1 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:07,880 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Annie and Samantha and welcome to stuff 2 00:00:07,880 --> 00:00:19,080 Speaker 1: I've never told your production of I Heart Radio. Samantha, 3 00:00:19,120 --> 00:00:22,680 Speaker 1: do you have a favorite candy? I do, Actually, I 4 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:27,160 Speaker 1: have a couple of favorite candies. One is where there's 5 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:31,400 Speaker 1: chewy camels. I've talked about those on a different podcast 6 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:34,960 Speaker 1: and and knows old people candy, but I love them. Look, 7 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:37,720 Speaker 1: I love them and usually will have them on hand. 8 00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:41,400 Speaker 1: I also like Twizzlers, but I like the Twizzlers. My 9 00:00:41,479 --> 00:00:46,159 Speaker 1: favorite type of Twizzlers is actually the Halloween version of 10 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:49,960 Speaker 1: the Twizzlers. So they're individual package and they're the chewy ones, 11 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:51,960 Speaker 1: but they're smaller and because I don't know if it's 12 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:55,120 Speaker 1: because they're smaller or what, and the way they are made, 13 00:00:55,560 --> 00:00:57,959 Speaker 1: it's a lot more um, I don't know if it's 14 00:00:57,960 --> 00:01:01,120 Speaker 1: a pliable, Whereas the regular twiz you could actually hurt 15 00:01:01,160 --> 00:01:04,319 Speaker 1: somebody with, right, you know, if you smack them with it, 16 00:01:04,880 --> 00:01:07,520 Speaker 1: But this one you can't, and it's so it's chillier 17 00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:11,240 Speaker 1: and a little bit lighter. Those favorite versions of Twizzlers, 18 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:15,120 Speaker 1: but those two are probably my face. Okay, what about you? Yeah, 19 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:19,120 Speaker 1: so I have five different candies. I'm actually not a 20 00:01:19,120 --> 00:01:21,160 Speaker 1: big candy person. And I know I've told the story before. 21 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:23,679 Speaker 1: When I was a kid, I would just get all 22 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:28,039 Speaker 1: the candy for Halloween and then sell it. But because 23 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:31,480 Speaker 1: of that, it is a very like strong message you 24 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:34,360 Speaker 1: get that you should want candy as a child. And 25 00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:38,720 Speaker 1: so now I have a tradition around Halloween. I try 26 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:45,119 Speaker 1: to find not by Reese's a kick cat, a butter finger, 27 00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:49,960 Speaker 1: an almond joy and what's the other one. I don't 28 00:01:49,960 --> 00:01:57,120 Speaker 1: know something, and that that why you trying peanuts. So 29 00:01:57,200 --> 00:01:59,880 Speaker 1: those are my favorites. That's my Halloween tradition. But you 30 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:02,680 Speaker 1: said you try to find them, but not by them. 31 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:07,000 Speaker 1: What's the point of just finding them? It's the Halloween spirit. 32 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:09,160 Speaker 1: I don't go trick or treating, but I used to 33 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:11,120 Speaker 1: be able back when we went to the office. Our 34 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:14,480 Speaker 1: office does have a rather large candy bowl, and that 35 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:21,160 Speaker 1: was my usually I would find success. Actually would dig 36 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:25,600 Speaker 1: out the twizzlers. And yes, I love I love how 37 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:28,480 Speaker 1: people have these, like little like Samantham must have been here. 38 00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:33,040 Speaker 1: All the twizzlers are just so good, m M. And 39 00:02:33,080 --> 00:02:36,240 Speaker 1: I will actually eat them. Yeah, that is a great 40 00:02:36,280 --> 00:02:39,079 Speaker 1: segue into what we're doing today. And I do want 41 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:43,160 Speaker 1: to revisit it in a second, because as we're recording 42 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:45,880 Speaker 1: this and as it comes out, Halloween is upon us. 43 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:48,680 Speaker 1: So we thought we would try something new and read 44 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:55,239 Speaker 1: some fiction. Finally, Yes, yes, yes, finally. So we are 45 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:58,560 Speaker 1: planning on having some recurring fiction readings, maybe like once 46 00:02:58,560 --> 00:03:02,160 Speaker 1: a month or so. But don't worry, nothing much is changing. Um, 47 00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:04,600 Speaker 1: We'll still have the same contents, just some fiction every 48 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:06,799 Speaker 1: now and then. Because we thought it could be fun. 49 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:09,240 Speaker 1: It was fun for us to do, and we both 50 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:13,680 Speaker 1: like fiction and doing some real grade a acting of course, 51 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:19,080 Speaker 1: oh so good at it. It's like if podcast have 52 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:28,200 Speaker 1: an oscar category. This is absolutely oh absolutely so. Some 53 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:32,000 Speaker 1: disclaimers before we get into this. This is something that 54 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:35,560 Speaker 1: I wrote with the idea was in part inspired by 55 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:38,360 Speaker 1: a friend, and I'll get into that after the fiction 56 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:41,720 Speaker 1: because I don't want to spoil it, uh too much. 57 00:03:42,160 --> 00:03:45,280 Speaker 1: It's short the short form. It's not really scary. It's 58 00:03:45,440 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 1: very very silly, and yeah, I didn't really if at 59 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:52,480 Speaker 1: the end of this, and I can hear Eaves's voice 60 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:55,160 Speaker 1: in my head saying like, stop, you're disclaiming it too much. 61 00:03:55,720 --> 00:03:57,080 Speaker 1: Um if at the end of this year, like this 62 00:03:57,120 --> 00:04:02,760 Speaker 1: doesn't really make that much sense. It's I condensed a 63 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:05,400 Speaker 1: lot into one thing, and then I didn't want to 64 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:11,560 Speaker 1: spend too much time on that part of it. We 65 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:14,640 Speaker 1: will get into that after it'll it'll make sense once 66 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:18,919 Speaker 1: you hear it, I think. But all right, without further ado, 67 00:04:19,640 --> 00:04:38,360 Speaker 1: we're going to get into this story called Twisted. Do 68 00:04:38,400 --> 00:04:43,960 Speaker 1: you like candy? No, me either. Too sweet for me. 69 00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:47,360 Speaker 1: I can't stop myself from accepting it, though old habits 70 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:49,679 Speaker 1: and all, they really teach you to covet that stuff. 71 00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:54,200 Speaker 1: As a kid, my best friend she loved candy, though 72 00:04:55,600 --> 00:05:00,880 Speaker 1: there was one candy I liked. Loved. They were called Twist. 73 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:06,159 Speaker 1: Did you ever have twist? No, most people haven't. They 74 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:10,279 Speaker 1: were delicious, red chewy licorice vines with a green gel filling. 75 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:14,400 Speaker 1: The flavor was watermelon, but to me, they just tasted 76 00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:17,679 Speaker 1: like red. Do you know what I mean? That fruity, sweet, 77 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:20,960 Speaker 1: artificial red flavor? My friend and I both loved them. 78 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:22,839 Speaker 1: We've packed bags full of them and sneak them into 79 00:05:22,839 --> 00:05:26,440 Speaker 1: movie theaters and chomp away at them. But they were discontinued. 80 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:31,119 Speaker 1: We look everywhere for them, every store, the most random 81 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:33,800 Speaker 1: corners of the internet. We even reached out to the manufacturer, 82 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:38,560 Speaker 1: but they were gone. Unattainable. We went as far as 83 00:05:38,560 --> 00:05:41,919 Speaker 1: to call the company that made them. I know that 84 00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:44,680 Speaker 1: sounds extreme, but have you ever truly loved something and 85 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:49,119 Speaker 1: been so heartbroken, so desperate? It seemed impossible that something 86 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:54,920 Speaker 1: could just be gone. The answer, invariably delivered with an 87 00:05:54,920 --> 00:05:59,839 Speaker 1: air of boredom and annoyance, was that Twist were discontinued indefinitely. 88 00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:05,320 Speaker 1: Any kind of fear productor if you take one thing 89 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:09,200 Speaker 1: away from this story I wanted to be this, Tear 90 00:06:09,279 --> 00:06:14,520 Speaker 1: and Twirls are not the same. Years passed, and we 91 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:18,400 Speaker 1: still occasionally checked the candy aisles at pharmacies searching for Twist. 92 00:06:18,960 --> 00:06:21,039 Speaker 1: We visited candy stores, asked if they had them in 93 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:24,760 Speaker 1: the back, our hopes inevitably squashed. We encountered a lot 94 00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:30,120 Speaker 1: of adversity. People told us maybe Twist never existed, that 95 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:33,279 Speaker 1: we were misremembering that the candy we've been searching for 96 00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:38,039 Speaker 1: had been Tear and Twirls all along. Even my therapist 97 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:39,880 Speaker 1: urged me to let it go, that I was clearly 98 00:06:39,920 --> 00:06:43,839 Speaker 1: clinging to a nostalgic childhood memory, an unhealthy distraction from reality, 99 00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:47,000 Speaker 1: that not having them in my life was good for me. 100 00:06:48,839 --> 00:06:51,680 Speaker 1: They tried to make us doubt ourselves, but we both 101 00:06:51,880 --> 00:06:56,800 Speaker 1: knew the truth. We were unwavering in our conviction. It 102 00:06:56,839 --> 00:07:00,720 Speaker 1: was a conspiracy. We joke the tear and twirls conspiracy. 103 00:07:02,279 --> 00:07:06,640 Speaker 1: If only we'd known. I was sitting at home, searching 104 00:07:06,680 --> 00:07:09,600 Speaker 1: candy history forms for any clues, any sign of twist 105 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:14,960 Speaker 1: when my phone buzzed. My best friend was calling odd 106 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:18,720 Speaker 1: We were typically text only communicators. When I answered, I 107 00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:22,560 Speaker 1: could only hear her panicked breathing for voting settled over me, 108 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:27,640 Speaker 1: heavy and suffocating. I found them, she said, I found 109 00:07:27,640 --> 00:07:31,200 Speaker 1: the twist, but I found something else. They keep calling me. 110 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:35,240 Speaker 1: It's an unknown number. They never say anything. I think 111 00:07:35,280 --> 00:07:40,040 Speaker 1: I turned something up. They're coming from me. They're probably 112 00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:43,360 Speaker 1: coming for you. Then she gasped, followed by a jarring 113 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:46,240 Speaker 1: sound of a phone being dropped, a connection being cut. 114 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:48,520 Speaker 1: I called her back, and all I got was a 115 00:07:48,600 --> 00:07:50,560 Speaker 1: robotic message that the number I was trying to reach 116 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:55,800 Speaker 1: had been disconnected. Disconnected. Fear caught at my stomach, constricted 117 00:07:55,800 --> 00:07:59,200 Speaker 1: my lungs. I drove to her house, my thoughts racing. 118 00:07:59,720 --> 00:08:02,040 Speaker 1: No lights were on. When I arrived. It was silent, 119 00:08:02,120 --> 00:08:05,520 Speaker 1: but her car was still there. I knocked on her door, 120 00:08:06,080 --> 00:08:09,200 Speaker 1: no answer. I stared at her door, willing it to open, 121 00:08:10,040 --> 00:08:13,280 Speaker 1: terrified of what would happen if it did. But then 122 00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:16,520 Speaker 1: a strange light in the night sky caught my attention, 123 00:08:17,120 --> 00:08:21,840 Speaker 1: a ball of energetic white darting, dancing, almost joyous. I 124 00:08:21,880 --> 00:08:25,720 Speaker 1: was riveted by it. It was beautiful. I stared at 125 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:28,720 Speaker 1: it on moving for hours, uncaring of the cool, damp air. 126 00:08:30,080 --> 00:08:32,600 Speaker 1: I remember thinking it was the anniversary of my dad's death. 127 00:08:33,280 --> 00:08:36,520 Speaker 1: I wondered if it was him, Strange thoughts that come 128 00:08:36,559 --> 00:08:39,640 Speaker 1: to you. I watched it until my legs were covered 129 00:08:39,640 --> 00:08:42,199 Speaker 1: in bug bites, my neck ached from looking up, my 130 00:08:42,280 --> 00:08:46,280 Speaker 1: eyes burned with exhaustion. The sun rose and mysterious light disappeared. 131 00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:50,679 Speaker 1: I blinked, an unexpected bloss rowing to life inside of me. 132 00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:55,040 Speaker 1: Still no sign of my friend. I wandered around her house, 133 00:08:55,080 --> 00:08:56,840 Speaker 1: so looking for some clue of where she was what 134 00:08:56,920 --> 00:09:00,880 Speaker 1: had happened. I found footprints, clearly the result of running, 135 00:09:01,040 --> 00:09:03,880 Speaker 1: leading into the woods behind her house. I followed them, 136 00:09:03,920 --> 00:09:09,040 Speaker 1: but right before the tree line they disappeared. I spun around, searching. 137 00:09:09,760 --> 00:09:14,640 Speaker 1: A crisp, crinkling sound tore through the oppressive silence. I froze. 138 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:18,120 Speaker 1: MY heart pounded in my chest as I slowly looked 139 00:09:18,120 --> 00:09:22,200 Speaker 1: down to the sources of the noise. Something peeked out 140 00:09:22,280 --> 00:09:25,640 Speaker 1: from under the sole of my shoe, mouth dry, I 141 00:09:25,720 --> 00:09:29,280 Speaker 1: reached for it, refusing to acknowledge the possibility, the miracle 142 00:09:29,840 --> 00:09:35,640 Speaker 1: that it would be. I recognized the packaging immediately, bright 143 00:09:35,679 --> 00:09:38,600 Speaker 1: red lettering outlined with white spelled out the item I'd 144 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:45,880 Speaker 1: coveted for so long. Twist, frantic hope crashed over me. Reverently, 145 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:47,840 Speaker 1: I took the package in my hand, as one would 146 00:09:47,880 --> 00:09:51,200 Speaker 1: a treasured family heirloom. So many memories came back to 147 00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:54,160 Speaker 1: me as I gazed upon its beauty, of family outings 148 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:56,760 Speaker 1: at movie theaters, giggling at the loud cracking of the 149 00:09:56,800 --> 00:10:00,240 Speaker 1: illegal snuck in candy during quiet moments, munching a as 150 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:02,760 Speaker 1: me and my best friend Doug through our Halloween candy halls, 151 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:05,160 Speaker 1: my dad making sure to pick me up any of 152 00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:07,760 Speaker 1: the rare packages he saw, just to see the way 153 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:11,600 Speaker 1: my eyes lit up, rashing out those precious, precious robes 154 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:16,040 Speaker 1: of red. There were tears in my eyes. Finally, I 155 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:18,920 Speaker 1: tore my gaze away. I looked up in my breath, 156 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:23,640 Speaker 1: frozen my lungs. A dark, shadowy silhouette stood in front 157 00:10:23,679 --> 00:10:27,000 Speaker 1: of me, a black hole in the periwinkle of Poston light. 158 00:10:27,640 --> 00:10:31,600 Speaker 1: I had not heard anyone approach. I couldn't be sure 159 00:10:31,640 --> 00:10:33,960 Speaker 1: if the voice spoke a louder in my head, high 160 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:36,880 Speaker 1: and cold and dead. You should have let it go. 161 00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:40,360 Speaker 1: Now your friend has paid the price, and so will you. 162 00:10:41,120 --> 00:10:45,480 Speaker 1: It said, where's my friends? What did you do to her? 163 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:49,360 Speaker 1: My voice shook. We convinced her to comply as we 164 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:53,000 Speaker 1: will with you. To not do so will result in erasure. 165 00:10:53,559 --> 00:10:58,360 Speaker 1: Who are you? I paused, then amended, what are you? 166 00:10:58,960 --> 00:11:03,040 Speaker 1: His presence was sinn as stir, overwhelming. We are the shadow, 167 00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:08,520 Speaker 1: the silent puppet master, your saviors. We just wanted twists, 168 00:11:09,040 --> 00:11:11,880 Speaker 1: I said, culching the package to my chest, proof that 169 00:11:11,920 --> 00:11:15,560 Speaker 1: they had existed. There was a moment of silence. My 170 00:11:15,640 --> 00:11:19,120 Speaker 1: body seemed frozen in place. Then the voice said, you 171 00:11:19,120 --> 00:11:22,480 Speaker 1: should have accepted the tear and twirls. Anger came to 172 00:11:22,559 --> 00:11:25,640 Speaker 1: my aid. Then I shouted at the void, tear and 173 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:30,640 Speaker 1: twirls aren't the same. They don't have the filling. That 174 00:11:30,760 --> 00:11:35,160 Speaker 1: feeling was called green fruit flavoring twenty three. Combined with 175 00:11:35,400 --> 00:11:39,479 Speaker 1: red forty two. It interfered with our mind control frequencies, 176 00:11:40,040 --> 00:11:42,880 Speaker 1: the nostalgia and love for the flavor combination of this 177 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:47,840 Speaker 1: candy allowed for resistance. It could not be tolerated. We 178 00:11:47,960 --> 00:11:52,840 Speaker 1: discontinued it, erased it, or so we thought. It seems 179 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:56,880 Speaker 1: we underestimated your devotion to a candy that only served 180 00:11:56,880 --> 00:12:00,000 Speaker 1: to rot your teeth and degrade your body. The derision 181 00:12:00,400 --> 00:12:05,520 Speaker 1: was palpable. Let go, it said. We can offer you 182 00:12:05,720 --> 00:12:09,920 Speaker 1: more peace with our mind control than any manufactured sugary 183 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:13,080 Speaker 1: food product. We can take away the burden of agency 184 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:17,679 Speaker 1: of choice. I thought of Twist, the chewy sweet outside 185 00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:21,280 Speaker 1: and the burst of tanky sour green within. I thought 186 00:12:21,280 --> 00:12:23,920 Speaker 1: of my friend and I sharing stories and secrets and 187 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:27,040 Speaker 1: laughs and memories over Twist. I thought of my dad, 188 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:29,400 Speaker 1: dad a year ago today, buying me Twist because I 189 00:12:29,440 --> 00:12:32,080 Speaker 1: loved them and he loved me. I thought of the 190 00:12:32,120 --> 00:12:36,880 Speaker 1: mysterious light, dancing joyous in the night sky, unexplained but beautiful. 191 00:12:37,920 --> 00:12:41,040 Speaker 1: There was a shrill ringing in my head, disconcordant tearing, 192 00:12:41,280 --> 00:12:43,680 Speaker 1: forcing me to squeeze my eyes shut. I threw my 193 00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:46,439 Speaker 1: hands up to cover my ears. The package twinkled against 194 00:12:46,480 --> 00:12:49,720 Speaker 1: my cheek, and I realized it wasn't empty. My heart 195 00:12:49,760 --> 00:12:52,600 Speaker 1: pounded against my chest as I collapsed my knees. I 196 00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:56,280 Speaker 1: could sense the presents getting closer, cold tendrils wrapping around me. 197 00:12:56,960 --> 00:12:59,920 Speaker 1: With fumbling fingers, I reached inside the package, finding why 198 00:13:00,480 --> 00:13:04,520 Speaker 1: small segment of the sticky, rubbery candy, and just as 199 00:13:04,559 --> 00:13:09,199 Speaker 1: all was lost, I popped it in my mouth, chewing frantically, 200 00:13:09,320 --> 00:13:12,959 Speaker 1: the pop of sweet and tangy, the texture chewy and gooey. 201 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:15,400 Speaker 1: At once. An explosion went off in my brain, the 202 00:13:15,400 --> 00:13:18,480 Speaker 1: warmth of so many memories forcing away the cold, cutting 203 00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:21,240 Speaker 1: off the scream of fury. As I opened my eyes, 204 00:13:21,280 --> 00:13:24,360 Speaker 1: the dark silhouette stumbled back, and in one horrifying moment, 205 00:13:24,760 --> 00:13:29,120 Speaker 1: I saw its face, gnarled skin, pointed, bared teeth, and 206 00:13:29,200 --> 00:13:32,800 Speaker 1: red filmed eyes, before it vanished in one disconcerting blink, 207 00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:35,280 Speaker 1: as if it had never been there in the first place. 208 00:13:36,440 --> 00:13:40,679 Speaker 1: I ran, I ran, and ran, and ran. I have 209 00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:43,480 Speaker 1: been on the run ever since. Looking over my shoulder, 210 00:13:43,520 --> 00:13:48,079 Speaker 1: the omnipresent weight of being watched crushing now, I hid, 211 00:13:48,320 --> 00:13:51,520 Speaker 1: waiting for the shadows to come for me. I managed 212 00:13:51,559 --> 00:13:55,240 Speaker 1: to track down a bag of twists. It could be 213 00:13:55,280 --> 00:13:58,360 Speaker 1: the last bag in existence. There is no way of knowing, 214 00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:01,360 Speaker 1: and no and will believe me when I say they 215 00:14:01,440 --> 00:14:05,040 Speaker 1: must be brought back. The flavor combination is illegal. Now 216 00:14:06,040 --> 00:14:10,960 Speaker 1: the question is are you a twist person or would 217 00:14:10,960 --> 00:14:31,120 Speaker 1: you prefer the tarrantworlds? And that's the end of yes. Yes, 218 00:14:31,280 --> 00:14:32,520 Speaker 1: I feel like you should have done it and you're 219 00:14:32,520 --> 00:14:40,200 Speaker 1: a creepy alien voice, so good, perfect, perfect. I hope 220 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:42,240 Speaker 1: that you enjoyed it. I did want to talk about 221 00:14:42,320 --> 00:14:46,960 Speaker 1: some of the things in there. Um One which Samantha 222 00:14:47,080 --> 00:14:51,240 Speaker 1: immediately picked up on when we did this, it is 223 00:14:51,320 --> 00:14:56,200 Speaker 1: about Twizzlers. What a candy that used to be called 224 00:14:56,880 --> 00:15:01,240 Speaker 1: twist and peels and they were so they were these 225 00:15:01,320 --> 00:15:05,200 Speaker 1: little like sections of Twizzler, I think kind of what 226 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:06,880 Speaker 1: you're talking about with the Halloween ones, Like they were 227 00:15:06,880 --> 00:15:12,040 Speaker 1: just smaller and inside was this like watermelon, gooey candy stuff. 228 00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:16,080 Speaker 1: And normally I'm not a big fruity candy type of person, 229 00:15:16,560 --> 00:15:18,200 Speaker 1: and I will just go out of my way to 230 00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:20,440 Speaker 1: not have it in my life. But for some reason, 231 00:15:20,480 --> 00:15:24,840 Speaker 1: I loved these. I loved them and me and my 232 00:15:25,120 --> 00:15:27,680 Speaker 1: some of this is autobiographical, Me and my friend Katie, 233 00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:31,200 Speaker 1: who was part of the impetus of this idea, would 234 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:33,240 Speaker 1: sneak them into movie theaters and we would just eat 235 00:15:33,280 --> 00:15:38,000 Speaker 1: them by the handful. But the tear and twirls in 236 00:15:38,040 --> 00:15:43,600 Speaker 1: this story are based on pool and peels, which is 237 00:15:43,640 --> 00:15:45,720 Speaker 1: a different type of Twizzler. But you picked up on 238 00:15:45,880 --> 00:15:48,400 Speaker 1: that because I like the pool and bills. And also, 239 00:15:48,480 --> 00:15:50,320 Speaker 1: you know, there isn't a new form of Twizzlers that 240 00:15:50,480 --> 00:15:55,480 Speaker 1: has gel like the candy. I don't know, there's three 241 00:15:55,480 --> 00:15:58,480 Speaker 1: different flavors. Apparently like that. There's a variety pack for it. 242 00:15:59,240 --> 00:16:01,520 Speaker 1: I saw the other day, and I'll say, huh, they 243 00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:05,400 Speaker 1: got a type of it thing. It's called Twistler straws. Though, 244 00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:12,760 Speaker 1: like already, it's so funny how these opinions get solidified 245 00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:15,640 Speaker 1: and are so intense because I'm already like, no, it's 246 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:17,600 Speaker 1: not the same, even though it very well could be. 247 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:24,360 Speaker 1: I'm just rejecting this very idea. And you know, there's 248 00:16:24,360 --> 00:16:26,520 Speaker 1: probably a very good reason they were discontinuous as I 249 00:16:26,640 --> 00:16:30,360 Speaker 1: tried to touch on story. Yes, you did in a 250 00:16:30,400 --> 00:16:34,560 Speaker 1: different manner, in a different manner. So the original idea 251 00:16:34,760 --> 00:16:39,080 Speaker 1: for Twisted was supposed to be a ten part series 252 00:16:39,160 --> 00:16:42,600 Speaker 1: that was a real send up of true crime, and 253 00:16:42,680 --> 00:16:45,440 Speaker 1: so it was going to be me and my friend 254 00:16:45,520 --> 00:16:49,520 Speaker 1: Katie trying to get to the bottom of what happened 255 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:51,840 Speaker 1: to twist and fills, which I think I called on 256 00:16:51,880 --> 00:16:54,000 Speaker 1: twist and polls earlier and that it's incorrect they were 257 00:16:54,040 --> 00:16:57,640 Speaker 1: called twist and fills, and in the process kind of 258 00:16:57,680 --> 00:17:02,920 Speaker 1: bumbling into this conspiracy theory that involves like we call 259 00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:05,200 Speaker 1: the FDA, we call the FBI, and all these people 260 00:17:05,240 --> 00:17:07,000 Speaker 1: and then we and one of us ends up in jail, 261 00:17:07,040 --> 00:17:08,800 Speaker 1: and then aliens are involved. So it was supposed to 262 00:17:08,840 --> 00:17:13,119 Speaker 1: be like a ten part thing. No one would go 263 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:19,200 Speaker 1: for us. I don't know why, but just to shout 264 00:17:19,200 --> 00:17:23,840 Speaker 1: out Katie for for spending a good like two or 265 00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:27,800 Speaker 1: three hours with me and brainstorming this and then apologies 266 00:17:27,840 --> 00:17:31,679 Speaker 1: to literally everyone who's ever been at a work event 267 00:17:31,760 --> 00:17:34,399 Speaker 1: with me when I've had some alcohol, for just telling 268 00:17:34,400 --> 00:17:37,560 Speaker 1: them all about this idea and then being like, stop 269 00:17:37,720 --> 00:17:45,879 Speaker 1: talking about this discontinued candy. He was better. But I 270 00:17:45,920 --> 00:17:50,600 Speaker 1: do think when I have had those conversations, almost everybody 271 00:17:50,680 --> 00:17:54,119 Speaker 1: had a similar item or candy from their life that 272 00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:56,760 Speaker 1: they were like, I loved this when I was a kid, 273 00:17:57,520 --> 00:18:00,439 Speaker 1: and now I can't find it anywhere, and I searched 274 00:18:00,440 --> 00:18:05,120 Speaker 1: and searched and searched, and I have I have looked 275 00:18:05,119 --> 00:18:07,080 Speaker 1: on eBay and all you know what, I probably haven't. 276 00:18:07,359 --> 00:18:09,040 Speaker 1: If I had a twist and fill right now, I 277 00:18:09,040 --> 00:18:13,239 Speaker 1: bet I wouldn't even like it, but it would be 278 00:18:13,320 --> 00:18:17,320 Speaker 1: so powerful though. Yeah, yeah, for sure. I think. I 279 00:18:17,359 --> 00:18:20,479 Speaker 1: think that's one of the big things about candy. As 280 00:18:20,520 --> 00:18:22,440 Speaker 1: I was saying, when you're looking back as a kid, 281 00:18:22,520 --> 00:18:25,160 Speaker 1: and a lot of those big holiday events are fun 282 00:18:25,240 --> 00:18:29,200 Speaker 1: events are associated with candy, that it does just become 283 00:18:29,320 --> 00:18:32,119 Speaker 1: like this, I'm not sure why I want it, but 284 00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:35,520 Speaker 1: I do want it right. Sometimes it's also just like 285 00:18:35,560 --> 00:18:38,680 Speaker 1: again the ways described for you, this is a true 286 00:18:38,680 --> 00:18:40,520 Speaker 1: thing that you had, but when you think of things 287 00:18:40,560 --> 00:18:43,119 Speaker 1: like uh, the lion in the Witch and the wardrobe, 288 00:18:43,320 --> 00:18:46,679 Speaker 1: I had Turkish delight, but the way it like it 289 00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:48,920 Speaker 1: was described to me, I was like, oh damn, yeah, 290 00:18:48,920 --> 00:18:50,480 Speaker 1: I want some of that. And then now knowing what 291 00:18:50,520 --> 00:18:52,480 Speaker 1: it is, I was like, no, I wouldn't. I don't 292 00:18:52,480 --> 00:18:55,440 Speaker 1: want that. I don't want that. That's what the light 293 00:18:55,600 --> 00:18:58,280 Speaker 1: was what Right, of course, there's a lot of metaphor 294 00:18:58,400 --> 00:19:00,359 Speaker 1: like this could be talking about cocaine and I was like, 295 00:19:00,400 --> 00:19:04,440 Speaker 1: oh what, But that's a whole different conversation. But there 296 00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:06,440 Speaker 1: is that level of how well it is like the 297 00:19:06,520 --> 00:19:09,240 Speaker 1: scriptor what you have in your head again, kind of 298 00:19:09,280 --> 00:19:11,160 Speaker 1: like you probably wouldn't like it today, but in your 299 00:19:11,160 --> 00:19:13,560 Speaker 1: head at that point in time, it was the most 300 00:19:13,600 --> 00:19:17,159 Speaker 1: amazing dot dot dot whatever it was. I feel like 301 00:19:17,320 --> 00:19:20,800 Speaker 1: the same thing with oh honey, I used to love those. 302 00:19:20,840 --> 00:19:23,600 Speaker 1: I'm like, why, no, wonder I lost all of my 303 00:19:23,640 --> 00:19:30,840 Speaker 1: teeth so quickly. Oh no, that stuff is trouble. Yeah, 304 00:19:30,920 --> 00:19:33,560 Speaker 1: I mean a lot of candy is trouble. You were 305 00:19:33,640 --> 00:19:36,840 Speaker 1: with me when I was writing this, actually I was, Yes, 306 00:19:36,920 --> 00:19:40,040 Speaker 1: you were. It was when about a year ago we 307 00:19:40,040 --> 00:19:42,480 Speaker 1: were at the beach and this is one of my 308 00:19:42,640 --> 00:19:46,040 Speaker 1: like fifteen ideas I had for a podcast Thirteen Days 309 00:19:46,040 --> 00:19:49,600 Speaker 1: of Halloween, um, and this was what I thought was 310 00:19:49,640 --> 00:19:51,560 Speaker 1: the top runner, but they did not go for it. 311 00:19:53,320 --> 00:19:57,040 Speaker 1: Oh that was good for us. Yes, But I think 312 00:19:57,080 --> 00:19:59,840 Speaker 1: it's clear because I hadn't really touched it in a 313 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:01,480 Speaker 1: for a year, and when I went back, I was like, Oh, 314 00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:04,840 Speaker 1: this is the stage I was in of grief, um, 315 00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:09,560 Speaker 1: because there's so many elements of like the father being 316 00:20:09,640 --> 00:20:12,440 Speaker 1: dead and having these memories come back, and then seeing 317 00:20:12,920 --> 00:20:15,359 Speaker 1: like making connections where they probably weren't connections, but you're 318 00:20:15,359 --> 00:20:18,040 Speaker 1: thinking like, oh, maybe that's some kind of sign or 319 00:20:18,240 --> 00:20:20,439 Speaker 1: you know, trying to see those things all over the place, 320 00:20:21,000 --> 00:20:25,280 Speaker 1: which is an idea I'm really dorkally fascinated in, is 321 00:20:25,320 --> 00:20:28,480 Speaker 1: that humans sea patterns where patterns don't exist a lot. 322 00:20:29,320 --> 00:20:32,520 Speaker 1: And so when I was kind of stumbling through the 323 00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:36,840 Speaker 1: strange disclaimer of like, it doesn't really make sense. I 324 00:20:36,840 --> 00:20:38,400 Speaker 1: hate it when creators say this, but that was kind 325 00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:40,000 Speaker 1: of a purpose. So it was supposed to be like 326 00:20:40,600 --> 00:20:43,120 Speaker 1: is this connected or is it not connected? I don't 327 00:20:43,160 --> 00:20:45,280 Speaker 1: really need to go too deep into this silly horror 328 00:20:45,320 --> 00:20:50,159 Speaker 1: story I read, but that was kind of like the 329 00:20:50,280 --> 00:20:53,640 Speaker 1: idea was, you know, you're going through this experience, you're 330 00:20:53,680 --> 00:20:55,640 Speaker 1: having this grief, and you're seeing these things and you're 331 00:20:55,640 --> 00:20:58,239 Speaker 1: trying to make sense of them when perhaps there's no 332 00:20:58,280 --> 00:21:02,919 Speaker 1: sense to be made of them. But the memory of 333 00:21:03,040 --> 00:21:06,120 Speaker 1: that candy, in the memory of those all those things 334 00:21:06,119 --> 00:21:08,720 Speaker 1: you created together, and my dad did buy me twist 335 00:21:08,760 --> 00:21:10,720 Speaker 1: and fills, and he would let me sneak them into 336 00:21:10,720 --> 00:21:13,040 Speaker 1: the theater, even though he was a big proponent if 337 00:21:13,080 --> 00:21:18,760 Speaker 1: if you get caught, I'm not gonna help here, and 338 00:21:18,840 --> 00:21:25,120 Speaker 1: just having those kind of moments based on this candy, right, Yeah, 339 00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:28,640 Speaker 1: And I do think food is a really powerful memory 340 00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:30,919 Speaker 1: in that way. And it can, you know, connect you 341 00:21:30,960 --> 00:21:33,720 Speaker 1: to people that you've lost or even people you just 342 00:21:33,720 --> 00:21:36,280 Speaker 1: don't see anymore. There there are certain foods I'll eat. 343 00:21:36,280 --> 00:21:39,919 Speaker 1: I'll just be like transported back to college. Yeah, remember 344 00:21:39,960 --> 00:21:43,119 Speaker 1: being in my dorm and watching scary movies and eating 345 00:21:43,119 --> 00:21:45,879 Speaker 1: this with my roommate or whatever it is. And I 346 00:21:45,920 --> 00:21:48,040 Speaker 1: do have a lot of foods like that based around 347 00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:53,199 Speaker 1: Halloween and the fall and you know winter at large. 348 00:21:54,760 --> 00:21:59,480 Speaker 1: So yeah, I just think it's a really powerful it 349 00:21:59,560 --> 00:22:02,840 Speaker 1: can be really powerful connection between you and other people. 350 00:22:04,040 --> 00:22:07,320 Speaker 1: As much as we talked about how unhealthy relationships with 351 00:22:07,359 --> 00:22:10,800 Speaker 1: food can be, this is one area where I can 352 00:22:10,880 --> 00:22:15,639 Speaker 1: form connections with other people as well. And I do 353 00:22:15,800 --> 00:22:21,320 Speaker 1: think a part of this is also about the traditions 354 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:26,439 Speaker 1: we have and we make with other people. And you know, 355 00:22:27,440 --> 00:22:30,600 Speaker 1: they can be very silly, little like the five candies 356 00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:33,480 Speaker 1: that I have to get. It's really ridiculous why I 357 00:22:33,480 --> 00:22:36,840 Speaker 1: feel that way. Um or having you know your friend 358 00:22:36,920 --> 00:22:40,159 Speaker 1: that you always I have some groups of friends that 359 00:22:40,200 --> 00:22:41,879 Speaker 1: will always bring a certain type of candy, and so 360 00:22:41,920 --> 00:22:45,560 Speaker 1: that candy gets associated with them, right, and it makes 361 00:22:45,600 --> 00:22:47,840 Speaker 1: me happy when I have it and I think of 362 00:22:47,880 --> 00:22:50,520 Speaker 1: them and all the times we have had it in 363 00:22:50,560 --> 00:22:55,240 Speaker 1: the past, and I think for me um as a kid, 364 00:22:56,400 --> 00:23:00,960 Speaker 1: that was what Halloween was kind of about, like you 365 00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:02,560 Speaker 1: would get the candy. Like I said, I wasn't really 366 00:23:02,560 --> 00:23:05,439 Speaker 1: about the candy. For me. It's kind of like that 367 00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:09,000 Speaker 1: fun of hanging out with people and making those connections 368 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:11,399 Speaker 1: with people and making those trades like oh, she wants 369 00:23:11,400 --> 00:23:15,560 Speaker 1: twizzlers and I want those. Right, It's kind of silly. 370 00:23:15,600 --> 00:23:18,679 Speaker 1: Smaller interactions that you really do are really important and 371 00:23:18,680 --> 00:23:23,000 Speaker 1: you do miss when that person is gone. Right. But yeah, 372 00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:27,040 Speaker 1: that's all of that from this very very silly, but 373 00:23:27,119 --> 00:23:30,640 Speaker 1: I hope fun. I think it was a very fun. 374 00:23:31,640 --> 00:23:36,119 Speaker 1: Yeah story. Thank you so much, so happen for I 375 00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:43,919 Speaker 1: enjoyed it, for your excellent acting, Christina's excellent editing, soundscaping, 376 00:23:44,840 --> 00:23:49,120 Speaker 1: and thanks to you listeners for coming along on this journey. 377 00:23:49,720 --> 00:23:53,880 Speaker 1: We hope that you're having happy fall times whenever they 378 00:23:53,880 --> 00:23:59,320 Speaker 1: may be. And if you have any ideas for any 379 00:23:59,359 --> 00:24:02,400 Speaker 1: other ideas we could try or like fiction, we could 380 00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:04,560 Speaker 1: read spi in the public domain, but you know, please 381 00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:07,439 Speaker 1: send them our way. You can do that at our 382 00:24:07,480 --> 00:24:09,359 Speaker 1: email which is stuff Medea Mom Stuff at ihart me 383 00:24:09,520 --> 00:24:11,480 Speaker 1: dot com. You can find us on Instagram, and stuff I' 384 00:24:11,520 --> 00:24:13,720 Speaker 1: ever told you, or on Twitter at most of podcast. 385 00:24:13,880 --> 00:24:17,240 Speaker 1: Thanks as always to our super producer Christina, Thank you, 386 00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:19,840 Speaker 1: and thanks to you for listening stuff I've never told you. 387 00:24:19,880 --> 00:24:21,800 Speaker 1: The production by heart Radio from more podcast on My 388 00:24:21,800 --> 00:24:23,920 Speaker 1: heart Radio is at the heart Radio app, Apple podcast, 389 00:24:23,960 --> 00:24:25,480 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite ships.