MFM Minisode 322

[0] This is exactly right.

[1] And welcome to my favorite murder.

[2] The minisode, where we read you your stories.

[3] Sometimes on video.

[4] That's right.

[5] We're on video right now for the fan cult.

[6] Check it out at my favorite murder .com.

[7] Yeah, if you want to see how red my face gets just during the day for reasons, no one can explain, join the fan cult and watch these videos.

[8] We're good salespeople.

[9] Right?

[10] We know it's going to draw people in.

[11] That's right.

[12] Oh, you want to go first?

[13] Sure.

[14] I'm not going to read you the whole thing, but this is the topic request that never ends.

[15] To my queens, fiends, and everyone in between.

[16] Buckle in because this one is a doozy.

[17] When I was a junior at the University of Iowa, says, go hawks.

[18] I was at Mickey's Irish pub in downtown Iowa City for a late -night beer during Halloween weekend.

[19] Picture racy costumes, low lighting, Mo Bamba playing way too loud, and the smell of sweat and burnt popcorn.

[20] All well enclosed in this packed as head.

[21] Hell, hole in the wall bar.

[22] Sweat and burnt popcorn.

[23] That really paints a picture.

[24] Yeah, and like stale beer too.

[25] And just loud, shouting small talk.

[26] Yeah.

[27] Well, at the bar ordering drinks, I look over and there is my pre -med, beautiful, hot -ass crush, standing right next to me also ordering drinks.

[28] Courage, fed by alcohol, consumed prior in the night, told me that this was the moment to make a move.

[29] After a flirty, oh, hey, cowboy, and then it says, It's Halloween in Iowa.

[30] Cowboy costumes are a given.

[31] We start chatting it up.

[32] Things were going great except for this drunk guy behind me, who I felt like kept trying to grab my cross -body purse.

[33] When he would move away, my purse would follow.

[34] Confident and not wanting to break away from this conversation for even a second, I grabbed the base of my purse and pulled exceptionally hard.

[35] Something ripped, something fell, and a drunk guy yelled, I'm free.

[36] Our conversation started to wane when I began really aggressively coughing.

[37] Pre -med haughty also began aggressively coughing.

[38] Many people around us also began really aggressively coughing.

[39] And then I heard the bartender scream, all caps.

[40] Pepper spray, everyone out of the bar now.

[41] Turns out drunk I was not trying to steal my purse, but rather was stuck on my pepper spray bottle that conveniently hung on the outside of my purse.

[42] And when I pulled really hard, he pulled really hard because when I looked at the ground, there she was.

[43] My beautiful, but dazzled pepper spray bottle was laying in pieces oozing orange liquid.

[44] Dude.

[45] Mickey's ended up having to close down the bar for the rest of the night to clean and pre -med haughty went home with someone else.

[46] Yeah, he did.

[47] Sad.

[48] Stay sexy and put your mace in your bag at crowded bars, BGA.

[49] Yes, BGA.

[50] Please.

[51] What?

[52] God damn it.

[53] They're like, we're finally going to make our quote on Halloween night.

[54] We're going to sell all the shitty beer.

[55] Oh, I need the Tip so I can pay rent.

[56] No. Someone had to dangle their bear spray outside of their purse.

[57] Come on.

[58] Be a team player.

[59] Okay.

[60] Oh, I like this one.

[61] The subject line is, yes, you have a listener from Iran.

[62] Oh.

[63] And then it says a near -death protesting story.

[64] Dear Karen, Georgia, and all the kind people and creatures in the world.

[65] Wow, everybody.

[66] Everyone.

[67] I was listening to Episode 349 while driving to work on a sad snowy day and suddenly heard you talking about what's happening in Iran.

[68] For a moment, my heart melted and I started to cry.

[69] So I started writing this email the moment I got to work.

[70] Exclamation point.

[71] Now that you know about what's going in Iran, boy, do I have a story for you.

[72] About two months ago, my boyfriend and I went to the ceremony for the 40th day of the death of one of the protesters, whose name was Masa Mogui.

[73] And she was only 18 when she got killed by Iran's regime.

[74] We were protesting along a big highway on the other side of the cemetery.

[75] I saw this video.

[76] We may have talked about this video.

[77] It's unbelievable.

[78] There's just the government said that they could not demonstrate or whatever because on the 40th day after someone dies, you do like, I guess, a procession to where they're buried.

[79] And it was like everybody.

[80] I mean, it was just tens of thousands of people going down this road.

[81] So we were protesting along a big highway on the other side of the cemetery.

[82] Everything was as usual.

[83] And then parentheses it says, yeah, the protesting, the death of young people is a normal thing.

[84] Sarcasm.

[85] Then for a moment, I saw thousands of people running in the opposite direction of where we were all going.

[86] I got confused, but all I was trying to do was not lose my boyfriend and keep my calm.

[87] So we decided to slowly follow the people to the highway and not run.

[88] Half of the way I felt the tear gas in the air, and with the fucked up lungs that I have, I simply just could not walk anymore.

[89] So I looked up and saw no one on the highway.

[90] From those, thousands of people literally no one was left.

[91] I panicked and looked back to see about 50 police with guns.

[92] aiming at me from about 20 meters away.

[93] For a second, I was looking at the one in front of me and I can clearly remember the look in his face and a demon in his eyes.

[94] I thought to myself, well, this is probably the end for me here and just did not want to die while looking in that man's eyes.

[95] So I slowly turned to see my boyfriend literally on the highway with a tire in his hands walking and looking for something on the ground.

[96] He didn't even see the police coming.

[97] So I shouted his name.

[98] And when he saw the police, he ran towards me, grabbed my hands, and we ran all the way to the other side to join the protesters.

[99] All these moments, I was convinced, and then it says in all caps, we are going to get shot.

[100] I just accepted my fate and was thinking about my mom and how her heart will break with my death.

[101] I do not know what happened and what stopped them from shooting us, but it was all a miracle.

[102] But not all the people were as lucky is us.

[103] Later that day, a woman got shot and died in that same ceremony we attended.

[104] Story short, I did not learn my lesson, and we still keep.

[105] keep protesting anytime we can.

[106] I'm sorry if the email was long and sorry for my bad English.

[107] I started listening to your podcast to improve my English, oh no, and have been in love with it ever since.

[108] Thank you for what you are doing every day and caring about others with love, Pari.

[109] And then she did hashtag Masa Amini, hashtag women life freedom, and hashtag stop execution in Iran.

[110] Oh my God.

[111] That's someone that is on the front lines.

[112] It's like during this revolution.

[113] It's unbelievable.

[114] Thank you, Pari.

[115] That is so powerful.

[116] How terrifying.

[117] That whole country is standing up against that regime.

[118] I mean, seeing those videos, there's lots of it on TikTok, which is so cool that you can actually kind of check in that way.

[119] And it's incredible.

[120] Karen, you know I'm all about vintage shopping.

[121] Absolutely.

[122] And when you say vintage, you mean when you physically drive to a store and actually purchase something with cash.

[123] Exactly.

[124] And if you're a small business owner, you might know Shopify is great for online sales.

[125] But did you know that they also power in -person sales?

[126] That's right.

[127] Shopify is the sound of selling everywhere, online, in store, on social media, and beyond.

[128] Give your point -of -sale system a serious upgrade with Shopify.

[129] From accepting payments to managing inventory, they have everything you need to sell in person.

[130] So give your point -of -sale system a serious upgrade with Shopify.

[131] Their sleek, reliable POS hardware takes every major payment method and looks fabulous at the same time.

[132] With Shopify, we have a powerful partner for managing our sales, and if you're a business owner, you can too.

[133] Connect with customers in line and online.

[134] Do retail right with Shopify.

[135] Sign up for a $1 per month trial period at Shopify .com slash murder.

[136] Important note, that promo code is all lowercase.

[137] Go to Shopify .com slash murder to take your retail business to the next level today.

[138] That's Shopify .com slash murder.

[139] Goodbye.

[140] Mafia poodle.

[141] Howdy, I was just listening to Minnesota 311 where you told a story about a little boy who returned Sam Giancana's lost dog.

[142] I immediately had to pause the Minnesota and write you because I knew I would forget to send this in otherwise.

[143] Thank you, ADHD.

[144] Anyways, did you ask for more mafia dog stories?

[145] No. Well, here you go anyways.

[146] You're welcome.

[147] Background.

[148] My grandpa Bill was a character who had a number of bizarre exploits both legal and otherwise.

[149] Despite all of Bill's pursuits, he was a pretty good father to my dad, who while growing up was generally kept away from anything too salacious.

[150] However, Bill did introduce my dad to a couple of his more colorful friends.

[151] This story is about one of Bill's friends, Albert Obie Fraboda.

[152] As a child, my dad had the pleasure of visiting Obie's swanky downtown apartment.

[153] He recalls sitting at the kitchen counter where Obie's wife fed him ice cream, while Obie and Bill chatted.

[154] By the end of his first visit, Obie had even gifted my dad, his first set of golf clubs.

[155] Years later, my dad stumbled across Obie's obituary in the Chicago Tribune.

[156] The obituary clarified that Obie was not, in fact, one of my grandpa's normal gambling buddies.

[157] No, Obie was actually an original member of the infamous 42 gang and a known Chicago hitman and enforcer.

[158] In addition to that little murdery chestnut, the obituary recalled the single instance where Obie had cooperated with the police.

[159] When in 1967, two young thugs mugged Obie and stole his beloved companion, a gray toy poodle named Susie.

[160] In need of assistance, a sheepish and bruised Obie called the police under an alias.

[161] Responding to the call, officers arrived at the hospital where Obie was recovering to take a statement.

[162] Evidently, the officers didn't recognize Obie from any of his 45 arrests, conviction as a bank robber, nor from the six different murders for which he had been a suspect.

[163] Shit.

[164] He must have had one of those faces.

[165] Anyways, the officers were so obliging that they went as far as allowing OV to jump in the squad car for a ride along so they could look for poor Susie.

[166] Unfortunately, the officers didn't find Susie, and subsequently, an underworld manhunt began in an effort to capture and likely dispose of the dognappers.

[167] Yeah, I bet.

[168] I can only assume that the muggers literally shit themselves when they realized whose poodle they had purloined.

[169] Regrettably, I don't know if Odie and Susie were ever reunited.

[170] However, given Obie's rap sheet, I wouldn't be surprised if the muggers responsible met a premature demise.

[171] Stay sexy and don't kidnap Mafia poodles, Tori.

[172] I mean, so dangerous, so dangerous.

[173] That idea that he's like, well, I need help finding my dog, but then it's very shameful to have been dog -napped.

[174] Yeah, I didn't know that shit went on back then.

[175] I mean, it's eternal.

[176] Everybody wants other people's dogs.

[177] Yeah.

[178] I'm not going to reach you the subject line of this.

[179] It just starts, hello, badass boss ladies, and all MFM -E -R staff.

[180] You accompanied me on many a road trip when I was catching up on episodes, and now you join me for morning coffee every Monday and Thursday.

[181] I'm here for all of it, and I thank you for what you've created.

[182] I wrote in years ago, but no dice.

[183] Alas, I'll give it another go and hope for the best.

[184] I love it.

[185] Go to real poet here.

[186] When I was 16, maybe 15, I was beyond thrilled to get my first job outside of babysitting as a clerk at a video rental store.

[187] Oh, what a rad job.

[188] Just fucking legendary.

[189] And then it's all caps, dream job at that age.

[190] I don't feel that old, but I realize as I reference a video store that maybe I am, sigh.

[191] One fateful Friday evening, the store was packed with moms and kids picking out the latest titles to entertain them for the weekend.

[192] Such a specific vibe that will never exist again in our...

[193] You'll never understand.

[194] Just like trying to figure out if you can get your mom to buy you, like, red vines.

[195] Right.

[196] Or like those greasy, single packages of popcorn, microwaveable popcorn.

[197] Yeah.

[198] Like, come on, we make it a night.

[199] Yeah.

[200] It'll be so fun.

[201] I need goobers.

[202] Isn't that a candy?

[203] Yeah.

[204] That is a very movie theater -specific candy, too, like goobers and snow caps.

[205] Yes.

[206] Mm -hmm.

[207] I was working the register, and there was a steady stream of customers at the counter.

[208] Suddenly, the air started to look a bit hazy.

[209] Then, more so, an odd smell became faintly present.

[210] The customers were oblivious.

[211] I looked at a co -worker and asked, is that smoke?

[212] He looked up, looked around, sniffed, and said, yeah, I think it is.

[213] I think there's a fire in here.

[214] Calm.

[215] Teenagers in charge.

[216] Oh, Jesus.

[217] It quickly became very obvious that there was a fire in the store, as the space between the shelves and the ceiling was now dense with smoke.

[218] Insanely, none of the customers seemed to notice and were still casually browsing the aisles, corraling their kids away from the candy and standing in line to check out.

[219] I was dumbstruck.

[220] Despite my fledgling self -confidence as a teenager in a store full of adults, I pulled it together and loudly announced, folks, the store is on fire.

[221] Please exit immediately.

[222] A few customers left, but most of them just looked around like, huh, what?

[223] But my movies.

[224] As my coworker called 911, several customers remained in line, and insisted I checked them out before exiting the building.

[225] Come on.

[226] They got to have fucking dirty dancing for that weekend.

[227] One after another, they pleaded, can't you just ring me out quickly?

[228] Finally, I could hear the fire truck nearing and I made the decision that a few DVDs and VHS tapes weren't worth the rising panic I was experiencing.

[229] Not sure why I hadn't fucked politeness earlier, I resigned myself to their apparently vital need for these films and called out, just take them, take them for free.

[230] I'm not checking anyone else out.

[231] Just get your movies and get out of the store.

[232] A few hesitated as if not paying for the rental was a bridge too far, but somehow staying in a burning building was perfectly fine.

[233] As I moved to the exit, it seemed to hit home for them that standing in a checkout line with no clerk behind the desk was pointless.

[234] I held the door to make sure everyone was out, then pieced out myself right as the fire trucks pulled in.

[235] From the parking lot, I could see the flames of the fire piercing through the center of the roof and roaring just under the shingles.

[236] It was like an attic fire.

[237] Holy shit.

[238] The firemen and women made quick work of those flames and now safely out of the building with no one hurt.

[239] I had all the drama my little teenage heart could handle.

[240] Turns out it was an electrical fire in the wiring above the false ceiling.

[241] We spent weeks mitigating the store with orange smelling special cleaner only to have the same issue occur again on reopening nights.

[242] Thankfully I wasn't working that night, and the store closed for good after that.

[243] To this day, I cannot understand what made those customers choose video rentals over safety.

[244] Was this some kind of group thanks situation?

[245] Or possibly do people want to feel safe so badly that they will deny the danger they can see and smell right in front of them?

[246] Whatever it is, this wasn't the only emergency situation I've experienced where others seem to dismiss or downplay the severity of the situation for far longer than is reasonable.

[247] Anyway, stay sexy and remember, renting a movie isn't worth smoke inhalation, even if it is the new Harry Potter, Kate.

[248] Holy shit.

[249] Yeah, teenagers in charge.

[250] Also, I think it is that thing if you want people to get out of like the store.

[251] One person has to just be definitive and like, this is what's happening.

[252] The idea that they're just leaving employees to like figure out what the emergency route is going to be for everybody.

[253] Like, what the hell?

[254] Oh, my God, terrifying.

[255] Ring an alarm.

[256] This is called Hidden Trazier, a small birthday surprise.

[257] Hello, all.

[258] I've always enjoyed a hidden treasure story, and so I thought I would submit mine.

[259] Last year on our birthday, my twin brother and I went thrifting at our favorite local thrift store.

[260] It's a place called Sharehouse in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

[261] I love that city.

[262] And it is a thrift store, but is also a nonprofit, and all their proceeds go towards helping unhoused individuals.

[263] They have everything you could ever need.

[264] Vintage clothes, Georgia, looking at you.

[265] furniture, decorations, toys, and tons of knickknacks you never knew you needed.

[266] Interestingly, there are no prices on the items.

[267] The staff chooses a price when you are checking out, and you have the opportunity to negotiate a bit.

[268] It's quite fun, and all their prices are extremely reasonable.

[269] During our trip, we'd peruse the entire store, usually not looking for anything in particular, but letting divine intervention lead the way.

[270] I was looking at some hanging sweatshirts and noticed a little pink envelope sticking out of a hoodie pocket.

[271] Intrigued, I investigated, and initially I thought it was just a price tag until I pulled it out and inside there was $20 with an old note that read, this is a random act of kindness.

[272] Today is my birthday and I wanted to spread some joy and happiness, so please spend this $20 on whatever you like.

[273] I was tickled.

[274] It was so generous and I was so grateful, especially because it was our birthday too.

[275] I used the $20 to purchase my brother a little bird cage and I bought myself some shoes.

[276] The kindness of a stranger really had an impact because I told everyone about it.

[277] That is my hidden treasure story.

[278] This upcoming year for our birthday, my brother and I are planning on leaving little envelopes at our favorite places in hopes that it will brighten someone's day.

[279] Nice.

[280] Stay sexy and leave hidden treasure for people to find.

[281] And then it says M is her name.

[282] And then it says, Ann Grant, who's not a listener yet.

[283] Grant, get over here.

[284] That's actually a really lovely thing to do for your own birthday.

[285] Yeah.

[286] It's like doing something generous and practicing generosity, actually, is a lovely gift to oneself.

[287] Totally.

[288] All right.

[289] Here's my last one.

[290] Here we go.

[291] I'm not going to read the subject line.

[292] It says, hey, gals, this is the best story, and I cannot believe I didn't remember it until now.

[293] Way back in the late 80s, when my very cool twin aunts, Katie and Susie, were in their 20s.

[294] They were hanging out at home on Saturday night doing the things that people did at the time before the internet.

[295] Susie was downstairs in the living room reading a book, and Katie was upstairs in a room.

[296] As Susie was reading, she heard rustling in the kitchen, then a clank of metal.

[297] She knew that sound very well.

[298] It was the top of their pastry dish lifting off of its platter.

[299] Susie was furious.

[300] She had told Katie not to touch her cupcakes as she made them for a friend's housewarming party.

[301] Susie slammed her book down and ran into the kitchen to confront her sister.

[302] Katie do not fucking touch those cupcakes.

[303] But as soon as she entered the kitchen, a man, dressed in all black, gingerly holding the pastry top.

[304] Susie terrified and only wearing a t -shirt and cotton undies, was stunned still.

[305] As she tells it, it was the power of her dead father channeling through her that eventually yelled, get the fuck out of my house.

[306] Then the terrified would -be thief, dropped the pastry top onto the floor and ran out the back door.

[307] There was a moment of silence, and then Susie heard Katie from upstairs.

[308] Would you shut up about those cupcakes?

[309] It's now a story told fondly at family gatherings, but Susie still says how baffled she is that she fully yelled at the robber.

[310] Luckily, she's never had to test her skills with would -be thieves again.

[311] Thanks for reading, and I look forward to no doubt hearing this thrilling tale on the air, much love, Rosie.

[312] You're right, Rosie.

[313] Good job.

[314] All right, everyone send us your stories at my favorite murder at Gmail, and you could be about anything at this point.

[315] We support you.

[316] We support your storytelling.

[317] We know you're going to do a good job.

[318] Stay sexy.

[319] And don't get murdered.

[320] Goodbye.

[321] Elvis, do you want a cookie?

[322] This has been an exactly right production.

[323] Our senior producer is Hannah Kyle Kreiton.

[324] Our producer is Alejandra Keck.

[325] This episode was engineered and mixed by Stephen Ray Morris.

[326] Our researchers are Marin McClashen and Sarah Blair Jenkins.

[327] Email your hometowns and fucking hoorays to my favorite murder at gmail .com.

[328] Follow the show on Instagram and Facebook.

[329] at My Favorite Murder and Twitter at My Fave Murder.

[330] Goodbye.

[331] Follow My Favorite Murder on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen so you don't miss an episode.

[332] If you like what you hear, rate and review the show.

[333] Visit exactly right store .com to purchase my favorite murder merch.