Speaker 1: School of Humans. Well, yeah, well I'm getting there. One 2 00:00:21,765 --> 00:00:25,965 Speaker 1: story that I know we haven't hit is the whole 3 00:00:26,005 --> 00:00:29,925 Speaker 1: big story of the trip that caused you to quit 4 00:00:30,125 --> 00:00:33,245 Speaker 1: the industry and pivots. Are you ready to tell that 5 00:00:33,285 --> 00:00:42,205 Speaker 1: story this morning? Um? I'm working on it. My dad 6 00:00:42,285 --> 00:00:46,405 Speaker 1: is preparing to tell me about his last trip, the 7 00:00:46,445 --> 00:00:50,405 Speaker 1: trip that became the final straw in his smuggling career. 8 00:00:51,165 --> 00:00:59,165 Speaker 1: I'd have to attribute dad to ego, arrogance, stupidity, carelessness, 9 00:00:59,245 --> 00:01:03,045 Speaker 1: and foolishness. Yeah. I mean, that's at least five of 10 00:01:03,125 --> 00:01:08,285 Speaker 1: the deadly sins, isn't it. It's nineteen eighty eight and 11 00:01:08,405 --> 00:01:12,245 Speaker 1: Reagan boosts the Anti Drug Abuse Act, adding the death 12 00:01:12,325 --> 00:01:16,925 Speaker 1: penalty for some drug related crimes. My dad is nursing 13 00:01:16,925 --> 00:01:20,085 Speaker 1: his nineteen eighty six loss of over half a million 14 00:01:20,125 --> 00:01:23,205 Speaker 1: dollars to the Green Beret. The same year, Reagan passed 15 00:01:23,245 --> 00:01:27,325 Speaker 1: the mandatory minimum drug sentencing law, dramatically changing the pot 16 00:01:27,405 --> 00:01:31,925 Speaker 1: smuggling industry from a gentlemanly scene of hippie outlaws to 17 00:01:32,005 --> 00:01:36,765 Speaker 1: a high stakes underworld of ruthless crime syndicates circling the 18 00:01:36,885 --> 00:01:41,525 Speaker 1: weed pond. I'm in eighth grade, top of the food 19 00:01:41,605 --> 00:01:44,965 Speaker 1: chain at my artsy private primary school. I'm applying to 20 00:01:45,045 --> 00:01:49,325 Speaker 1: expensive private high schools nerdily obsessed with Shakespeare, the movie Willow, 21 00:01:49,605 --> 00:01:52,965 Speaker 1: and slow dancing to ridiculous eighties ballads like take My 22 00:01:53,045 --> 00:01:56,285 Speaker 1: Breath Away by Berlin as heard in the movie Top Gun. 23 00:01:57,685 --> 00:01:59,845 Speaker 1: My big sister is back east for college, and my 24 00:01:59,925 --> 00:02:02,805 Speaker 1: little brother is obsessed with a Star Wars trilogy, watching 25 00:02:02,805 --> 00:02:07,805 Speaker 1: them on VHS daily. So blissfully unaware my parents are 26 00:02:07,885 --> 00:02:11,485 Speaker 1: drug smugglers. That news doesn't arrive for at least a year. 27 00:02:13,085 --> 00:02:16,885 Speaker 1: I'm so oblivious to everything but the concept of French kissing, 28 00:02:17,125 --> 00:02:21,005 Speaker 1: singing opera and gossiping with my fellow hormone riddled classmates. 29 00:02:21,405 --> 00:02:24,445 Speaker 1: I don't even recall my dad being out of town 30 00:02:24,525 --> 00:02:28,845 Speaker 1: for extended periods that year, or his cheerless mood when 31 00:02:28,925 --> 00:02:33,965 Speaker 1: he returns, distressed, unnerved and on the cusp of retreat 32 00:02:34,245 --> 00:02:40,245 Speaker 1: from his twenty two year smuggling career. I'm Rainbow Valentine, 33 00:02:40,445 --> 00:02:51,765 Speaker 1: and this is disorganized crime smuggler's daughter want to do young, 34 00:02:51,885 --> 00:03:28,765 Speaker 1: free and groovy, making it up. We rode along. So 35 00:03:28,805 --> 00:03:34,365 Speaker 1: this is how the Final Straw Trip began. So it's 36 00:03:34,405 --> 00:03:37,125 Speaker 1: the late eighties and my dad's old friend and driver 37 00:03:37,285 --> 00:03:41,205 Speaker 1: mister Sandwich introduces him to a smuggler we'll call smuggler 38 00:03:41,325 --> 00:03:45,085 Speaker 1: Dick with ten thousand pounds a pot set to arrive 39 00:03:45,205 --> 00:03:48,925 Speaker 1: in New York. My dad connects Smuggler Dick with his 40 00:03:48,965 --> 00:03:52,725 Speaker 1: old New York City friend Blondie, who can coordinate offloading 41 00:03:52,765 --> 00:03:57,285 Speaker 1: the product with the New York City dock workers. Now 42 00:03:57,365 --> 00:04:00,965 Speaker 1: Smuggler Dick's ten thousand pounds are in a can Smuggler's 43 00:04:01,005 --> 00:04:05,205 Speaker 1: lingo for shipping container. My dad plans on trucking a 44 00:04:05,205 --> 00:04:08,885 Speaker 1: couple thousand pounds of smuggler Dick's product to the West 45 00:04:08,965 --> 00:04:13,005 Speaker 1: Coast for distribution. Dad doesn't really know the other people 46 00:04:13,125 --> 00:04:16,965 Speaker 1: working on this trip, and from the beginning he notices 47 00:04:17,085 --> 00:04:21,365 Speaker 1: his old friend Blondie doesn't seem too eager about the trip. 48 00:04:22,325 --> 00:04:25,725 Speaker 1: He seemed very flaky about the whole thing. But he said, yeah, 49 00:04:25,725 --> 00:04:30,805 Speaker 1: he's got people on the docks, but they're not not 50 00:04:30,845 --> 00:04:32,965 Speaker 1: the greatest people to be dealing with, you know, want 51 00:04:33,005 --> 00:04:38,045 Speaker 1: to fuck around with them? And then basically they were gangsters. Now, 52 00:04:38,045 --> 00:04:41,725 Speaker 1: this was unusual for my dad to work outside his network. 53 00:04:42,445 --> 00:04:44,965 Speaker 1: He didn't know Smuggler Dick before the trip, and he 54 00:04:45,005 --> 00:04:51,925 Speaker 1: didn't know Blondie's offloader affiliates, and these offloaders wanted cash upfront. 55 00:04:52,605 --> 00:04:57,045 Speaker 1: He said, okay, well they want some real money. They 56 00:04:57,085 --> 00:05:01,485 Speaker 1: want some down money to make it real. You're real 57 00:05:01,565 --> 00:05:04,565 Speaker 1: about this, he asked for and I gave him one 58 00:05:04,645 --> 00:05:09,925 Speaker 1: hundred and eighty thousand dollars of mine. This was also unusual. 59 00:05:11,005 --> 00:05:14,885 Speaker 1: My dad's pot smuggling world was always deals made on handshakes. 60 00:05:15,885 --> 00:05:18,245 Speaker 1: This was the first time my dad ever gave a 61 00:05:18,325 --> 00:05:23,525 Speaker 1: down payment for offloaders. I knew who theoretically was the 62 00:05:23,605 --> 00:05:28,205 Speaker 1: main man, main smuggler. He was friendly and it just 63 00:05:28,525 --> 00:05:31,885 Speaker 1: seemed like a reasonable guy. And he didn't even have 64 00:05:31,925 --> 00:05:34,685 Speaker 1: the money for it. I can't believe I used my 65 00:05:34,885 --> 00:05:42,405 Speaker 1: money instead of his, and I theoretically trusted my old 66 00:05:42,525 --> 00:05:47,165 Speaker 1: pab Blondie. Simultaneously, as my dad and Sandwich are waiting 67 00:05:47,205 --> 00:05:50,605 Speaker 1: for the East coast can of Dick's ten thousand pounds, 68 00:05:51,165 --> 00:05:55,125 Speaker 1: Dad's smuggling associates on the West Coast bring in an 69 00:05:55,325 --> 00:06:01,405 Speaker 1: enormous load of two hundred thousand pounds of taiweed. Two 70 00:06:01,565 --> 00:06:06,525 Speaker 1: hundred thousand yeah, and it was My understanding was it 71 00:06:06,565 --> 00:06:10,845 Speaker 1: was dropped in four of four places on the West 72 00:06:10,885 --> 00:06:15,525 Speaker 1: coast in fifty thousand pound drops got two hundred thousand pounds. 73 00:06:15,525 --> 00:06:18,005 Speaker 1: That's sort of a lot because it goes through channels, 74 00:06:18,005 --> 00:06:21,645 Speaker 1: even fifty thousand at a pout. So and it was good. 75 00:06:22,045 --> 00:06:26,325 Speaker 1: It was amazing. It was really quite good. Everyone working 76 00:06:26,365 --> 00:06:29,565 Speaker 1: in the industry knows about this huge tie trip, and 77 00:06:29,645 --> 00:06:32,565 Speaker 1: since my dad knows the West Coast Crew, smuggler Dick 78 00:06:32,605 --> 00:06:35,845 Speaker 1: persuades my dad to front him one thousand pounds of 79 00:06:35,885 --> 00:06:38,405 Speaker 1: the West Coast tie to sell in New York in 80 00:06:38,485 --> 00:06:41,165 Speaker 1: the interim as they all wait for the East Coast 81 00:06:41,205 --> 00:06:46,765 Speaker 1: can to arrive. A thousand pounds of ties wholesale value 82 00:06:46,885 --> 00:06:49,645 Speaker 1: is about twelve hundred a pound, So my dad fronts 83 00:06:49,645 --> 00:06:54,565 Speaker 1: Dick about one point two million dollars in tie. Remember, 84 00:06:54,765 --> 00:06:58,405 Speaker 1: my dad has been fronting and been fronted thousands of 85 00:06:58,405 --> 00:07:01,405 Speaker 1: pounds of pot in his twenty plus years smuggling career. 86 00:07:02,005 --> 00:07:15,885 Speaker 1: Fronting is absolutely common. But then everything goes sideways. We're 87 00:07:15,925 --> 00:07:19,085 Speaker 1: in New York and we're hanging out expecting we come 88 00:07:19,085 --> 00:07:23,325 Speaker 1: in a few days before it's supposed to be the 89 00:07:23,405 --> 00:07:27,885 Speaker 1: container's supposed to land. Okay, we're waiting and we hear 90 00:07:27,965 --> 00:07:30,805 Speaker 1: nothing from My only connection to this whole trip is 91 00:07:31,205 --> 00:07:35,925 Speaker 1: to the whole last straw. The container is Blondie. At 92 00:07:35,965 --> 00:07:39,525 Speaker 1: this point, you know, we wait and we wait, and 93 00:07:39,525 --> 00:07:43,205 Speaker 1: we're here for a month or two. We can't stay 94 00:07:43,565 --> 00:07:46,725 Speaker 1: in hotels for too long at a time. You can, 95 00:07:46,725 --> 00:07:48,965 Speaker 1: It's not like you can park yourself in a fucking 96 00:07:49,085 --> 00:07:52,365 Speaker 1: place for a month at a time. So we're moving 97 00:07:52,365 --> 00:07:57,485 Speaker 1: around hotels in New York. That's when it got stressful, 98 00:07:57,725 --> 00:08:01,125 Speaker 1: and Blondie never talked to me. I would call him 99 00:08:01,125 --> 00:08:03,085 Speaker 1: and call him. He wouldn't answer the phone, and he 100 00:08:03,125 --> 00:08:10,765 Speaker 1: didn't return many of my call. It's weeks past the 101 00:08:10,805 --> 00:08:14,245 Speaker 1: East Coast Can's scheduled arrival, and no one has any 102 00:08:14,285 --> 00:08:17,925 Speaker 1: idea of what's going on because Blondie has gone dark. 103 00:08:18,885 --> 00:08:23,005 Speaker 1: It's becoming clear that no one, not Smuggler Dick, my Dad, Sandwich, 104 00:08:23,165 --> 00:08:27,125 Speaker 1: or Blondie is going to secure any cannabis from this shipment. 105 00:08:27,645 --> 00:08:30,645 Speaker 1: And it's obvious that my Dad's down payment to Blondie 106 00:08:30,685 --> 00:08:36,125 Speaker 1: for the offloaders has disappeared. The smuggler says, hey, man, 107 00:08:36,205 --> 00:08:38,325 Speaker 1: I know it's it's bullshit. I knew it. I know 108 00:08:38,405 --> 00:08:44,725 Speaker 1: it came in and he says, you your side, somebody 109 00:08:44,845 --> 00:08:46,805 Speaker 1: ripped off my thing. I'm not paying you for the 110 00:08:47,125 --> 00:09:00,685 Speaker 1: for the thousand pounds. Everything went bad every which way. 111 00:09:02,605 --> 00:09:06,925 Speaker 1: My dad loses big time. First his deposit of one 112 00:09:07,005 --> 00:09:09,805 Speaker 1: hundred and eighty five thousand dollars to Blondie for the 113 00:09:09,885 --> 00:09:14,165 Speaker 1: offloaders is gone. And then smuggler Dick, angry that his 114 00:09:14,325 --> 00:09:20,485 Speaker 1: can has disappeared and wanting vengeance on someone anyone, refuses 115 00:09:20,525 --> 00:09:23,245 Speaker 1: to pay for the one thousand pounds of West Coast 116 00:09:23,245 --> 00:09:27,445 Speaker 1: tie my dad had fronted him. In total, he's been 117 00:09:27,525 --> 00:09:30,965 Speaker 1: ripped off for about one point four million, which today 118 00:09:31,005 --> 00:09:38,445 Speaker 1: would be worth more than three million dollars. I was paralyzed. 119 00:09:38,725 --> 00:09:44,125 Speaker 1: I was deeply hurt, emotionally hurt. It really closed me 120 00:09:44,205 --> 00:09:47,605 Speaker 1: up again. It didn't happen over like two days. You know, 121 00:09:47,645 --> 00:09:51,045 Speaker 1: you get busted, boom, it happens, or you lose something somewhere, 122 00:09:51,165 --> 00:09:55,445 Speaker 1: you know it happens. This was this long drawn out 123 00:09:56,045 --> 00:09:59,645 Speaker 1: like a cancer and then you die. It just was 124 00:09:59,725 --> 00:10:02,845 Speaker 1: telling me, Okay, this world is just not what it 125 00:10:02,965 --> 00:10:06,165 Speaker 1: used to be. The quality of the criminal gone way 126 00:10:06,205 --> 00:10:11,365 Speaker 1: down hill. That's my dad's attorney on retainer, Bernie Seagull's line. 127 00:10:11,765 --> 00:10:16,805 Speaker 1: The quality of the criminal has gone down. And in 128 00:10:16,925 --> 00:10:20,605 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty eight, my dad realizes his world of pot 129 00:10:20,685 --> 00:10:25,845 Speaker 1: smuggling has dramatically changed. It's becoming the antithesis to his 130 00:10:25,965 --> 00:10:31,725 Speaker 1: familiar scene of ethical hippie outlaws and gentleman handshakes. The 131 00:10:31,845 --> 00:10:36,525 Speaker 1: old ways of business are coming to an end. Red 132 00:10:36,565 --> 00:10:40,205 Speaker 1: flags are all over the landscape. Friends are getting busted 133 00:10:40,365 --> 00:10:45,405 Speaker 1: left and right, and real gangsters, possibly murderous, are honing in. 134 00:10:46,565 --> 00:10:49,445 Speaker 1: My dad is floored by this giant rip off and 135 00:10:49,805 --> 00:10:55,645 Speaker 1: his longtime friend Blondie's inability to communicate Reagan's war on 136 00:10:55,765 --> 00:10:59,725 Speaker 1: drugs raises the stakes in everything related to my dad's industry. 137 00:11:00,365 --> 00:11:05,325 Speaker 1: Pot smuggling is more dangerous, more expensive, more ruthless. The 138 00:11:05,485 --> 00:11:08,525 Speaker 1: bigger the money, the bigger the sharks, and suddenly the 139 00:11:08,605 --> 00:11:12,045 Speaker 1: psychedelic pioneers find themselves running in the same circles as 140 00:11:12,045 --> 00:11:15,965 Speaker 1: the mafia and the Mexican cartel. You go to the 141 00:11:15,965 --> 00:11:18,525 Speaker 1: other side of the world where all of these came from, 142 00:11:19,205 --> 00:11:25,845 Speaker 1: these different different cannabis drugs came from, and it's not 143 00:11:26,005 --> 00:11:31,445 Speaker 1: like here where we didn't use guns and we didn't 144 00:11:31,445 --> 00:11:35,045 Speaker 1: do this stuff, and we you know the other side 145 00:11:35,045 --> 00:11:38,525 Speaker 1: of it, you know, in Colombia or entirely, and I 146 00:11:38,565 --> 00:11:42,405 Speaker 1: mean you were run by militias because it's huge money 147 00:11:42,525 --> 00:11:46,125 Speaker 1: it's so beyond gangs, it's armies. You know. It was 148 00:11:46,205 --> 00:11:48,405 Speaker 1: really my own choosing. I didn't want to get quite 149 00:11:48,565 --> 00:11:54,125 Speaker 1: that close to the flame. And when I did that time, 150 00:11:54,245 --> 00:11:57,045 Speaker 1: I got burned. And I'd have to say it was 151 00:11:57,045 --> 00:12:01,045 Speaker 1: the first time I knowingly got involved with what I 152 00:12:01,085 --> 00:12:04,445 Speaker 1: believe was gangsters. And you could feel the whole game 153 00:12:04,565 --> 00:12:08,725 Speaker 1: changing because the same time, while I lost a thousand 154 00:12:08,805 --> 00:12:12,605 Speaker 1: pounds for these other guys, their whole trip was getting 155 00:12:12,605 --> 00:12:17,845 Speaker 1: busted all over the place. Defeated, Dad and Sandwich returned 156 00:12:17,845 --> 00:12:21,085 Speaker 1: to Mill Valley. That all the shit just kidding the 157 00:12:21,125 --> 00:12:27,125 Speaker 1: fan in this yearish of time. That was like time 158 00:12:27,165 --> 00:12:30,485 Speaker 1: to move on for me. Losing all that money and 159 00:12:30,525 --> 00:12:34,325 Speaker 1: all that stuff was terrible. It wasn't like the old 160 00:12:34,445 --> 00:12:36,925 Speaker 1: days anymore. And I could smell the car, you know, 161 00:12:36,965 --> 00:12:39,925 Speaker 1: I could just smell that. I didn't want to be 162 00:12:39,965 --> 00:12:42,405 Speaker 1: around all the ship that were. I had never been 163 00:12:42,485 --> 00:12:46,685 Speaker 1: ripped off in my life. I mean a whole bunch 164 00:12:46,725 --> 00:12:49,405 Speaker 1: of these things. It was just scrimming at me. Get out. 165 00:12:50,245 --> 00:12:58,605 Speaker 1: This is not what it used to be. Dad is done. 166 00:12:59,165 --> 00:13:03,285 Speaker 1: He's determined to retire from pot smuggling. The risk has 167 00:13:03,405 --> 00:13:08,405 Speaker 1: finally outweighed the rod war I'm Rainbow Valentine, and this 168 00:13:08,445 --> 00:13:23,125 Speaker 1: is disorganized crime. We'll be right back. While my dad 169 00:13:23,165 --> 00:13:28,005 Speaker 1: was consumed by mobsters, millions and marijuana, I'm obsessing over 170 00:13:28,045 --> 00:13:30,805 Speaker 1: the movie Beetlejuice, my role in Midsummer Night's Dream, and 171 00:13:30,885 --> 00:13:34,445 Speaker 1: you be forty song Red Red Wine. Now. Dad never 172 00:13:34,525 --> 00:13:37,445 Speaker 1: let on to me that he'd returned home crushed from battle. 173 00:13:38,245 --> 00:13:41,285 Speaker 1: I vaguely remember he was moody, but that wasn't too unusual. 174 00:13:41,885 --> 00:13:45,685 Speaker 1: And I was embarking on teen hood, completely oblivious to 175 00:13:45,805 --> 00:13:51,965 Speaker 1: anything unintrinsic to my hormonal, theatrical teen life. And Dad, 176 00:13:52,245 --> 00:13:55,685 Speaker 1: always an expert at seeing the empty glass half full, 177 00:13:56,445 --> 00:13:59,365 Speaker 1: took us river rafting down the Grand Canyon shortly after 178 00:13:59,405 --> 00:14:02,525 Speaker 1: the final straw trip. I never knew he was suffering. 179 00:14:07,245 --> 00:14:09,325 Speaker 1: So popping by our house every now and again are 180 00:14:09,365 --> 00:14:12,365 Speaker 1: the West Coast smugglers looking for the one point two 181 00:14:12,405 --> 00:14:15,565 Speaker 1: million in tye weed or cash they'd fronted my dad, 182 00:14:16,045 --> 00:14:20,405 Speaker 1: which had been stolen by smuggler Dick, whose can supposedly 183 00:14:20,525 --> 00:14:25,125 Speaker 1: never arrived in New York City. Luckily for my dad, 184 00:14:25,285 --> 00:14:27,885 Speaker 1: the West Coast smugglers who fronted him the one thousand 185 00:14:27,925 --> 00:14:31,885 Speaker 1: pounds of tie were counterculture outlaws, and they never did 186 00:14:31,885 --> 00:14:34,445 Speaker 1: anything aside from knock on our door for a few years, 187 00:14:34,845 --> 00:14:38,725 Speaker 1: and a guy who I knew but I didn't know 188 00:14:38,765 --> 00:14:41,125 Speaker 1: I knew his face would come knock on my door 189 00:14:41,205 --> 00:14:43,765 Speaker 1: every six months and ask have you done any I said, 190 00:14:43,765 --> 00:14:46,885 Speaker 1: I've retired. This thing blew my mind. I don't have money. 191 00:14:46,885 --> 00:14:49,205 Speaker 1: We have our house and that's all we have. My 192 00:14:49,285 --> 00:14:53,405 Speaker 1: Dad's reasonably certain that Blondie's offloaders were in the mafia 193 00:14:53,525 --> 00:14:56,485 Speaker 1: and took his one hundred and eighty five thousand plus 194 00:14:56,525 --> 00:15:02,325 Speaker 1: the can. However, Blondie never returned Dad's phone calls, never 195 00:15:02,325 --> 00:15:05,485 Speaker 1: spoke about the trip, didn't really talk to my dad again. 196 00:15:10,565 --> 00:15:14,805 Speaker 1: Four years go by. I attend an expensive college prep 197 00:15:14,925 --> 00:15:18,405 Speaker 1: private high school in Marin, mostly populated by non hippie 198 00:15:18,445 --> 00:15:21,965 Speaker 1: kids from old California money. Early in high school, my 199 00:15:22,005 --> 00:15:25,445 Speaker 1: big sister reveals to me that our parents are drug smugglers, 200 00:15:25,445 --> 00:15:28,765 Speaker 1: but she calls them drug dealers. Now. I've avoided the 201 00:15:28,805 --> 00:15:33,405 Speaker 1: overwhelming topic since then, focusing on my nerdy dedication to theater, music, 202 00:15:33,445 --> 00:15:39,965 Speaker 1: and art. However, as high school progressed, our family's financial 203 00:15:40,005 --> 00:15:44,245 Speaker 1: hardship began to surface. In nineteen ninety one, my dad 204 00:15:44,285 --> 00:15:47,165 Speaker 1: sells our Tahoe house and becomes a real estate agent, 205 00:15:47,645 --> 00:15:50,725 Speaker 1: which doesn't go well, and by my senior year in 206 00:15:50,805 --> 00:15:56,485 Speaker 1: high school, my dad is broke. How do you replace 207 00:15:56,605 --> 00:15:59,405 Speaker 1: making half a million dollars from a handshake and a 208 00:15:59,405 --> 00:16:02,805 Speaker 1: cross country drive with a truck of pot disguised by 209 00:16:02,845 --> 00:16:06,165 Speaker 1: thrift store furniture. You can't put a resum out there, 210 00:16:06,925 --> 00:16:12,085 Speaker 1: and my unconventional, outspoken, often misunderstood dad isn't fit to 211 00:16:12,125 --> 00:16:19,685 Speaker 1: work for anyone but himself. He's desperate. In nineteen ninety two, 212 00:16:20,005 --> 00:16:25,485 Speaker 1: a small opportunity arises, a meager trip of fifty pounds 213 00:16:26,165 --> 00:16:28,645 Speaker 1: peanuts compared to what my dad was used to smuggling, 214 00:16:29,565 --> 00:16:32,485 Speaker 1: but in need of money to support his family, he 215 00:16:32,525 --> 00:16:39,845 Speaker 1: calls Hi Fi. Hi Fi was my dad's main guy 216 00:16:40,005 --> 00:16:43,525 Speaker 1: in New York, meaning my dad would truck loads of 217 00:16:43,565 --> 00:16:47,565 Speaker 1: pot to New York City to High Fi to distribute. 218 00:16:48,165 --> 00:16:51,565 Speaker 1: And Dad and High Fi were also extremely close friends. 219 00:16:52,325 --> 00:16:56,685 Speaker 1: They've been through a lot together. So in the early eighties, 220 00:16:56,965 --> 00:16:59,925 Speaker 1: my dad's guy in New York City was actually Neil. 221 00:17:01,005 --> 00:17:04,765 Speaker 1: I talked about Neil in episode six because Neil introduced 222 00:17:04,765 --> 00:17:09,285 Speaker 1: my dad to fine investing. Now when Neil was twenty one, 223 00:17:09,325 --> 00:17:12,165 Speaker 1: he tragically died in a house fire the night he 224 00:17:12,245 --> 00:17:15,405 Speaker 1: returned to New York City after spending the weekend at 225 00:17:15,405 --> 00:17:20,125 Speaker 1: my family's home celebrating his godson's first birthday. Neil was 226 00:17:20,125 --> 00:17:24,925 Speaker 1: my little brother's godfather. I'll never forget my alarm coming 227 00:17:24,965 --> 00:17:27,845 Speaker 1: upon my parents in the kitchen, clinging to each other 228 00:17:28,165 --> 00:17:33,725 Speaker 1: and sobbing, gently telling me Neil had died, which didn't 229 00:17:33,765 --> 00:17:36,805 Speaker 1: make sense because he had just been standing in our 230 00:17:36,925 --> 00:17:46,445 Speaker 1: kitchen alive the day before. I was eight. Well before 231 00:17:46,525 --> 00:17:49,765 Speaker 1: his awful death, Neil was also a pot dealer to 232 00:17:49,965 --> 00:17:55,085 Speaker 1: rock stars and required a bodyguard. Enter Hi Fi, a 233 00:17:55,165 --> 00:17:59,845 Speaker 1: Vietnam vet and son of Holocaust survivors and freedom fighters. 234 00:18:01,645 --> 00:18:04,365 Speaker 1: Hi Fi met Neil in a stereo store and they 235 00:18:04,365 --> 00:18:08,845 Speaker 1: bonded over music. Now Neil, High Fi and my dad 236 00:18:08,845 --> 00:18:12,485 Speaker 1: become close friends as well as business partners, and then 237 00:18:12,565 --> 00:18:17,885 Speaker 1: Neil dies unexpectedly. There's a morning period of inertia, grief 238 00:18:18,005 --> 00:18:22,125 Speaker 1: and shock, and eventually High Fi takes over for Neil 239 00:18:22,725 --> 00:18:27,565 Speaker 1: and becomes my dad's guy in New York City. My 240 00:18:27,725 --> 00:18:30,965 Speaker 1: parents in HIGHI had a deep friendship as well as 241 00:18:30,965 --> 00:18:36,125 Speaker 1: a fruitful business relationship. Perhaps Neil's extraordinary life and deathly 242 00:18:36,205 --> 00:18:41,205 Speaker 1: presence infused my Dad and Highi's alliance with distinction, integrity, 243 00:18:41,245 --> 00:18:47,325 Speaker 1: and goodness. Who knows, but they were tight, which makes 244 00:18:47,325 --> 00:18:51,525 Speaker 1: the next thing that happened all the worse. And to 245 00:18:51,605 --> 00:18:56,725 Speaker 1: make this chapter even more intense, emotional, and astonishing, I'm 246 00:18:56,765 --> 00:19:00,965 Speaker 1: about to tell you the story my dad never told 247 00:19:01,205 --> 00:19:07,365 Speaker 1: anyone for thirty plus years. This is his war buddy 248 00:19:07,445 --> 00:19:10,205 Speaker 1: left on the field story that he was too ashamed 249 00:19:10,205 --> 00:19:15,325 Speaker 1: to tell anyone, including his best friend my mom, until now. 250 00:19:19,845 --> 00:19:22,725 Speaker 1: So this story, I just asked Dad to tell it 251 00:19:22,885 --> 00:19:24,645 Speaker 1: to you, and he's talked about it, and he said, 252 00:19:24,645 --> 00:19:28,405 Speaker 1: I've never told your mother. Mom, I've never told you. 253 00:19:28,685 --> 00:19:34,965 Speaker 1: I'm scared. We're still here. So I get this is 254 00:19:35,365 --> 00:19:39,645 Speaker 1: twenty seven years ago. Twenty seven years ago, but it 255 00:19:39,725 --> 00:19:42,445 Speaker 1: was something I didn't think you needed to know back 256 00:19:42,485 --> 00:19:48,365 Speaker 1: then because it was it was kind of funky basically, 257 00:19:49,885 --> 00:19:55,565 Speaker 1: as you know, by ninety two, we were starting to struggle. Yeah, 258 00:19:55,605 --> 00:19:58,845 Speaker 1: we had money that carried us through for some years 259 00:19:59,045 --> 00:20:05,325 Speaker 1: after I quit, but then looking for something else to do, 260 00:20:07,365 --> 00:20:14,685 Speaker 1: we went through various things, and anyway, by ninety two, 261 00:20:14,925 --> 00:20:20,965 Speaker 1: I was feeling a little desperate, which was there's nothing 262 00:20:21,085 --> 00:20:24,565 Speaker 1: worse than feeling desperate. Because all you can make is 263 00:20:24,605 --> 00:20:29,285 Speaker 1: poor decisions. So this feeling led to a thing of 264 00:20:29,325 --> 00:20:34,405 Speaker 1: me sort of reaching out to somebody who was a neighbor. 265 00:20:34,565 --> 00:20:36,685 Speaker 1: But he said, hey, I've got a friend in Indiana. 266 00:20:36,965 --> 00:20:41,605 Speaker 1: I can probably get a bunch of some stuff fronted 267 00:20:42,285 --> 00:20:45,045 Speaker 1: to you. So the neighbor hooks up. My dad was 268 00:20:45,125 --> 00:20:49,925 Speaker 1: some guy in Indiana, an ominous sign. Remember Indiana is 269 00:20:49,925 --> 00:20:52,325 Speaker 1: where the Brooklyn Boys were busted on the night of 270 00:20:52,365 --> 00:20:55,085 Speaker 1: my birth, when my dad lost his life savings but 271 00:20:55,205 --> 00:21:00,445 Speaker 1: gained a child. Me well, in my cranking of my brain, 272 00:21:00,525 --> 00:21:05,325 Speaker 1: then I thought, okay, well that's cool. I talked to 273 00:21:05,565 --> 00:21:11,645 Speaker 1: Hi Fi. We decided to meet in Bloomington. Met with 274 00:21:11,725 --> 00:21:16,245 Speaker 1: this guy who was weird, and the pot he offered 275 00:21:16,445 --> 00:21:21,565 Speaker 1: was really pretty funky, pretty tea funky. But I pushed 276 00:21:22,925 --> 00:21:26,405 Speaker 1: Hi Fi into saying, oh, come on, let's start to 277 00:21:26,485 --> 00:21:29,685 Speaker 1: see what can happen. It's not that much. Let's see 278 00:21:29,725 --> 00:21:32,965 Speaker 1: if we can get something going again. Both Hi Fi 279 00:21:33,085 --> 00:21:38,445 Speaker 1: and I were skeptical of its quality. I mean, we 280 00:21:38,525 --> 00:21:44,045 Speaker 1: knew it wasn't particularly good, but I feel like I 281 00:21:44,165 --> 00:21:46,885 Speaker 1: was the one who sort of pushed him to it, 282 00:21:47,165 --> 00:21:49,165 Speaker 1: said oh, come on, let's try. It's not that much. 283 00:21:49,245 --> 00:21:51,725 Speaker 1: You know, get rid of it or whatever the and 284 00:21:51,765 --> 00:21:56,285 Speaker 1: so we got it. We packaged it up in the 285 00:21:56,725 --> 00:22:00,725 Speaker 1: motel room we were in. Wasn't that much. So he 286 00:22:01,205 --> 00:22:08,125 Speaker 1: takes off back to the East and I jumped back 287 00:22:08,165 --> 00:22:13,925 Speaker 1: on a plane come home, and I got a call, 288 00:22:14,205 --> 00:22:20,325 Speaker 1: I don't know how from his wife saying he just 289 00:22:20,405 --> 00:22:31,485 Speaker 1: got busted in. OHI I didn't know anything about what 290 00:22:31,565 --> 00:22:35,765 Speaker 1: had happened on his side. It's not a happy story. 291 00:22:35,965 --> 00:22:43,005 Speaker 1: And it it was so such a downer and depressing. 292 00:22:43,005 --> 00:22:46,885 Speaker 1: It's sort of for me beyond nailed the coffin shut 293 00:22:46,925 --> 00:22:52,845 Speaker 1: of Okay, fuck this. You know, I quit four years before, 294 00:22:52,925 --> 00:22:57,165 Speaker 1: in nineteen eighty eight because of this other thing. But this, 295 00:22:57,565 --> 00:22:59,925 Speaker 1: I mean, that was just money. This was his life. 296 00:22:59,965 --> 00:23:03,765 Speaker 1: They put him, they put him in jail, and he's 297 00:23:03,805 --> 00:23:06,845 Speaker 1: the most careful guy. I don't know how it happened. 298 00:23:06,845 --> 00:23:09,125 Speaker 1: I mean, it's a part of me that thinks that 299 00:23:09,405 --> 00:23:13,725 Speaker 1: these guys dropped a dime. Remember, drop a dime means 300 00:23:13,805 --> 00:23:16,765 Speaker 1: to turn in an associate to law enforcement in exchange 301 00:23:16,765 --> 00:23:20,125 Speaker 1: for freedom. Fun fact, it originates from the vintage action 302 00:23:20,165 --> 00:23:22,965 Speaker 1: of dropping a dime into a payphone to call the cops. 303 00:23:24,965 --> 00:23:29,085 Speaker 1: So my dad's lifelong shame based on his inability to 304 00:23:29,205 --> 00:23:33,045 Speaker 1: help his number one guy. His ally wore buddy high 305 00:23:33,045 --> 00:23:38,725 Speaker 1: fine begins back home, so I had been keeping it. 306 00:23:38,765 --> 00:23:40,605 Speaker 1: So I gave him a bunch of wine. And I 307 00:23:40,645 --> 00:23:42,485 Speaker 1: can't even remember if I gave him all of what 308 00:23:42,765 --> 00:23:45,685 Speaker 1: he was owed. At the time, we were both really struggling. 309 00:23:46,405 --> 00:23:50,685 Speaker 1: I was obviously pretty up tight. That's the worst thing 310 00:23:50,685 --> 00:23:55,405 Speaker 1: that ever happened to me and my crew ever personally 311 00:23:55,525 --> 00:23:57,885 Speaker 1: with my I mean, and he was he was like 312 00:23:58,405 --> 00:24:03,605 Speaker 1: my partner. My inability without the amounts of money that 313 00:24:03,805 --> 00:24:07,325 Speaker 1: was needed. I just got very frightened and shrank and 314 00:24:07,445 --> 00:24:12,245 Speaker 1: I left him on the battlefield. I mean, that is 315 00:24:12,565 --> 00:24:17,405 Speaker 1: the biggest thing in my life that still haunts me. 316 00:24:21,365 --> 00:24:24,965 Speaker 1: Working outside the law is like war. The smuggler has 317 00:24:25,005 --> 00:24:28,645 Speaker 1: an enemy the government, and being taken by the enemy 318 00:24:28,645 --> 00:24:36,925 Speaker 1: in smuggling or war has the same consequences downfall, ruin prison. Sadly, 319 00:24:37,045 --> 00:24:40,365 Speaker 1: after Hi Fi was busted, my dad buried his head 320 00:24:40,365 --> 00:24:43,365 Speaker 1: in the sand like an Ostrich, the same way Blondie 321 00:24:43,365 --> 00:24:46,925 Speaker 1: did in the Final Straw Trip. And aside from sending 322 00:24:47,005 --> 00:24:50,405 Speaker 1: Hi Fi some wine, my dad was too paralyzed to 323 00:24:50,445 --> 00:24:54,565 Speaker 1: reach out again. Dad was afraid being connected to Hiphi 324 00:24:54,645 --> 00:24:58,005 Speaker 1: would lead to his own arrest, and his subsequent silence 325 00:24:58,045 --> 00:25:02,485 Speaker 1: became a heavy secret burden. My dad never knew exactly 326 00:25:02,525 --> 00:25:06,165 Speaker 1: what happened to Hiphi. After the bust, they drifted apart 327 00:25:06,885 --> 00:25:12,165 Speaker 1: and entombed. Secrets lay hidden. Now. When I started this podcast, 328 00:25:12,485 --> 00:25:15,925 Speaker 1: my dad hadn't spoken to High Fi in twenty seven years. 329 00:25:16,725 --> 00:25:21,085 Speaker 1: Throughout our interviews, Dad kept mentioning HIGHI, expressing a longing 330 00:25:21,165 --> 00:25:27,045 Speaker 1: to reconnect, reach out, and apologize. So I went to 331 00:25:27,085 --> 00:25:29,725 Speaker 1: New York to see if HIHI would be willing to 332 00:25:29,765 --> 00:25:34,805 Speaker 1: talk about it. All right, I'm at an old Italian 333 00:25:34,885 --> 00:25:40,485 Speaker 1: restaurant founded in nineteen fifty six. It's called Four Ladies. 334 00:25:41,125 --> 00:25:44,365 Speaker 1: It's on the edge of Chinatown and Italy. I'm meeting 335 00:25:44,685 --> 00:25:50,885 Speaker 1: my dad's guy in New York. Stay tuned. We hope 336 00:25:50,885 --> 00:25:55,045 Speaker 1: he will talk to me on team. I meet him 337 00:25:55,085 --> 00:25:58,325 Speaker 1: at a restaurant you'd find tony soprano in red booths, 338 00:25:58,485 --> 00:26:02,125 Speaker 1: giant plates of Marinera, and lifelong Italian waiters who act 339 00:26:02,165 --> 00:26:05,725 Speaker 1: like adoring uncles you've known your whole life. Now. I 340 00:26:05,765 --> 00:26:09,725 Speaker 1: haven't seen Hi Fi since nineteen ninety two, my senior 341 00:26:09,805 --> 00:26:12,805 Speaker 1: year in high school, and he tells me He chose 342 00:26:12,845 --> 00:26:15,685 Speaker 1: the Eatery because he and Neil went there in the 343 00:26:15,685 --> 00:26:19,245 Speaker 1: early eighties. But it took that visit and a lot 344 00:26:19,245 --> 00:26:22,205 Speaker 1: more conversations for him to be willing to talk about 345 00:26:22,205 --> 00:26:25,845 Speaker 1: it on tape. Finally, I spoke to him on the 346 00:26:25,885 --> 00:26:28,605 Speaker 1: phone a few days before the release of this episode, 347 00:26:29,245 --> 00:26:33,725 Speaker 1: and High Fi's traumatic story reveals that my dad got 348 00:26:33,725 --> 00:26:36,325 Speaker 1: out of pot smuggling by the skin of his teeth. 349 00:26:37,845 --> 00:26:41,605 Speaker 1: So here's HIGHI. So I makee with a man. You know, 350 00:26:41,685 --> 00:26:44,045 Speaker 1: it didn't feel right right from the get go. We 351 00:26:44,165 --> 00:26:47,125 Speaker 1: met with the guy, and you know, you look kind 352 00:26:47,125 --> 00:26:50,845 Speaker 1: of nervous, and it wasn't the usual kind of connection 353 00:26:50,925 --> 00:26:54,725 Speaker 1: that I was used to doing with your father. This 354 00:26:54,765 --> 00:26:57,725 Speaker 1: guy opens up a trunk and the back of a vein. 355 00:26:57,845 --> 00:27:03,845 Speaker 1: I believe those basically hodgepodge of product. You know, looking 356 00:27:03,845 --> 00:27:06,045 Speaker 1: back on it, it looked like some thing that was 357 00:27:06,165 --> 00:27:09,725 Speaker 1: seized because a lot of it was loosened bags and 358 00:27:10,405 --> 00:27:14,605 Speaker 1: in cylinders. It wasn't consistent. It looked like it looked 359 00:27:14,605 --> 00:27:17,845 Speaker 1: like it was commandeered or or you know, seized out 360 00:27:17,845 --> 00:27:22,405 Speaker 1: of somewhere but struggling. I was very disappointed, but you know, 361 00:27:22,445 --> 00:27:25,005 Speaker 1: I looked at father. He said, yeah, Yeah, that's all 362 00:27:25,045 --> 00:27:27,805 Speaker 1: the best we can do right now. Like my dad, 363 00:27:28,045 --> 00:27:31,925 Speaker 1: hi Fi had also been struggling financially because once my 364 00:27:32,045 --> 00:27:35,165 Speaker 1: dad retired in nineteen eighty eight, part of hi Fi's 365 00:27:35,245 --> 00:27:41,885 Speaker 1: business also disappeared. So I'm I'm driving and through Indiana 366 00:27:41,965 --> 00:27:45,805 Speaker 1: and I get into Ohio. You know, on the interstate, 367 00:27:45,925 --> 00:27:50,885 Speaker 1: there's apparent construction going on. But next to the construction zone, 368 00:27:50,965 --> 00:27:53,445 Speaker 1: you know, there's this trooper, you know, and I see 369 00:27:53,525 --> 00:27:56,925 Speaker 1: him and he's got binoculars. So as I approach and 370 00:27:57,005 --> 00:28:01,485 Speaker 1: pass him, he pulls out. That's it, Okay, that's interesting. 371 00:28:02,325 --> 00:28:06,365 Speaker 1: He comes behind me, flashes the lights. Pull over. Okay. 372 00:28:06,365 --> 00:28:08,645 Speaker 1: So I pull over and I look and it's a 373 00:28:08,725 --> 00:28:12,965 Speaker 1: canine unit. He comes out with the dog, walks the 374 00:28:13,005 --> 00:28:16,405 Speaker 1: dog around. My card. Didn't say anything to me, so after, 375 00:28:16,645 --> 00:28:19,325 Speaker 1: you know, whatever the dog does, I guess the dog 376 00:28:19,445 --> 00:28:22,285 Speaker 1: pointed because yeah, I had product on it, and it 377 00:28:22,405 --> 00:28:26,245 Speaker 1: wasn't very very well packaged, you know, my mistake, Shame 378 00:28:26,325 --> 00:28:29,165 Speaker 1: on me. My dad and Hyphi had packaged the fifty 379 00:28:29,165 --> 00:28:32,045 Speaker 1: pounds in a motel room in Indiana, so they weren't 380 00:28:32,085 --> 00:28:35,365 Speaker 1: in their own space with their customary tools, and the 381 00:28:35,405 --> 00:28:39,485 Speaker 1: pot wasn't as carefully packaged as usual. From the beginning, 382 00:28:39,765 --> 00:28:44,525 Speaker 1: the entire trip felt stressful, rushed, and ill prepared. I 383 00:28:44,645 --> 00:28:46,485 Speaker 1: rolled down the window and says, you know, you know, 384 00:28:46,685 --> 00:28:50,365 Speaker 1: you know why you're being stopped. I said no. I said, okay, 385 00:28:50,365 --> 00:28:52,485 Speaker 1: Can I see your driver's license? You know? He didn't 386 00:28:52,485 --> 00:28:56,805 Speaker 1: say one. Okay, So I gave him my driver's license 387 00:28:56,845 --> 00:28:58,965 Speaker 1: and all that, and says, well, I walked the dog 388 00:28:59,045 --> 00:29:03,885 Speaker 1: around your car, okay, and we have cause to certain, 389 00:29:03,925 --> 00:29:07,045 Speaker 1: you know, to search your car. Can we search your car? 390 00:29:07,085 --> 00:29:10,485 Speaker 1: I said no, right, I said, you know you're not 391 00:29:10,565 --> 00:29:14,645 Speaker 1: giving me cause of me. You're stopping me. I have 392 00:29:14,685 --> 00:29:18,805 Speaker 1: seen no reason for you to search my car. He 393 00:29:18,965 --> 00:29:20,445 Speaker 1: tells me to come out of the car. I come 394 00:29:20,445 --> 00:29:23,085 Speaker 1: out of the car. He handcuffs tells me to sit down, 395 00:29:24,045 --> 00:29:26,805 Speaker 1: So I sit down. I'm going fully cooperative. So he 396 00:29:26,925 --> 00:29:30,525 Speaker 1: opens up the trunk, finds finds the stuff. Okay. Then 397 00:29:30,525 --> 00:29:34,165 Speaker 1: he calls in whoever I'm still sitting there. Tow truck 398 00:29:34,445 --> 00:29:37,165 Speaker 1: you know, comes in. They load load the car that 399 00:29:37,205 --> 00:29:40,125 Speaker 1: I was in. He puts me back at his vehicle. Now, 400 00:29:40,205 --> 00:29:44,525 Speaker 1: mind you all, this is not protocol for arrest. And 401 00:29:44,605 --> 00:29:47,805 Speaker 1: I knew that That's why I was cooperating. Now, just 402 00:29:47,885 --> 00:29:50,645 Speaker 1: so you know, you know, the protocol is that you know, 403 00:29:50,725 --> 00:29:53,365 Speaker 1: when you're arrested, you know, they're supposed to be especially 404 00:29:53,365 --> 00:29:58,005 Speaker 1: with contraband or any plus suspect of illegal product you 405 00:29:58,045 --> 00:30:00,565 Speaker 1: know in the car, there has to be a supervisor, 406 00:30:00,845 --> 00:30:05,685 Speaker 1: especially with seizure of product, seizure of property. Okay, he 407 00:30:05,765 --> 00:30:08,965 Speaker 1: can't be the only one that does. This has to 408 00:30:09,125 --> 00:30:12,325 Speaker 1: be witnessed by a supervisor. They take High Fi to 409 00:30:12,445 --> 00:30:15,405 Speaker 1: jail and he calls his New York colleague, who alerts 410 00:30:15,525 --> 00:30:19,045 Speaker 1: Hi Fi his wife and a lawyer. The officials move 411 00:30:19,165 --> 00:30:22,605 Speaker 1: High Fi to a high security jail with local murderers 412 00:30:22,605 --> 00:30:25,765 Speaker 1: and bank robbers, and he's there for a week until 413 00:30:25,845 --> 00:30:29,085 Speaker 1: his new Ohio lawyer arrives to talk about the future. 414 00:30:29,565 --> 00:30:33,125 Speaker 1: And according to the lawyer, it's grim. So so you know, 415 00:30:33,205 --> 00:30:35,605 Speaker 1: you're going to do at least seven years, right, and 416 00:30:35,725 --> 00:30:38,365 Speaker 1: it's mandatory, and he's probably are going to do more. 417 00:30:39,125 --> 00:30:41,405 Speaker 1: So this guy's already given me up. This is supposed 418 00:30:41,405 --> 00:30:44,845 Speaker 1: to be my defense lawyer. So you know, when he 419 00:30:44,925 --> 00:30:47,245 Speaker 1: goes out, you know, I see him go through a 420 00:30:47,285 --> 00:30:51,405 Speaker 1: different room and he's talking to the you know, to day, 421 00:30:51,885 --> 00:30:55,965 Speaker 1: the prosecutor okay, and the cops are in there. Now, 422 00:30:56,005 --> 00:30:58,565 Speaker 1: this guy's supposed to be on my side. Hi Fi, 423 00:30:58,925 --> 00:31:02,405 Speaker 1: justly unsatisfied with this lawyer who's already given him up 424 00:31:02,405 --> 00:31:06,205 Speaker 1: for guilty, gets a recommendation for a superior or lawyer 425 00:31:06,325 --> 00:31:10,045 Speaker 1: from his new bank robber friend and sealemate. So he says, 426 00:31:10,085 --> 00:31:12,005 Speaker 1: you know, one thing that you have to tell me 427 00:31:12,085 --> 00:31:13,525 Speaker 1: is that we're going to sit down, and you have 428 00:31:13,605 --> 00:31:19,365 Speaker 1: to tell me exactly, you know, second by second what happened. Okay, 429 00:31:19,405 --> 00:31:21,165 Speaker 1: So I basically told him the same thing, and I 430 00:31:21,245 --> 00:31:24,005 Speaker 1: just told you, and he says, yeah, you know, it 431 00:31:24,045 --> 00:31:26,845 Speaker 1: says you know, I think we've got something here. You know, 432 00:31:27,285 --> 00:31:30,645 Speaker 1: later later I found out that you know, the cop 433 00:31:30,765 --> 00:31:34,765 Speaker 1: that that arrested me, you know, it was a rookie 434 00:31:35,605 --> 00:31:38,325 Speaker 1: and they were giving him the carler. You know, now 435 00:31:38,405 --> 00:31:42,405 Speaker 1: my suspect is a I'm suspicious. Up to this point, somebody, 436 00:31:42,525 --> 00:31:48,365 Speaker 1: somebody dropped the dime. Arming HiFi believes that someone dropped 437 00:31:48,405 --> 00:31:51,845 Speaker 1: a dime on him, and at this moment, sitting in 438 00:31:51,885 --> 00:31:56,485 Speaker 1: an Ohio jail, he doesn't know who, but realizes my 439 00:31:56,565 --> 00:31:59,565 Speaker 1: dad is a possibility. I mean the first question, you think, 440 00:32:00,245 --> 00:32:03,925 Speaker 1: did I drop a dime on him? Yeah? Yeah? And 441 00:32:03,965 --> 00:32:11,805 Speaker 1: then he didn't. And I mean, that's the I mean. 442 00:32:11,805 --> 00:32:15,725 Speaker 1: And that was really ugly, Steph, to think that my 443 00:32:15,885 --> 00:32:20,325 Speaker 1: partner kish It thought that I dropped a dime on him. 444 00:32:21,125 --> 00:32:24,285 Speaker 1: That's how ugly it was, That's how sad it was. 445 00:32:26,165 --> 00:32:28,805 Speaker 1: High fives in jail for a month. He puts up 446 00:32:28,845 --> 00:32:32,525 Speaker 1: twenty five thousand dollars for bail, plus ten thousand up 447 00:32:32,525 --> 00:32:35,725 Speaker 1: front for his new lawyer, and he spent six thousand 448 00:32:35,765 --> 00:32:39,925 Speaker 1: already for the previous inadequate lawyer. So he's already out 449 00:32:39,965 --> 00:32:44,885 Speaker 1: forty thousand and he hasn't even gone to trial. Now. Thankfully, 450 00:32:45,045 --> 00:32:49,245 Speaker 1: the superior lawyer recommended by the bank robber wins hi 451 00:32:49,325 --> 00:32:57,165 Speaker 1: Fi his freedom, but he's in enormous debt. In desperation 452 00:32:57,245 --> 00:33:00,405 Speaker 1: to pay back his legal debt, Hi Fi sets up 453 00:33:00,405 --> 00:33:05,445 Speaker 1: a trip with the Mexican cartel and his family pressed. 454 00:33:05,525 --> 00:33:08,045 Speaker 1: Sure's high fight to work with his brother in law 455 00:33:08,325 --> 00:33:11,565 Speaker 1: on the trip. Okay, And I've done business with him 456 00:33:11,605 --> 00:33:14,125 Speaker 1: before before, and he was three, didn't have a good tractor. 457 00:33:14,365 --> 00:33:17,525 Speaker 1: I've lost product with him before. But being family and 458 00:33:17,605 --> 00:33:19,925 Speaker 1: people in the family are begging me, I listen, give 459 00:33:20,005 --> 00:33:21,965 Speaker 1: him a no, no, the chance you know you'll make 460 00:33:22,005 --> 00:33:25,525 Speaker 1: good and all that I got the trip together, and 461 00:33:25,645 --> 00:33:28,965 Speaker 1: you know, Mexican Mexican cartels, we know, you know, they 462 00:33:29,045 --> 00:33:32,605 Speaker 1: don't they don't bullshit around, you know. And I felt 463 00:33:32,605 --> 00:33:34,805 Speaker 1: confident that I could turn you know, turn it over 464 00:33:35,005 --> 00:33:37,285 Speaker 1: and pay him back and all that. But next thing 465 00:33:37,325 --> 00:33:40,765 Speaker 1: I know is that, you know, these people telling me 466 00:33:40,805 --> 00:33:46,685 Speaker 1: that they lost the trip. The trip goes terribly wrong. 467 00:33:47,405 --> 00:33:50,645 Speaker 1: Hi Fi's brother in law and associate end up losing 468 00:33:50,845 --> 00:33:55,045 Speaker 1: the Mexican cartel's pot or betraying high Fight, depending how 469 00:33:55,045 --> 00:33:58,725 Speaker 1: we look at it. And the Mexican cartels pot was 470 00:33:58,725 --> 00:34:02,685 Speaker 1: worth four hundred and fifty thousand dollars worth over eight 471 00:34:02,765 --> 00:34:08,085 Speaker 1: hundred thousand dollars in today's money, leaving High Fi massively 472 00:34:08,125 --> 00:34:13,725 Speaker 1: in debt to the Mexican cartel. So Hi Fi meets 473 00:34:13,805 --> 00:34:16,525 Speaker 1: up with the two traders to figure out what to do. 474 00:34:17,005 --> 00:34:19,045 Speaker 1: You know. So I'm telling, I says, listen, you know, 475 00:34:19,045 --> 00:34:21,885 Speaker 1: I said, we've got to come up with a payment 476 00:34:22,005 --> 00:34:24,965 Speaker 1: on this. Maybe I can negotiate them down, or we've 477 00:34:24,965 --> 00:34:27,485 Speaker 1: got to start paying them back. You know. So this 478 00:34:27,645 --> 00:34:30,685 Speaker 1: other guy that with him, you know, I says, he says, 479 00:34:30,725 --> 00:34:33,445 Speaker 1: what you know, you want war, We'll give you war, 480 00:34:34,245 --> 00:34:36,925 Speaker 1: I said, war. He says, you know right there, and 481 00:34:36,965 --> 00:34:38,885 Speaker 1: then I said, okay, you know, these guys, these guys 482 00:34:38,885 --> 00:34:42,845 Speaker 1: are out of their minds. We don't deal in those parameters, 483 00:34:42,965 --> 00:34:45,285 Speaker 1: you know, like like like they're talking about, you know, 484 00:34:45,685 --> 00:34:48,925 Speaker 1: it's all gentlemen and handshakes and all that. I felt like, 485 00:34:49,005 --> 00:34:51,005 Speaker 1: you know, I said, okay, you know, because I'm capable 486 00:34:51,045 --> 00:34:53,045 Speaker 1: of I was going to waste them right there. And 487 00:34:53,085 --> 00:34:56,045 Speaker 1: then well then I said, okay, you know, if I 488 00:34:56,165 --> 00:34:58,565 Speaker 1: do that, then then but I go to jail for 489 00:34:59,045 --> 00:35:01,885 Speaker 1: a couple of low lives. Hi Fi is referring to 490 00:35:01,965 --> 00:35:05,845 Speaker 1: his brother in law and his brother in law's associate. Now, 491 00:35:05,885 --> 00:35:09,965 Speaker 1: ultimately hi Fi is responsible for the product, and these 492 00:35:10,005 --> 00:35:14,045 Speaker 1: guys put hi Fi's life on the line. He severs 493 00:35:14,165 --> 00:35:17,965 Speaker 1: all contact with them and never talked to them. I 494 00:35:18,045 --> 00:35:21,965 Speaker 1: never contacted them and blacklisted them. And that didn't go 495 00:35:22,005 --> 00:35:24,725 Speaker 1: all the well, because you know, my family's going what 496 00:35:24,845 --> 00:35:27,765 Speaker 1: happened and that, you know, I said, well, you know, 497 00:35:27,925 --> 00:35:30,205 Speaker 1: let's let's keep it that way. I don't want anything 498 00:35:30,245 --> 00:35:33,365 Speaker 1: to do with this guy. Ever. Again, what ended up 499 00:35:33,365 --> 00:35:35,845 Speaker 1: happening to these guys is the guy that once said 500 00:35:35,845 --> 00:35:38,285 Speaker 1: that he wanted war, he got shot by his own 501 00:35:38,325 --> 00:35:42,125 Speaker 1: people killed and the guy that you know that that 502 00:35:42,365 --> 00:35:45,205 Speaker 1: betrayed me family member. He ended up going to jail 503 00:35:45,245 --> 00:35:48,165 Speaker 1: and he died in jail. The karmar Karma is a bitch, 504 00:35:48,245 --> 00:35:54,565 Speaker 1: isn't it. Now This sounds brutal, but remember Hi Fi 505 00:35:54,845 --> 00:36:00,245 Speaker 1: is the son of concentration camp survivors, Holocaust freedom fighters, 506 00:36:00,725 --> 00:36:05,325 Speaker 1: plus he's a Vietnam Vet. Furthermore, Hi Fi got into 507 00:36:05,285 --> 00:36:10,485 Speaker 1: smuggling as a bodyguard for a reason. He excels at 508 00:36:10,605 --> 00:36:15,205 Speaker 1: keeping people safe, and his brother in law's deadly betrayal 509 00:36:15,845 --> 00:36:19,285 Speaker 1: has just turned Hi Fi into a bullseye for the 510 00:36:19,325 --> 00:36:23,925 Speaker 1: Mexican cartel. I had met with the cartel, you know, 511 00:36:24,045 --> 00:36:27,605 Speaker 1: in mid Manhattan, and I thought I wasn't going to 512 00:36:27,645 --> 00:36:29,725 Speaker 1: walk out it there. But but I had back up. 513 00:36:29,805 --> 00:36:33,005 Speaker 1: I said, listening, anything happens to me, you know, because 514 00:36:33,205 --> 00:36:35,885 Speaker 1: you know, I had guys look look looking out for 515 00:36:35,965 --> 00:36:39,085 Speaker 1: me in case something did happen. You know, we're going 516 00:36:39,125 --> 00:36:43,245 Speaker 1: to escalate the meeting, you know. But nothing happened. He says, Okay, 517 00:36:43,285 --> 00:36:46,405 Speaker 1: you know, listen, because give me time to work this out, 518 00:36:46,925 --> 00:36:50,085 Speaker 1: you know, and I'll make good on it. Then I did, okay, 519 00:36:50,125 --> 00:36:53,925 Speaker 1: but it took me a long time. Now always spectacular 520 00:36:54,005 --> 00:36:57,205 Speaker 1: at his job, Hi Fi made a deal with a 521 00:36:57,325 --> 00:37:02,285 Speaker 1: Mexican cartel and after ten years of arduous work, repaid 522 00:37:02,445 --> 00:37:05,685 Speaker 1: his debt. And he tells me at the end of 523 00:37:05,725 --> 00:37:14,765 Speaker 1: it all, he's not afraid of who's behind him. But 524 00:37:14,885 --> 00:37:18,565 Speaker 1: along with the casualty of colleagues, the Mexican cartel's pot, 525 00:37:19,005 --> 00:37:23,125 Speaker 1: and ten years of high stakes debt, was the loss 526 00:37:23,165 --> 00:37:26,565 Speaker 1: of the friendship between High Fi and my dad. We 527 00:37:26,805 --> 00:37:32,605 Speaker 1: were great business partners, aren't friends for a good decade. 528 00:37:32,805 --> 00:37:36,725 Speaker 1: But you know, when things weren solved for whatever reason, 529 00:37:36,885 --> 00:37:40,405 Speaker 1: you know, I tried to reach out, but rip wasn't 530 00:37:41,285 --> 00:37:44,725 Speaker 1: we see a purple I guess why didn't my dad 531 00:37:44,765 --> 00:37:50,005 Speaker 1: connect with High Fi after his bust, shame and guilt. 532 00:37:51,805 --> 00:37:55,565 Speaker 1: My dad was embarrassed he couldn't help his comrade, ashamed 533 00:37:55,565 --> 00:37:58,925 Speaker 1: he couldn't save him, so he just shut down and 534 00:37:59,005 --> 00:38:02,125 Speaker 1: buried the whole thing. Never spoke a word about this 535 00:38:02,165 --> 00:38:08,405 Speaker 1: trip to anyone, including my mom, until now. But did 536 00:38:08,445 --> 00:38:11,565 Speaker 1: you wonder why High Fi didn't come around anymore? Yeah, 537 00:38:11,565 --> 00:38:14,045 Speaker 1: because we had quit. We had quit years we could 538 00:38:14,205 --> 00:38:17,685 Speaker 1: so we we just I thought we had quit. She 539 00:38:17,725 --> 00:38:20,005 Speaker 1: didn't know this. I did this secretly. I just said 540 00:38:20,005 --> 00:38:24,885 Speaker 1: I was going going on something or something, you know, 541 00:38:24,965 --> 00:38:28,445 Speaker 1: and so I didn't like. I was always like, I 542 00:38:28,485 --> 00:38:30,925 Speaker 1: had no idea. That would have been awful. I mean 543 00:38:31,045 --> 00:38:35,325 Speaker 1: it was awful when our friend who's who introduced us 544 00:38:35,365 --> 00:38:40,005 Speaker 1: to him died, but that this was really awful, too awful, 545 00:38:40,565 --> 00:38:47,765 Speaker 1: and I I just didn't want to dump it on you. Also, 546 00:38:47,885 --> 00:38:51,965 Speaker 1: I didn't feel like you needed to carry this this burden. 547 00:38:52,965 --> 00:38:58,565 Speaker 1: Well it's a I don't know if that's a good idea. Well, 548 00:38:58,685 --> 00:39:01,125 Speaker 1: usually when you do something like that, you take your 549 00:39:01,165 --> 00:39:05,605 Speaker 1: own responsibility. You don't expect other people to be all 550 00:39:05,685 --> 00:39:10,005 Speaker 1: you out, well, especially if they don't have any money. No, 551 00:39:10,125 --> 00:39:17,405 Speaker 1: I'm I'm well aware, like irresponsible to my family. Oh 552 00:39:17,925 --> 00:39:21,165 Speaker 1: that you were, you were, you were well, he was 553 00:39:21,205 --> 00:39:23,565 Speaker 1: as close to us as anybody was. When you do 554 00:39:23,885 --> 00:39:30,005 Speaker 1: something and you get caught, it's your responsibility snitch, right, 555 00:39:30,445 --> 00:39:33,725 Speaker 1: he did what he did. He didn't snitch. Oh, he 556 00:39:34,205 --> 00:39:36,685 Speaker 1: was strapped, right, he didn't at all. It was always 557 00:39:36,765 --> 00:39:39,165 Speaker 1: true to a sword. And you were. I mean you didn't. 558 00:39:39,685 --> 00:39:42,485 Speaker 1: We didn't have any money at that point in time. 559 00:39:42,565 --> 00:39:47,325 Speaker 1: We lost the whole house. I just really went into 560 00:39:47,445 --> 00:39:51,525 Speaker 1: a deep hot that's when you went your depression, your 561 00:39:51,565 --> 00:39:55,485 Speaker 1: your long depression might be. And then and get out 562 00:39:55,525 --> 00:39:59,685 Speaker 1: of the couch. Remember you couldn't get up for months. 563 00:40:01,805 --> 00:40:05,005 Speaker 1: You just laid their watch television on the red couch 564 00:40:05,085 --> 00:40:09,005 Speaker 1: and the dan. Yeah, what do you remember you hold 565 00:40:09,005 --> 00:40:13,205 Speaker 1: about him at that time? Did you got really depressed? 566 00:40:14,245 --> 00:40:18,005 Speaker 1: Really depressed? Nine two? Yeah? Yeah, I don't know what, 567 00:40:18,045 --> 00:40:20,605 Speaker 1: I don't I don't know, right, there was nothing I 568 00:40:20,645 --> 00:40:23,565 Speaker 1: could do. But that doesn't that that doesn't I mean 569 00:40:23,605 --> 00:40:25,565 Speaker 1: you were both kind of really dumb to go out 570 00:40:25,565 --> 00:40:32,245 Speaker 1: there without any without anything. Yeah, it's really dumb. That's boke. 571 00:40:34,085 --> 00:40:36,445 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, I didn't mean. Yeah, well, no, it's important 572 00:40:36,565 --> 00:40:41,845 Speaker 1: to have the wherewithal to back up with your doing 573 00:40:42,685 --> 00:40:46,405 Speaker 1: in case, just in case, because like obviously you thought 574 00:40:46,445 --> 00:40:55,565 Speaker 1: you guys were never gonna get in trouble. Witnessing my 575 00:40:55,645 --> 00:40:59,205 Speaker 1: dad reveal this story to my mom was incredible and 576 00:40:59,365 --> 00:41:05,205 Speaker 1: cathartic for all of us, and we all feel lighter, free, disencumbered. 577 00:41:06,085 --> 00:41:09,925 Speaker 1: How do you feel hearing this? I feel Walter accused 578 00:41:10,005 --> 00:41:13,565 Speaker 1: himself of not being good enough. I mean, this was 579 00:41:13,725 --> 00:41:17,285 Speaker 1: like very horrible, but it happens like I you know, 580 00:41:17,965 --> 00:41:22,805 Speaker 1: I do with it? Do you wish you know? Uh? Yeah, 581 00:41:23,485 --> 00:41:27,405 Speaker 1: because it would have caused him no less suffering. You know, 582 00:41:27,805 --> 00:41:33,485 Speaker 1: actually you could have shared the suffering with him. Yeah, 583 00:41:33,525 --> 00:41:37,205 Speaker 1: well he's still suffering because she should never like think 584 00:41:37,325 --> 00:41:39,565 Speaker 1: that you should never think that you're not good enough 585 00:41:39,565 --> 00:41:42,685 Speaker 1: because she couldn't do anything. I mean, we all knew 586 00:41:42,725 --> 00:41:45,965 Speaker 1: that we couldn't do anything without a lot of money, 587 00:41:46,645 --> 00:41:52,005 Speaker 1: you know. Oh, yes, then you get more desperate, more desperate. 588 00:41:53,125 --> 00:41:57,445 Speaker 1: How do you feel? How do I feel? I feel 589 00:41:57,925 --> 00:42:04,005 Speaker 1: greatly relieved, and I feel that what I have known 590 00:42:05,525 --> 00:42:10,445 Speaker 1: most of our whole lives is how this person has 591 00:42:10,485 --> 00:42:16,605 Speaker 1: been my partner my whole life and supported me through 592 00:42:16,805 --> 00:42:22,885 Speaker 1: the ups and downs of mine and our mistakes and 593 00:42:23,205 --> 00:42:34,885 Speaker 1: has so I feel. I feel I'm managed. Telling my 594 00:42:34,965 --> 00:42:37,525 Speaker 1: mom this big secret about leaving Hi Fi on the 595 00:42:37,565 --> 00:42:43,245 Speaker 1: battlefield lifted an enormous burden from my dad. But there's 596 00:42:43,245 --> 00:42:46,245 Speaker 1: one more thing my parents want to do to release 597 00:42:46,405 --> 00:42:49,205 Speaker 1: shame and guilt and heal the wounds of the past, 598 00:42:50,845 --> 00:42:55,365 Speaker 1: apologize to Hi Fi and thank him for not turning 599 00:42:55,405 --> 00:43:00,485 Speaker 1: them in. Next week's episode is the last of this season. 600 00:43:01,325 --> 00:43:03,925 Speaker 1: We wrap up with my dad's smuggling career and I 601 00:43:04,045 --> 00:43:07,005 Speaker 1: reflect on being a smuger's daughter with one of my 602 00:43:07,085 --> 00:43:10,645 Speaker 1: closest friends who shares the same title as me, but 603 00:43:10,805 --> 00:43:16,405 Speaker 1: experienced a very different childhood, and my parents give Hi 604 00:43:16,445 --> 00:43:21,245 Speaker 1: Fi a call. I'm Rainbow Valentine. This is Disorganized Crime 605 00:43:21,485 --> 00:43:32,605 Speaker 1: Smuggler's Daughter. Disorganized Crime Smuggler's Daughter is written and recorded 606 00:43:32,605 --> 00:43:36,685 Speaker 1: by Me Rainbow Valentine. Our producers are Gabby Watts and 607 00:43:36,805 --> 00:43:41,405 Speaker 1: Taylor Church. Executive producers are Brandon Barr, Brian Lavin, Elsie 608 00:43:41,405 --> 00:43:44,605 Speaker 1: Crowley and Me at School of Humans, and Connell Burn 609 00:43:44,645 --> 00:43:47,645 Speaker 1: and Charles Bryant at iHeartRadio. Our music is by Gabby 610 00:43:47,725 --> 00:43:50,565 Speaker 1: Lala and Claire Campbell, with original theme by Mark Karen 611 00:43:50,685 --> 00:43:54,405 Speaker 1: and Me. You can follow us online at Disorganized Crime 612 00:43:54,605 --> 00:44:11,085 Speaker 1: podcast dot com. Young, Free and Groovy, making it up 613 00:44:11,685 --> 00:44:21,485 Speaker 1: swee roll along, Rolling along, far out country roll he 614 00:44:21,685 --> 00:44:25,805 Speaker 1: lit the Great in the Golden Gate, doting far up 615 00:44:25,965 --> 00:44:31,285 Speaker 1: New York State, making it up as we roll along, 616 00:44:35,725 --> 00:44:42,565 Speaker 1: pulling the uby, Young rich and groovy, making it up 617 00:44:43,125 --> 00:44:53,445 Speaker 1: sweet roll along, rolling along, far out country roll, following 618 00:44:53,525 --> 00:44:57,845 Speaker 1: the sunshine as we go go, chasing a darting kids 619 00:44:57,845 --> 00:45:06,045 Speaker 1: and keylows, making it up as we roll along. Writing 620 00:45:06,325 --> 00:45:13,805 Speaker 1: novel story, doing as with me, Tamble by Steeping Princess 621 00:45:14,765 --> 00:45:19,325 Speaker 1: of the red wood trees. She helps us keep it real. 622 00:45:20,725 --> 00:45:26,965 Speaker 1: Handshake seals the deal, wrap the sky, seal, Meal road 623 00:45:27,125 --> 00:45:34,165 Speaker 1: up these, always rolling the Doobi, Young, rich and groovy, 624 00:45:35,765 --> 00:45:43,165 Speaker 1: making it up as we roll along, Rulling along Far 625 00:45:44,005 --> 00:45:55,085 Speaker 1: Country roll, Rolling along Far Country roll, Rolling along far 626 00:45:55,285 --> 00:45:56,965 Speaker 1: O Country roll