1
00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:03,560
Speaker 1: It is time now for today's Strawberry Letter, and if

2
00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:06,880
Speaker 1: you need advice on relationships, work, sex, parenting, and more,

3
00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:10,479
Speaker 1: please submit your Strawberry Letter to Steve HARVEYFM dot com

4
00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:14,400
Speaker 1: by clicking submit Strawberry Letter. That's all you have to do.

5
00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:16,840
Speaker 1: We could be reading your letter live on the air,

6
00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:18,960
Speaker 1: just like we're going to read this one right here,

7
00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:20,120
Speaker 1: right now.

8
00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:23,319
Speaker 2: You never know. Buckle up and hold on tight. We

9
00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:25,840
Speaker 2: got it for you here. It is a Strawberry.

10
00:00:25,320 --> 00:00:31,120
Speaker 1: Letter thanking a few subject. He smells like grease and mothballs.

11
00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:36,280
Speaker 1: Who all right, Dear Stephen Shirley. I met a man

12
00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:39,320
Speaker 1: online and he's a decent guy that's eight years older

13
00:00:39,360 --> 00:00:42,239
Speaker 1: than I am. He's fifty nine and divorced and I

14
00:00:42,240 --> 00:00:45,640
Speaker 1: have never been married. When we met, we talked about

15
00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:50,080
Speaker 1: everything and I really got to know him. I found

16
00:00:50,159 --> 00:00:54,560
Speaker 1: out that he's the cafeteria manager at an office building

17
00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:57,720
Speaker 1: downtown and he loves to cook. He lied on his

18
00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:00,680
Speaker 1: dating profile and said he's a chef's so I brought

19
00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:03,000
Speaker 1: that up to him. All he did was brag about

20
00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:05,960
Speaker 1: his cooking, and he said he's the best chef I'll

21
00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:10,000
Speaker 1: ever meet. So our first date was a makeshift picnic

22
00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:12,399
Speaker 1: at a park by my office, and he brought all

23
00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:15,560
Speaker 1: of the food. My first impression of him was not good.

24
00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:19,200
Speaker 1: He looked like his profile picture, thank you, but he

25
00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:22,600
Speaker 1: was all sweaty, slouchy and sweaty. He said he was

26
00:01:22,680 --> 00:01:24,759
Speaker 1: rushing to wrap up all of the food and make

27
00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:27,119
Speaker 1: it to the date on time. He smelled like grease

28
00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:31,720
Speaker 1: and mothballs. Everything we ate was fried. He called it

29
00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:36,319
Speaker 1: his Southern soul food fest. It was a total mess,

30
00:01:36,360 --> 00:01:38,800
Speaker 1: and I told him I couldn't eat that much greasy food.

31
00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:41,600
Speaker 1: I told him he smelled like fried chicken, and he

32
00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:44,720
Speaker 1: thought it was a compliment. I can only assume he

33
00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:47,920
Speaker 1: has a problem with flying insects at home, because his

34
00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:52,200
Speaker 1: jeans and his jackets smelled like a lot like mothballs.

35
00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:56,400
Speaker 1: He smelled awful on our other dates too. He must

36
00:01:56,480 --> 00:01:58,640
Speaker 1: not have a vent over his stove, or he might

37
00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:02,200
Speaker 1: not know how to use it. I think he has

38
00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:05,200
Speaker 1: great potential, and I don't want to dump him just

39
00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:07,680
Speaker 1: because he smells like a short earder cook all the time.

40
00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:10,320
Speaker 1: Is there a way to tell him about himself or

41
00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:14,799
Speaker 1: will it hurt his pride? He's invited me to his house,

42
00:02:15,160 --> 00:02:17,360
Speaker 1: but I don't want to smell like him? What do

43
00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:22,440
Speaker 1: I do? Wow, this is not starting off well. Huh.

44
00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:25,320
Speaker 1: You don't really like a lot about this guy. And

45
00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:27,880
Speaker 1: I get it because it would be hard for anyone

46
00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:30,560
Speaker 1: I would think to sit there with someone who came

47
00:02:30,600 --> 00:02:33,920
Speaker 1: on a date slouchy and smelly. It would make me

48
00:02:34,040 --> 00:02:37,560
Speaker 1: question his hygiene right off the bed, and that cannot happen.

49
00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:40,679
Speaker 1: I can't do that. This is one thing that has

50
00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:44,640
Speaker 1: to be right. What is it that you like about him? Again,

51
00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:47,359
Speaker 1: I'm trying to remember. You even said he must have

52
00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:50,960
Speaker 1: bugs at home because he smells like mothballs. Well, when

53
00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:53,519
Speaker 1: you told him he smelled like fried chicken, he thought

54
00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:59,519
Speaker 1: that was a compliment. I'm sorry. It's a hard noe

55
00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:02,200
Speaker 1: for me with this guy. It really is. I don't

56
00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:04,600
Speaker 1: think you're that desperate where you have to date a

57
00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:08,800
Speaker 1: guy with questionable hygiene and and smelly. This is just

58
00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:10,000
Speaker 1: not cool, Steve.

59
00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:14,560
Speaker 2: Uh, you know what?

60
00:03:15,919 --> 00:03:23,720
Speaker 3: Yeah, this is a petty letter with a petty problem.

61
00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:32,240
Speaker 3: But but it has potential according to her, and I

62
00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:33,079
Speaker 3: don't see it.

63
00:03:33,919 --> 00:03:38,760
Speaker 2: I'm you know, Shirley asked, what is it? You know what?

64
00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:46,000
Speaker 3: But look, you met this man online. He's a decent guy.

65
00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:50,200
Speaker 3: He's eight years older than I am. He's fifty nine

66
00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:54,960
Speaker 3: and divorced. Okay, that means you're fifty one, never been married?

67
00:03:56,080 --> 00:04:00,000
Speaker 3: What's the problem already?

68
00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:00,960
Speaker 2: Down like you.

69
00:04:04,120 --> 00:04:08,600
Speaker 3: Fifty one? Now, lady, never been married. When you meet

70
00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:11,360
Speaker 3: a fifty old man that ain't ever been married, don't

71
00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:12,880
Speaker 3: the red flag go up for you?

72
00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:13,760
Speaker 1: For sure?

73
00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:15,760
Speaker 2: Well? It s sheld go up for a man too.

74
00:04:17,240 --> 00:04:22,080
Speaker 3: We talked about everything, and I finally found out that

75
00:04:22,279 --> 00:04:28,640
Speaker 3: he's the cafeteria cafeteria manager at an office building downtown

76
00:04:29,480 --> 00:04:32,640
Speaker 3: and he loves to cook. Now you say he lied

77
00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:36,240
Speaker 3: on his dating profile and said he's a chef, Well

78
00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:42,000
Speaker 3: if he does the cooking down at the office building,

79
00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:45,400
Speaker 3: but he's also the manager of the cafeteria. But he

80
00:04:45,520 --> 00:04:48,440
Speaker 3: had to cook at one point. I don't see the lie.

81
00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:52,640
Speaker 3: Maybe he is a chef. That's the term you would

82
00:04:52,640 --> 00:04:56,920
Speaker 3: call a chef, short on the cook, chef, burger flipper,

83
00:04:57,640 --> 00:04:59,479
Speaker 3: he want to call a chef? You know how the

84
00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:04,120
Speaker 3: game go and so now and all he did was

85
00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:07,400
Speaker 3: brag about his cooking. He said he's the best chef

86
00:05:07,480 --> 00:05:10,159
Speaker 3: I'll ever meet, And I bet he was. I bet

87
00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:13,920
Speaker 3: you ain't never dated a chef before, So so far

88
00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:19,880
Speaker 3: he telling the truth. Now, your first date is a

89
00:05:19,920 --> 00:05:25,440
Speaker 3: makeshift picnic at a park down there by your office.

90
00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:28,200
Speaker 3: Then you said, and he bought all the food. But

91
00:05:28,279 --> 00:05:31,279
Speaker 3: then you said, my first impression of him was not good.

92
00:05:32,240 --> 00:05:36,320
Speaker 3: He looked like his profile picture, but he was all

93
00:05:36,400 --> 00:05:40,320
Speaker 3: slouchy and sweaty. Now, the man said he was rushing

94
00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:42,039
Speaker 3: to wrap up all the food and make it to

95
00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:46,839
Speaker 3: the date on time. He smelled like grease and mothballs.

96
00:05:47,440 --> 00:05:51,359
Speaker 3: Everything we ate was fried. He called it his Southern

97
00:05:51,480 --> 00:05:58,080
Speaker 3: soul food fast. My man, come on, fried chicken, fried

98
00:05:58,160 --> 00:06:02,600
Speaker 3: hush puppies, fried.

99
00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:07,240
Speaker 2: Hot water, corn bread, everything fried corn.

100
00:06:09,040 --> 00:06:15,760
Speaker 3: Have some fried okra? Yeah, all up in here, fried chicken.

101
00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:22,679
Speaker 3: Come on, boy, I'm clapping. I'm enjoyed the soul food

102
00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:28,200
Speaker 3: Fast to the highest. It was a total mess. I

103
00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:31,479
Speaker 3: told him I couldn't eat that much greasy food. You

104
00:06:31,680 --> 00:06:33,400
Speaker 3: probably told a lot of me and a lot of stuff.

105
00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:35,000
Speaker 3: That's why you're asked by yourself.

106
00:06:35,320 --> 00:06:40,200
Speaker 1: Hang on, Steve, we'll have part two of your response

107
00:06:40,279 --> 00:06:44,080
Speaker 1: coming up at twenty three minutes after the hour. Today's

108
00:06:44,080 --> 00:06:48,359
Speaker 1: Strawberry letter subject he smells like grease and mothballs. That's

109
00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:51,240
Speaker 1: the issue. We'll get back into it right after this,

110
00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:56,320
Speaker 1: you're listening morning show. All right, come on, Steve, let's

111
00:06:56,360 --> 00:06:59,440
Speaker 1: recap today's strawberry letter. The subject he smells like grease

112
00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:01,080
Speaker 1: and mothballs.

113
00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:02,360
Speaker 2: Well that's what she say.

114
00:07:02,720 --> 00:07:05,880
Speaker 3: So she met this man online who's divorced, eight years

115
00:07:05,920 --> 00:07:08,680
Speaker 3: older than her. She's fifty one. They go on a date.

116
00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:11,280
Speaker 3: He tells her on a profile that he's a chef.

117
00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:13,600
Speaker 3: Come to find out he's a manager at a food

118
00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:17,360
Speaker 3: cafeteria down at a business office down there. Out of line,

119
00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:20,560
Speaker 3: said chef too. He probably do some cooking, and if

120
00:07:20,560 --> 00:07:22,280
Speaker 3: the cook don't come in, he probably had to do

121
00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:25,080
Speaker 3: all the damn cooking. So y'all, first date is a

122
00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:28,360
Speaker 3: makeshift picnic around the corner from the office you work at.

123
00:07:28,560 --> 00:07:31,000
Speaker 3: He bought all the food. Then when he got there,

124
00:07:31,080 --> 00:07:33,360
Speaker 3: he looked like his profile picture, but it was the

125
00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:36,640
Speaker 3: first impression wasn't good because he was slouchy and sweaty. Well,

126
00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:38,720
Speaker 3: the man was hustling trying to get all the food

127
00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:41,000
Speaker 3: together ready for the date so it wouldn't be late.

128
00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:46,120
Speaker 3: Now he smelled like grease and mothballs. He been in

129
00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:47,200
Speaker 3: the kitchen cooking.

130
00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:48,120
Speaker 2: I got it.

131
00:07:48,960 --> 00:07:51,679
Speaker 3: Everything we ate was fried. He called it his southern

132
00:07:52,280 --> 00:07:56,600
Speaker 3: soul food fest. I knew exactly what he had. Hush puppies,

133
00:07:57,160 --> 00:08:03,240
Speaker 3: hot water corn, brick fried chicken, oakra bitch fried fried corn,

134
00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:07,360
Speaker 3: serving it up. He had them fried mushroom puffs. They

135
00:08:07,480 --> 00:08:12,160
Speaker 3: was fried too. I enjoyed myself, but you said it

136
00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:14,520
Speaker 3: was a total mess. And I told him I couldn't

137
00:08:14,560 --> 00:08:17,000
Speaker 3: eat that much greasy food. See that's why you fifty

138
00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:18,240
Speaker 3: one ain't never been married.

139
00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:20,760
Speaker 1: Because you busy, because you can't eat greasy food.

140
00:08:20,960 --> 00:08:23,240
Speaker 2: Now you should have been. Now, your fluffy ass don't

141
00:08:23,240 --> 00:08:24,640
Speaker 2: eat fried chicken? Really?

142
00:08:24,680 --> 00:08:29,960
Speaker 3: Okay, really, he was thinking, your fluffy ass don't want

143
00:08:30,040 --> 00:08:35,680
Speaker 3: no damn fried Okrah. Really, Now she say what he

144
00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:40,640
Speaker 3: smelled like grease and mothballs and everything we ate with fried.

145
00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:44,400
Speaker 3: I told him he smelled like fried chicken. He took

146
00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:48,960
Speaker 3: it as a compliment. Hell, yeah, you smell like fried chicken.

147
00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:54,600
Speaker 3: I know that's right, Thank you so much. I fried

148
00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:55,360
Speaker 3: it myself.

149
00:08:56,600 --> 00:09:00,520
Speaker 2: K't you tell I did this for you?

150
00:09:01,440 --> 00:09:05,480
Speaker 3: And then she said, I can only assume he has

151
00:09:05,520 --> 00:09:08,520
Speaker 3: a problem with flying insects at his house because his

152
00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:14,160
Speaker 3: jeans and his jacket smell a lot like moth balls. Okay,

153
00:09:15,080 --> 00:09:19,880
Speaker 3: all right, he smelled off on our other dates too. Oh,

154
00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:24,800
Speaker 3: so you done kept going out with him. He must

155
00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:27,440
Speaker 3: not have a vent over his stove or he might

156
00:09:27,520 --> 00:09:31,480
Speaker 3: not know how to use it, okay, lady. And then

157
00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:35,560
Speaker 3: out of nowhere here comes the statement that threw me.

158
00:09:36,640 --> 00:09:39,520
Speaker 3: I think he has great potential and I don't want

159
00:09:39,559 --> 00:09:42,120
Speaker 3: to dump him just because he smelled like a short article.

160
00:09:43,160 --> 00:09:51,000
Speaker 3: What where did this come from? What potential you talking about?

161
00:09:51,160 --> 00:09:56,200
Speaker 3: Because the whole letter you've been dogging the man. But

162
00:09:56,520 --> 00:09:59,839
Speaker 3: so I think on those other dates you must have

163
00:09:59,880 --> 00:10:04,200
Speaker 3: been he enjoyed his conversation, maybe the way he treated you.

164
00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:07,920
Speaker 3: But now you so now you think that's some potential land.

165
00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:09,760
Speaker 3: You don't want to dub him just because he smelled

166
00:10:09,760 --> 00:10:11,800
Speaker 3: like a short order cook all the time. Is that

167
00:10:11,880 --> 00:10:13,800
Speaker 3: way to tell him about himself? Or well it hurt

168
00:10:13,840 --> 00:10:15,839
Speaker 3: you know already told him man, he smelled like fried.

169
00:10:15,640 --> 00:10:18,079
Speaker 1: Chicken, but he took it as a compliment.

170
00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:21,400
Speaker 3: So but you want to hurt him, So why don't

171
00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:23,400
Speaker 3: you just go on and say like, hey, you smell

172
00:10:23,480 --> 00:10:29,960
Speaker 3: like fried chicken, and but you stink like mouthballs? What

173
00:10:30,160 --> 00:10:31,840
Speaker 3: is going on at your house? Do you have for

174
00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:34,079
Speaker 3: insects in your house? Boss? And stuff?

175
00:10:34,080 --> 00:10:35,559
Speaker 2: Because all your clothes smell.

176
00:10:35,320 --> 00:10:36,760
Speaker 1: Like I can't think that.

177
00:10:37,040 --> 00:10:45,640
Speaker 3: He fifty nine. He's invited me to his house, but

178
00:10:45,679 --> 00:10:47,040
Speaker 3: I don't want to smell like him.

179
00:10:47,040 --> 00:10:50,839
Speaker 2: What do I do? Okay, lady, break up with him.

180
00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:54,320
Speaker 3: You ain't got nobody, You ain't never had nobody, and

181
00:10:54,400 --> 00:10:57,920
Speaker 3: you ain't finna get nobody because you want somebody perfect.

182
00:10:58,120 --> 00:11:00,440
Speaker 3: This man is old. You can go in there straighten

183
00:11:00,440 --> 00:11:04,320
Speaker 3: out that mouthball smell. You can straighten that out. That

184
00:11:04,360 --> 00:11:07,120
Speaker 3: ain't nothing. He probably need a woman's touching coming there

185
00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:09,880
Speaker 3: and show him something. Anyway, he probably packed up all

186
00:11:09,920 --> 00:11:13,000
Speaker 3: his stuff with their mouthballs after that divorce. His ex

187
00:11:13,080 --> 00:11:16,319
Speaker 3: wife put all his stuff in the mouthball to make

188
00:11:16,400 --> 00:11:19,920
Speaker 3: him smell that way. He just unpacking, and he too

189
00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:22,320
Speaker 3: old and stupid to know. You could go in there

190
00:11:22,320 --> 00:11:25,000
Speaker 3: and really straighten this man out and you might have something.

191
00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:26,760
Speaker 3: But now you don't want to go over his house

192
00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:29,040
Speaker 3: because I don't want to smell like him. When you

193
00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:32,200
Speaker 3: come home, you can't shower, you can't send your clothes

194
00:11:32,240 --> 00:11:34,840
Speaker 3: to the cleaners. How about you go over there and say, hey,

195
00:11:34,840 --> 00:11:38,080
Speaker 3: you know what, I've noticed this smell of mothballs, and

196
00:11:38,120 --> 00:11:40,520
Speaker 3: now I see why you know what you ought to do?

197
00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:44,320
Speaker 3: They got this new detergent out call for breeze. Let

198
00:11:44,360 --> 00:11:48,160
Speaker 3: me wash your clothes in for breeze, and then use

199
00:11:48,200 --> 00:11:50,520
Speaker 3: these little tielets when you throw them in the dry

200
00:11:50,800 --> 00:11:54,440
Speaker 3: and you can get rid of that smell. See that's

201
00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:57,920
Speaker 3: how you tell a man without hurting his pride. See,

202
00:11:58,080 --> 00:12:01,640
Speaker 3: instead of telling a person the problem, why don't you

203
00:12:01,679 --> 00:12:03,120
Speaker 3: tell him the problem.

204
00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:07,079
Speaker 2: With the solution. Then he ain't hurt.

205
00:12:07,600 --> 00:12:10,240
Speaker 3: He might see a kindness in you that no other

206
00:12:10,320 --> 00:12:13,720
Speaker 3: man has ever seen before. Because you ain't been married

207
00:12:13,760 --> 00:12:18,400
Speaker 3: and you fifty one, ain't nobody wanted you up until now?

208
00:12:17,080 --> 00:12:19,360
Speaker 2: Uh wow, No, no, I ain't no.

209
00:12:19,520 --> 00:12:22,040
Speaker 1: Uh uh I could have been her choice.

210
00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:24,840
Speaker 3: Wow what you mean that could have been her choice?

211
00:12:25,080 --> 00:12:27,679
Speaker 3: Saying okay, watch you on the dating site.

212
00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:30,400
Speaker 1: Well now now.

213
00:12:31,760 --> 00:12:33,880
Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah you want some, But now you half a

214
00:12:33,960 --> 00:12:38,400
Speaker 3: hundred and now you're no and and and now your

215
00:12:38,440 --> 00:12:40,319
Speaker 3: selection pool has dwindled.

216
00:12:40,760 --> 00:12:42,640
Speaker 2: You ain't o in the ocean no more. You're picking

217
00:12:42,679 --> 00:12:43,000
Speaker 2: a pu.

218
00:12:45,760 --> 00:12:47,319
Speaker 3: Now what you need to do is take this fifty

219
00:12:47,400 --> 00:12:49,439
Speaker 3: nine year old man to smell like fried chicken and

220
00:12:49,520 --> 00:12:53,760
Speaker 3: my ball and fix him up all right? Because I

221
00:12:53,800 --> 00:12:56,360
Speaker 3: got news for y'all. It's something wrong with her too.

222
00:12:56,800 --> 00:13:00,240
Speaker 1: Leave your comments on today's.

223
00:12:59,080 --> 00:13:01,280
Speaker 2: Don't Eat Fried Pick and that Why You Ain't Gotten.

224
00:13:01,040 --> 00:13:05,400
Speaker 1: It on Instagram at Steve Harvey FL and check us

225
00:13:05,440 --> 00:13:09,160
Speaker 1: out on the Strawberry Letter podcast on the Free iHeartRadio app,

226
00:13:09,200 --> 00:13:11,600
Speaker 1: where Free never sounded so good, coming up next to

227
00:13:11,640 --> 00:13:15,360
Speaker 1: its junior and sports talk. Right after this, you're listening

228
00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:17,440
Speaker 1: to Harvey Morning Show