1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:03,200 Speaker 1: My name is Ben. I'm a storyteller and Find and Tell. 2 00:00:03,560 --> 00:00:06,560 Speaker 1: I grew up on Durall Country. I'd like to recognize 3 00:00:06,559 --> 00:00:09,799 Speaker 1: the traditional Caustodians of this continent whose land was stolen 4 00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:13,040 Speaker 1: nearly two hundred and fifty years ago, in particular the 5 00:00:13,119 --> 00:00:16,680 Speaker 1: Camagle and one Andrei people whose land this podcast was 6 00:00:16,720 --> 00:00:19,759 Speaker 1: recorded on. And we extend our respect to all Aboriginal 7 00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:23,439 Speaker 1: tour Austraight Islander peoples, the rich storytelling history of the 8 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:27,000 Speaker 1: world's oldest living culture. My culture is what we pay 9 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:29,520 Speaker 1: homage to when we tell stories on Find and Tell. 10 00:00:33,720 --> 00:00:36,880 Speaker 2: Hello, I'm Jamila Risby and this is Find and Tell, 11 00:00:37,320 --> 00:00:40,720 Speaker 2: the search for the next generation of Australian storytellers. 12 00:00:41,479 --> 00:00:43,919 Speaker 3: Over the series, you'll be introduced to and. 13 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:48,040 Speaker 2: You'll hear from four diverse Australians as they compete to 14 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:52,519 Speaker 2: become the first ever Find and Tell Champion. You'll hear 15 00:00:52,520 --> 00:00:56,560 Speaker 2: from Mark, a Filipino Australian from Blacktown in Western Sydney. 16 00:00:56,720 --> 00:01:00,520 Speaker 4: As someone who is probably queer, probably chunky and beautiful. 17 00:01:00,920 --> 00:01:03,960 Speaker 4: I live and serve in so many different communities and 18 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:06,319 Speaker 4: I want to do my best to platform some stories 19 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:08,440 Speaker 4: that fit under these incredible groups. 20 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:12,119 Speaker 2: Kate An Iranian Australian from Foots Gray and Melbourne. 21 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:14,919 Speaker 5: A huge part of my life has been sitting around 22 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:18,679 Speaker 5: drinking many many cups of tea, listening to my mom 23 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:22,360 Speaker 5: and my auntie's gossip, and so the kinds of stories 24 00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:25,639 Speaker 5: that excite me are based in the personal and based 25 00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:26,680 Speaker 5: in family gossip. 26 00:01:27,520 --> 00:01:30,840 Speaker 2: Nayan a Korean Australian from Strathfield in Sydney. 27 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:36,440 Speaker 6: My cultural background and upbringing has influenced my whole storytelling 28 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:39,440 Speaker 6: career and how I approach stories and people. 29 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:43,400 Speaker 2: And Ben a durableman now living in Cesnok in the 30 00:01:43,480 --> 00:01:44,120 Speaker 2: Hunter Valley. 31 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:46,840 Speaker 1: I think I'm the least experienced person here when it 32 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:49,840 Speaker 1: comes to content creation. We are here for storytelling, so 33 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:52,520 Speaker 1: as long as you can spin a good yarn, you'll 34 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 1: be okay. 35 00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:59,640 Speaker 2: Every episode, the storytellers will be given a new thing 36 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:03,520 Speaker 2: and they'll be set loose to find and tell unique, 37 00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:06,560 Speaker 2: weird and interesting stories from around the country. 38 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:08,560 Speaker 3: Whoever tells the best story. 39 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:11,560 Speaker 2: We'll win the episode, inching one step closer to being 40 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:15,360 Speaker 2: crowned the winner and taking home the grand price. Up 41 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:18,919 Speaker 2: for grabs are best in class podcasting goodies and gear 42 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:21,840 Speaker 2: from the amazing team at Road, so our winner can 43 00:02:21,880 --> 00:02:25,760 Speaker 2: continue finding and telling stories wherever they go. So if 44 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:27,800 Speaker 2: you love a yarn as much as I do, and 45 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:31,840 Speaker 2: if you're curious about stories beyond your own experience, then 46 00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:36,119 Speaker 2: you're in the right place. Okay, let's get started. Today's 47 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:43,919 Speaker 2: theme is silver Linings. Let's meet our first storyteller, Good eye. 48 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:46,919 Speaker 1: On Ben and from the Yellowora, Durawak Country, currently living 49 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:49,400 Speaker 1: in sisnok on Wan, a real country. I'm a jack 50 00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:51,840 Speaker 1: of all trades. I've worked as a chippy on the tools, 51 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:54,320 Speaker 1: I've traveled the world as a travel agent, and I've 52 00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:57,360 Speaker 1: worked in disability and support work. Storytelling has always been 53 00:02:57,400 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 1: significant to me in one way or another, whether it 54 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 1: be the indigenous dream time stories from my mum or 55 00:03:02,919 --> 00:03:05,919 Speaker 1: just swapping stories of other travelers overseas. I've never done 56 00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:08,280 Speaker 1: anything like this before, but I'm excited to give it 57 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:10,000 Speaker 1: a crack and see what we can come up with. 58 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:13,440 Speaker 3: Hey, Ben, welcome to find. 59 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:14,880 Speaker 1: And tell How Jimil, how are you? 60 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:16,079 Speaker 3: This is exciting? 61 00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:18,919 Speaker 2: We haven't spoken since you went out into the big 62 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:22,080 Speaker 2: wide world to record some of these How did you 63 00:03:22,120 --> 00:03:22,520 Speaker 2: find it? 64 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:24,880 Speaker 1: If I'm being honest, it was a lot more difficult 65 00:03:24,919 --> 00:03:26,600 Speaker 1: than I first anticipated. 66 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:27,960 Speaker 3: That doesn't surprise me. 67 00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:29,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, I thought it was going to be a little 68 00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:30,960 Speaker 1: bit more of a walk in the park than it was. 69 00:03:31,040 --> 00:03:33,440 Speaker 1: A few kind of speed bumps along the way, but 70 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:35,720 Speaker 1: we got there in the end, so I'm pretty proud. 71 00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:38,480 Speaker 2: And you've never done any podcasting before, so you were 72 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:39,440 Speaker 2: coming in cold. 73 00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:40,680 Speaker 3: What was the hardest part? 74 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:45,080 Speaker 1: Oh, has so many different moving parts in chying to 75 00:03:45,080 --> 00:03:48,520 Speaker 1: make an episode. I think that the most difficult part 76 00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:52,200 Speaker 1: for me would have been finally feeling like you had 77 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:54,680 Speaker 1: something in the bag and then it falling through last minute. 78 00:03:54,800 --> 00:03:58,480 Speaker 2: I guess, Yeah, what kind of stories do you love 79 00:03:58,800 --> 00:03:59,920 Speaker 2: listening to or hearing? 80 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:04,600 Speaker 1: When I was younger, I grew up listening to stories 81 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:07,880 Speaker 1: from my mum instead of listening to I guess like 82 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:09,840 Speaker 1: nursery rhymes to go on to bed. We listened to 83 00:04:09,880 --> 00:04:11,800 Speaker 1: a lot of like dream time stories because my mom's 84 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:14,920 Speaker 1: are indigenous. Yeah, of course, so me and my siblings 85 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:17,599 Speaker 1: we were kind of introduced to like a unique type 86 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:20,560 Speaker 1: of storytelling from a young age. And yeah, I guess 87 00:04:20,560 --> 00:04:22,120 Speaker 1: that's kind of like where I get it from. I 88 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:24,120 Speaker 1: got to give props to my mum about kind of 89 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:25,279 Speaker 1: being able to spin a good yarn. 90 00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:28,240 Speaker 2: I guess I remember when we first met before all 91 00:04:28,279 --> 00:04:30,560 Speaker 2: of this kicked off, and you'd just been chosen to 92 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:32,680 Speaker 2: be part of Fine and Tell. You said, I can 93 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:34,680 Speaker 2: just tell a really good yarn. That's why I stuck 94 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:35,280 Speaker 2: my hand up. 95 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:37,119 Speaker 3: Does that still hold? 96 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:38,360 Speaker 7: Yeah? 97 00:04:38,400 --> 00:04:40,840 Speaker 1: I think so, I think. But at the same time 98 00:04:41,279 --> 00:04:43,880 Speaker 1: I didn't realize just how much work actually went behind 99 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:47,520 Speaker 1: a good story. Trying to figure out like the inner 100 00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:52,120 Speaker 1: workings of that was was challenging, but also yeah it was. 101 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:53,120 Speaker 1: It was awesome. 102 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:55,880 Speaker 2: Well, I am very keen to hear how you did, 103 00:04:56,040 --> 00:04:59,120 Speaker 2: so let's get to it. Let's hear your Find and 104 00:04:59,160 --> 00:05:02,440 Speaker 2: Tell first story. Sorry, on the theme of silver linings. 105 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:07,520 Speaker 1: Welcome to Neath, a small country village on the outskirts 106 00:05:07,560 --> 00:05:10,679 Speaker 1: of Cesnock in the Hunter Valley region duckerd Young country. 107 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:13,760 Speaker 1: It's a real blink and you'd miss it type of town. 108 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:17,760 Speaker 1: One rode in and one rode out. It has a 109 00:05:17,800 --> 00:05:21,239 Speaker 1: population of four hundred and ninety people, a bus stop, 110 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:25,200 Speaker 1: a servo and in true blue Australian country town fashion, 111 00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:30,000 Speaker 1: one pub. You'd be forgiven if you've never heard about Neath, 112 00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:33,919 Speaker 1: not many people have, but for a short period of time, 113 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:38,320 Speaker 1: Neath was the talk of the region. This small, unknown 114 00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:45,160 Speaker 1: country town became home to a mind boggling mystery. This 115 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:47,440 Speaker 1: story begins a few years ago at the peak of 116 00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:50,920 Speaker 1: COVID lockdowns in New South Wales. Morale was at an 117 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:56,440 Speaker 1: all time low and there was nothing to look forward to, work, home, work, 118 00:05:56,640 --> 00:06:02,200 Speaker 1: and back home again. But that's exactly how this story starts. See. 119 00:06:02,360 --> 00:06:04,520 Speaker 1: I would have to drive on that one lonely road 120 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:07,600 Speaker 1: through Neath on my daily commute to work, and that's 121 00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:13,400 Speaker 1: when I first encountered the teddy bears. That's right, teddy bears. 122 00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:15,680 Speaker 1: And I wasn't the only one. 123 00:06:18,839 --> 00:06:21,799 Speaker 8: Would someone tell me the significance of the teddy bears inneath. 124 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:24,159 Speaker 3: They're all over the place and some are even sitting 125 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:26,840 Speaker 3: in chairs now, so the road to Neath has become 126 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:30,280 Speaker 3: a gallery of hanging teddy bears. I dig the kindergarten 127 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:33,040 Speaker 3: Vlad the Impaler aesthetic, but does anyone know the deal? 128 00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:37,360 Speaker 9: Yeah, it's disgusting. Hopefully they get pulled down soon. Makes 129 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:38,480 Speaker 9: the place look filthy. 130 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:41,599 Speaker 8: It's a beautiful gesture to make kids and us big 131 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:44,560 Speaker 8: kids smile. People who get upset by them must have 132 00:06:44,640 --> 00:06:46,920 Speaker 8: had very sad childhoods. 133 00:06:48,760 --> 00:06:51,839 Speaker 1: In the following weeks, the teddy bears began to multiply 134 00:06:52,880 --> 00:06:56,480 Speaker 1: and What started as five or six soon turned into twenty, 135 00:06:56,680 --> 00:07:00,360 Speaker 1: then thirty, then not before long, there's too many to 136 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:04,920 Speaker 1: count inhabiting the village. Beneath the trees, the parks, the benches, 137 00:07:05,040 --> 00:07:08,159 Speaker 1: the telegraph poles, the signal boxes, the bus stops. The 138 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:12,160 Speaker 1: Teddy Bears had even infiltrated the pub. Then one day 139 00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:17,400 Speaker 1: they all vanished. Where did the bears come from? Who 140 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:22,520 Speaker 1: put them there? And where did they go? This local 141 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:25,880 Speaker 1: mystery has perplexed me for far too long, and it's 142 00:07:25,920 --> 00:07:29,160 Speaker 1: about time I figured out some answers. So starts my 143 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:33,440 Speaker 1: investigation to unravel the mystery of the neath Teddy Bears. 144 00:07:34,840 --> 00:07:36,840 Speaker 1: I thought the best place to start would be the 145 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:39,240 Speaker 1: local community Facebook groups. 146 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:43,400 Speaker 9: Does anyone know the reason behind Beneath the Teddy Bears? 147 00:07:47,760 --> 00:07:50,400 Speaker 1: A few minutes later, I had a response from a 148 00:07:50,480 --> 00:07:54,760 Speaker 1: user by the name of Gary red high Marsh. Gary commented, 149 00:07:55,360 --> 00:07:58,800 Speaker 1: Rue ted is the one you're looking for and tagged 150 00:07:58,840 --> 00:08:03,480 Speaker 1: in another profile. I clicked on the profile to hopefully 151 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:06,600 Speaker 1: start piecing together the puzzle, but I ended up only 152 00:08:06,640 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 1: getting more questions and answers. 153 00:08:09,280 --> 00:08:12,480 Speaker 9: This profile belongs to a Teddy Bear. 154 00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:20,480 Speaker 1: As I clicked through the photos of the profile, I 155 00:08:20,520 --> 00:08:24,679 Speaker 1: realized this teddy Bear has lived quite a life. Photos 156 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:27,040 Speaker 1: of him are at the beach on the Gold Coast, 157 00:08:27,400 --> 00:08:29,920 Speaker 1: riding on the back of a motorcycle. He was even 158 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:33,560 Speaker 1: photographed in a police station. My investigation has taken a 159 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:38,280 Speaker 1: rather interesting turn. It's about time I message that mysterious 160 00:08:38,320 --> 00:08:43,320 Speaker 1: bear good a routed. I'm currently investigating the mystery of 161 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:46,600 Speaker 1: the Neath Teddy Bears. Back in twenty twenty, I was 162 00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:50,880 Speaker 1: hoping to possibly interview the person all bear responsible for 163 00:08:50,920 --> 00:08:54,079 Speaker 1: starting it in order to create a podcast episode. 164 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:56,080 Speaker 9: I've been told you could hold some of the answers 165 00:08:56,080 --> 00:08:56,600 Speaker 9: that I seek. 166 00:08:58,040 --> 00:08:59,520 Speaker 1: Did I just message your teddy Bear? 167 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:00,840 Speaker 5: Yes? 168 00:09:02,320 --> 00:09:04,560 Speaker 1: Did I get a response back from that teddy bear? 169 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:07,040 Speaker 7: Can Benjamin? 170 00:09:07,160 --> 00:09:08,880 Speaker 3: I certainly can help you with that info. 171 00:09:08,960 --> 00:09:10,200 Speaker 1: A bit of a long story. 172 00:09:10,360 --> 00:09:12,360 Speaker 3: I'm away at Port Macquarie at the moment, but we'll 173 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:13,960 Speaker 3: be home at the end of the month. I can 174 00:09:13,960 --> 00:09:15,520 Speaker 3: introduce you to my care of Gary. 175 00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:20,200 Speaker 1: Then, could Gary be the one behind the titty Bears? 176 00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:22,200 Speaker 1: I was determined to find out? 177 00:09:25,920 --> 00:09:27,520 Speaker 9: All right, Gary's just pulled up. 178 00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:33,160 Speaker 1: Showt on Gary. Get a Gary, early. 179 00:09:32,960 --> 00:09:36,280 Speaker 10: Mate, buddy heart already. 180 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:40,040 Speaker 1: It is coming side. It's nice and cool, lovely mate, Gary, 181 00:09:40,040 --> 00:09:43,840 Speaker 1: and I became acquainted. 182 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:43,160 Speaker 4: All my life. 183 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:48,080 Speaker 10: I grew up in packs, through in packs and swamp as. 184 00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 1: I say, and we eventually made our way to the 185 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:52,160 Speaker 1: topic of the titty bears. 186 00:09:52,559 --> 00:09:54,120 Speaker 10: I can tell the story. It's a bit of a 187 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:57,920 Speaker 10: long story. Years ago I had a caravan on site, 188 00:09:58,040 --> 00:09:59,640 Speaker 10: a Fingerbay caravan. 189 00:09:59,679 --> 00:10:03,600 Speaker 1: Part it was a long story. Gary had a mate 190 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:05,520 Speaker 1: who worked in the mines who one day had a 191 00:10:05,559 --> 00:10:06,880 Speaker 1: bear sitting on his truck. 192 00:10:07,040 --> 00:10:09,800 Speaker 10: And he was his big Bear sitting in the back 193 00:10:09,840 --> 00:10:10,400 Speaker 10: of his truck. 194 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:13,880 Speaker 1: Now, one way or another, Gary got that. 195 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:15,719 Speaker 10: Bear and I used to have it out in the 196 00:10:15,720 --> 00:10:16,640 Speaker 10: front of my caravan. 197 00:10:16,760 --> 00:10:21,559 Speaker 1: And Gary loved that bear. He took it with him 198 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:26,040 Speaker 1: everywhere he went. It became part of his character. There's 199 00:10:26,120 --> 00:10:27,959 Speaker 1: Gary and there's his teddy Bear. 200 00:10:28,280 --> 00:10:30,880 Speaker 10: We'd go to the club and come back and big 201 00:10:30,920 --> 00:10:34,000 Speaker 10: tail and have women's pants on and lipstick on or whatever. 202 00:10:34,120 --> 00:10:35,880 Speaker 10: I was dressed up and out in front of the 203 00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:38,480 Speaker 10: little house there and people go past, and kids come 204 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:38,880 Speaker 10: and past. 205 00:10:39,920 --> 00:10:42,760 Speaker 1: Gary was happy being able to bring joy and laughter 206 00:10:42,840 --> 00:10:45,959 Speaker 1: to so many different people, being that quirky bloke of 207 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:49,960 Speaker 1: his teddy bear going on adventures around Australia. But Big 208 00:10:50,080 --> 00:10:52,880 Speaker 1: ted was only the start of what would soon become 209 00:10:53,160 --> 00:10:54,240 Speaker 1: an impressive collection. 210 00:10:54,760 --> 00:10:57,559 Speaker 10: All of a sudden, I'll come home and there'd be 211 00:10:57,960 --> 00:11:00,240 Speaker 10: a bear on me, another bear on the chair next 212 00:11:00,240 --> 00:11:02,959 Speaker 10: to him, and then another one. People were putting bears 213 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:05,360 Speaker 10: on my bread. I go to the op chops and 214 00:11:05,520 --> 00:11:07,199 Speaker 10: I'd buy a beer too, So I end up with 215 00:11:07,320 --> 00:11:12,600 Speaker 10: seventy bears. Then when the COVID seventy zero seventy, they're 216 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:14,920 Speaker 10: the ones, big ones, a whole lot. People were putting 217 00:11:14,960 --> 00:11:18,679 Speaker 10: bears in windows to make people happy in everything, So 218 00:11:18,720 --> 00:11:19,200 Speaker 10: I was thought. 219 00:11:19,080 --> 00:11:21,719 Speaker 1: Well, I've undernoticed to me at the time, there was 220 00:11:21,760 --> 00:11:25,880 Speaker 1: a trend going around during COVID lockdowns. Apparently people would 221 00:11:25,880 --> 00:11:28,559 Speaker 1: put bears in their windows just to make everybody's five 222 00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:31,560 Speaker 1: kilometer radius walk from their house a little bit more enjoyable. 223 00:11:32,480 --> 00:11:34,920 Speaker 1: Gary had heard of the trend, but living in a 224 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:37,800 Speaker 1: remote area, Gary knew not many people were going to 225 00:11:37,840 --> 00:11:40,920 Speaker 1: be able to enjoy his teddy beer collection. So Gary 226 00:11:40,960 --> 00:11:42,160 Speaker 1: decided on a different approach. 227 00:11:42,800 --> 00:11:45,120 Speaker 10: Well, I've got all these bears, I'm going to put 228 00:11:45,160 --> 00:11:48,000 Speaker 10: someone beside the road. It neath increase and it will 229 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:51,280 Speaker 10: make people happy. So that's how that said. I put 230 00:11:51,320 --> 00:11:54,760 Speaker 10: a few in them, some more than accord on and 231 00:11:54,880 --> 00:11:57,400 Speaker 10: other people were putting bears there, so I took a 232 00:11:57,440 --> 00:12:00,559 Speaker 10: few more out at different times. There you have it. 233 00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:04,480 Speaker 1: It was just a bloke and his bear who wanted 234 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:07,160 Speaker 1: to put smiles and faces during a pretty grim time 235 00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:14,200 Speaker 1: for us. All mystery solved right except for one loose end. 236 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:17,679 Speaker 1: Whatever happened to those bears? Where did they all go? 237 00:12:19,679 --> 00:12:22,520 Speaker 10: Well, as far as I know, there was a crackhead 238 00:12:23,160 --> 00:12:25,040 Speaker 10: and there was I knew there was an accident down there, 239 00:12:25,360 --> 00:12:28,319 Speaker 10: and he ran into a car or two cars and 240 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:30,719 Speaker 10: a truck and you can see a big on the 241 00:12:30,800 --> 00:12:32,400 Speaker 10: side of the road at the time where he done it. 242 00:12:33,440 --> 00:12:35,480 Speaker 10: He got out the car and running into the bush 243 00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:36,600 Speaker 10: manks the bears. 244 00:12:37,280 --> 00:12:40,600 Speaker 1: Now, luckily no one was hurt, but according to Gary, 245 00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:42,760 Speaker 1: the bear's coped the blame for the accident. 246 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:46,200 Speaker 10: He said, I was too busy looking at the base 247 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:49,000 Speaker 10: and then I running into the cars. The folee said, 248 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:50,680 Speaker 10: well we better get rid of them, and that's what's 249 00:12:50,679 --> 00:12:52,720 Speaker 10: going to happen or whatever. This is what I've heard. 250 00:12:53,679 --> 00:12:57,400 Speaker 10: The next minute the cancel were down there taken the 251 00:12:57,480 --> 00:12:58,000 Speaker 10: ba's away. 252 00:13:01,040 --> 00:13:04,000 Speaker 1: Now, if you haven't picked up yet, Gary is old school. 253 00:13:04,640 --> 00:13:07,400 Speaker 1: He's a little rough around the edges, and he says 254 00:13:07,440 --> 00:13:10,440 Speaker 1: it how it is, but much like he's Teddy Bears, 255 00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:15,120 Speaker 1: Gary has a much softer side. How many beers did 256 00:13:15,160 --> 00:13:16,160 Speaker 1: you first put it out there? 257 00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:17,360 Speaker 10: I put five? 258 00:13:17,600 --> 00:13:18,000 Speaker 5: Just five? 259 00:13:18,960 --> 00:13:20,440 Speaker 1: How many out there do you reckon? Did you end 260 00:13:20,480 --> 00:13:20,920 Speaker 1: up counting? 261 00:13:21,440 --> 00:13:21,480 Speaker 6: No? 262 00:13:21,720 --> 00:13:24,080 Speaker 10: I did not would have been I recommend let twenty 263 00:13:24,160 --> 00:13:24,559 Speaker 10: to thirty. 264 00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:26,680 Speaker 9: And then I had a mate who worked on the cancil. 265 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:29,079 Speaker 1: I asked for his inside knowledge to say, do you 266 00:13:29,160 --> 00:13:32,280 Speaker 1: know like we're around when you got rid of the Bears? 267 00:13:33,040 --> 00:13:37,520 Speaker 1: He said, yeah, one hundred and eighty one. 268 00:13:37,800 --> 00:13:38,400 Speaker 11: I didn't know that. 269 00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:41,800 Speaker 10: Oh that's incredible. I'll have to remember that. 270 00:13:42,040 --> 00:13:44,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, and that to the story next time you're having 271 00:13:44,880 --> 00:13:46,120 Speaker 1: a beer down at Vincent Street. 272 00:13:46,160 --> 00:13:49,199 Speaker 10: One undred eighty that's all put me notes. Yeah, because 273 00:13:49,200 --> 00:13:51,480 Speaker 10: I want to tell missus that's incredible. 274 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:03,240 Speaker 3: I've got to say something, and I just want to cry. 275 00:14:03,440 --> 00:14:06,200 Speaker 3: That was so funny and so lovely. 276 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:09,040 Speaker 2: I couldn't figure out for a while there whether or 277 00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:11,719 Speaker 2: not we were going in a true crime direction, or 278 00:14:11,760 --> 00:14:13,520 Speaker 2: whether or not I was going to meet like just 279 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:15,360 Speaker 2: these lovely local folks who were going to tell me 280 00:14:15,360 --> 00:14:15,920 Speaker 2: about Teddy's. 281 00:14:15,920 --> 00:14:18,040 Speaker 3: And you did both, well done, thank you. 282 00:14:18,280 --> 00:14:20,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, it turned out to be a little bit more 283 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:24,280 Speaker 1: of a I always liked the idea of the mockumentary feel. Yeah, 284 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:26,200 Speaker 1: so they'd kind of start something that's kind of not 285 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:28,200 Speaker 1: so serious and kind of add a serious tone to it. 286 00:14:28,520 --> 00:14:33,400 Speaker 2: Did you know what the answer was before you started searching? Like, 287 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:36,000 Speaker 2: was this a genuine mystery for you? Were we finding 288 00:14:36,040 --> 00:14:37,320 Speaker 2: it out at the same time? 289 00:14:37,840 --> 00:14:38,760 Speaker 7: Yeah, so it was. 290 00:14:38,880 --> 00:14:41,120 Speaker 1: It was still a mystery to me, and it was 291 00:14:41,160 --> 00:14:43,040 Speaker 1: something that had kind of been a question that I'd 292 00:14:43,040 --> 00:14:44,560 Speaker 1: had on my mind for a while and a lot 293 00:14:44,560 --> 00:14:46,560 Speaker 1: of the other locals around the Hunter Valley had seen 294 00:14:46,600 --> 00:14:49,000 Speaker 1: as well. And you know, it would come up in conversations. 295 00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:51,640 Speaker 1: People would be like, does anyone know where they actually 296 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:54,040 Speaker 1: came from? And when I got the opportunity to do it, 297 00:14:54,120 --> 00:14:56,440 Speaker 1: I thought, well, why don't I just go and find out. 298 00:14:57,120 --> 00:15:00,200 Speaker 2: I wanted to ask about the interview with Gary. I mean, 299 00:15:00,240 --> 00:15:03,600 Speaker 2: Gary sounds like a great guy. He also sounds like 300 00:15:03,640 --> 00:15:06,320 Speaker 2: a guy who's got a lot to say. And one 301 00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:07,960 Speaker 2: of the things that you always have to think about 302 00:15:07,960 --> 00:15:10,400 Speaker 2: when you're interviewing someone for whatever it is is you're 303 00:15:10,440 --> 00:15:13,000 Speaker 2: looking for those pithy lines, right You're looking for them 304 00:15:13,040 --> 00:15:15,880 Speaker 2: to tell the story in a small amount of time. 305 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:18,440 Speaker 3: Doesn't sound like Gary did that for you. 306 00:15:19,040 --> 00:15:20,720 Speaker 2: So how did you feel when you were doing the 307 00:15:20,800 --> 00:15:23,120 Speaker 2: interview and at the same time thinking how am I 308 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:25,160 Speaker 2: going to get this told in a few minutes? 309 00:15:25,680 --> 00:15:29,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, Gary, he's a bit of a waffler. Gary, we 310 00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:30,720 Speaker 1: sat down and had a good hour and a half 311 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:33,720 Speaker 1: chat and we kind of had to trim a lot 312 00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:36,480 Speaker 1: of that to kind of get this episode. I think 313 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:39,040 Speaker 1: a lot of people around Gary's age and from that 314 00:15:39,480 --> 00:15:41,640 Speaker 1: kind of error as well was that if you have 315 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:43,720 Speaker 1: the time to sit down and listen to them, and 316 00:15:43,800 --> 00:15:46,000 Speaker 1: if you listen to their story in a hole, you 317 00:15:46,080 --> 00:15:48,680 Speaker 1: can actually find some really good gems throughout it. Yeah, 318 00:15:48,760 --> 00:15:50,400 Speaker 1: and yeah, I did a little bit of coaxing obviously. 319 00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:51,720 Speaker 1: He went off the rails a little bit and I 320 00:15:51,800 --> 00:15:54,160 Speaker 1: had to kind of like, Okay, let's get back on track. 321 00:15:54,360 --> 00:15:58,240 Speaker 1: But I liked it because Gary, he was my first 322 00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:01,280 Speaker 1: interview with a stranger as well, so that was a 323 00:16:01,520 --> 00:16:02,600 Speaker 1: bit of a learning curb for me. 324 00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:05,520 Speaker 2: Well, I think you've got some absolute gold out of him, 325 00:16:05,560 --> 00:16:07,800 Speaker 2: and the way it was edited together was just super clever. 326 00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:10,160 Speaker 3: Congratulations, great first day out. 327 00:16:10,680 --> 00:16:11,360 Speaker 1: Thank you so much. 328 00:16:14,480 --> 00:16:17,400 Speaker 2: In a moment we'll hear from our second storyteller, and 329 00:16:17,560 --> 00:16:20,560 Speaker 2: later we'll find out who is one step closer to 330 00:16:20,680 --> 00:16:32,040 Speaker 2: becoming Australia's first ever Find and Tell Champion. This is 331 00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:34,960 Speaker 2: Find and Tell, the search for the next generation of 332 00:16:35,120 --> 00:16:39,840 Speaker 2: diverse storytellers. Today's theme is silver Linings. We just heard 333 00:16:39,880 --> 00:16:43,119 Speaker 2: from Ben and now it's time to meet our next storyteller. 334 00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:44,920 Speaker 7: Hi. 335 00:16:45,120 --> 00:16:49,280 Speaker 5: I'm Kate Robinson and I am an Iranian Australian visual 336 00:16:49,360 --> 00:16:53,600 Speaker 5: artist based here in I'm also a podcaster, so it 337 00:16:53,680 --> 00:16:56,800 Speaker 5: felt so so cool to get to take part in 338 00:16:56,920 --> 00:17:01,800 Speaker 5: a program like Find and Tell. For me, telling authentic, 339 00:17:02,320 --> 00:17:07,520 Speaker 5: deep stories is really important because I think that telling 340 00:17:07,800 --> 00:17:11,000 Speaker 5: stories through kind of narrative long form podcast is something 341 00:17:11,040 --> 00:17:13,840 Speaker 5: that I'm just obsessed with, and so it was really 342 00:17:13,960 --> 00:17:17,359 Speaker 5: really fun for me to get the chance to create 343 00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:19,400 Speaker 5: a podcast in this really different way. 344 00:17:22,480 --> 00:17:24,120 Speaker 3: Kate, Welcome to Find and Tell. 345 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:26,880 Speaker 5: Oh, it's so nice to be here with you, Jamilla. 346 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:30,840 Speaker 2: We are about to hear the story you've created, your 347 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:34,639 Speaker 2: very first story of the show, and up until this 348 00:17:34,800 --> 00:17:38,480 Speaker 2: point it's just been you and your producer and a microphone. 349 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:41,399 Speaker 2: How does it feel knowing that the whole country is 350 00:17:41,440 --> 00:17:42,640 Speaker 2: about to hear what you've made? 351 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:46,000 Speaker 5: It's a bit nerve wracking, to be honest. Yeah, I 352 00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:48,320 Speaker 5: think for me, like the kinds of stories that I 353 00:17:48,440 --> 00:17:52,360 Speaker 5: love the most are really personal ones. And so when 354 00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:55,800 Speaker 5: I started this project, like I instantly knew that that's 355 00:17:55,840 --> 00:17:58,520 Speaker 5: what I was going to do. But then when it 356 00:17:58,600 --> 00:18:01,240 Speaker 5: comes to this moment, Wye, other people are going to 357 00:18:01,280 --> 00:18:05,399 Speaker 5: be listening to this very inkate's head story, it feels 358 00:18:05,400 --> 00:18:06,040 Speaker 5: a bit scary. 359 00:18:06,640 --> 00:18:08,639 Speaker 2: Oh, I just got all like, oh, this sounds like 360 00:18:08,640 --> 00:18:12,280 Speaker 2: a cliche, but I go chili. After that, I am psyched. 361 00:18:12,359 --> 00:18:15,840 Speaker 2: The theme for this week is silver linings without giving 362 00:18:15,920 --> 00:18:19,800 Speaker 2: away this very personal story. What did that mean to 363 00:18:19,880 --> 00:18:22,000 Speaker 2: you when you first heard the theme was silver linings? 364 00:18:22,040 --> 00:18:22,879 Speaker 2: What did you first think of? 365 00:18:23,280 --> 00:18:27,240 Speaker 5: I think for me, silver linings really are about when 366 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:31,560 Speaker 5: you go through something shit. Yeah yeah, but there's there's 367 00:18:31,600 --> 00:18:35,320 Speaker 5: something good that kind of you know, surrounds it and 368 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:38,560 Speaker 5: comes out of it. And so for me, it was 369 00:18:38,800 --> 00:18:41,480 Speaker 5: very clear what I was going to talk about from 370 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:45,000 Speaker 5: the moment that I heard this theme. Literally the first 371 00:18:45,119 --> 00:18:49,440 Speaker 5: conversation that I had with the producers during the training day, 372 00:18:50,080 --> 00:18:51,960 Speaker 5: wen added out what this story was going to be 373 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:55,160 Speaker 5: about because I just knew, and I think sometimes when 374 00:18:55,160 --> 00:18:57,960 Speaker 5: you're a creative if you have something that you're like, 375 00:18:58,119 --> 00:19:00,600 Speaker 5: I just must tell this story, like you just have 376 00:19:00,720 --> 00:19:02,240 Speaker 5: to chase it and you just have to follow it. 377 00:19:02,320 --> 00:19:03,800 Speaker 5: And so that's what I did with this one. 378 00:19:04,320 --> 00:19:06,920 Speaker 2: All right, I cannot wait any longer, and I'm sure 379 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:09,720 Speaker 2: that is the case for you listening right now as well. 380 00:19:10,280 --> 00:19:12,000 Speaker 2: I am in the same boat as you. I have 381 00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:14,720 Speaker 2: not heard Kate's story. I've not heard any of the stories, 382 00:19:14,760 --> 00:19:15,879 Speaker 2: and I am busting to. 383 00:19:15,920 --> 00:19:16,280 Speaker 9: Get to it. 384 00:19:16,640 --> 00:19:19,320 Speaker 2: So without further ado, this is Kate's first Find and 385 00:19:19,400 --> 00:19:21,320 Speaker 2: Tell story for Silver Linings. 386 00:19:23,680 --> 00:19:25,840 Speaker 5: In the midst of the worst week of my life, 387 00:19:26,760 --> 00:19:30,080 Speaker 5: I got this really unexpected voice message from a friend 388 00:19:30,119 --> 00:19:30,879 Speaker 5: of a friend. 389 00:19:32,200 --> 00:19:32,680 Speaker 7: He love. 390 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:37,680 Speaker 6: I've been thinking of you lot. I couldn't sleep last 391 00:19:37,760 --> 00:19:42,280 Speaker 6: night and you were on my mind, and I just 392 00:19:42,400 --> 00:19:48,000 Speaker 6: wanted to say that I know how ground shattering this 393 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:57,600 Speaker 6: breakup and situation is and how I found it hard 394 00:19:57,680 --> 00:19:58,760 Speaker 6: to process things. 395 00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:01,719 Speaker 5: Jane and I had met at a festival a few 396 00:20:01,760 --> 00:20:04,879 Speaker 5: weeks beforehand, and so we had the kind of closeness 397 00:20:05,000 --> 00:20:08,479 Speaker 5: that comes from sweaty dance for moments and late night chats, 398 00:20:09,119 --> 00:20:11,960 Speaker 5: and by that I mean we really didn't know each other. 399 00:20:12,680 --> 00:20:17,160 Speaker 5: And yet that voice message on that day was exactly 400 00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:17,879 Speaker 5: what I needed. 401 00:20:18,240 --> 00:20:22,680 Speaker 6: I actually found a lot of solace in speaking to 402 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:27,560 Speaker 6: a friend over voice message just as stuff was coming up, 403 00:20:27,760 --> 00:20:32,520 Speaker 6: like journaling kind of verbally. It really really helps me. 404 00:20:33,040 --> 00:20:37,960 Speaker 6: So yeah, I am sending some love from the coast. 405 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:45,920 Speaker 5: So off the back of AJ's advice, and after very 406 00:20:46,320 --> 00:20:50,080 Speaker 5: very little sleep, I took out my phone and I 407 00:20:50,160 --> 00:20:51,359 Speaker 5: started voice messaging her. 408 00:20:53,119 --> 00:20:56,960 Speaker 7: Hi, my dear, it was so nice to get your 409 00:20:57,040 --> 00:21:07,760 Speaker 7: voice message. Thanks for sending it. So I am in 410 00:21:07,920 --> 00:21:14,440 Speaker 7: the apartment. I survived my first night sleeping here alone. 411 00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:21,560 Speaker 5: When I listen back to these voice messages now, to 412 00:21:21,680 --> 00:21:24,200 Speaker 5: be honest, I don't think it even sounds like me, 413 00:21:25,359 --> 00:21:29,520 Speaker 5: this girl who was so shocked about her life radically 414 00:21:29,880 --> 00:21:32,720 Speaker 5: and unexpectedly changing, and just all. 415 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:38,600 Speaker 7: Feels so crazy, to be honest, And it's just like 416 00:21:41,720 --> 00:21:49,520 Speaker 7: it's just fucking bizarre. Basically that last week that I 417 00:21:49,600 --> 00:21:53,119 Speaker 7: was just having a totally normal week and everything has 418 00:21:53,240 --> 00:21:56,119 Speaker 7: changed so drastically, and I just had no idea. 419 00:21:58,040 --> 00:22:05,680 Speaker 5: All right, every single one of us has been through 420 00:22:05,840 --> 00:22:10,040 Speaker 5: some kind of experience of heartbreak, but when you're going 421 00:22:10,160 --> 00:22:14,119 Speaker 5: through it, it's so hard to have any kind of perspective. 422 00:22:16,880 --> 00:22:19,520 Speaker 11: There's basically like a roster of people that are just 423 00:22:20,520 --> 00:22:26,399 Speaker 11: coming over, dropping off food, spending time with me. Like 424 00:22:26,600 --> 00:22:29,080 Speaker 11: last night, I realized, like there's still a part of 425 00:22:29,119 --> 00:22:31,800 Speaker 11: me that doesn't understand that this is real, and like 426 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:33,600 Speaker 11: there's still a part of me that's like waiting. 427 00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:37,600 Speaker 5: Tonight is the first night heart believe. I feel a 428 00:22:37,640 --> 00:22:40,359 Speaker 5: bit of anger about all of that. You haven't like 429 00:22:40,680 --> 00:22:44,159 Speaker 5: you decided I had someone over in the evening. 430 00:22:44,680 --> 00:22:49,600 Speaker 7: Driving alone seems insane that my life can feel like 431 00:22:49,920 --> 00:22:53,680 Speaker 7: a trash my yet I still have to prepare for 432 00:22:53,800 --> 00:22:54,119 Speaker 7: this thing. 433 00:22:54,280 --> 00:22:58,000 Speaker 5: Me feeling the way that I do is it's still 434 00:22:58,119 --> 00:23:03,360 Speaker 5: definitely weird. That has been like an absolutely fascinating realization 435 00:23:03,880 --> 00:23:10,080 Speaker 5: to come to me. I've spent a year voice messaging 436 00:23:10,160 --> 00:23:13,880 Speaker 5: back and forth with AJ, and now that I'm out 437 00:23:13,960 --> 00:23:16,720 Speaker 5: of the weeds of the breakup, I can see things 438 00:23:16,760 --> 00:23:21,400 Speaker 5: a bit more clearly. Our friendship at this really pivotal, 439 00:23:21,760 --> 00:23:24,520 Speaker 5: weird moment in my life has made me think a 440 00:23:24,560 --> 00:23:28,399 Speaker 5: lot about how we survive heartbreak, but also why we 441 00:23:28,520 --> 00:23:31,840 Speaker 5: choose to lean on the people that we do. These 442 00:23:31,880 --> 00:23:36,119 Speaker 5: are big questions, and to explore them, I wanted to 443 00:23:36,160 --> 00:23:39,639 Speaker 5: talk to someone who's an expert in friendships but also 444 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:40,640 Speaker 5: in failure. 445 00:23:42,840 --> 00:23:49,360 Speaker 8: I consider my romantic breakups some of the most visceral 446 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:53,359 Speaker 8: periods of grief in my life, but the mere act 447 00:23:53,600 --> 00:23:56,879 Speaker 8: of living through that and surviving it had made me 448 00:23:57,119 --> 00:23:59,879 Speaker 8: understand I was so much stronger than I thought I was. 449 00:24:01,160 --> 00:24:04,600 Speaker 8: It taught me a lot about my capacity for resilience. 450 00:24:05,480 --> 00:24:09,560 Speaker 5: That's author and podcaster Elizabeth Day and her book friend 451 00:24:09,600 --> 00:24:11,960 Speaker 5: of Hollick. It's had such a big impact on me 452 00:24:12,080 --> 00:24:16,520 Speaker 5: this year. My copy is underlined and tabbed like a 453 00:24:16,600 --> 00:24:20,840 Speaker 5: textbook because I think that breakups, they really often, shine 454 00:24:20,840 --> 00:24:23,520 Speaker 5: a light on all of our relationships a bit, in 455 00:24:23,680 --> 00:24:25,639 Speaker 5: particular our friendships. 456 00:24:26,600 --> 00:24:28,960 Speaker 8: One of the most momentous breakups in my life was 457 00:24:29,040 --> 00:24:32,240 Speaker 8: three weeks before my thirty ninth birthday. I remember so 458 00:24:32,400 --> 00:24:36,159 Speaker 8: vividly that breakup happening and me opening the window of 459 00:24:36,240 --> 00:24:38,800 Speaker 8: my rented flat and smoking a cigarette. I don't smoke, 460 00:24:38,920 --> 00:24:42,199 Speaker 8: by the way, but it felt like the only appropriate, 461 00:24:42,320 --> 00:24:43,879 Speaker 8: least a tragic thing to do. 462 00:24:44,880 --> 00:24:49,480 Speaker 5: When your life gets unexpectedly turned upside down. Like elizabeths 463 00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:54,080 Speaker 5: did like minded, the balance in the scales of everything 464 00:24:54,320 --> 00:24:58,720 Speaker 5: kind of skews, including in your friendships. All of a 465 00:24:58,760 --> 00:25:01,640 Speaker 5: sudden you become the friend who is kind of a miss, 466 00:25:03,280 --> 00:25:07,440 Speaker 5: But there's also something so beautiful about friendship that is 467 00:25:07,520 --> 00:25:10,840 Speaker 5: born out of a time when there's no expectation of 468 00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:11,920 Speaker 5: anything in return. 469 00:25:13,160 --> 00:25:15,240 Speaker 8: I do not know what I would have done without 470 00:25:15,280 --> 00:25:19,440 Speaker 8: my friends after that breakup, literally to the extent that 471 00:25:19,800 --> 00:25:22,879 Speaker 8: the first person I called was Emma, my ex was 472 00:25:23,000 --> 00:25:25,320 Speaker 8: still in the flat, and I said, this has happened, 473 00:25:25,359 --> 00:25:28,200 Speaker 8: and she was like, right, but he doesn't mean that 474 00:25:28,680 --> 00:25:31,159 Speaker 8: I mean, because it seems so ludicrous to her. She's like, right, 475 00:25:31,200 --> 00:25:34,200 Speaker 8: but he's joking, isn't he. I was like no, and 476 00:25:34,480 --> 00:25:36,280 Speaker 8: she said, Okay, my darling, this is what we're going 477 00:25:36,320 --> 00:25:37,960 Speaker 8: to do, and she basically gave me a plan of action. 478 00:25:38,440 --> 00:25:41,000 Speaker 8: The next day, I didn't want to be on my own. 479 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:43,280 Speaker 8: I went and stayed with another friend of mine, Francesco, 480 00:25:43,280 --> 00:25:45,160 Speaker 8: who has like, just come over, just stay the night. 481 00:25:45,680 --> 00:25:48,240 Speaker 8: Like all of my friends rounded around, and all of 482 00:25:48,359 --> 00:25:53,800 Speaker 8: them just cacooned me in a sense of safety, love 483 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:56,520 Speaker 8: and understanding, and they allowed me to talk it through 484 00:25:57,160 --> 00:26:00,560 Speaker 8: and they shared with me what they felt. Just the 485 00:26:00,640 --> 00:26:06,639 Speaker 8: sheer generosity of them allowing me to feel heard really 486 00:26:06,840 --> 00:26:09,560 Speaker 8: assuaged a lot of my sadness. And do you know 487 00:26:09,640 --> 00:26:11,719 Speaker 8: the other thing that was so meaningful to me. They 488 00:26:11,840 --> 00:26:15,600 Speaker 8: actually shared my sadness because they knew that it wasn't 489 00:26:15,720 --> 00:26:17,320 Speaker 8: just about the person I was with. It was about 490 00:26:17,359 --> 00:26:19,800 Speaker 8: the time of life that I was in, to the 491 00:26:19,880 --> 00:26:22,680 Speaker 8: extent that Francesca then like marched. 492 00:26:22,400 --> 00:26:23,600 Speaker 3: Me into for Dinity clinic. 493 00:26:24,040 --> 00:26:27,560 Speaker 8: And I don't know, that mixture of sort of practicality 494 00:26:27,960 --> 00:26:30,560 Speaker 8: and just the force of their love for me just 495 00:26:30,800 --> 00:26:32,760 Speaker 8: got me through because I knew that I always had 496 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:33,440 Speaker 8: somewhere to turn. 497 00:26:34,440 --> 00:26:37,720 Speaker 5: There's something so important in these moments to know that 498 00:26:37,840 --> 00:26:41,440 Speaker 5: you're not alone and to actually feel quite the opposite, 499 00:26:42,040 --> 00:26:44,639 Speaker 5: that you have this incredible group of people who are 500 00:26:44,720 --> 00:26:45,920 Speaker 5: rallying around. 501 00:26:45,640 --> 00:26:48,320 Speaker 8: You, and they have always been there when my heart 502 00:26:48,400 --> 00:26:51,679 Speaker 8: has been broken to repair it, but also to remind 503 00:26:51,760 --> 00:26:54,080 Speaker 8: me that the most consistent and meaningful love of my 504 00:26:54,200 --> 00:26:55,600 Speaker 8: life is the love of my friends. 505 00:26:56,160 --> 00:27:00,200 Speaker 5: Oh that's so beautiful, Elizabeth. I had exactly this same 506 00:27:00,280 --> 00:27:03,640 Speaker 5: experience where my ex partner was still in the flat 507 00:27:03,720 --> 00:27:05,840 Speaker 5: as well, and I called my best friend Alice, and 508 00:27:06,000 --> 00:27:08,480 Speaker 5: she did exactly as you said. She said, no, that's 509 00:27:08,560 --> 00:27:09,120 Speaker 5: not possible. 510 00:27:09,640 --> 00:27:10,200 Speaker 7: Are you sure? 511 00:27:10,359 --> 00:27:12,959 Speaker 5: And I said I'm sure, And then she said, all right, 512 00:27:13,080 --> 00:27:14,880 Speaker 5: this is what you're going to do. So I didn't 513 00:27:14,920 --> 00:27:16,280 Speaker 5: have to do any of the labor. She was like, 514 00:27:16,359 --> 00:27:19,120 Speaker 5: just stay on the phone to me and you will 515 00:27:19,160 --> 00:27:20,719 Speaker 5: get someone to come and pick you up as soon 516 00:27:20,800 --> 00:27:21,360 Speaker 5: as possible. 517 00:27:21,640 --> 00:27:26,159 Speaker 8: That's incredible. Here's to Alice and Emma. I am so 518 00:27:26,400 --> 00:27:28,800 Speaker 8: glad we have those women in our lives. 519 00:27:32,400 --> 00:27:35,119 Speaker 5: We all have our Alice's and our Emma's who we 520 00:27:35,200 --> 00:27:38,280 Speaker 5: know will forever show up for us. But when your 521 00:27:38,359 --> 00:27:42,199 Speaker 5: life goes through a seismic shift, there's also, of course 522 00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:47,320 Speaker 5: those people that just fade away. And then there are 523 00:27:47,359 --> 00:27:50,480 Speaker 5: the friends that are directly born out of those circumstances, 524 00:27:51,160 --> 00:27:54,520 Speaker 5: who you become close to really quickly in a way 525 00:27:54,640 --> 00:28:00,760 Speaker 5: that you probably otherwise wouldn't. It's friends like AJ. Even now, 526 00:28:01,240 --> 00:28:04,119 Speaker 5: a year later, I'm not one hundred percent sure that 527 00:28:04,240 --> 00:28:07,520 Speaker 5: we became friends because of our shared experience of hatbreak, 528 00:28:08,280 --> 00:28:12,760 Speaker 5: or because voice messaging is just such a powerful, honorable medium. 529 00:28:13,640 --> 00:28:16,920 Speaker 5: So I decided to ask Elizabeth about what role voice 530 00:28:16,920 --> 00:28:18,600 Speaker 5: messaging plays in her friendships. 531 00:28:19,680 --> 00:28:21,840 Speaker 8: I am so glad you asked that. It's like I've 532 00:28:21,880 --> 00:28:24,760 Speaker 8: waited my whole life to be asked this question. It 533 00:28:24,960 --> 00:28:29,080 Speaker 8: plays an enormous and profound role for me. I love 534 00:28:29,320 --> 00:28:32,480 Speaker 8: nothing more than a voice note. I think it's partly 535 00:28:32,560 --> 00:28:35,880 Speaker 8: because I am an introvert, which I know is ironic 536 00:28:36,040 --> 00:28:38,520 Speaker 8: given that I'm sitting here chatting to you and I 537 00:28:38,640 --> 00:28:41,720 Speaker 8: kind of put myself out there. But what I understand 538 00:28:41,760 --> 00:28:44,520 Speaker 8: my introversion is that I like to have deep connections 539 00:28:44,640 --> 00:28:49,560 Speaker 8: one on one, and I find that phone calls really 540 00:28:49,680 --> 00:28:53,320 Speaker 8: drain my energy because I never know how to end them. 541 00:28:53,680 --> 00:28:57,320 Speaker 8: So I love voice noting and I voice note definitely. 542 00:28:57,440 --> 00:28:59,760 Speaker 8: With my best friend a lot. We voice note each 543 00:28:59,760 --> 00:29:02,560 Speaker 8: other and it is such a joy listening to her 544 00:29:02,680 --> 00:29:05,040 Speaker 8: voice notes to me, and it is like listening to 545 00:29:05,080 --> 00:29:06,800 Speaker 8: an episode of my favorite podcast. 546 00:29:07,280 --> 00:29:09,479 Speaker 5: I love that so much because that is exactly how 547 00:29:09,520 --> 00:29:12,360 Speaker 5: I feel about voice messaging, especially when I was going 548 00:29:12,400 --> 00:29:15,040 Speaker 5: through the breakup, and it's something where your energy is 549 00:29:15,120 --> 00:29:20,120 Speaker 5: like simultaneously so drained and like so amplified, and so 550 00:29:20,320 --> 00:29:23,080 Speaker 5: voice messaging was that perfect medium where I could just 551 00:29:23,160 --> 00:29:26,160 Speaker 5: pick up the phone and speak to someone when I 552 00:29:26,320 --> 00:29:28,640 Speaker 5: felt like on my terms and there was no pressure, 553 00:29:28,680 --> 00:29:29,920 Speaker 5: and I just love that so much. 554 00:29:30,080 --> 00:29:32,560 Speaker 8: And it's something that you can do when you're walking somewhere, 555 00:29:33,440 --> 00:29:39,920 Speaker 8: and there's something about that combination that feels you can 556 00:29:40,040 --> 00:29:43,640 Speaker 8: be more open and more vulnerable than if you're curating 557 00:29:43,760 --> 00:29:48,520 Speaker 8: a text or if you are on a phone call, 558 00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:54,360 Speaker 8: I'm constantly trying to gauge how the other person might 559 00:29:54,440 --> 00:29:56,760 Speaker 8: be feeling, and I can't see their face. There's something 560 00:29:56,800 --> 00:30:00,920 Speaker 8: disjointed about it. Whereas the voice note, I am sending 561 00:30:01,040 --> 00:30:03,880 Speaker 8: something from my world into theirs, and I know that 562 00:30:04,000 --> 00:30:06,120 Speaker 8: they will listen to it when they have space to 563 00:30:06,200 --> 00:30:08,800 Speaker 8: listen to it. Someone should write a book about voice notes. 564 00:30:13,680 --> 00:30:16,960 Speaker 5: I've listened back to so many voice messages between AJ 565 00:30:17,080 --> 00:30:20,320 Speaker 5: and I, and the perspective that I've gained from it 566 00:30:20,720 --> 00:30:24,360 Speaker 5: is that really has, like with the voice messaging, my 567 00:30:24,480 --> 00:30:27,440 Speaker 5: breakup has made me be a more vulnerable version of 568 00:30:27,560 --> 00:30:31,640 Speaker 5: myself in my friendships. It's something that I know that 569 00:30:31,680 --> 00:30:34,240 Speaker 5: I've struggled with in the past, and it's been a 570 00:30:34,400 --> 00:30:37,320 Speaker 5: huge positive in an otherwise really shitty year. 571 00:30:38,840 --> 00:30:42,240 Speaker 8: So I think heartbreak, whether it's a romantic one or 572 00:30:42,280 --> 00:30:45,760 Speaker 8: a friendship one, it really reveals us as we truly are, 573 00:30:45,960 --> 00:30:48,680 Speaker 8: rather than how we like to imagine we might be 574 00:30:48,840 --> 00:30:49,520 Speaker 8: in the future. 575 00:30:50,280 --> 00:30:52,680 Speaker 5: When you go through a breakup, a little bit of 576 00:30:52,760 --> 00:30:57,360 Speaker 5: your identity it just chips away. It doesn't matter how 577 00:30:57,480 --> 00:31:01,800 Speaker 5: independent you were before. It's really your friends that tether 578 00:31:01,840 --> 00:31:06,160 Speaker 5: you back to some kind of sense of yourself. They 579 00:31:06,280 --> 00:31:10,040 Speaker 5: remind you that you're loved, that you're cared for, that 580 00:31:10,120 --> 00:31:13,720 Speaker 5: you're not alone, which, to be honest, is some of 581 00:31:13,800 --> 00:31:16,880 Speaker 5: the biggest reasons that people are afraid of not being 582 00:31:16,920 --> 00:31:22,680 Speaker 5: in a relationship. For Elizabeth, her friends were overwhelmingly the 583 00:31:22,760 --> 00:31:25,880 Speaker 5: people that knew her the most, deeply, loved her the 584 00:31:26,040 --> 00:31:29,720 Speaker 5: most unconditionally, and were the one constant in her life. 585 00:31:31,040 --> 00:31:33,920 Speaker 8: My friends, I would say, they're like family to me. 586 00:31:34,080 --> 00:31:37,600 Speaker 8: They're better than family. They're my chosen family, and they 587 00:31:38,040 --> 00:31:40,360 Speaker 8: understand me so deeply, and. 588 00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:45,920 Speaker 5: I feel exactly the same way through the ugliness of heartbreak. 589 00:31:46,560 --> 00:31:50,680 Speaker 5: Friendship that is vulnerable friendship, that is deep friendship that 590 00:31:50,800 --> 00:31:55,080 Speaker 5: happens via voice message. It was the only silver lining. 591 00:32:05,760 --> 00:32:08,080 Speaker 3: Oh my god, I loved it. I loved it. 592 00:32:08,240 --> 00:32:10,960 Speaker 5: Well done, Thank you so much. 593 00:32:11,400 --> 00:32:12,440 Speaker 3: And your voice. 594 00:32:13,400 --> 00:32:18,080 Speaker 2: You've got good voice, good cadence and rhythm and feelings. 595 00:32:19,280 --> 00:32:19,720 Speaker 7: Thank you. 596 00:32:20,440 --> 00:32:23,160 Speaker 2: I have a lot of questions. Are the voice notes 597 00:32:23,800 --> 00:32:26,040 Speaker 2: to AJ the real voice notes or did you? 598 00:32:26,280 --> 00:32:27,000 Speaker 9: Oh wow? 599 00:32:27,640 --> 00:32:30,920 Speaker 5: Literally about twenty four hours of voice messages back and forth, 600 00:32:31,280 --> 00:32:35,560 Speaker 5: and as part of this project, I went through a 601 00:32:35,720 --> 00:32:39,320 Speaker 5: year's worth of voice notes and that's that's a lot, 602 00:32:39,600 --> 00:32:42,000 Speaker 5: and I thought that I was really healed, and then 603 00:32:42,240 --> 00:32:44,479 Speaker 5: I listened to the very first one that we're here 604 00:32:44,520 --> 00:32:47,200 Speaker 5: at the start of the episode, and I just instantly 605 00:32:47,240 --> 00:32:49,560 Speaker 5: started crying because it doesn't sound like me. 606 00:32:49,800 --> 00:32:52,360 Speaker 2: No, you do sound like a different person. I mean, 607 00:32:52,480 --> 00:32:54,360 Speaker 2: as soon as I heard Elizabeth Day's voice, I was like, 608 00:32:54,400 --> 00:32:56,200 Speaker 2: that's Elizabeth Day. And then I was like, my being 609 00:32:56,240 --> 00:32:58,600 Speaker 2: one weird person that thinks all English people sound the same, 610 00:32:58,880 --> 00:32:59,400 Speaker 2: maybe it's not. 611 00:32:59,640 --> 00:33:00,520 Speaker 3: No, how did she do that? 612 00:33:00,760 --> 00:33:03,239 Speaker 2: So tell me about Like, that's quite a practical thing 613 00:33:03,320 --> 00:33:04,920 Speaker 2: to do, to go after someone who's a big name, 614 00:33:04,960 --> 00:33:05,760 Speaker 2: who's a celebrity. 615 00:33:06,320 --> 00:33:07,200 Speaker 3: How'd you get her to do it? 616 00:33:07,440 --> 00:33:10,400 Speaker 5: To be honest, I just wanted to talk to Elizabeth 617 00:33:10,560 --> 00:33:12,720 Speaker 5: Day this whole show. 618 00:33:12,960 --> 00:33:14,840 Speaker 3: Your involvement was about one thing. 619 00:33:15,560 --> 00:33:18,640 Speaker 5: When I think of friendships, it's just intrinsically linked in 620 00:33:18,720 --> 00:33:21,120 Speaker 5: my head with Elizabeth Day because she's in so many 621 00:33:21,160 --> 00:33:25,440 Speaker 5: ways the queen of friendship. So when we were pitching 622 00:33:25,720 --> 00:33:28,600 Speaker 5: ideas for who we might talk to for this episode, 623 00:33:29,200 --> 00:33:33,120 Speaker 5: I just like kind of sheepishly, was like, well, Elizabeth 624 00:33:33,240 --> 00:33:37,120 Speaker 5: Day is going to be in Melbourne next week, so 625 00:33:37,280 --> 00:33:39,560 Speaker 5: maybe we try for Elizabeth's Day and we kind of 626 00:33:39,680 --> 00:33:43,480 Speaker 5: laughed it off because it seemed absurd that she would 627 00:33:43,520 --> 00:33:45,240 Speaker 5: say yes, then she did. 628 00:33:45,640 --> 00:33:48,000 Speaker 2: I mean it shows ambition pays off, right, you can 629 00:33:48,120 --> 00:33:50,720 Speaker 2: only ask, well, credit to you, because I think for 630 00:33:50,840 --> 00:33:53,960 Speaker 2: someone who is high profile and does a lot of interviews, 631 00:33:54,360 --> 00:33:57,040 Speaker 2: I think they can start to become For someone like 632 00:33:57,080 --> 00:33:59,120 Speaker 2: Elizabeth Day like, oh, it's just another one because I'm 633 00:33:59,120 --> 00:34:01,840 Speaker 2: doing seventeen today another four tomorrow, And to get something 634 00:34:01,880 --> 00:34:05,280 Speaker 2: out of her that was unusual and different does take. 635 00:34:05,200 --> 00:34:06,040 Speaker 3: Knowledge and skill. 636 00:34:06,760 --> 00:34:09,480 Speaker 2: Well, you made me feel really comfortable and safe as 637 00:34:09,640 --> 00:34:12,200 Speaker 2: the listener, and more than that, you really made me 638 00:34:12,280 --> 00:34:15,440 Speaker 2: want to go call my best mate. So I think 639 00:34:15,480 --> 00:34:17,280 Speaker 2: if that was what you were going for, you absolutely 640 00:34:17,360 --> 00:34:20,080 Speaker 2: nailed it. Congratulations Kate, Thank you so much. 641 00:34:20,120 --> 00:34:20,600 Speaker 5: Schimmeller. 642 00:34:23,800 --> 00:34:27,560 Speaker 2: So, who told the best silver lining story? I'm going 643 00:34:27,640 --> 00:34:29,880 Speaker 2: to make my decision and chat to them in just 644 00:34:29,960 --> 00:34:41,200 Speaker 2: a moment. This is Fine and Tell, And the theme 645 00:34:41,280 --> 00:34:46,000 Speaker 2: this week was silver linings. This was a really difficult 646 00:34:46,080 --> 00:34:50,400 Speaker 2: contest to call. These were two outstanding stories. Ben was 647 00:34:50,480 --> 00:34:54,600 Speaker 2: made for podcasting folks. His voice is so strong and assured, 648 00:34:54,760 --> 00:34:56,480 Speaker 2: and he's got a little bit of cheekiness in there too. 649 00:34:57,080 --> 00:35:00,279 Speaker 2: He also created a kind of true crime vibe, but 650 00:35:00,360 --> 00:35:05,000 Speaker 2: there's something awesome about hearing that true crime approach jaxtaposed 651 00:35:05,040 --> 00:35:07,560 Speaker 2: with the kind of cutesy weirdness of the Teddy Bear's 652 00:35:07,600 --> 00:35:10,560 Speaker 2: Picnic song and the theme of his story. If I 653 00:35:10,640 --> 00:35:14,000 Speaker 2: had any suggestions for Ben for next week, it would 654 00:35:14,000 --> 00:35:16,960 Speaker 2: be to make sure he rounds the story out completely. 655 00:35:17,400 --> 00:35:20,960 Speaker 2: The ending felt just a tiny bit abrupt, and I 656 00:35:21,040 --> 00:35:23,799 Speaker 2: think if he'd even given us one or two more sentences, 657 00:35:24,280 --> 00:35:27,520 Speaker 2: it would have helped us leave the podcast feeling warm 658 00:35:27,600 --> 00:35:30,120 Speaker 2: and fuzzy and wanting to go to a Teddy Bear's picnic. 659 00:35:30,760 --> 00:35:32,360 Speaker 2: It sort of caught me by surprise that that was 660 00:35:32,400 --> 00:35:36,640 Speaker 2: the end. In Kate's I loved how insightful her scripting was. 661 00:35:36,960 --> 00:35:40,600 Speaker 2: I've had my share of emotional breakups, and she absolutely 662 00:35:40,760 --> 00:35:43,200 Speaker 2: took me back there with her really clever scripting and 663 00:35:43,239 --> 00:35:47,000 Speaker 2: the way she built some mystery and anticipation. Something I 664 00:35:47,080 --> 00:35:50,520 Speaker 2: would love to see from Kate next week is just 665 00:35:50,600 --> 00:35:52,920 Speaker 2: to work on those cliches a little bit now. And 666 00:35:53,040 --> 00:35:55,640 Speaker 2: then she sort of had a line that didn't hit 667 00:35:55,800 --> 00:35:58,320 Speaker 2: as hard because it was one of those cliched phrases 668 00:35:58,360 --> 00:36:01,879 Speaker 2: that you hear a lot. I really liked the fact 669 00:36:01,880 --> 00:36:04,359 Speaker 2: that she managed to land Elizabeth Day. I mean, who 670 00:36:04,400 --> 00:36:07,600 Speaker 2: wouldn't like it. That's a really big name celebrity, and 671 00:36:07,680 --> 00:36:10,759 Speaker 2: I thought the interview was strong, but perhaps we could 672 00:36:10,800 --> 00:36:13,920 Speaker 2: have seen a bit more of a smoother integration of Elizabeth. 673 00:36:14,239 --> 00:36:16,680 Speaker 2: Sometimes it felt like there were two stories going on 674 00:36:16,760 --> 00:36:22,160 Speaker 2: in one. This was a really tough call, but after 675 00:36:22,200 --> 00:36:28,120 Speaker 2: hearing both stories, I've decided that based on originality. Ben, Ben, 676 00:36:28,400 --> 00:36:30,200 Speaker 2: congratulations you're this week's winner. 677 00:36:30,360 --> 00:36:31,640 Speaker 1: Oh my god, thank you so much. 678 00:36:32,200 --> 00:36:32,439 Speaker 10: Wow. 679 00:36:33,480 --> 00:36:35,440 Speaker 3: I really wanted to go on a Tedb's picnic. By 680 00:36:35,480 --> 00:36:36,719 Speaker 3: the end of it, I really. 681 00:36:36,560 --> 00:36:38,680 Speaker 2: Wanted to meet Gary and there was just so much 682 00:36:38,840 --> 00:36:40,800 Speaker 2: heart in that story. You made me feel like I 683 00:36:40,920 --> 00:36:42,320 Speaker 2: was right there in Gary's living room with you. 684 00:36:42,480 --> 00:36:42,839 Speaker 3: Well done. 685 00:36:43,120 --> 00:36:45,439 Speaker 1: Thank you so much. I've had a lot of fun 686 00:36:45,480 --> 00:36:47,080 Speaker 1: working on this one, so I'm glad it turned out 687 00:36:47,120 --> 00:36:47,520 Speaker 1: the way it did. 688 00:36:47,560 --> 00:36:57,239 Speaker 3: Thank you so much, Ben and Kate. 689 00:36:57,440 --> 00:37:01,040 Speaker 2: What an incredible way to kick off Finding But hey, 690 00:37:01,280 --> 00:37:04,719 Speaker 2: there is so much more left to come, So press 691 00:37:04,760 --> 00:37:07,360 Speaker 2: the follow button in whatever podcast app you're on so 692 00:37:07,480 --> 00:37:10,960 Speaker 2: you don't miss a moment. In our next episode, we'll 693 00:37:11,000 --> 00:37:14,759 Speaker 2: introduce you to our final two storytellers, or you can 694 00:37:14,800 --> 00:37:17,799 Speaker 2: get a sneak peek right now at findin tel dot 695 00:37:17,880 --> 00:37:22,240 Speaker 2: com dot au. Find in Tel is a co production 696 00:37:22,400 --> 00:37:24,239 Speaker 2: between iHeart Australia and the. 697 00:37:24,280 --> 00:37:25,640 Speaker 3: Black Cast podcast network. 698 00:37:26,160 --> 00:37:29,280 Speaker 2: Black Cast empowers First Nations people and people of color 699 00:37:29,480 --> 00:37:33,480 Speaker 2: to reclaim their narratives, strengthen cultural identity, and contribute to 700 00:37:33,560 --> 00:37:38,319 Speaker 2: a more inclusive Australia by showcasing exciting emerging talent from 701 00:37:38,320 --> 00:37:39,440 Speaker 2: Australian communities.