1 00:00:16,450 --> 00:00:21,380 Speaker 1: Hello and welcome to My Favorite Murder, the mini-sode. 2 00:00:21,390 --> 00:00:25,560 Speaker 2: That was so, like, thoughtful of you and heartfelt. 3 00:00:25,700 --> 00:00:27,300 Speaker 1: You know what it is? It's because we get to 4 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:30,150 Speaker 1: record this from home. I know. So, like, I'm looking 5 00:00:30,190 --> 00:00:32,250 Speaker 1: at Georgia sitting in a big rattan chair in a 6 00:00:32,270 --> 00:00:34,780 Speaker 1: sundress where it's like, we're going to run out of 7 00:00:34,820 --> 00:00:36,880 Speaker 1: this record and just go be in the day. 8 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:39,220 Speaker 2: No makeup on. That's so nice. 9 00:00:39,240 --> 00:00:39,580 Speaker 1: Hold on. 10 00:00:39,620 --> 00:00:41,500 Speaker 2: But immediately, Elvis. 11 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:41,919 Speaker 1: Oh, my God. 12 00:00:41,940 --> 00:00:44,410 Speaker 2: I just called Mo Elvis. Immediately, Mo is bugging me. 13 00:00:44,420 --> 00:00:46,620 Speaker 1: Mo, get in here. We need you for this record. 14 00:00:46,970 --> 00:00:47,330 Speaker 1: How is he? 15 00:00:47,590 --> 00:00:48,530 Speaker 2: He's a jerk. 16 00:00:49,250 --> 00:00:49,910 Speaker 1: Is he high maintenance? 17 00:00:50,430 --> 00:00:51,229 Speaker 2: He is. 18 00:00:51,270 --> 00:00:53,750 Speaker 1: And I love it. 19 00:00:53,890 --> 00:00:54,910 Speaker 2: All right. Do you want to go first? 20 00:00:55,430 --> 00:00:55,690 Speaker 1: Sure. 21 00:00:55,710 --> 00:00:55,790 Speaker 2: Sure. 22 00:00:56,570 --> 00:00:59,090 Speaker 1: This is kind of lovely. The subject line of this 23 00:00:59,170 --> 00:01:02,660 Speaker 1: email is hero guide dog story from 9-11. Oh, dear. 24 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:03,160 Speaker 2: Yeah. 25 00:01:03,480 --> 00:01:05,700 Speaker 1: So it says, hello, I'm writing this on the 25th 26 00:01:06,020 --> 00:01:08,619 Speaker 1: anniversary of the 9-11 attacks. And I listened to Karen's 27 00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:12,250 Speaker 1: story about the 88th floor heroes yesterday. And if you 28 00:01:12,270 --> 00:01:15,750 Speaker 1: want to listen to that, it's episode 549. Let's action, 29 00:01:16,850 --> 00:01:21,540 Speaker 1: which is also our new British new wave album. Okay, 30 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:23,700 Speaker 1: so it says, I wanted to share the story of 31 00:01:23,750 --> 00:01:28,030 Speaker 1: a hero from the 78th floor, a yellow lab named Roselle. 32 00:01:28,650 --> 00:01:29,250 Speaker 2: Oh, no. 33 00:01:29,910 --> 00:01:32,970 Speaker 1: Michael Hingson, who has been blind since birth, was working 34 00:01:32,990 --> 00:01:34,840 Speaker 1: at his desk on the 78th floor of the World 35 00:01:34,880 --> 00:01:37,560 Speaker 1: Trade Center's North Tower when the first plane hit the 36 00:01:37,580 --> 00:01:40,920 Speaker 1: building above him. His three-year-old guide dog, Roselle, was asleep 37 00:01:40,959 --> 00:01:44,020 Speaker 1: under his desk. She calmly guided Michael to stairwell B 38 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:46,800 Speaker 1: despite the fear, confusion, and smoke that was starting to 39 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:50,470 Speaker 1: fill the air. Over the next hour, Roselle led Michael 40 00:01:50,690 --> 00:01:57,090 Speaker 1: and about 30 other people down 1,463 steps to safety. Oh, 41 00:01:57,150 --> 00:02:00,690 Speaker 1: my God. She calmly guided him around obstacles and debris 42 00:02:00,790 --> 00:02:03,140 Speaker 1: just as she was trained to do. Michael says that 43 00:02:03,180 --> 00:02:05,900 Speaker 1: he repeated over and over throughout their descent that she 44 00:02:05,940 --> 00:02:09,180 Speaker 1: was doing a great job. He wanted to reassure her 45 00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:11,490 Speaker 1: that he was okay and because he was sure that 46 00:02:11,550 --> 00:02:14,389 Speaker 1: she could sense the panic around him. At one point, 47 00:02:14,430 --> 00:02:15,929 Speaker 1: they came up to a woman who was having a 48 00:02:15,970 --> 00:02:18,830 Speaker 1: panic attack in the stairwell. They stopped to comfort her, 49 00:02:18,970 --> 00:02:22,420 Speaker 1: and Roselle gave her kisses. Then she got back to 50 00:02:22,460 --> 00:02:26,960 Speaker 1: her task. Can you imagine just the horror show, and 51 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:30,240 Speaker 1: then suddenly there's just a dog there licking your face? 52 00:02:30,540 --> 00:02:32,429 Speaker 2: I would, like you, I mean. 53 00:02:32,500 --> 00:02:35,030 Speaker 1: I would grab that dog, scruff it, and never let go. 54 00:02:35,730 --> 00:02:38,710 Speaker 2: Smooches for days. Please. Okay. 55 00:02:38,770 --> 00:02:42,350 Speaker 1: Okay. Michael also calmed his colleague who had started to 56 00:02:42,389 --> 00:02:44,829 Speaker 1: panic at some point, saying, if Roselle and I can 57 00:02:44,870 --> 00:02:49,549 Speaker 1: make it down these stairs, so can you. Yeah. Roselle, 58 00:02:49,630 --> 00:02:52,610 Speaker 1: her human, and their entourage made it to the lobby 59 00:02:52,750 --> 00:02:56,930 Speaker 1: just as the other tower collapsed. Roselle, unfazed, led Michael 60 00:02:56,970 --> 00:02:59,660 Speaker 1: to the entry of a subway station. All the way out. 61 00:02:59,910 --> 00:03:03,360 Speaker 1: All the way out into a subway station. Later that evening, 62 00:03:03,500 --> 00:03:04,780 Speaker 1: when they made it home to Nurg. 63 00:03:05,410 --> 00:03:07,590 Speaker 2: They made it home. I was ready for this to 64 00:03:07,750 --> 00:03:09,360 Speaker 2: end horribly. 65 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:12,830 Speaker 1: Later that evening when they made it home to New Jersey. 66 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:16,299 Speaker 1: Roselle grabbed her favorite toy and started playing with their 67 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:18,980 Speaker 1: other dog as though it had been a totally normal 68 00:03:19,020 --> 00:03:19,840 Speaker 1: day on the job. 69 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:21,340 Speaker 2: Oh, my God. 70 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:24,160 Speaker 1: There were, of course, many other hero dogs that day. 71 00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:28,060 Speaker 1: Another guide dog named Salty, also a yellow lab, guided 72 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:30,920 Speaker 1: his human down to safety. And so many search and 73 00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:33,620 Speaker 1: rescue dogs worked through the rubble in the days and 74 00:03:33,710 --> 00:03:36,790 Speaker 1: weeks that followed. So sad. But I wanted to share 75 00:03:36,830 --> 00:03:39,690 Speaker 1: Roselle's story with you and listeners. She might be the 76 00:03:39,730 --> 00:03:44,690 Speaker 1: goodest girl ever. Roselle, it's such a good name. I 77 00:03:44,690 --> 00:03:47,230 Speaker 1: have no personal connection to Roselle or Michael, but I 78 00:03:47,390 --> 00:03:50,210 Speaker 1: am especially struck by this story because I'm a puppy 79 00:03:50,270 --> 00:03:53,070 Speaker 1: raiser for the Seeing Eye. The Seeing Eye is the 80 00:03:53,230 --> 00:03:56,970 Speaker 1: oldest guide dog school in the U.S. I didn't know that. 81 00:03:57,130 --> 00:04:00,720 Speaker 1: There's like one that was first. I mean, obviously. I 82 00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:03,800 Speaker 1: didn't know things could, if they were the first one, 83 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:04,900 Speaker 1: that would mean they were.... 84 00:04:07,160 --> 00:04:08,559 Speaker 2: I mean, it makes sense to be like, it's just 85 00:04:08,620 --> 00:04:10,940 Speaker 2: a thing, not like, how did it start? 86 00:04:11,140 --> 00:04:14,160 Speaker 1: Yes, it's just suddenly. I guess I was thinking there 87 00:04:14,180 --> 00:04:17,680 Speaker 1: was just the one. Okay, it's not the school where 88 00:04:17,740 --> 00:04:20,659 Speaker 1: Roselle was trained, but all the guide dog schools rely 89 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:23,220 Speaker 1: on puppy raisers to get their future guide dogs a 90 00:04:23,260 --> 00:04:26,820 Speaker 1: good start in life. Seeing eye raisers get puppies around 91 00:04:26,900 --> 00:04:29,219 Speaker 1: seven weeks of age, and we have them until they're 92 00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:32,460 Speaker 1: around 12 to 15 months old. At that point, we 93 00:04:32,500 --> 00:04:34,760 Speaker 1: have to give them back, and we are unlikely to 94 00:04:34,980 --> 00:04:39,510 Speaker 1: ever interact with them again. If they're successful in their training. Yeah. 95 00:04:39,830 --> 00:04:43,600 Speaker 1: It's a heartbreaking but beautifully rewarding task. Part of our 96 00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:47,700 Speaker 1: job is to safely expose our puppies to as many sights, sounds, 97 00:04:47,880 --> 00:04:50,520 Speaker 1: and environments as we can so that they are ready 98 00:04:50,560 --> 00:04:54,320 Speaker 1: to guide their future person through any situation. I'm amazed 99 00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:57,360 Speaker 1: by what guide dogs do on a day-to-day basis. But 100 00:04:57,400 --> 00:04:59,860 Speaker 1: to think that a goofy, playful little puppy I could 101 00:04:59,920 --> 00:05:03,940 Speaker 1: raise could go on to be as heroic as Roselle. Well, 102 00:05:05,100 --> 00:05:11,089 Speaker 1: I'm not crying. You're crying. Thank you for everything you 103 00:05:11,110 --> 00:05:13,650 Speaker 1: do and the human and animal stories you allow us 104 00:05:13,690 --> 00:05:17,430 Speaker 1: to share. Stay sexy and become a puppy raiser, Lizzie. 105 00:05:18,110 --> 00:05:19,890 Speaker 2: What was the name of the company again? 106 00:05:20,210 --> 00:05:20,900 Speaker 1: The Seeing Eye. 107 00:05:21,620 --> 00:05:24,440 Speaker 2: Because if you have depression and you get a puppy 108 00:05:24,700 --> 00:05:28,539 Speaker 2: who needs you to take it out to as many 109 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:34,030 Speaker 2: opportunities to learn as possible, can you imagine how important 110 00:05:34,110 --> 00:05:35,790 Speaker 2: and life-changing that would be? 111 00:05:35,810 --> 00:05:38,710 Speaker 1: Yeah, because I think it's such a good way to go. 112 00:05:38,730 --> 00:05:41,289 Speaker 1: It doesn't have to be about you to be important. 113 00:05:41,430 --> 00:05:44,830 Speaker 1: And if you can't go, oh, nothing I'm going to 114 00:05:44,850 --> 00:05:47,370 Speaker 1: do is worth it, but isn't it worth it for 115 00:05:47,430 --> 00:05:49,430 Speaker 1: that precious little dog that. 116 00:05:49,330 --> 00:05:52,229 Speaker 2: Needs that training. And then you've got like 15 months 117 00:05:52,290 --> 00:05:54,210 Speaker 2: ahead of you that are like the most important of 118 00:05:54,330 --> 00:05:59,120 Speaker 2: someone else's life. So that's amazing. What a great email. 119 00:05:59,140 --> 00:06:01,979 Speaker 1: But then the heartbreak, like to be able, that's the 120 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:06,300 Speaker 1: same with people who foster dogs. They're just, they're in 121 00:06:06,339 --> 00:06:08,380 Speaker 1: it for the big picture. I love it. 122 00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:09,160 Speaker 2: It's incredible. 123 00:06:09,220 --> 00:06:10,580 Speaker 1: That was great. Thank you. Yeah. 124 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:10,919 Speaker 2: Great email. 125 00:06:13,890 --> 00:06:14,090 Speaker 1: All right. 126 00:06:14,130 --> 00:06:16,850 Speaker 2: Well, let's just jump right into a Ouija board email. 127 00:06:16,870 --> 00:06:19,210 Speaker 2: How about go in the opposite direction? 128 00:06:19,230 --> 00:06:20,490 Speaker 1: Because that's what this show is. 129 00:06:20,510 --> 00:06:25,710 Speaker 2: Okay. Hello. As a new listener, I'm currently obsessed with 130 00:06:25,750 --> 00:06:28,390 Speaker 2: your podcast. I listen to it in the car and 131 00:06:28,420 --> 00:06:30,880 Speaker 2: while walking my dog. Oh, it's a themed episode. Oh. 132 00:06:31,500 --> 00:06:33,740 Speaker 2: My dog is very happy because my walks are longer 133 00:06:33,779 --> 00:06:36,140 Speaker 2: than usual as I like to finish an episode during 134 00:06:36,180 --> 00:06:38,159 Speaker 2: the walk. So that's like a two and a half hour. 135 00:06:39,460 --> 00:06:40,300 Speaker 2: The dog's like, Jesus. 136 00:06:41,020 --> 00:06:41,159 Speaker 1: Okay. 137 00:06:41,420 --> 00:06:44,210 Speaker 2: I just finished listening to episode 378 about the Ouija 138 00:06:44,250 --> 00:06:47,010 Speaker 2: board murders. You asked for Ouija board stories. Do I 139 00:06:47,029 --> 00:06:49,370 Speaker 2: have an interesting story for you? When I was about 140 00:06:49,410 --> 00:06:52,370 Speaker 2: seven or eight, my grandparents, my mom, and my aunt 141 00:06:52,490 --> 00:06:55,180 Speaker 2: were all playing cards. This was the early 70s, so 142 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:57,680 Speaker 2: I was left to my own devices to entertain myself 143 00:06:57,820 --> 00:07:00,320 Speaker 2: and keep out of the kitchen where they were playing Pinochle. 144 00:07:01,240 --> 00:07:02,460 Speaker 1: Pinochle is like... Pinochle. 145 00:07:02,540 --> 00:07:03,020 Speaker 2: Perfect. 146 00:07:03,040 --> 00:07:03,460 Speaker 1: Perfect. 147 00:07:04,110 --> 00:07:06,469 Speaker 2: While wandering around the house, I found an old Ouija 148 00:07:06,490 --> 00:07:09,750 Speaker 2: board upstairs in a closet. My grandmother was from the 149 00:07:09,850 --> 00:07:14,290 Speaker 2: Appalachia Mountains and was pretty superstitious. I had heard about 150 00:07:14,350 --> 00:07:16,730 Speaker 2: the Ouija board and was told not to mess with it. 151 00:07:17,210 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 2: Being unsupervised, I did what any kid would do. I 152 00:07:19,740 --> 00:07:22,580 Speaker 2: pulled it out of the box and started asking it questions. 153 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:24,250 Speaker 2: She's seven or eight years old. 154 00:07:24,260 --> 00:07:24,880 Speaker 1: All alone. 155 00:07:25,300 --> 00:07:27,920 Speaker 2: An Appalachia. Somehow that's like, you know it's so haunted. 156 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:30,760 Speaker 1: It's just all these, you know, creatures kind of in 157 00:07:30,780 --> 00:07:32,240 Speaker 1: their shadows around her. 158 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:35,880 Speaker 2: Witches and ghouls. Okay. After having the board talked about 159 00:07:35,940 --> 00:07:38,520 Speaker 2: by my family, I felt pretty let down. The board 160 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:41,420 Speaker 2: answered my questions, but I felt the answers were all wrong. 161 00:07:42,020 --> 00:07:44,420 Speaker 2: I remembered thinking the board made no sense, and I 162 00:07:44,460 --> 00:07:47,380 Speaker 2: didn't know what the fuss was about. About that time, 163 00:07:47,430 --> 00:07:49,370 Speaker 2: there was a break in card playing, and my aunt 164 00:07:49,450 --> 00:07:51,470 Speaker 2: found me with the Ouija board on the floor of 165 00:07:51,490 --> 00:07:53,650 Speaker 2: the bedroom. She went out to the kitchen to tell 166 00:07:53,670 --> 00:07:55,790 Speaker 2: my mom and grandparents that I was playing with it 167 00:07:55,890 --> 00:07:58,200 Speaker 2: and that I knew I shouldn't be. I told them 168 00:07:58,260 --> 00:08:00,600 Speaker 2: I was sorry and wouldn't do it again. I told 169 00:08:00,640 --> 00:08:03,160 Speaker 2: them it was a stupid game anyway. They asked me 170 00:08:03,220 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 2: why I thought it was stupid. I told them that 171 00:08:06,060 --> 00:08:09,260 Speaker 2: I asked the board, when will I die? It says 172 00:08:09,350 --> 00:08:11,430 Speaker 2: I was only seven. It seemed like a natural question 173 00:08:11,450 --> 00:08:14,590 Speaker 2: to ask. I said the board answered with the date 174 00:08:14,830 --> 00:08:20,310 Speaker 2: of February 10th, 1919. My family let out an audible gasp. 175 00:08:21,250 --> 00:08:23,570 Speaker 2: I should probably mention to you that I'm named after 176 00:08:23,610 --> 00:08:24,750 Speaker 2: my great-grandmother. 177 00:08:24,770 --> 00:08:24,830 Speaker 1: No. 178 00:08:25,310 --> 00:08:28,370 Speaker 2: The mother of my grandmother that owned the Ouija board. 179 00:08:29,090 --> 00:08:31,930 Speaker 2: The date the Ouija board gave, it's the date that 180 00:08:31,990 --> 00:08:35,920 Speaker 2: my namesake died during the great flu epidemic of 1918. 181 00:08:35,920 --> 00:08:38,439 Speaker 2: Stupid game. My favorite. 182 00:08:38,660 --> 00:08:41,920 Speaker 1: What a great example of how kids don't know shit. Totally. 183 00:08:41,980 --> 00:08:43,260 Speaker 2: It just kept talking to me and I was like, 184 00:08:43,280 --> 00:08:46,400 Speaker 2: this isn't working. Literally communicating with you. 185 00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:49,620 Speaker 1: It's telling you, it's predicting the past and the future. 186 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:53,170 Speaker 2: Right. I was only seven or eight, so how would 187 00:08:53,250 --> 00:08:53,670 Speaker 2: I know? 188 00:08:53,690 --> 00:08:54,470 Speaker 1: I wouldn't. 189 00:08:54,730 --> 00:08:56,610 Speaker 2: All I know is I never saw that board again 190 00:08:56,650 --> 00:08:59,290 Speaker 2: in my grandparents' house. Fuck yeah, they burnt that thing. 191 00:08:59,309 --> 00:08:59,940 Speaker 1: They burned it. 192 00:08:59,950 --> 00:09:02,910 Speaker 2: Stay sexy and keep Ouija boards hidden away or supervise 193 00:09:02,929 --> 00:09:08,400 Speaker 2: your children during family gatherings. D, she, her. That's like 194 00:09:08,440 --> 00:09:13,079 Speaker 2: a weirdly specific answer, but like an exact date of 195 00:09:13,140 --> 00:09:13,980 Speaker 2: her namesake. 196 00:09:14,220 --> 00:09:16,880 Speaker 1: And do you think as opposed, like the first thing 197 00:09:16,940 --> 00:09:18,820 Speaker 1: I thought of, which is just me trying to write 198 00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:22,089 Speaker 1: a horror movie, but it's like because... that was a 199 00:09:22,130 --> 00:09:23,170 Speaker 1: child by herself. 200 00:09:24,190 --> 00:09:24,430 Speaker 2: Yeah. 201 00:09:24,929 --> 00:09:26,990 Speaker 1: It's like, well, sure. I'll communicate with you. 202 00:09:27,070 --> 00:09:30,760 Speaker 2: Or just a child. Totally. Like, yeah. Like any child 203 00:09:30,780 --> 00:09:33,220 Speaker 2: who doesn't have expectations either way. 204 00:09:33,559 --> 00:09:33,839 Speaker 1: Yes. 205 00:09:34,160 --> 00:09:35,400 Speaker 2: I think for sure. Yeah. 206 00:09:35,520 --> 00:09:37,360 Speaker 1: There's no reason to lie if you didn't think the 207 00:09:37,400 --> 00:09:38,599 Speaker 1: board was going to do anything. 208 00:09:38,780 --> 00:09:42,080 Speaker 2: Totally. This game is stupid. It doesn't work because it's 209 00:09:42,140 --> 00:09:42,910 Speaker 2: only telling me. 210 00:09:44,750 --> 00:09:46,140 Speaker 1: When great-grandma's death date was. 211 00:09:46,150 --> 00:09:48,510 Speaker 2: When great-grandma died. 212 00:09:48,550 --> 00:09:49,690 Speaker 1: My great-grandmother. 213 00:09:49,770 --> 00:09:50,930 Speaker 2: For whom I was made. 214 00:09:54,429 --> 00:09:58,770 Speaker 1: Okay, well, let's stay in the family theme. I'm not 215 00:09:58,790 --> 00:10:01,719 Speaker 1: going to read you the subject line. It says, hello, Karen, Georgia, 216 00:10:01,760 --> 00:10:04,370 Speaker 1: and everyone at Exactly Right. I grew up in small 217 00:10:04,410 --> 00:10:07,630 Speaker 1: town Indiana in the 90s. My cousins lived in another 218 00:10:07,690 --> 00:10:10,089 Speaker 1: tiny town, and we loved to visit them and have 219 00:10:10,190 --> 00:10:14,069 Speaker 1: hours of unsupervised exploration of the ancient barn in their backyard, 220 00:10:14,330 --> 00:10:17,210 Speaker 1: the amazing old-fashioned penny candy store a couple blocks from 221 00:10:17,250 --> 00:10:20,819 Speaker 1: my aunt and uncle's house. Oh, and yes, the endlessly fascinating, 222 00:10:21,140 --> 00:10:23,940 Speaker 1: very busy train tracks that we had to cross to 223 00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:27,620 Speaker 1: get to and from said penny candy store with pockets 224 00:10:27,640 --> 00:10:30,660 Speaker 1: full of change from our terrifyingly inattentive parents. 225 00:10:30,920 --> 00:10:31,840 Speaker 2: Oh, my God. 226 00:10:31,940 --> 00:10:35,209 Speaker 1: What an opening paragraph. Totally. It just set up. They've 227 00:10:35,250 --> 00:10:38,630 Speaker 1: set up the danger. They've set up, it's foreshadowing. It's 228 00:10:38,670 --> 00:10:39,710 Speaker 1: everything we need. Nostalgia. 229 00:10:39,730 --> 00:10:40,360 Speaker 2: We've got it. Yep. 230 00:10:41,290 --> 00:10:45,390 Speaker 1: On this particular day, six-year-old me, my three-year-old sister, and 231 00:10:45,470 --> 00:10:47,810 Speaker 1: our one to two-year-old baby cousin decided to make the 232 00:10:47,850 --> 00:10:50,370 Speaker 1: trek to the candy store with full permission and pocket 233 00:10:50,410 --> 00:10:51,730 Speaker 1: change from our parents. 234 00:10:51,770 --> 00:10:56,240 Speaker 2: You can't walk. They're called toddlers because they toddle across 235 00:10:56,270 --> 00:10:57,380 Speaker 2: a train track. 236 00:10:57,580 --> 00:10:59,920 Speaker 1: I mean, ours was not train track. It was just 237 00:10:59,960 --> 00:11:04,200 Speaker 1: a slight hill straight away. But from age like Four 238 00:11:04,240 --> 00:11:06,100 Speaker 1: and five, we were walking to the corner store. 239 00:11:06,260 --> 00:11:10,270 Speaker 2: The jaywalking across busy fucking streets we would do in 240 00:11:10,309 --> 00:11:12,150 Speaker 2: suburbia as children. 241 00:11:12,350 --> 00:11:18,450 Speaker 1: Hey, we made it. Hey, we made it. Okay. My 242 00:11:18,490 --> 00:11:21,230 Speaker 1: mom called, look out for your sister as we headed out, 243 00:11:21,350 --> 00:11:25,500 Speaker 1: but that was it. Thanks for the advice. We made 244 00:11:25,520 --> 00:11:28,240 Speaker 1: it to the store, spent our change on Tootsie Rolls, Gumballs, 245 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:32,000 Speaker 1: and Sprees, and began the trek back home. We approached 246 00:11:32,020 --> 00:11:34,750 Speaker 1: the train tracks, and hear the telltale sound of a 247 00:11:34,770 --> 00:11:37,970 Speaker 1: train horn signaling that a train is approaching the town. 248 00:11:38,510 --> 00:11:40,890 Speaker 1: This part of Indiana was flat as a board and 249 00:11:40,970 --> 00:11:43,579 Speaker 1: full of cornfields, so we could see the train coming 250 00:11:43,620 --> 00:11:47,300 Speaker 1: from probably over two miles away. But it was already 251 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:50,939 Speaker 1: rather close at this point. My six-year-old mind decides, hey, 252 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:55,240 Speaker 1: we can make it. And I'm so stressed out. 253 00:11:55,690 --> 00:11:57,490 Speaker 2: I am too. I'm just thinking, fucking. 254 00:11:57,790 --> 00:11:58,370 Speaker 1: Stand by me? 255 00:11:58,530 --> 00:11:59,550 Speaker 2: Stand by me, yes. Yep. 256 00:12:00,500 --> 00:12:03,260 Speaker 1: My six-year-old mind decides, hey, we can make it. And 257 00:12:03,300 --> 00:12:06,140 Speaker 1: I grab my baby cousin's hand and sprint over the tracks. 258 00:12:06,610 --> 00:12:08,770 Speaker 1: I assume my sister's behind us. 259 00:12:08,890 --> 00:12:09,390 Speaker 2: Oh, my God. 260 00:12:09,830 --> 00:12:12,589 Speaker 1: But as we're hearing and seeing this enormous speeding train 261 00:12:12,630 --> 00:12:15,550 Speaker 1: getting closer and closer, I look back and see my 262 00:12:15,650 --> 00:12:20,570 Speaker 1: terrified baby sister frozen in place, all caps, on the 263 00:12:20,770 --> 00:12:24,459 Speaker 1: other side of the tracks. Look out for your sister, 264 00:12:24,640 --> 00:12:27,819 Speaker 1: echoes in my six-year-old mind as I stare wild-eyed at 265 00:12:27,860 --> 00:12:31,000 Speaker 1: my sister so close yet so far away. And all 266 00:12:31,040 --> 00:12:33,709 Speaker 1: I can think is that my mom would kill me 267 00:12:34,190 --> 00:12:36,110 Speaker 1: if I left my baby sister on the other side 268 00:12:36,130 --> 00:12:39,449 Speaker 1: of the tracks by herself while the train was speeding by. 269 00:12:40,050 --> 00:12:44,270 Speaker 1: So I made the decision and beckoned to my baby 270 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:48,760 Speaker 1: sister to run across the tracks. That's all caps. To 271 00:12:48,860 --> 00:12:54,460 Speaker 1: run across the tracks. The train horn is blaring wildly. 272 00:12:54,480 --> 00:12:57,680 Speaker 1: The sound of it is deafening. The tracks are vibrating 273 00:12:57,720 --> 00:13:00,480 Speaker 1: with the speed and size of this metal monster hurtling 274 00:13:00,520 --> 00:13:04,120 Speaker 1: toward us with no sign of slowing down. And my 275 00:13:04,179 --> 00:13:07,680 Speaker 1: baby sister looks at me, looks at the train and 276 00:13:07,820 --> 00:13:11,760 Speaker 1: sprints across the tracks. I catch her as she crashes 277 00:13:11,830 --> 00:13:14,670 Speaker 1: into me and I instinctively shield both her and my 278 00:13:14,710 --> 00:13:18,920 Speaker 1: baby cousin with my tiny body. As seconds later, the 279 00:13:18,980 --> 00:13:21,940 Speaker 1: train hurtles through. And I remember being so close to 280 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:24,480 Speaker 1: it that the wind from it whipped our clothes and 281 00:13:24,540 --> 00:13:29,250 Speaker 1: our hair. And the clanking, clanging metal hurtling by and 282 00:13:29,290 --> 00:13:32,570 Speaker 1: that blaring horn screaming on and on. 283 00:13:32,830 --> 00:13:37,130 Speaker 2: Oh, the train conductor was livid, I bet. Heart attack. 284 00:13:37,510 --> 00:13:40,340 Speaker 1: Probably like, I want to talk to the mayor right now. 285 00:13:40,820 --> 00:13:44,270 Speaker 1: What are these children doing? It took me all caps 286 00:13:44,370 --> 00:13:48,030 Speaker 1: years to think of that moment without feeling abject terror 287 00:13:48,210 --> 00:13:50,930 Speaker 1: and imagining all of the what ifs that could have 288 00:13:51,010 --> 00:13:54,220 Speaker 1: so easily happened that day. What if she had tripped 289 00:13:54,440 --> 00:13:57,180 Speaker 1: as she ran? Yes. My God. What if she had 290 00:13:57,240 --> 00:13:58,700 Speaker 1: hesitated half a second? 291 00:13:59,090 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 2: Okay. 292 00:13:59,420 --> 00:14:01,990 Speaker 1: I have to stop and just say this. This is 293 00:14:02,110 --> 00:14:05,940 Speaker 1: why everyone from my generation, Gen X, is so fucked up. 294 00:14:06,350 --> 00:14:08,750 Speaker 1: Because when you were six years old, you had to 295 00:14:08,790 --> 00:14:11,679 Speaker 1: make adult decisions with no fucking help and you got 296 00:14:11,720 --> 00:14:14,160 Speaker 1: in trouble if you did it wrong. Right. And so 297 00:14:14,220 --> 00:14:16,680 Speaker 1: shit like this where you're like, she can't stay over there. 298 00:14:16,940 --> 00:14:19,460 Speaker 1: She's got to come over here. The worst decision of 299 00:14:19,500 --> 00:14:19,840 Speaker 1: all time. 300 00:14:19,860 --> 00:14:20,320 Speaker 2: Totally. 301 00:14:20,360 --> 00:14:24,060 Speaker 1: Because you're six. It's so fucking unfair. Yeah. 302 00:14:24,260 --> 00:14:26,940 Speaker 2: You're put in charge of what? Adults should be doing. 303 00:14:27,120 --> 00:14:29,500 Speaker 1: Yes. And they have the gall to be like, you 304 00:14:29,540 --> 00:14:32,780 Speaker 1: raised this child wrong in this emergency situation. I'm so 305 00:14:32,830 --> 00:14:35,650 Speaker 1: mad for this person. Okay. What if she tripped as 306 00:14:35,670 --> 00:14:38,350 Speaker 1: she ran? What if she hesitated a half a second longer? 307 00:14:38,630 --> 00:14:42,290 Speaker 1: Her tiny body and her terrified face staring. Also, it's 308 00:14:42,330 --> 00:14:44,450 Speaker 1: her sister trusting her sister to go. 309 00:14:44,810 --> 00:14:46,410 Speaker 2: Totally. No, you're completely right. 310 00:14:46,530 --> 00:14:48,760 Speaker 1: Her terrified face staring at the oncoming train and then 311 00:14:48,900 --> 00:14:54,050 Speaker 1: searchingly back at me honestly still haunts me to this day. Thankfully, 312 00:14:54,270 --> 00:14:56,650 Speaker 1: when my sister and I finally talked about it years later, 313 00:14:56,930 --> 00:14:59,740 Speaker 1: she appreciated my instinct to not make her feel abandoned 314 00:14:59,760 --> 00:15:01,920 Speaker 1: on the other side of a moving train, but also 315 00:15:01,960 --> 00:15:06,000 Speaker 1: confirmed it was 100% fucked up and could have ended 316 00:15:06,180 --> 00:15:10,410 Speaker 1: in truly horrific tragedy. The moral of the story is 317 00:15:11,050 --> 00:15:14,320 Speaker 1: 90s parents were fucking idiots. I'm reading off the page, listener. 318 00:15:14,790 --> 00:15:16,940 Speaker 1: The moral of the story is 90s parents were fucking 319 00:15:16,980 --> 00:15:20,820 Speaker 1: idiots and six-year-olds are not qualified to make decisions about anything, 320 00:15:21,160 --> 00:15:24,760 Speaker 1: much less the safety and well-being of even tinier children. 321 00:15:25,300 --> 00:15:28,140 Speaker 1: Thank you for the incredibly wonderful podcast. I've been listening 322 00:15:28,200 --> 00:15:32,350 Speaker 1: since day one. Aw, hi. And your voices never fail 323 00:15:32,380 --> 00:15:35,850 Speaker 1: to bring me so much joy. Stay sexy and don't 324 00:15:35,910 --> 00:15:40,430 Speaker 1: let six-year-olds babysit or cross train tracks alone. Ruthie. 325 00:15:43,580 --> 00:15:45,220 Speaker 2: Ruthie, I am sweating. 326 00:15:45,580 --> 00:15:49,920 Speaker 1: We're all so triggered and PTSD'd out by that experience. 327 00:15:49,980 --> 00:15:50,220 Speaker 2: I mean. 328 00:15:51,180 --> 00:15:53,760 Speaker 1: Mine was never a train. Mine was always some weird 329 00:15:53,960 --> 00:15:56,500 Speaker 1: subtlety of you're not supposed to do that, but you're 330 00:15:56,520 --> 00:15:57,800 Speaker 1: doing it anyway. Right. 331 00:15:57,980 --> 00:16:00,990 Speaker 2: Or we're all jumping off this thing. And you're like, 332 00:16:01,160 --> 00:16:03,710 Speaker 2: I'm the littlest, but I can't be left behind. 333 00:16:03,730 --> 00:16:05,770 Speaker 1: No, I can't be the crybaby. I was already the 334 00:16:05,790 --> 00:16:07,990 Speaker 1: crybaby one time and not allowed to be the crybaby. 335 00:16:08,010 --> 00:16:14,790 Speaker 2: Okay. This is totally different. Suggestive Georgia and Karen sounds 336 00:16:14,850 --> 00:16:19,180 Speaker 2: playing through loudspeaker. Hello, you lovely ladies. I don't have 337 00:16:19,200 --> 00:16:22,000 Speaker 2: a hometown murder per se, but I am a band teacher, 338 00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:25,140 Speaker 2: and every day it feels like my sanity is getting murdered. 339 00:16:25,380 --> 00:16:28,320 Speaker 2: Smiley face. The school year has just begun, but I 340 00:16:28,360 --> 00:16:30,670 Speaker 2: have already managed to embarrass myself in front of my 341 00:16:30,750 --> 00:16:33,930 Speaker 2: high school marching band students. Right now we are in 342 00:16:33,970 --> 00:16:37,550 Speaker 2: the heat of marching band season, literally, so a majority 343 00:16:37,610 --> 00:16:40,590 Speaker 2: of our rehearsals take place on the football field. The 344 00:16:40,610 --> 00:16:43,200 Speaker 2: summer heat is absolutely miserable in the state I'm in, 345 00:16:43,260 --> 00:16:46,720 Speaker 2: yet I find myself doing it again year after year, dot, dot, dot. 346 00:16:46,740 --> 00:16:47,580 Speaker 1: Mm-hmm. No. 347 00:16:47,610 --> 00:17:19,669 Speaker 2: No. If you'd like to follow along, this was episode 537, 348 00:17:19,670 --> 00:17:24,950 Speaker 2: live at the Paramount Theater, Seattle Night 2. The extremely 349 00:17:25,010 --> 00:17:28,660 Speaker 2: tiny yet specific moment plays what sounds like a plaintive 350 00:17:28,680 --> 00:17:34,440 Speaker 2: groan from Georgia and then Karen softly whispering the name Anthony. Uh-oh. 351 00:17:34,820 --> 00:17:38,879 Speaker 2: Can you play it, Molly? Anthony. I don't know what 352 00:17:38,900 --> 00:17:44,440 Speaker 2: it is. Anthony. 353 00:17:44,580 --> 00:17:48,770 Speaker 1: Also, I've never heard you think Anthony. That long during 354 00:17:48,850 --> 00:17:52,650 Speaker 1: a show. You know what I mean? Like, have either 355 00:17:52,690 --> 00:17:56,370 Speaker 1: of us ever considered anything for that long before speaking? 356 00:17:56,710 --> 00:18:00,050 Speaker 2: No, that's our point. What's happening? And that's playing on 357 00:18:00,090 --> 00:18:03,280 Speaker 2: a football field in high school. Of course, the speaker 358 00:18:03,320 --> 00:18:06,160 Speaker 2: was on full blast. So those two sounds suddenly piercing 359 00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:09,740 Speaker 2: my eardrums startled me to say the least. Not only that, 360 00:18:09,820 --> 00:18:13,119 Speaker 2: but unattached to the context surrounding them, which was Karen's 361 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:17,800 Speaker 2: DB tuber bank story. They could sound somewhat sexual, and 362 00:18:17,840 --> 00:18:20,700 Speaker 2: to a large group of teenagers, it's guaranteed someone will 363 00:18:20,740 --> 00:18:25,460 Speaker 2: say something about it sounding sexual. With reflexes no slower 364 00:18:25,500 --> 00:18:28,000 Speaker 2: than a cheetah's, I attempted to close Spotify, but instead 365 00:18:28,020 --> 00:18:30,580 Speaker 2: of swinging up out of the app, I sent the 366 00:18:30,640 --> 00:18:34,600 Speaker 2: playhead back to the beginning of that exact sound clip. Anthony. 367 00:18:36,660 --> 00:18:38,659 Speaker 2: For a second time, my ears were pierced with the 368 00:18:38,720 --> 00:18:42,320 Speaker 2: loud groans and seductive whispers of our lovely co-hosts, their 369 00:18:42,380 --> 00:18:46,199 Speaker 2: voice echoing through the football field. After sprinting over and 370 00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:48,240 Speaker 2: killing power to the speaker, I looked up to see 371 00:18:48,280 --> 00:18:51,180 Speaker 2: if anyone happened to witness that embarrassing moment. And sure enough, 372 00:18:51,240 --> 00:18:55,280 Speaker 2: the entire 100-piece marching band was standing there waiting to 373 00:18:55,320 --> 00:18:59,290 Speaker 2: take the field for rehearsal. I was mortified. Instead of 374 00:18:59,310 --> 00:19:02,290 Speaker 2: addressing it, rehearsal was started as normal and nothing was 375 00:19:02,330 --> 00:19:05,649 Speaker 2: said by the students. My coworkers avoided eye contact with 376 00:19:05,690 --> 00:19:08,030 Speaker 2: me for the rest of the day. I have been 377 00:19:08,050 --> 00:19:10,780 Speaker 2: a listener since COVID and you've frequently accompanied me on walks, 378 00:19:10,940 --> 00:19:13,840 Speaker 2: cleaning sprees, and home cardio workouts done in the bedroom 379 00:19:13,900 --> 00:19:16,400 Speaker 2: of my second floor apartment. Thank you for doing everything 380 00:19:16,420 --> 00:19:18,869 Speaker 2: you have done to keep us sane through this tumultuous time. 381 00:19:19,290 --> 00:19:22,689 Speaker 2: Your brand of humor is a beautiful combination of sarcasm, joy, 382 00:19:22,810 --> 00:19:25,210 Speaker 2: and a healthy dose of darkness. that has helped an 383 00:19:25,280 --> 00:19:28,360 Speaker 2: entire community process and cope with all these atrocities we 384 00:19:28,440 --> 00:19:32,280 Speaker 2: keep living through. I have a feeling that history will 385 00:19:32,300 --> 00:19:34,859 Speaker 2: look back upon you guys as a positive impact on 386 00:19:34,940 --> 00:19:35,720 Speaker 2: our culture. 387 00:19:35,740 --> 00:19:41,570 Speaker 1: Oh my God. You know, that's a nice thing to hear. 388 00:19:41,590 --> 00:19:43,250 Speaker 2: I know, right? 389 00:19:43,609 --> 00:19:45,030 Speaker 1: That's a nice idea. 390 00:19:45,050 --> 00:19:48,690 Speaker 2: Yeah. Stay sexy and don't play MFM in front of 391 00:19:48,730 --> 00:19:52,000 Speaker 2: your students, especially if the sounds Georgia and Karen are 392 00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:53,990 Speaker 2: making are somewhat suggestive. A. 393 00:19:57,230 --> 00:20:03,540 Speaker 1: Thank you, A. That's so true. Any noise... Anything we 394 00:20:03,580 --> 00:20:07,040 Speaker 1: were doing probably would have sounded suggestive in a high school. 395 00:20:07,200 --> 00:20:09,640 Speaker 2: Out of context, blasting. 396 00:20:10,020 --> 00:20:12,160 Speaker 1: What I was hearing, and I have no idea what that, 397 00:20:12,840 --> 00:20:16,080 Speaker 1: I can kind of remember the story, can't remember the moment. Yeah. 398 00:20:16,380 --> 00:20:19,510 Speaker 1: But what I think is, it was like one of 399 00:20:19,530 --> 00:20:22,350 Speaker 1: those moments where we're trying to be philosophical about why 400 00:20:22,570 --> 00:20:25,010 Speaker 1: people do what they do. Right? 401 00:20:25,190 --> 00:20:26,810 Speaker 2: Or maybe I was looking at a photo of him. 402 00:20:26,930 --> 00:20:28,450 Speaker 2: Maybe there was like someone, we were looking at a 403 00:20:28,470 --> 00:20:29,910 Speaker 2: photo and maybe he was hot. 404 00:20:30,270 --> 00:20:34,670 Speaker 1: Yeah. I don't know. Yeah. Maybe they really were detecting 405 00:20:34,730 --> 00:20:40,120 Speaker 1: something that we ourselves can't see. Thank you. Have we 406 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:43,240 Speaker 1: humiliated you in front of your high school band class 407 00:20:43,320 --> 00:20:49,420 Speaker 1: or any other one you teach? Please let us know. Okay, 408 00:20:49,440 --> 00:20:53,660 Speaker 1: here's my last one. It says Billie Jean King, Gloria Steinem, 409 00:20:53,820 --> 00:20:56,960 Speaker 1: and a bridge of a dad. And this was actually 410 00:20:57,020 --> 00:21:00,350 Speaker 1: sent in. We just lost Gloria Steinem. I think everyone 411 00:21:00,400 --> 00:21:04,570 Speaker 1: probably knows that. But if you didn't, Gloria Steinem died 412 00:21:04,630 --> 00:21:07,949 Speaker 1: on September 2nd. Very sad. She was one of the 413 00:21:08,109 --> 00:21:12,480 Speaker 1: first big visible feminists, a woman who was saying it's 414 00:21:12,500 --> 00:21:14,720 Speaker 1: a good thing to be a feminist. It's not bad. 415 00:21:15,480 --> 00:21:18,400 Speaker 1: It helped a lot that she kind of looked like 416 00:21:18,420 --> 00:21:22,419 Speaker 1: she was on Charlie's Angels with Farrah Fawcett. She was 417 00:21:22,500 --> 00:21:26,700 Speaker 1: really an extraordinary woman and thinker and leader. And I'm 418 00:21:26,720 --> 00:21:29,260 Speaker 1: not reading off paper right now. That's just, I just 419 00:21:29,320 --> 00:21:31,940 Speaker 1: wanted to give her her due because We keep losing, 420 00:21:32,020 --> 00:21:34,700 Speaker 1: you know, it's like, of course, we all are like, 421 00:21:34,820 --> 00:21:36,940 Speaker 1: oh my God, how do we lose Dolly? But we 422 00:21:37,090 --> 00:21:39,409 Speaker 1: lose people all the time and we never get to 423 00:21:39,490 --> 00:21:42,810 Speaker 1: give kind of everybody their due. So anyway, so this 424 00:21:42,869 --> 00:21:46,350 Speaker 1: email was sent in before Gloria Simon passed away. Yeah, 425 00:21:46,530 --> 00:21:49,430 Speaker 1: all that is to say. So it starts, hi, Karen 426 00:21:49,450 --> 00:21:51,830 Speaker 1: Georgia and the MFM crew. I was listening to the 427 00:21:51,869 --> 00:21:54,580 Speaker 1: episode where Karen read about Billie Jean King and it 428 00:21:54,720 --> 00:21:58,240 Speaker 1: unlocked a deeply buried beautiful memory that brought happy tears 429 00:21:58,280 --> 00:22:00,159 Speaker 1: to my eyes. And I wanted to share it with you. 430 00:22:00,869 --> 00:22:03,300 Speaker 1: Growing up, my father Richard was a unique mix of 431 00:22:03,340 --> 00:22:06,859 Speaker 1: traditional and progressive. I always considered him a bridge between 432 00:22:06,880 --> 00:22:09,500 Speaker 1: the old ways and the new. He'd always wanted to 433 00:22:09,520 --> 00:22:12,620 Speaker 1: be a sports writer and could regale absolutely anyone with 434 00:22:12,660 --> 00:22:17,030 Speaker 1: his flawless, encyclopedia-like sports stats. But he also had a 435 00:22:17,109 --> 00:22:19,800 Speaker 1: massive heart for the shifting world. When I was eight 436 00:22:19,820 --> 00:22:22,359 Speaker 1: years old, I got entirely used to him calling me 437 00:22:22,400 --> 00:22:25,540 Speaker 1: into the living room every single time Gloria Steinem was 438 00:22:25,640 --> 00:22:29,409 Speaker 1: on TV, pointing at the screen and telling me, listen 439 00:22:29,430 --> 00:22:30,470 Speaker 1: to what she has to say. 440 00:22:30,869 --> 00:22:31,270 Speaker 2: Wow. 441 00:22:32,150 --> 00:22:34,850 Speaker 1: Naturally, when the media circus surrounding Billie Jean King and 442 00:22:34,890 --> 00:22:38,590 Speaker 1: Bobby Riggs started ramping up on our usual weekend sports marathons, 443 00:22:38,930 --> 00:22:41,960 Speaker 1: my dad was locked in. The day of the battle 444 00:22:41,980 --> 00:22:44,680 Speaker 1: of the sexes finally arrived because I was only eight. 445 00:22:45,060 --> 00:22:47,219 Speaker 1: I can't tell you a single stat or play from 446 00:22:47,260 --> 00:22:50,020 Speaker 1: the actual tennis match. but I will never forget what 447 00:22:50,080 --> 00:22:53,280 Speaker 1: happened when it ended. From the far end of the sofa, 448 00:22:53,480 --> 00:22:56,280 Speaker 1: the spot always claimed by my dad, I heard a 449 00:22:56,340 --> 00:22:59,939 Speaker 1: small croak. I looked over and saw this man, born 450 00:23:00,300 --> 00:23:04,820 Speaker 1: in 1930, wiping a genuine tear off his cheek. He 451 00:23:04,859 --> 00:23:08,620 Speaker 1: looked at me, smiled, and said, we just watched history. 452 00:23:09,010 --> 00:23:09,810 Speaker 1: Remember this. 453 00:23:10,270 --> 00:23:11,690 Speaker 2: Oh my God, I'm chilled. 454 00:23:12,070 --> 00:23:14,550 Speaker 1: So good. He wanted me to know that the world 455 00:23:14,590 --> 00:23:16,730 Speaker 1: was opening up for me, and he was proud to 456 00:23:16,770 --> 00:23:19,590 Speaker 1: witness it. I hope that one day women will no 457 00:23:19,650 --> 00:23:23,680 Speaker 1: longer even need the bridges of wonderful men to get across. 458 00:23:24,040 --> 00:23:26,540 Speaker 1: But I am so incredibly grateful that he was mine. 459 00:23:27,260 --> 00:23:30,080 Speaker 1: Thank you for unlocking that memory for me. Stay sexy 460 00:23:30,119 --> 00:23:33,110 Speaker 1: and listen to what Gloria Steinem has to say. Kathy 461 00:23:33,130 --> 00:23:34,050 Speaker 1: in Massachusetts. 462 00:23:34,430 --> 00:23:37,540 Speaker 2: Oh, my God, Kathy. That was beautiful. 463 00:23:37,560 --> 00:23:40,859 Speaker 1: Kathy, you're very lucky to have a dad like that. 464 00:23:40,980 --> 00:23:43,940 Speaker 1: And there's so many. That's what Jim's like. He's like 465 00:23:44,359 --> 00:23:49,440 Speaker 1: fiscal conservative, feminist against his will. You know, he's like 466 00:23:49,500 --> 00:23:53,200 Speaker 1: that's his favorite thing in the world is an underdog story. Totally. Yeah. 467 00:23:53,240 --> 00:23:54,020 Speaker 2: That was beautiful. 468 00:23:54,220 --> 00:23:54,560 Speaker 1: So good. 469 00:23:54,580 --> 00:23:56,260 Speaker 2: I hate that I'm following it up with a trash 470 00:23:56,300 --> 00:23:56,979 Speaker 2: teen story. 471 00:23:57,080 --> 00:23:59,480 Speaker 1: Well, I think that's more like us. I think this 472 00:23:59,540 --> 00:24:01,800 Speaker 1: is a nice pause. But, you know, let's get back 473 00:24:01,820 --> 00:24:03,160 Speaker 1: to business. All right. 474 00:24:03,690 --> 00:24:06,680 Speaker 2: Okay, my last one is a trash teen. Hi, Karen 475 00:24:06,700 --> 00:24:10,200 Speaker 2: and Georgia. First, thank you both for countless hours of laughter, comfort, 476 00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:12,600 Speaker 2: and making me feel like I'm hanging out with two friends. 477 00:24:13,260 --> 00:24:15,000 Speaker 2: I've been listening for years, and when you asked for 478 00:24:15,040 --> 00:24:18,680 Speaker 2: stories about the high school experiences or scams that shaped 479 00:24:18,700 --> 00:24:21,240 Speaker 2: who we became as adults, I immediately knew I had one. 480 00:24:22,060 --> 00:24:26,470 Speaker 2: The year was 2005. Netflix was still mailing DVDs, remember? 481 00:24:27,550 --> 00:24:30,410 Speaker 1: I used to have like 12 of them right next 482 00:24:30,430 --> 00:24:31,470 Speaker 1: to the DVD player. 483 00:24:31,590 --> 00:24:33,650 Speaker 2: I lived in an apartment building. And so at night, 484 00:24:33,710 --> 00:24:36,480 Speaker 2: someone would put them in their like outgoing mail for tomorrow. 485 00:24:36,900 --> 00:24:38,899 Speaker 2: And I'd take it and watch it that night and 486 00:24:38,920 --> 00:24:40,960 Speaker 2: then put it out before. 487 00:24:41,500 --> 00:24:44,520 Speaker 1: That's really good. You were getting like double usage. 488 00:24:44,820 --> 00:24:45,859 Speaker 2: Yeah. And I didn't even know what movie I was 489 00:24:45,880 --> 00:24:47,700 Speaker 2: going to, I didn't have to like make a decision 490 00:24:47,760 --> 00:24:48,340 Speaker 2: about movies. 491 00:24:49,090 --> 00:24:51,850 Speaker 1: You're like, oh, didn't my dinner with Andre. 492 00:24:51,869 --> 00:24:53,170 Speaker 2: Right. I was so broke. 493 00:24:53,270 --> 00:24:53,430 Speaker 1: Okay. 494 00:24:53,830 --> 00:24:56,090 Speaker 2: Blockbuster was king, and if you were a teenager who 495 00:24:56,150 --> 00:24:58,910 Speaker 2: wanted to watch an R-rated movie, you had to find 496 00:24:58,950 --> 00:25:01,149 Speaker 2: someone to drive you to the video store, hope they 497 00:25:01,170 --> 00:25:03,590 Speaker 2: didn't card you, and then return the movie three days 498 00:25:03,630 --> 00:25:07,020 Speaker 2: later before the late fees hit. Oof. Yeah. I was 499 00:25:07,060 --> 00:25:09,460 Speaker 2: a sophomore in high school working 40 hours a week 500 00:25:09,619 --> 00:25:13,740 Speaker 2: as a subway, quote, sandwich artist. And it says, yes, 501 00:25:13,740 --> 00:25:16,800 Speaker 2: 40 hours, sometimes even more. My manager would write my 502 00:25:16,900 --> 00:25:19,720 Speaker 2: overtime on personal checks so we didn't have to acknowledge 503 00:25:19,760 --> 00:25:21,560 Speaker 2: those pesky child labor laws. 504 00:25:21,880 --> 00:25:22,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's right. 505 00:25:23,810 --> 00:25:25,250 Speaker 2: Was I helping support my family? 506 00:25:25,270 --> 00:25:25,780 Speaker 1: Nope. 507 00:25:25,880 --> 00:25:28,700 Speaker 2: I just genuinely loved working. At 15 years old, I 508 00:25:28,840 --> 00:25:30,879 Speaker 2: was making around 20 grand a year. 509 00:25:34,450 --> 00:25:34,850 Speaker 1: Hell yes. 510 00:25:34,869 --> 00:25:37,889 Speaker 2: Did I save it for college? Absolutely not. Instead, my 511 00:25:37,950 --> 00:25:40,840 Speaker 2: friend Jojo and I launched what can only be described 512 00:25:40,900 --> 00:25:45,560 Speaker 2: as an underground R-rated DVD rental business out of my backpack. 513 00:25:45,660 --> 00:25:47,119 Speaker 1: You and Jojo. Jojo. 514 00:25:47,580 --> 00:25:50,480 Speaker 2: I already owned a ridiculous DVD collection because, again, I 515 00:25:50,680 --> 00:25:54,490 Speaker 2: had no bills and terrible financial priorities. Then I invested 516 00:25:54,510 --> 00:25:58,609 Speaker 2: another $ 500 into the hottest new releases. I even laminated 517 00:25:58,650 --> 00:26:04,250 Speaker 2: a professional-looking menu listing every movie available. What? Premium titles 518 00:26:04,310 --> 00:26:08,449 Speaker 2: rented for $ 5. Regular titles were $ 3. No tax, no 519 00:26:08,490 --> 00:26:10,669 Speaker 2: late fees. If someone kept a movie too long, I 520 00:26:10,730 --> 00:26:13,290 Speaker 2: simply hunted them down at lunch every day until they 521 00:26:13,330 --> 00:26:15,689 Speaker 2: gave it back. It's your business model. 522 00:26:15,830 --> 00:26:18,470 Speaker 1: It's like a junior high blockbuster brought to you. 523 00:26:18,490 --> 00:26:20,050 Speaker 2: High school blockbuster, yeah. 524 00:26:20,070 --> 00:26:20,790 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's high school. 525 00:26:21,430 --> 00:26:25,149 Speaker 2: Business was booming. My fastest rentals, The 40-Year-Old Virgin and 526 00:26:25,210 --> 00:26:28,010 Speaker 2: Wedding Crashers. Because you couldn't, I don't know if people 527 00:26:28,050 --> 00:26:29,950 Speaker 2: know this, but you had to be 18 to rent 528 00:26:30,050 --> 00:26:30,889 Speaker 2: our movies, right? 529 00:26:31,390 --> 00:26:35,090 Speaker 1: I believe so, yeah. I mean, if they were hardcore 530 00:26:35,130 --> 00:26:37,369 Speaker 1: about it, or if you lived in a town like 531 00:26:37,410 --> 00:26:39,260 Speaker 1: I lived in, everyone knew what grade you were in. 532 00:26:39,450 --> 00:26:42,520 Speaker 2: Totally. No one was like fucking around. Eventually, my inventory 533 00:26:42,560 --> 00:26:45,720 Speaker 2: became so large that I was using four full-size school 534 00:26:45,780 --> 00:26:50,040 Speaker 2: lockers organized by genre. I even expanded into concessions by 535 00:26:50,080 --> 00:26:53,929 Speaker 2: selling candy and microwave popcorn as add-ons. Honestly, I was 536 00:26:54,109 --> 00:26:58,869 Speaker 2: accidentally creating the world's least legal student-run blockbuster. Within a 537 00:26:58,890 --> 00:27:01,960 Speaker 2: few months, I was making about $ 100 a week. Everything 538 00:27:02,000 --> 00:27:05,909 Speaker 2: ran flawlessly until one teacher, Mr. Stevens, spotted one of 539 00:27:05,950 --> 00:27:09,720 Speaker 2: my laminated menus. I assumed this was the end. Surely 540 00:27:09,780 --> 00:27:11,820 Speaker 2: he'd take me straight to the principal who would call 541 00:27:11,859 --> 00:27:15,650 Speaker 2: my parents, who would shut everything down. Instead, Mr. Stevens 542 00:27:15,730 --> 00:27:18,290 Speaker 2: quietly pulled me aside and said, you need to stop 543 00:27:18,350 --> 00:27:24,129 Speaker 2: this today. Not because he wanted to crush my entrepreneurial spirit. Actually, 544 00:27:24,150 --> 00:27:26,929 Speaker 2: the opposite. He told me he admired the hustle, but 545 00:27:26,950 --> 00:27:29,230 Speaker 2: he didn't want to see me get caught by administrators 546 00:27:29,280 --> 00:27:33,419 Speaker 2: who absolutely would. So that afternoon, I shut the entire 547 00:27:33,480 --> 00:27:35,440 Speaker 2: operation down. What a cool teacher who was like, I 548 00:27:35,859 --> 00:27:36,359 Speaker 2: like this. 549 00:27:36,560 --> 00:27:36,859 Speaker 1: Yes. 550 00:27:37,420 --> 00:27:38,350 Speaker 2: She's, I'm fucked up. 551 00:27:38,740 --> 00:27:42,180 Speaker 1: It's so smart. It's, it shows so much like ambition 552 00:27:42,280 --> 00:27:45,719 Speaker 1: and like, you can get it together to keep this organized. 553 00:27:46,080 --> 00:27:50,399 Speaker 2: Totally. Oh, absolutely. Well, listen to this. After inventory costs, 554 00:27:50,550 --> 00:27:55,340 Speaker 2: I'd made almost $ 3, 000. Did I save any of it? 555 00:27:55,430 --> 00:27:57,690 Speaker 2: Of course not. I treated my friends to Burger King, 556 00:27:57,850 --> 00:28:01,850 Speaker 2: TGI Fridays, mini golf movies. I basically became the world's 557 00:28:01,990 --> 00:28:06,340 Speaker 2: least responsible teenage venture capitalist. The funniest part is what 558 00:28:06,380 --> 00:28:09,980 Speaker 2: came next. Today, I'm a human resources and employment law 559 00:28:10,080 --> 00:28:12,790 Speaker 2: executive for a Fortune 500 company. 560 00:28:12,950 --> 00:28:13,830 Speaker 1: Holy shit. 561 00:28:14,030 --> 00:28:17,310 Speaker 2: I literally spend my career helping businesses follow labor laws, 562 00:28:17,690 --> 00:28:20,530 Speaker 2: employment regulations, and company policies. 563 00:28:20,590 --> 00:28:21,620 Speaker 1: You hypocrite. 564 00:28:22,660 --> 00:28:25,740 Speaker 2: So I guess my biggest lesson was this. Entrepreneurship is great. 565 00:28:26,160 --> 00:28:29,240 Speaker 2: Just maybe don't start your first business by violating school rules, 566 00:28:29,420 --> 00:28:33,540 Speaker 2: renting R-rated movies to minors, operating tax-free, and storing contraband 567 00:28:33,600 --> 00:28:36,880 Speaker 2: inventory in four school lockers. You got to learn somewhere, right? 568 00:28:37,100 --> 00:28:37,300 Speaker 2: I know. 569 00:28:37,340 --> 00:28:39,980 Speaker 1: And also the tax-free part was really a plus. Yeah. 570 00:28:40,460 --> 00:28:43,180 Speaker 2: Stay sexy and don't use your illegal child labor money 571 00:28:43,240 --> 00:28:45,680 Speaker 2: to start a black market rated R movie business out 572 00:28:45,720 --> 00:28:47,900 Speaker 2: of your backpack. Nick, Florida. 573 00:28:47,920 --> 00:28:53,730 Speaker 1: Nick, you're just a monster of industry. Jesus. 574 00:28:53,760 --> 00:28:55,740 Speaker 2: Do you want to come work for Exactly Right Media? 575 00:28:55,860 --> 00:28:57,100 Speaker 1: I know. Nick, what's up? 576 00:28:58,360 --> 00:29:00,220 Speaker 2: We need a whatever the fuck you do. 577 00:29:01,960 --> 00:29:03,920 Speaker 1: We need someone that's just like, I don't know, let's 578 00:29:03,940 --> 00:29:06,320 Speaker 1: stand in the hallway and sell movies. That's kind of 579 00:29:06,400 --> 00:29:08,120 Speaker 1: what the industry is these days. 580 00:29:08,840 --> 00:29:11,540 Speaker 2: Sell podcasts from school lockers. 581 00:29:12,880 --> 00:29:15,100 Speaker 1: We could do it. It's a can-do spirit. 582 00:29:15,120 --> 00:29:16,740 Speaker 2: Well, that's it, you guys. If you want to send 583 00:29:16,780 --> 00:29:19,520 Speaker 2: your story and do it at My Favorite Murder at Gmail. 584 00:29:19,740 --> 00:29:22,720 Speaker 1: We're taking anything anybody wants to convey. 585 00:29:22,920 --> 00:29:23,280 Speaker 2: Truly. 586 00:29:23,540 --> 00:29:24,680 Speaker 1: And stay sexy. 587 00:29:24,860 --> 00:29:28,870 Speaker 2: And don't get murdered. Goodbye. Elvis, do you want a cookie? 588 00:29:36,890 --> 00:29:38,710 Speaker 1: This has been an Exactly Right production. 589 00:29:38,910 --> 00:29:40,610 Speaker 2: Our managing producer is Molly Smith. 590 00:29:40,830 --> 00:29:42,770 Speaker 1: Our consulting producer is Kate Schellenbach. 591 00:29:42,890 --> 00:29:44,610 Speaker 2: Our creative lead is Allison Agosti. 592 00:29:44,930 --> 00:29:47,670 Speaker 1: Our associate producer is Tessa Hughes, and our editor is 593 00:29:47,790 --> 00:29:48,970 Speaker 1: Aristotle Acevedo. 594 00:29:49,170 --> 00:29:51,290 Speaker 2: This episode was mixed by Liana Squalacci. 595 00:29:51,570 --> 00:29:55,090 Speaker 1: Email your hometowns to myfavoritemurder at gmail.com and follow the 596 00:29:55,130 --> 00:29:57,290 Speaker 1: show on Instagram at My Favorite Murder. 597 00:29:57,470 --> 00:30:00,670 Speaker 2: Listen to My Favorite Murder on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 598 00:30:00,750 --> 00:30:02,250 Speaker 2: or wherever you get your podcasts. 599 00:30:02,550 --> 00:30:05,950 Speaker 1: Or watch new episodes every week on Netflix. Search for 600 00:30:05,990 --> 00:30:08,540 Speaker 1: My Favorite Murder, Add us to your list and hit 601 00:30:08,560 --> 00:30:09,810 Speaker 1: the double thumbs up button. 602 00:30:10,450 --> 00:30:11,130 Speaker 2: Goodbye.