1 00:00:04,920 --> 00:00:10,080 Speaker 1: Welcome to the ten Minute Storyteller. That's me Bill Simpson, 2 00:00:10,280 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 1: your host, narrator and author. We hear at the ten 3 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:19,680 Speaker 1: Minute Storyteller endeavor to entertain you with tall tales or 4 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 1: rendered swiftly and with the utmost empathy. We pledge to 5 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:29,520 Speaker 1: pack as much entertainment, emotion, and exploration into the human 6 00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:38,480 Speaker 1: condition as ten minutes will permit. Mini novels on steroids. 7 00:00:40,720 --> 00:00:46,760 Speaker 1: This week we meet zeb Zebulon has it all, plenty 8 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:50,720 Speaker 1: of dough, lots of high end real estate and snazzy cars, 9 00:00:51,120 --> 00:00:56,560 Speaker 1: a gorgeous wife and good looking kids. But zeb has 10 00:00:56,600 --> 00:01:01,360 Speaker 1: a problem, a very serious problem that's been festering for 11 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:04,880 Speaker 1: a while now, but is about to come to a 12 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:13,640 Speaker 1: head domestic terror. Zebulon Garrett Blair is having a shitty day. 13 00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:18,080 Speaker 1: He just got word his kid didn't get into Princeton 14 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:22,560 Speaker 1: and so was probably headed for Brown or maybe even Bucknell. 15 00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:26,520 Speaker 1: A Bucknell sticker on the back of his maybox, Why 16 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:30,600 Speaker 1: bother a Bucknell flag flying from the flagpole to beach 17 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:34,839 Speaker 1: house like that's going to create envy? And his damn 18 00:01:34,880 --> 00:01:38,760 Speaker 1: ankle swollen, stiff and sore after stepping out of the 19 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:43,560 Speaker 1: golf cart into that stupid stink and gopher hole. Zeb 20 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:47,680 Speaker 1: and his lawyer pal Al discussed suing the club during 21 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 1: high balls and filats at the Nineteenth Hole Bar and Grill, 22 00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:56,680 Speaker 1: but decided it might be financially fun but socially alienating 23 00:01:58,040 --> 00:02:01,800 Speaker 1: and work Jesus so much on his plate right now 24 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:04,200 Speaker 1: he might even have to work for a few hours 25 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:07,640 Speaker 1: on Friday and next week the big wigs want him 26 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:11,240 Speaker 1: in the office for two days. Zeb hates going to 27 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:15,520 Speaker 1: the office, showering, shaving, commuting, actually having to pay attention 28 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:18,400 Speaker 1: during meetings, act like he gives a damn about what 29 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:22,079 Speaker 1: they're saying. You know, you get used to working at 30 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:25,560 Speaker 1: home in your sweats, he tells his buds during Thursday 31 00:02:25,639 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 1: night poker at the club. It's just a real bitch 32 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:29,840 Speaker 1: when you got to get up in the morning and 33 00:02:29,919 --> 00:02:35,480 Speaker 1: face the music. The fact that he makes absolutely obscene 34 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:38,920 Speaker 1: amounts of money, hanging out in his sweats in his 35 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:44,280 Speaker 1: spiffy home office complete with San Remo espresso machine and 36 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:48,280 Speaker 1: a five thousand dollars desk chair that massages his back 37 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:50,800 Speaker 1: and strokes as Jimmy are just a few of the 38 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:56,880 Speaker 1: things that Zebulon takes for granted. We here in America, 39 00:02:56,880 --> 00:02:59,399 Speaker 1: like to pretend we live in a land where all 40 00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:02,919 Speaker 1: folks are created equal and everyone has a shot at 41 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:07,120 Speaker 1: living the life of Zeb. Of course, this is utter 42 00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:10,680 Speaker 1: and complete bullshit. We also like to pretend that we 43 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:17,760 Speaker 1: live in a meritocracy, but nepotism still overwhelmingly rules the roost. 44 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:23,880 Speaker 1: Just look at Zeb, born with the proverbial silver spoon 45 00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:28,040 Speaker 1: in his mouth, private schools from the age of three, 46 00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:32,120 Speaker 1: prep school at Chote Academy, accepted at Princeton, the alma 47 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 1: mater of his father and paternal grandfather. Despite a mediocre 48 00:03:36,800 --> 00:03:41,520 Speaker 1: performance at best up in Wallingford, squeaked by most of 49 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:45,320 Speaker 1: his college classes, graduated in the lower third of his class, 50 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:48,960 Speaker 1: but still welcomed with open arms at the Carlisle Group, 51 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:52,280 Speaker 1: where his grandpappy had been a star and a friend 52 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:56,520 Speaker 1: of Bush Senior, and where his daddy managed the alternative 53 00:03:56,600 --> 00:04:02,000 Speaker 1: assets division. Years now Zeb has been with the company, 54 00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:07,080 Speaker 1: and despite a truly lackluster career, he has been promoted 55 00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:11,760 Speaker 1: numerous times while collecting endless stock options and big fat 56 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:16,920 Speaker 1: Christmas bonuses. He carries no mortgage on his four million 57 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:20,159 Speaker 1: dollar home in Far Hills or his six million dollar 58 00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:25,839 Speaker 1: ocean front hacienda in segurt. He has full memberships in 59 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:29,679 Speaker 1: six different golf clubs, two in New Jersey, one in Florida, 60 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:33,520 Speaker 1: one in Scotland, one on Maui, and one in southern California. 61 00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:37,960 Speaker 1: Last year, he chalked up nearly one hundred and eighty 62 00:04:38,120 --> 00:04:42,599 Speaker 1: rounds of golf that's around every other day, despite working 63 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:46,200 Speaker 1: full time and having three kids, two in high school 64 00:04:46,279 --> 00:04:51,640 Speaker 1: and one in middle school. So why is zeb such 65 00:04:51,680 --> 00:04:57,640 Speaker 1: a mess? Yeah, good question. Sure, he puts on a 66 00:04:57,640 --> 00:05:01,920 Speaker 1: good show, always the life of the party, always dressed 67 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:06,760 Speaker 1: to the nines, with his hair meticulously coughed. There are, 68 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:10,239 Speaker 1: of course people who envy Zeb and resent his wealth 69 00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:13,560 Speaker 1: and rugged good looks and beautiful wife and perfect children 70 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:18,560 Speaker 1: and easy care free matter. But these are small, inferior, 71 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:24,359 Speaker 1: insecure people. These are people who just don't matter. So 72 00:05:24,440 --> 00:05:29,440 Speaker 1: let's ask again, what is Zebulon's problem? Why is he 73 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:34,000 Speaker 1: so fucked up in the head? Ninety nine zero point 74 00:05:34,080 --> 00:05:38,039 Speaker 1: nine percent of people on Earth would happily step into 75 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:42,320 Speaker 1: Zeb's life and live happily ever after. They'd enjoy the 76 00:05:42,440 --> 00:05:46,520 Speaker 1: heated floor and heated towel rack in his bathroom, the 77 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:52,800 Speaker 1: absurdly luxurious silk sheets covering his twenty seven thousand dollars 78 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:59,640 Speaker 1: Duxiana Duck's exclusive mattress. They'd enjoy rides in any of 79 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:05,080 Speaker 1: his luxury vehicles, whining and dining at his exclusive clubs, 80 00:06:05,279 --> 00:06:10,240 Speaker 1: and flying first class to spa weekends at Six Senses 81 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:17,280 Speaker 1: Vana in the Himalayas or Canyon ranch outside Tucson. Does 82 00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:22,200 Speaker 1: Zeb somehow, deep down believe he does not deserve this life? 83 00:06:23,160 --> 00:06:26,400 Speaker 1: Is that the problem that he hasn't really earned it, 84 00:06:26,520 --> 00:06:32,480 Speaker 1: and so he doesn't deserve it, this cozy, ostentatious, ridiculously 85 00:06:32,640 --> 00:06:38,240 Speaker 1: affluent lifestyle. Is this perhaps why he's so tortured inside, 86 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:44,000 Speaker 1: and why Zeb's wife and Zeb's offspring, so sunny and 87 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:48,840 Speaker 1: ridiculously good looking in public, tremble in fear more days 88 00:06:48,880 --> 00:06:56,120 Speaker 1: than not behind the closed and locked doors of their houses. Possibly, 89 00:06:56,839 --> 00:07:01,240 Speaker 1: but more probably, something more dire and more basic is 90 00:07:01,240 --> 00:07:04,560 Speaker 1: at work here. It's not the money, not the patriotage, 91 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:08,920 Speaker 1: not the luck of the birth draw. These realities might 92 00:07:09,080 --> 00:07:13,240 Speaker 1: add to Zeb's internal rage, but they are not its 93 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:18,000 Speaker 1: root cause. The root cause, it turns out, is man's 94 00:07:18,280 --> 00:07:25,880 Speaker 1: inherent nature, his essential essence. Man is a beast, a violent, 95 00:07:26,240 --> 00:07:31,880 Speaker 1: demented beast, capable of extreme acts of cruelty, both emotional 96 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:38,720 Speaker 1: and physical. This is true of men everywhere, regardless of color, creed, ethnicity, 97 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:45,400 Speaker 1: or economic station in life. Zebulon Garrett Blair hides his 98 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:49,640 Speaker 1: evil side quite well when out and about, never displays 99 00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:54,280 Speaker 1: the slightest sign of anger or angst. But at home, 100 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:59,200 Speaker 1: behind those closed and locked doors, from time to time, 101 00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:03,720 Speaker 1: not too long often, but plenty often enough, his internal 102 00:08:03,880 --> 00:08:09,880 Speaker 1: fury explodes. And when it does, zeb backhands his wife, 103 00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:14,320 Speaker 1: kicks the dog, screams at and shoves his daughters onto 104 00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:18,320 Speaker 1: the floor, punches his son, sometimes right in the face, 105 00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:23,000 Speaker 1: like just a little while ago, just a little while ago, 106 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:26,760 Speaker 1: when he got word the kid had not been accepted 107 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:30,360 Speaker 1: to Princeton, Bam punched him right in the kisser, his 108 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:34,240 Speaker 1: own son, his own flesh and blood, reared back and 109 00:08:34,440 --> 00:08:40,160 Speaker 1: punched him right in the mouth. Yep, been going on 110 00:08:40,280 --> 00:08:44,480 Speaker 1: for years, for years, and no one ever says a word, 111 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:49,400 Speaker 1: not word one ever, not outside the house. Death mutes 112 00:08:49,480 --> 00:08:54,320 Speaker 1: all of them until well, just a few minutes ago, 113 00:08:55,320 --> 00:08:59,280 Speaker 1: when Zeb's son, up in his room behind his locked door, 114 00:08:59,559 --> 00:09:05,040 Speaker 1: finally decided enough was enough. It wasn't the black eye, 115 00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:08,679 Speaker 1: or the bloody lip or the swollen jaw it was 116 00:09:08,800 --> 00:09:11,880 Speaker 1: the reality that he would be leaving for college in 117 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:15,120 Speaker 1: just a few months. And no way, no way was 118 00:09:15,160 --> 00:09:17,760 Speaker 1: he leaving his mom and his little sisters in a 119 00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:23,360 Speaker 1: house inhabited by a sicko and crippled by domestic terror. 120 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:28,240 Speaker 1: So he made the call, and he spilled his guts, 121 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:34,080 Speaker 1: and now, well, now here they come. The doorbell rings. 122 00:09:34,600 --> 00:09:37,880 Speaker 1: Zeb looks out the window of his home office in 123 00:09:37,920 --> 00:09:42,360 Speaker 1: the driveway, he spots two police cruisers, their lights flashing. 124 00:09:42,880 --> 00:09:46,800 Speaker 1: What the hell is this, he mutters to himself. He 125 00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:49,720 Speaker 1: goes to the front door and swings it open and 126 00:09:49,840 --> 00:09:53,200 Speaker 1: comes face to face with a pair of big, muscled up, 127 00:09:53,559 --> 00:09:59,920 Speaker 1: well armed police officers. Zebulon will not be sleeping on 128 00:10:00,160 --> 00:10:10,479 Speaker 1: is Duxiana Duck's exclusive mattress tonight or anytime soon. Domestic 129 00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:16,400 Speaker 1: violence is a very significant problem in America. Tens of 130 00:10:16,559 --> 00:10:20,960 Speaker 1: millions of women and children are abused physically, sexually, and 131 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:26,000 Speaker 1: emotionally by husbands and fathers every year. Don't think so, 132 00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:30,880 Speaker 1: Just ask your local police officers. They'll tell you how 133 00:10:30,880 --> 00:10:36,120 Speaker 1: bad it is. Domestic violence occurs among the rich, the poor, 134 00:10:36,200 --> 00:10:40,480 Speaker 1: the educated, the uneducated, all ethnic groups, and all religions. 135 00:10:41,679 --> 00:10:44,720 Speaker 1: If you are a victim, of domestic violence or you 136 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:48,680 Speaker 1: know someone who is. Seek help immediately. Do not wait, 137 00:10:49,120 --> 00:11:05,320 Speaker 1: do not live in fear. Okay, thanks for listening to 138 00:11:05,400 --> 00:11:11,360 Speaker 1: this original audio presentation of domestic terror narrated by the author. 139 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:15,600 Speaker 1: If you enjoy today's story, please take a few seconds 140 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:19,600 Speaker 1: to rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast, and go 141 00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:24,320 Speaker 1: to Thomas William Simpson dot com for additional information about 142 00:11:24,320 --> 00:11:28,320 Speaker 1: the author and to view his extensive canon. The Ten 143 00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:32,120 Speaker 1: Minute Storyteller is produced by Andrew Bergleasi and Josh Klani 144 00:11:32,559 --> 00:11:35,760 Speaker 1: and as part of the Elvis Duran Podcast Network in 145 00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:42,600 Speaker 1: partnership with iHeart Productions. Until next time, this is Bill Simpson, 146 00:11:42,880 --> 00:11:44,920 Speaker 1: your ten Minute Storyteller.