1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,760 Speaker 1: M twelve Ghosts is a production of I Heeart three 2 00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:07,680 Speaker 1: D audio and grim and mild from Aaron Banky Headphones recommended. 3 00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:23,000 Speaker 1: Listener discretion advised. How like a winter hath my absence 4 00:00:23,120 --> 00:00:28,240 Speaker 1: been from the the pleasure of the fleeting year? What 5 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:33,440 Speaker 1: freezings have I felt? What dark days? See? What old 6 00:00:33,479 --> 00:01:06,520 Speaker 1: December's banners everywhere? I like to hang a garland on 7 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:10,560 Speaker 1: the door as a reminder to my lodgers of the 8 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:13,319 Speaker 1: promise of life in the midst of the bleak winter 9 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:18,720 Speaker 1: they traveled through and more of its inside garland of evergreen, 10 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:22,400 Speaker 1: over the mantel, throughout the kitchen, up the stair rail, 11 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:30,480 Speaker 1: guiding them to their rest. It is a comforts you've 12 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:35,240 Speaker 1: grown quiet, I'm still in shock. It's easier for some 13 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:39,840 Speaker 1: to pass through the veil. Some see their death from 14 00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:43,640 Speaker 1: miles away, and when they appear on the side, are 15 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 1: well prepared for the journey ahead. Some others are caught 16 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:53,080 Speaker 1: by surprise, finding themselves in a dark, wintry wood after 17 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 1: a stray bullet in wartime or heart attack in the 18 00:01:56,480 --> 00:02:01,200 Speaker 1: grocery store. Can you imagine pau suing the cheeses of 19 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:04,760 Speaker 1: the world one moment thrust into a midwinter blizzard the 20 00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:08,280 Speaker 1: next It's a surprise to me that most of you 21 00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:12,920 Speaker 1: can speak at all. After such an upset, you will 22 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:21,440 Speaker 1: settle in. The shock wears off. Eventually another is coming, 23 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:33,440 Speaker 1: so it would seem welcome, welcome, help your friend. You 24 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:36,600 Speaker 1: look as if you've come a long way. Is here? 25 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 1: You have to be more specific. I'm afraid it's been 26 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:44,840 Speaker 1: a busy night. It's I was just there. It was 27 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:50,920 Speaker 1: a ghost. Everyone's a ghost at some point, isn't advertrue? Here? 28 00:02:51,040 --> 00:03:01,079 Speaker 1: Come in, have some wine. Sit my friend. This is Annabelle. 29 00:03:01,919 --> 00:03:10,480 Speaker 1: She's having similar dissonance confusion, loves company and my experience. Hello, Hello, 30 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:15,400 Speaker 1: You know musically there's nothing more pleasing to the ear 31 00:03:15,639 --> 00:03:23,840 Speaker 1: than hearing dissonance resolve itself into harmony here Now, tell me, friend, 32 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:29,760 Speaker 1: what is it that brought you here? I walked into 33 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:34,320 Speaker 1: the water and it was going to be the end. Well, 34 00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:38,760 Speaker 1: then here we are, Welcome to the end. Ernie Bannaker, 35 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:46,640 Speaker 1: Who is it you're looking for? Exactly? Listen, here's what 36 00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:52,000 Speaker 1: I remember. It was more of the same, another end 37 00:03:52,040 --> 00:04:02,360 Speaker 1: to another Saturday night, and then there she was you again. 38 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:07,320 Speaker 1: Some things never changed, right? Let me guess, and the 39 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:15,160 Speaker 1: damn street Hamster if you please. Yeah, all the way 40 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:18,360 Speaker 1: up to the pier, just like last year and the 41 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:21,919 Speaker 1: year before that and the year before that. In the 42 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:26,000 Speaker 1: year before they get you know, I was thinking, mind 43 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:34,440 Speaker 1: if I play some music. Here we go. This is 44 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:37,159 Speaker 1: a little classical radio station. I don't think you heard 45 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:40,479 Speaker 1: of it. It's the usual stuff for most nights, Mozart 46 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:44,680 Speaker 1: Takovski for at least those sort of tunes. As we 47 00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:46,400 Speaker 1: get closer to Christmas and the end of the year, 48 00:04:46,440 --> 00:04:51,320 Speaker 1: they get a little classier. I guess you could say, Hey, 49 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:54,520 Speaker 1: what do I know. I've been a cabby for almost 50 00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:58,279 Speaker 1: forty years now. Maybe it's just listening to the radio. 51 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:02,680 Speaker 1: This long roped off on me. The familiarity, right, an 52 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:09,160 Speaker 1: accidental expert, and that's me. Huh. This is nocturnes from 53 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:13,640 Speaker 1: a guy named Chopin. Anyway, like I was saying, towards 54 00:05:13,640 --> 00:05:15,640 Speaker 1: the end of the year, this station starts to play more. 55 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:22,640 Speaker 1: I guess you could say thoughtful music, lonely music. It's 56 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:26,320 Speaker 1: the weather. I think people ponder endings around this time. 57 00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:31,560 Speaker 1: It brings out something deep in folks, you know, wordless 58 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 1: When when Mandy was alive, Remember I told you by 59 00:05:35,960 --> 00:05:40,960 Speaker 1: Mandy when she was alive. She called it melancholy, A 60 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:45,320 Speaker 1: beautiful kind of melancholy, she called it. She had a 61 00:05:45,360 --> 00:05:48,440 Speaker 1: way with words, not like you and me. Huh, I 62 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:51,760 Speaker 1: just ramble on and you you said maybe three things 63 00:05:51,760 --> 00:05:56,320 Speaker 1: to me all these years. Amsterdam, And if you please, 64 00:05:57,440 --> 00:06:00,360 Speaker 1: just passing through, I'd like to look at the water. 65 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:05,559 Speaker 1: You've always been a woman a few words. Some people 66 00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:09,799 Speaker 1: would say that makes you a good conversationalist, a good listener. 67 00:06:12,279 --> 00:06:15,599 Speaker 1: You know, I can name most of the songs these days. 68 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:21,200 Speaker 1: Who would have thought me? Who Ernie and a Fishonado. 69 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:26,040 Speaker 1: They call it of classical music. I remember the first 70 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:30,479 Speaker 1: time I picked you up Christmas Eve. God how many 71 00:06:30,520 --> 00:06:34,240 Speaker 1: years ago. I was listening to those doo wop stations 72 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:38,400 Speaker 1: and those songs were old. Even then. We didn't talk much, 73 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:43,440 Speaker 1: you remember, Maybe you just gave me the address and 74 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:46,960 Speaker 1: we drove on all the way out to AMSTERDAMN Street 75 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:51,520 Speaker 1: in the pier. I gotta admit, lady, I was surprised 76 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 1: to find you in the same spot the next year. 77 00:06:55,040 --> 00:06:57,640 Speaker 1: I don't mean to be rude, you know, it's just 78 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:00,919 Speaker 1: guys like me. We pick up hundreds and hundreds and 79 00:07:00,960 --> 00:07:04,120 Speaker 1: thousands of people, and you'd be surprised what you remember 80 00:07:04,160 --> 00:07:08,799 Speaker 1: and what you forget. Take for example, people in suits 81 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:13,200 Speaker 1: between me and you. I don't remember any of them, crazy, right, 82 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:17,360 Speaker 1: but it's true. I know they all have their own 83 00:07:17,400 --> 00:07:20,280 Speaker 1: lives and worries and all that. But the suit, it's 84 00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:24,200 Speaker 1: like a camouflage, you know, like stripes on the tiger, 85 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:27,680 Speaker 1: or how an octopus can change its colors, like the 86 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:31,440 Speaker 1: predator in those movies. They always say the same sort 87 00:07:31,440 --> 00:07:35,240 Speaker 1: of stuff to the suits. I tell you, it's like 88 00:07:35,520 --> 00:07:40,600 Speaker 1: it's the same guy every time. And I'll be honest. 89 00:07:41,600 --> 00:07:44,200 Speaker 1: After this long drive, and I'm not sure I remember 90 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:48,080 Speaker 1: how many pregnant women I drove to the hospital. Just 91 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:51,280 Speaker 1: the one who gave birth in the back, Alfonso. I 92 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:53,000 Speaker 1: think the guy said they were gonna name the kid 93 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:58,080 Speaker 1: al finds out. They seem like a nice couple, stressed out, 94 00:07:58,120 --> 00:08:01,280 Speaker 1: you know, but nice who knows what's going on with him? 95 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:04,680 Speaker 1: Now me and he was happy for him. And he 96 00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:08,400 Speaker 1: had a word for that too. She called it signed there, 97 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:14,120 Speaker 1: the feeling that everybody, absolutely everybody, has their own inner life, 98 00:08:14,760 --> 00:08:18,040 Speaker 1: deep and full of meaning, and no one else would 99 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:21,800 Speaker 1: never know much about it. I thought that was depressing, 100 00:08:23,040 --> 00:08:28,720 Speaker 1: you can say it made me melancholy. Still, I never 101 00:08:28,760 --> 00:08:32,439 Speaker 1: heard from that couple again. And this must have been 102 00:08:32,520 --> 00:08:39,120 Speaker 1: twelve years ago. Now, A November was little Alphie might 103 00:08:39,160 --> 00:08:41,920 Speaker 1: be old enough to drive. I think I told you 104 00:08:41,920 --> 00:08:46,360 Speaker 1: about him that year because it had just happened. And heck, 105 00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:49,360 Speaker 1: you know, you might remember more about them than I do. 106 00:08:50,920 --> 00:08:54,559 Speaker 1: I've been losing details, you know, more and more these days, 107 00:08:55,880 --> 00:08:59,120 Speaker 1: just little things like who won the World Series win 108 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:03,560 Speaker 1: or how old my niece is out in Atlanta. But 109 00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:07,240 Speaker 1: I don't forget it route not ever. It's burned into 110 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:10,480 Speaker 1: my brain. No GPS for us old heads. You know, 111 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:13,400 Speaker 1: just last week I told the doc, Look, if you 112 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:15,880 Speaker 1: cut open my skull right here, you dig into my 113 00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:19,120 Speaker 1: brain and you'll see a tattoo of the whole city, 114 00:09:19,679 --> 00:09:22,600 Speaker 1: but my thoughts racing all around it, like cars and 115 00:09:22,679 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 1: rush hour. I guess the thing is, as you get older, 116 00:09:27,679 --> 00:09:31,640 Speaker 1: the road up there gets rougher, your cars go slower. 117 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:38,920 Speaker 1: Sometimes you get traffic jams. Anyway, Yeah, I go rambling. 118 00:09:40,040 --> 00:09:43,480 Speaker 1: I can't remember what I wanted to tell you, but hey, 119 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:45,600 Speaker 1: let me know. If you want us to just try, 120 00:09:46,240 --> 00:09:49,040 Speaker 1: say the word lady, and I'll be as silent as 121 00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:56,680 Speaker 1: a grave. M H. Bad joke. Bad joke. I know, 122 00:09:56,760 --> 00:09:59,680 Speaker 1: I'm just a little nervous as all lie. Like I said, 123 00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:03,840 Speaker 1: that's okay. Bees don't remember too many people after a 124 00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:09,480 Speaker 1: few years. They they're like blurd all together, like cream 125 00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:14,520 Speaker 1: and coffee. It goes brown gray whatever. We all get 126 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:17,080 Speaker 1: some regulars. Maybe someone works laid across town and the 127 00:10:17,120 --> 00:10:19,760 Speaker 1: train is closed when they get off, or something like that. 128 00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:24,240 Speaker 1: It's rare. We usually just pick up people near wherever 129 00:10:24,240 --> 00:10:27,920 Speaker 1: we dropped the last person off. And believe me, most 130 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:31,920 Speaker 1: fairs don't remember their cab drivers either. People treat us 131 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:36,360 Speaker 1: like like another part of the car. Most days I'm 132 00:10:36,400 --> 00:10:42,000 Speaker 1: fine with it. Some days are different. I wanted to 133 00:10:42,040 --> 00:10:44,000 Speaker 1: see if I could ask your opinion about some things. 134 00:10:44,960 --> 00:10:53,800 Speaker 1: Is that okay? If not? Just saying okay? So, first, 135 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:58,600 Speaker 1: you remember how we met. I picked up the fan 136 00:10:59,200 --> 00:11:01,360 Speaker 1: right there off for pe mind on a slow night. 137 00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:05,120 Speaker 1: You're addressed, just like you are now when you held 138 00:11:05,120 --> 00:11:08,960 Speaker 1: your hand up so the waving, but not really I 139 00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:12,240 Speaker 1: can well, I'd like to think I can read people. 140 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:15,160 Speaker 1: Even back then, I had a sort of sense about folks, 141 00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:19,160 Speaker 1: and I knew you didn't really want to talk, so 142 00:11:19,720 --> 00:11:22,880 Speaker 1: I left you alone. And that first year we drove 143 00:11:22,920 --> 00:11:25,360 Speaker 1: in silence all the way across the city to the water. 144 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:29,640 Speaker 1: I should have said something to you, then, do you 145 00:11:29,679 --> 00:11:39,079 Speaker 1: think no, dice? Okay, remember how maybe it was God 146 00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:43,040 Speaker 1: thirty thirty one years ago and I picked you up 147 00:11:43,080 --> 00:11:48,280 Speaker 1: from the usual route. I was still young then, well younger, 148 00:11:48,600 --> 00:11:52,040 Speaker 1: I guess, but you know what I mean. I just 149 00:11:52,160 --> 00:11:55,439 Speaker 1: got back from that honeymoon. Mandy and I went all 150 00:11:55,480 --> 00:11:58,000 Speaker 1: the way to Mexico, and boy did our savings go 151 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:01,680 Speaker 1: with it. I told her, I love you, sweetheart, but 152 00:12:01,800 --> 00:12:03,920 Speaker 1: we might have to settle on Florida for at least 153 00:12:03,920 --> 00:12:08,200 Speaker 1: the first anniversary. A cabby in the school teacher don't 154 00:12:08,200 --> 00:12:13,760 Speaker 1: exactly make world traveler salary, you know. Anyhow, while we 155 00:12:13,760 --> 00:12:17,240 Speaker 1: were there and Mandy wanted to do some weird things. 156 00:12:18,559 --> 00:12:22,000 Speaker 1: The weirdest one it was a ghost tour. I know, 157 00:12:22,320 --> 00:12:25,720 Speaker 1: I know who thinks of ghosts when they think of honeymoons, 158 00:12:27,160 --> 00:12:32,920 Speaker 1: But that was Mandy. We went on the tour. It 159 00:12:33,080 --> 00:12:36,640 Speaker 1: was like any other, more a history told than anything else. 160 00:12:36,679 --> 00:12:39,400 Speaker 1: But as we walked through towards the end, there was 161 00:12:39,480 --> 00:12:45,960 Speaker 1: something that struck me. A story. Once upon a time, 162 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:49,600 Speaker 1: the tour guy said, back in the turn of the century, 163 00:12:49,600 --> 00:12:51,720 Speaker 1: there was this this little boy who lived on a 164 00:12:51,800 --> 00:12:55,800 Speaker 1: farm by a lake. This was a big operation and 165 00:12:55,880 --> 00:12:59,240 Speaker 1: what you're calling an a state, and the boy's family 166 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:02,000 Speaker 1: had lots of servants, and his family was very rich. 167 00:13:02,840 --> 00:13:05,480 Speaker 1: Being rich don't make it happy. You know. His kid 168 00:13:05,600 --> 00:13:09,840 Speaker 1: is miserable. His mother died when he was young. Because 169 00:13:09,840 --> 00:13:12,680 Speaker 1: the boy was the son of the patron, the wealthy owner, 170 00:13:13,240 --> 00:13:15,320 Speaker 1: and because all the other boys his age were sons 171 00:13:15,360 --> 00:13:19,280 Speaker 1: of the servants, this little boy had no real friends. 172 00:13:20,280 --> 00:13:22,920 Speaker 1: His father, who was a very nasty guy, wouldn't let 173 00:13:23,000 --> 00:13:26,840 Speaker 1: him talk to the other kids. So this boy, he 174 00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:30,040 Speaker 1: just wanders around the estate when he isn't with his tutor. 175 00:13:30,920 --> 00:13:35,640 Speaker 1: His friends become the birds, the trees, the little frogs 176 00:13:35,679 --> 00:13:40,160 Speaker 1: hopping along the shore. While he's distant from most things, 177 00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:44,680 Speaker 1: he's a smart kid. He's heard the rumors, the things 178 00:13:44,679 --> 00:13:48,000 Speaker 1: a dolt say when they think children aren't listening. And 179 00:13:48,960 --> 00:13:56,640 Speaker 1: you know, it's surprising what children can understand. He hears 180 00:13:56,679 --> 00:14:01,040 Speaker 1: these whispers about his old man doing things to women 181 00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:06,360 Speaker 1: on the phone. It's all hushed up and he owns 182 00:14:06,400 --> 00:14:11,920 Speaker 1: the police, and sometimes the women disappear. The kid don't 183 00:14:11,920 --> 00:14:14,240 Speaker 1: think much of it, but he does like the mystery. 184 00:14:14,960 --> 00:14:18,839 Speaker 1: Kids love mysteries, right, So, the tour guy says, one night, 185 00:14:19,680 --> 00:14:23,040 Speaker 1: the little boy wanders out along the lake and he 186 00:14:23,120 --> 00:14:29,360 Speaker 1: sees this lady along the shore. At first, he thinks 187 00:14:29,360 --> 00:14:34,080 Speaker 1: she's kind of walking on maybe dancing kinda. He sneaks 188 00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:36,960 Speaker 1: up as close as he dares, hiding in the bushes, 189 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:42,320 Speaker 1: until he sees her feet aren't touching the ground. He 190 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:45,760 Speaker 1: can even, he thinks, sort of see through her if 191 00:14:45,800 --> 00:14:51,120 Speaker 1: he squints hard enough, and as he watches, she opens 192 00:14:51,120 --> 00:15:07,000 Speaker 1: her mouth. Here she screams, m hm. Anyway, the legend goes. 193 00:15:07,040 --> 00:15:10,560 Speaker 1: The boy learned this was a ghost La La Rona, 194 00:15:10,920 --> 00:15:14,480 Speaker 1: the tour guy called it, and the story it was 195 00:15:14,520 --> 00:15:17,880 Speaker 1: the boy's mother. She killed herself when she learned her 196 00:15:17,960 --> 00:15:20,360 Speaker 1: husband was cheating, and drowned one of the other kids 197 00:15:20,360 --> 00:15:23,720 Speaker 1: at the same time, and she just kept walking along 198 00:15:23,720 --> 00:15:27,960 Speaker 1: where she died, horrified about what she'd done, but doomed 199 00:15:27,960 --> 00:15:31,680 Speaker 1: to repeat it. The little boy, if I remember, grew 200 00:15:31,760 --> 00:15:34,720 Speaker 1: up and went crazy. The guy said this was just 201 00:15:35,280 --> 00:15:39,400 Speaker 1: one version. She said, they are different versions. Sometimes the 202 00:15:39,480 --> 00:15:45,680 Speaker 1: lady lost a lover or her kid, or you know. Still, 203 00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:50,760 Speaker 1: it's a weird way to end the tour, right, I mean, 204 00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:58,960 Speaker 1: I mean, are you like that are you one of 205 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:06,400 Speaker 1: them just passing through. It's like I'm talking to a record. 206 00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:11,760 Speaker 1: Look I'm not a superstitious guy. I'm not even religious. 207 00:16:11,800 --> 00:16:16,160 Speaker 1: I'm just old lady. I've been taking you along the 208 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:19,960 Speaker 1: same route for decades. Every Christmas. Eve gave up asking 209 00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:23,000 Speaker 1: you the going rate. After the first few years, three 210 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:25,040 Speaker 1: bucks didn't much with the inflation east days. You know, 211 00:16:27,240 --> 00:16:30,120 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, that's just a little joke. I make jokes 212 00:16:30,120 --> 00:16:40,200 Speaker 1: when I'm nervous. You know that, don't you. I just okay, 213 00:16:41,640 --> 00:16:47,200 Speaker 1: I'll be honest. You know, Mandy died years back. I 214 00:16:47,200 --> 00:16:54,480 Speaker 1: wish I could remember when cancer it was all riddled 215 00:16:54,480 --> 00:16:58,720 Speaker 1: through it like holes and Swiss cheese. I was wrecked, 216 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:03,200 Speaker 1: but I still made it here. I still drove you 217 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:07,920 Speaker 1: to your spot. I never asked you much, not much 218 00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:11,159 Speaker 1: at all. But I never let you down, and I 219 00:17:11,320 --> 00:17:14,280 Speaker 1: never sent anyone else to pick you up or started 220 00:17:14,320 --> 00:17:20,719 Speaker 1: asking questions. I've never even told anyone about you except 221 00:17:20,720 --> 00:17:32,280 Speaker 1: for Mandy, and she's she's gone. She's gone now. But 222 00:17:32,400 --> 00:17:37,760 Speaker 1: I did some digging after Mandy. You know, I had 223 00:17:37,760 --> 00:17:41,679 Speaker 1: nothing but time. Even when I was sure, I never 224 00:17:41,760 --> 00:17:49,240 Speaker 1: said anything. This is gonna be my last ride with you. Sarah. 225 00:17:49,720 --> 00:17:57,240 Speaker 1: That's you, isn't it. Sarah bowling Age went missing some 226 00:17:58,200 --> 00:18:02,680 Speaker 1: forty years ago. Now you'd be older and me these days. 227 00:18:04,320 --> 00:18:07,840 Speaker 1: I had no idea who you were for a long time, 228 00:18:08,840 --> 00:18:15,600 Speaker 1: a long time. But it is you, isn't it. Your 229 00:18:15,640 --> 00:18:20,280 Speaker 1: clothes haven't changed, you haven't aged to day. You show 230 00:18:20,400 --> 00:18:23,600 Speaker 1: up every year and we take the exact same route 231 00:18:23,600 --> 00:18:29,400 Speaker 1: to the exact same spot. You know, the police never 232 00:18:29,440 --> 00:18:36,960 Speaker 1: contacted me. Was it was that the last person to 233 00:18:37,000 --> 00:18:42,600 Speaker 1: see you alive? Was that something I could have done? 234 00:18:44,200 --> 00:18:54,240 Speaker 1: Haunts me? Lady for your words. I guess I look, 235 00:18:56,200 --> 00:18:59,680 Speaker 1: there was something I could do, something I could have done. 236 00:18:59,720 --> 00:19:06,840 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, truly, I didn't know. I suppose we passed 237 00:19:06,840 --> 00:19:10,200 Speaker 1: all that now. You know. The doctor, when I talked 238 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:12,639 Speaker 1: to her earliest, she said that I got something called 239 00:19:13,560 --> 00:19:17,639 Speaker 1: Louis body dementia. She put it to me in Cabby terms. 240 00:19:17,800 --> 00:19:21,160 Speaker 1: She said, Ernie, if your brand was a city map, 241 00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:23,360 Speaker 1: the road signs are sort of in the wrong places. 242 00:19:23,440 --> 00:19:29,280 Speaker 1: Now my sleeps all weird. But this time next year, 243 00:19:29,280 --> 00:19:33,680 Speaker 1: I'd probably be in a home on the ground, depending 244 00:19:33,720 --> 00:19:39,560 Speaker 1: on how things play out. I hated you, you know 245 00:19:39,680 --> 00:19:44,560 Speaker 1: that for a long time. It don't make sense saying 246 00:19:44,560 --> 00:19:48,080 Speaker 1: it now, but I did. I hated you. Every year 247 00:19:48,200 --> 00:19:51,520 Speaker 1: the world took a little more from me, and every 248 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:58,920 Speaker 1: year there you were, same age, same clothes, same conversation. 249 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:03,760 Speaker 1: I don't even know if you remember me. There were 250 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:09,200 Speaker 1: some Christmas Eves, especially right after Mandy died, where I 251 00:20:09,240 --> 00:20:13,879 Speaker 1: would think, what's the fucking point, you know, with the 252 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:17,280 Speaker 1: point of it all? They got these ghost shows on 253 00:20:17,359 --> 00:20:20,719 Speaker 1: TV now where people make tons of money pretending to 254 00:20:20,760 --> 00:20:25,360 Speaker 1: talk to ghosts, And here I am. I meet you 255 00:20:26,080 --> 00:20:29,240 Speaker 1: once a year, and I could have made enough for 256 00:20:29,280 --> 00:20:39,199 Speaker 1: the hospital bills. Mandy could have been here now. So 257 00:20:39,320 --> 00:20:44,879 Speaker 1: I wanted to ask you, just this time, just this 258 00:20:45,080 --> 00:20:50,320 Speaker 1: last ride together. I wanted to ask you so many things. 259 00:20:52,920 --> 00:20:58,760 Speaker 1: Is she there, wherever it is you go when you 260 00:20:58,840 --> 00:21:03,479 Speaker 1: know you aren't here. I wanted to ask you if 261 00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:08,640 Speaker 1: you and I square, if you blame me for whatever happened. 262 00:21:10,320 --> 00:21:17,480 Speaker 1: More important, I wanted to tell you you're my best 263 00:21:17,600 --> 00:21:23,440 Speaker 1: friend nowadays, you and me, Well, you're the most meaningful 264 00:21:23,480 --> 00:21:28,560 Speaker 1: person in my life. And you know, I hope you 265 00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:34,959 Speaker 1: can appreciate the humor in it. All my other friends 266 00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:39,440 Speaker 1: that did long gone one way or another. I spend 267 00:21:39,520 --> 00:21:43,240 Speaker 1: these Christmas Is with you I worked the day like 268 00:21:43,320 --> 00:21:46,880 Speaker 1: any other. I wait until about eleven PM. I pick 269 00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:51,440 Speaker 1: you up at Piedmont, drive across town, and then I 270 00:21:51,560 --> 00:21:55,440 Speaker 1: turned around and drive back through the city. That late 271 00:21:56,520 --> 00:21:59,600 Speaker 1: I don't know if you noticed, but that late said 272 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:08,959 Speaker 1: it's abandoned. There's something I don't know holy about abandoned places, 273 00:22:10,520 --> 00:22:14,679 Speaker 1: especially when they're built to have big groups of folks, 274 00:22:14,680 --> 00:22:18,960 Speaker 1: like an empty grocery store late at night with low 275 00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:25,960 Speaker 1: music playing one endless song droning into the night. The 276 00:22:26,040 --> 00:22:31,080 Speaker 1: city's like that. On Christmas Eve, you drive through downtown 277 00:22:31,119 --> 00:22:35,959 Speaker 1: and there's this this hush all across the streets and 278 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:41,560 Speaker 1: boulevards and avenues, and it it hits you. This is 279 00:22:41,600 --> 00:22:45,919 Speaker 1: what people meant when they built cathedrals. The space of it, 280 00:22:47,280 --> 00:22:51,320 Speaker 1: the silence it holds you, wraps you up like a 281 00:22:51,359 --> 00:22:55,960 Speaker 1: soft blanket and you're safe. Like there's something good on 282 00:22:56,040 --> 00:23:01,080 Speaker 1: the way. Water at night, big water along the shore 283 00:23:01,119 --> 00:23:06,800 Speaker 1: with a big moon, like a silver coin. It makes 284 00:23:06,800 --> 00:23:16,280 Speaker 1: you think the morning worth waiting for. I wish you 285 00:23:16,320 --> 00:23:20,040 Speaker 1: could have seen it. We could have turned around and 286 00:23:20,640 --> 00:23:23,440 Speaker 1: just driven through it once, and then if you wanted, 287 00:23:23,520 --> 00:23:25,440 Speaker 1: I would have turned right back and drove you right 288 00:23:25,480 --> 00:23:29,080 Speaker 1: back here. We could have maybe going to a diner 289 00:23:29,800 --> 00:23:32,720 Speaker 1: and you could have talked with someone. Hell, I would 290 00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:35,280 Speaker 1: have woken Mandy up. Back then, the three of us 291 00:23:35,280 --> 00:23:37,879 Speaker 1: could have, I don't know, walked through the streets of 292 00:23:38,080 --> 00:23:41,400 Speaker 1: Uptown with all the Christmas lights. He would have liked 293 00:23:41,440 --> 00:23:45,080 Speaker 1: those that we could have said at the dinner, watching 294 00:23:45,119 --> 00:23:49,080 Speaker 1: the night run off in the dawn, I read somewhere. 295 00:23:49,119 --> 00:23:52,720 Speaker 1: That's all it takes. Sometimes, the right person walking by 296 00:23:52,800 --> 00:23:57,640 Speaker 1: the bridge, someone leaning out the window and asking what's 297 00:23:57,680 --> 00:24:02,159 Speaker 1: going on. There's this guy somewhere in China. He lost 298 00:24:02,160 --> 00:24:05,119 Speaker 1: someone and moved his whole restaurant to the bridge with 299 00:24:06,280 --> 00:24:10,760 Speaker 1: when she died, and he has a little I don't remember, 300 00:24:10,760 --> 00:24:12,959 Speaker 1: a little noodle shop at the bottom of the bridge, 301 00:24:14,000 --> 00:24:16,800 Speaker 1: so he can see if someone's about to jump, and 302 00:24:16,840 --> 00:24:19,240 Speaker 1: when he sees them, he runs straight up the bridge, 303 00:24:19,320 --> 00:24:25,080 Speaker 1: drops whatever he's doing, and he just talks to him. 304 00:24:25,080 --> 00:24:28,160 Speaker 1: A person's whole life can hinge on such tiny things. 305 00:24:30,359 --> 00:24:34,639 Speaker 1: I think most people, people your age, they end up 306 00:24:34,680 --> 00:24:39,280 Speaker 1: regretting those kinds of decisions. You have to be old, 307 00:24:40,359 --> 00:24:43,199 Speaker 1: you have to be tired, you have to get to 308 00:24:43,240 --> 00:24:48,480 Speaker 1: a point where you're not running away. It's just sort 309 00:24:48,520 --> 00:24:52,959 Speaker 1: of letting go Maybe that's where this whole thing is 310 00:24:53,880 --> 00:24:58,760 Speaker 1: in the end, Maybe this whole stupid life this it's 311 00:24:58,800 --> 00:25:02,879 Speaker 1: just holding something, loving it long enough, and handing it 312 00:25:02,960 --> 00:25:05,639 Speaker 1: to someone else when the time is done. It's like 313 00:25:06,200 --> 00:25:09,760 Speaker 1: a museum. Maybe you're stopping. You look at something and 314 00:25:09,800 --> 00:25:12,040 Speaker 1: you only see it because the people in front of 315 00:25:12,040 --> 00:25:18,280 Speaker 1: you moved on. If you love it, you move so 316 00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:24,399 Speaker 1: the people behind you can see it too. We have 317 00:25:24,480 --> 00:25:28,480 Speaker 1: to be sneaky around this part. You might not know it, 318 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:32,159 Speaker 1: but the city has grown bigger and bigger over the years, 319 00:25:32,800 --> 00:25:37,600 Speaker 1: and this isn't exactly a public road anymore. Still, I 320 00:25:37,640 --> 00:25:43,960 Speaker 1: think security takes Christmas off. Look at this place, these 321 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:51,159 Speaker 1: huge ships. Jesus, they're probably older than me. I'm tired. 322 00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:56,120 Speaker 1: I bet they are too. Do you ever get tired? 323 00:25:57,680 --> 00:25:59,560 Speaker 1: Do you know where you are and where you're going? 324 00:26:00,040 --> 00:26:04,320 Speaker 1: M Are you? I don't mean to be rude, but 325 00:26:05,640 --> 00:26:09,800 Speaker 1: are you still? Are you? Or are you? More like 326 00:26:09,840 --> 00:26:13,280 Speaker 1: a recording? Like a song played every year on some 327 00:26:13,800 --> 00:26:18,040 Speaker 1: sort of ghostly radio. That be a kicker, wouldn't it 328 00:26:18,600 --> 00:26:21,879 Speaker 1: a seventy year old man chatting away with the radio. 329 00:26:24,520 --> 00:26:31,760 Speaker 1: Do do you remember me? Come on? Like I said? 330 00:26:31,920 --> 00:26:36,919 Speaker 1: Three bucks in much these days? I can't remember if 331 00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:39,960 Speaker 1: I told you, but for years now I've just been 332 00:26:39,960 --> 00:26:43,639 Speaker 1: putting those half dollars in the glove box. Consider this 333 00:26:43,680 --> 00:26:49,080 Speaker 1: one on the house. I just I'm not sure how 334 00:26:49,119 --> 00:26:57,520 Speaker 1: to ask this. I got nothing now nothing, and maybe 335 00:26:57,600 --> 00:27:01,800 Speaker 1: I'm already crazy, like the dog says. But I wanted 336 00:27:01,840 --> 00:27:07,480 Speaker 1: to thank you, thank you for your company. You're the 337 00:27:07,480 --> 00:27:11,160 Speaker 1: only ghost I've ever met. You know that. I got 338 00:27:11,160 --> 00:27:17,480 Speaker 1: to say, You're not scary at all. How does the 339 00:27:17,480 --> 00:27:23,359 Speaker 1: story end for you? Where do you go? You know? After? 340 00:27:25,680 --> 00:27:33,400 Speaker 1: I'd like to look at the water? Is it okay 341 00:27:34,720 --> 00:27:44,360 Speaker 1: this time? If I go with you? If it is okay, 342 00:27:45,680 --> 00:27:49,160 Speaker 1: I think i'd like to look at the water too. 343 00:27:51,560 --> 00:27:55,840 Speaker 1: Where do you walk when you get out? I'd like 344 00:27:55,920 --> 00:28:01,600 Speaker 1: to see the other side. M h Maybe it is 345 00:28:01,640 --> 00:28:07,320 Speaker 1: everyone we met. Maybe they'll be saying, hey you again. 346 00:28:27,240 --> 00:28:33,720 Speaker 1: Ah ah, yes I've seen them. You have. Where is 347 00:28:33,760 --> 00:28:38,200 Speaker 1: she again? You need to be a little more specific. 348 00:28:38,440 --> 00:28:42,480 Speaker 1: Are you looking for Mandy or for Sarah? Mandy's here. 349 00:28:43,920 --> 00:28:47,320 Speaker 1: It's been a busy night. Are you gonna go upstairs? 350 00:28:47,840 --> 00:28:52,200 Speaker 1: Ernie Bannaker and all your questions will be answered? What's 351 00:28:53,520 --> 00:28:57,600 Speaker 1: where are we? What's up stairs? Many rooms? Ernie Bannaker. 352 00:28:58,160 --> 00:29:02,600 Speaker 1: There are many rooms. This key should fit into the 353 00:29:02,640 --> 00:29:13,400 Speaker 1: one you're looking for. Well, he seems ready to get 354 00:29:13,400 --> 00:29:16,520 Speaker 1: on with it. I hope he finds what he's looking for. 355 00:29:17,440 --> 00:29:25,320 Speaker 1: He will I do love when dissonance resolves itself. Speaking 356 00:29:25,360 --> 00:30:22,680 Speaker 1: of the devil, this should be interesting. Twelve Ghosts starring 357 00:30:22,720 --> 00:30:27,040 Speaker 1: Malcolm McDowell as the Innkeeper and Gina Rikiki as Annabelle. 358 00:30:27,560 --> 00:30:32,080 Speaker 1: Episode five You Again, written by Ben Boland with additional 359 00:30:32,160 --> 00:30:36,680 Speaker 1: writing by Nicholas Takowski. Editing by Chris Childs and Stephen Perez, 360 00:30:37,040 --> 00:30:42,080 Speaker 1: featuring Jay Jones as Ernie. Directed by Nicholas Takowski. Original 361 00:30:42,160 --> 00:30:47,040 Speaker 1: score and sound design by Chris Childs. Executive producers Aaron Mankey, 362 00:30:47,360 --> 00:30:53,280 Speaker 1: Matt Frederick, Alexander Williams and Nicholas Takowski. Supervising producer Josh Staine. 363 00:30:53,760 --> 00:30:58,600 Speaker 1: Producers Chris Childs and Stephen Perez. Casting by Sunday Bowling 364 00:30:58,720 --> 00:31:01,800 Speaker 1: C s A and Meg Wrman c s A. Production 365 00:31:01,880 --> 00:31:06,400 Speaker 1: coordinator Wayna Calderon. Recorded at Lantern Audio in Atlanta, Georgia, 366 00:31:06,800 --> 00:31:11,920 Speaker 1: engineered by Chris Gardner, Aeros Sound and Recording in Ojai, California. 367 00:31:12,360 --> 00:31:16,480 Speaker 1: Engineered by Ken Arrows. Twelve Ghosts was created by Nicholas 368 00:31:16,520 --> 00:31:19,240 Speaker 1: Takowski and is a production of I Heeart, three D 369 00:31:19,320 --> 00:31:22,440 Speaker 1: Audio and Grim and Mild from Aaron Manky. Learn more 370 00:31:22,440 --> 00:31:25,160 Speaker 1: about the show at Grim and Mild dot com and 371 00:31:25,200 --> 00:31:27,640 Speaker 1: find more podcasts from my Heart Radio by visiting the 372 00:31:27,680 --> 00:31:30,960 Speaker 1: i Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen 373 00:31:31,040 --> 00:31:32,000 Speaker 1: to your favorite shows.