726: Twenty-Five
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A quick warning. There are curse words that are unbeeped in today's episode of the show. If you prefer a beeped version, you can find that at our website, thisamericanlife.org. Okay, so let's begin today's program with a story by a 25-year-old reporter. Namely, me, at 25. This clip that I'm about to play you was on an NPR program called Let's Hear It. Though I have to say, I think the 25-year-old me would find this intro that I'm doing right now to this story to be kind of mumbly and understated. Here's how 25-year-old me kicked off his story. And now, true to life, adventure stories. Yeah, I had flair. That's how I talked back then on the radio. Today's adventure story began this way. I was sitting outside the office of Betty Bird. She's one of the producers of this radio program, and she's blind. Okay, I'm just going to stop the tape right there. I have so much to say about this, but I'm just going to let this play for a minute or two first. Stay with me here. Okay, I'm outside Betty Bird's office. And I overheard her tell this story. She was walking down the street. She was with a friend and some woman, a complete stranger, walks up to the two of them, catches up to the two of them, and this stranger says to Betty, "Well, how did you lose your sight?" And I said, "I don't usually share that with anybody except friends." And she said, "Well, I just want to know. I just want to know when did you lose your sight and how did it happen?" And I said, "Well, I don't really care to discuss that with strangers." And she said, "Well, I don't know why. You certainly don't have a very Christian attitude. You should be grateful. I've given money to the blind. You should be grateful." I said, "You've never given any money to me, lady, and crossed the street to get away from her." Now when I heard this story, I got really excited. And that's because the woman who I've been involved with for the past three years, her name is Carrie Glashin, has these sorts of experiences with strangers on the street. Sorry, I just can't help myself. I have to bless this again. Could there be a more awkward way to say my girlfriend than the woman I've been involved with for the past three years? Anyway, my girlfriend, Carrie, who's not blind, by the way. She's only got one full arm. Her left arm stops at the elbow. And complete strangers have approached her on the street to ask her what happened to her arm. So I didn't say anything about Carrie to Betty at the time. I was just eavesdropping.
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