Listener Stories: Vol. 95
Stories:
1: July 2024 “Fate” topic - Megan (she/her)
2: A work place story AND a fate story that involves love, psychics and the podcast! - Bekah
3: Fate Love Story (with a little spooky) - Brandi (she/her)
4: Fate? Maybe? - Kenzie
5: (Fate Story) Sending this in while in line for your last live show in Los Angeles lol - Xavi (She/her)
6: Fate: a queer story about how I fell in love with my roommate on a trip aborad - Sara (she/her)
Two neurodivergent podcasters diverged in a wood... Zeptember is here which means it's officially Fall! At least we think it should be. This month Eva dug deep into our inbox to find an a-moose-ing collection of stories about fate, that include love, psychics, disappearing moose loving strangers, and grandparents who are friends in the afterlife! And Amanda M, Kristin M, Maria, the man who loves moose in a puffer jacket, if you're out there let us know... and that's why we drink!
Transcript
[intro music]
Em Schulz: 'Tis the season...
Christine Schiefer: Thank God.
Em Schulz: Of September.
Christine Schiefer: It's happening. We're back. The pumpkins are out.
Em Schulz: Uhh if you live in Los Angeles, you still only have two more months until maybe it starts getting cold.
Christine Schiefer: Until you can put a hoodie on maybe at night.
[laughter]
Em Schulz: Uhh but it is no longer summer. I guess, I don't, I mean I don't know the actual calendar date, but I've always...
Christine Schiefer: September 22nd...
Em Schulz: September means fall.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah, I know it's too late in September, I argue it's when September starts, when September starts is when umm, when uh fall begins, but I think technically, it's like...
Em Schulz: I always think...
Christine Schiefer: September 21st.
Em Schulz: Each of the three is just its own season like...
Christine Schiefer: I agree.
Em Schulz: December...
Christine Schiefer: I think it's...
Em Schulz: January, February is...
Christine Schiefer: Kinda silly that...
Em Schulz: Obviously winter, you know.
Christine Schiefer: We say it's all the way in the end of Septemb... When September ends. Okay. Um. How are you Em?
Em Schulz: Umm you caught me in a yawn. Umm...
Christine Schiefer: Oh my Lord.
Em Schulz: How am I? Stressed. But only, only incredibly stressed for like another like 48 hours, so.
Christine Schiefer: I thought you were gonna say only incredibly stress-stressed, not unbelievably stressed. I was like, oh, I didn't know there was ranking to those words. I would want to know them.
Em Schulz: There's certainly rankings, I don't know what the rankings are.
Christine Schiefer: I know.
Em Schulz: Just like I don't know the months, but uhh...
[laughter]
Em Schulz: Well, I... It's uhh...
Christine Schiefer: You're on the...
Em Schulz: The troll h... The troll hole has not been touched.
Christine Schiefer: You're at the climax of your stress right? Like for for moving.
Em Schulz: For moving, yes.
Christine Schiefer: Oh okay.
Em Schulz: Umm I mean other things in my life...
Christine Schiefer: Well sure, not for anything else.
Em Schulz: Obviously, but this...
Christine Schiefer: Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. I mean the stuff that you and I are both stressed about, I know we're just starting baby, but your your personal stuff.
[laughter]
Em Schulz: We're good. We're gonna be fine. I, there's... I never have a doubt between our diff...
Christine Schiefer: I agree.
Em Schulz: Our neuro divergence. I... We're gonna get it. That's gonna get sorted.
Christine Schiefer: We have diverging... What's that Robert Frost poem? Two niverg... Neurodivergents diverged in the woods...
Em Schulz: The road less traveled?
Christine Schiefer: Yeah. Two neurodivergent podcasters diverged in a wood and then it's because Christine got lost and was very stubborn about how she thought was the way to get to the cabin. Umm...
Em Schulz: That also implies that we're gonna end up in different places because uhh...
Christine Schiefer: No, no, no. Eventually, we find our way. It might take a few years...
Em Schulz: Okay.
Christine Schiefer: Or you know...
[laughter]
Em Schulz: Okay. Well.
Christine Schiefer: This is not a good analogy. Let's change the subject. Umm, this is our Listeners episode.
Em Schulz: It's kind of like umm... Yeah, yes.
Christine Schiefer: Oh are we going back to it?
Em Schulz: Mm-mm. Your turn.
Christine Schiefer: Oh okay, I was like, I'm ready to talk about Robert Frost and more, even though I literally know nothing except that poem. Umm hi, we are here to tell you stories. These are listener stories that you submit to us, and Eva likes to uh... Well, I don't know if she likes to, but we make her hand select a handful of them every month for us to read. Umm this y... This month, apparently I had requested stories about fate. Do I remember that? Not even remotely, but I'm sure if you're binging this, you're like, that just happened two hours... Well, I guess the length of our episode would be like 10 hours ago, but still...
Em Schulz: Three hours ago. Yeah.
Christine Schiefer: Uhh three hours ago, but I did apparently, so I'm excited and uh again, props to past me for just knowing what I'll want in the future, you know.
Em Schulz: Do you have any fate stories that you would like to kick us off with?
Christine Schiefer: Oh! A fate story. I mean, sometimes I think we... This is so... This is gonna sound stupid, but I have... Sometimes I think we were fated to cross paths in a in a wood, in a diverged wood...
Em Schulz: Fated or cursed?
[laughter]
Christine Schiefer: Okay, well, that, now, now you're talking, we gotta really hammer down on the differences between all these words. Um.
Em Schulz: I agree, to be fair.
Christine Schiefer: Up in the air. TBD.
Em Schulz: But, but I do think it is cursed, uhh...
Christine Schiefer: Mm-hmm.
Em Schulz: But no, I think there's... It's too odd how things happen for us.
Christine Schiefer: It's a little too odd, the synchronicities sometimes get a little too undeniable, you know.
Em Schulz: I smell a conspiracy and I don't know who to go to about that. [laughter] Uhh... Someone in the sky.
Christine Schiefer: I like when you're like, it's cursed and it's a conspiracy, and I'm like it's our love story and we were meant to be. Oh well.
Em Schulz: I always like how people in interviews like tell us about how you came to be, and the first thing I have to talk about is how desperate I was for friendship that I sought...
Christine Schiefer: Like we just had no...
Em Schulz: Whoever I knew.
Christine Schiefer: Em literally was like we have no choice but to be friends. I was like, oh, okay, sure, yeah.
Em Schulz: And you know what, I was apparently fated to say that, so you are welcome.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah. Okay, I guess that's my fate written in stone.
Em Schulz: There you go.
Christine Schiefer: Umm, anyway we have fate stories this week. Do you wanna go first?
Em Schulz: Sure.
Christine Schiefer: It's up to you.
Em Schulz: Sure. Uhh although this also feels like a curse because our first uh listener is Megan...
Christine Schiefer: Oh no! I did not do this on purpose. I swear.
Em Schulz: Uhh do you know many Megans who are Scorpios have approached me, who like to just come up to me to tell me that their name is Megan and they're a Scorpio.
Christine Schiefer: I do because a lot of times I'm there, 'cause it's a lot of times at a show. I don't know how many they do nowadays, but when I, when we were touring and doing meet and greets, it's almost like the Megans were the ones who paid extra...
Em Schulz: It's like their favorite thing.
Christine Schiefer: To, to, to tell us that.
Em Schulz: And nothing more Scorpio than getting a meet and greet ticket just to tell me that...
Christine Schiefer: Exactly.
Em Schulz: You and I got problems.
Christine Schiefer: To pay extra, yeah exactly.
Em Schulz: Yeah.
Christine Schiefer: That you and I got problems.
Em Schulz: Like you just... Like you might as well just come up to me and roll up your sleeves in a back alley...
Christine Schiefer: But like why didn't they just...
Em Schulz: Like we're ready to tussle.
Christine Schiefer: Instead, why didn't they just meet you in the back alley, you know...
Em Schulz: That's what I'm saying.
Christine Schiefer: They had to pay to come meet you instead of actually committing to the bit. Okay, don't ever wait in an alley for us, please God. [laughter] Sorry. I'm not trying to encourage that behavior, I swear.
Em Schulz: Uhh anyway, this Megan, who so far has not stated they're um a Scorpio, but you know time will tell.
Christine Schiefer: Poor Megan.
Em Schulz: [yawn] Sorry Jack that one came out of nowhere.
Christine Schiefer: Oh God. I just burped.
[laughter]
Em Schulz: Are we okay? Okay.
Christine Schiefer: No.
Em Schulz: I promise, I'm excited to be here. My body is just not ready. Megan, who uses she/her pronouns, thank you for normalizing pronouns, uhh says, "Hi Eva, Christine mentioned in the May listeners episode that she's like..."
Christine Schiefer: I thought it was just hi Eva and Christine. I was like wow, you're fucking dissed. Okay.
Em Schulz: It's giving. It's giving Megan.
Christine Schiefer: It sure is.
Em Schulz: "Christine mentioned in the May listeners episode," so this was a while like, no wonder we don't remember.
Christine Schiefer: Oh!
Em Schulz: "That she would like to hear some fate stories."
Christine Schiefer: Okay, so that was 3000 hours ago. Okay, that makes me feel slightly better.
Em Schulz: Ding, ding, ding.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah.
Em Schulz: Uhh, "Mine isn't true crime or paranormal, but it is directly related to the podcast. Another listener, let's call her Kay and I connected last year on the Facebook Patreon Group, and we were both going to your Raleigh show."
Christine Schiefer: Aww.
Em Schulz: "I'm an introvert and have always happily gone to plenty of shows and concerts by myself; however, when I saw a post asking if anybody wanted a buddy to see the show, uh to see the show together, I felt the uncharacteristic desire to respond and so Kay..."
Christine Schiefer: Oh my God!
Em Schulz: "Kay and I decided we'd attend together. I was really nervous as..."
Christine Schiefer: I feel like her... I'm so sorry I like keep interrupting...
Em Schulz: No, you're good.
Christine Schiefer: But I feel like her guardian angels are like, do it, do it, do it. Click it, click it, click it, you know? 'Cause normally she wouldn't.
Em Schulz: Yeah, that's how I...
Christine Schiefer: That's so cute.
Em Schulz: I have also had uncharacteristic uh, behaviors...
Christine Schiefer: Totally.
Em Schulz: To befriend people. But I've had some where they end up being stinkers, so I'm like, was this just like...
Christine Schiefer: Oh the devil on your shoulder.
Em Schulz: Karma...
Christine Schiefer: It's like do it.
Em Schulz: Someone was like, you need to have a bad day, so go, go do this thing.
Christine Schiefer: That's nice.
[laughter]
Em Schulz: Uh. "I was really nervous as I stood in line for your show and waited for Kay to arrive, thanks to social anxiety. But as soon as I got there, I instantly, uh, we instantly felt like good friends."
Christine Schiefer: Aww.
Em Schulz: "The conversation flowed easily. We had found we had plenty of hobbies in common and also are both witchy in similar ways."
Christine Schiefer: Yay.
Em Schulz: "We clicked so well that as we were laughing together at our table before the show, a woman shared our table asking how long we've known each other..."
Christine Schiefer: [gasp]
Em Schulz: "And she was surprised to learn that we met in person just an hour before."
Christine Schiefer: Oh, I love when that happens.
Em Schulz: In some... "At some point in the conversation, Kay asked me if I'd like to virtually do a tarot card pull together the following day."
Christine Schiefer: Fuck yeah.
Em Schulz: That's precious. "I admitted that I didn't have a deck yet, though it was something I was interested in learning about and incorporating into my practice. I'd been looking for a deck that I felt connected to, but I hadn't come across one that I felt like was meant for me."
Christine Schiefer: Aww.
Em Schulz: "Now my friends, here is where fate comes in. Kay then asked me, do you happen to like Edgar Allen Poe? I was a little confused by the change in subject, but I replied, yes, I love his works, and my cat Poe is named after him."
Christine Schiefer: [gasp] Oh my God. I would've been like, oh, your cat's named after the main character of Kung Fu Panda. That's really cool.
Em Schulz: I was like oh, your cat's a Teletubby. That's crazy.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah, we're so dumb. We're like both animated children's shows.
[laughter]
Em Schulz: "Kay then asked me," uh, oh. Oh, "Kay then said, ah, perfect, I was drawn to buy a tarot deck a while ago that is Edgar Allen Poe themed, even though..."
Christine Schiefer: Shut up.
Em Schulz: "I knew at the time that it wasn't for me. I must have bought it for you."
Christine Schiefer: [gasp] Can I be friends with this person? I mean, also you, Megan, but I'm like, this person seems to have like tricks up their sleeve, like, you know?
Em Schulz: Yeah, you're getting charmed. Your pants are off, you are charmed so well, you know what I'm saying?
Christine Schiefer: Whoa.
[laughter]
Em Schulz: Charming your pants off. No? Okay.
Christine Schiefer: Oh, oh, oh. I was thinking, uh, in a, in a more, uh, sultry way. I was like, wow, okay.
Em Schulz: Ooh.
Christine Schiefer: I didn't know that we were heading that way, Em.
Em Schulz: "I was floored and so honored. She mailed the deck to me once she got home, and yes, it absolutely could be just a synchronicity, but I chose to believe it was fate. I love the deck and it has served me well. I always write down my intentions at the start of my meditations. Then I pull a ca-card and it's honestly wild how often the meaning of the card literally contains the same keywords as the ones I'd used when writing my intentions."
Christine Schiefer: Wow.
Em Schulz: "I feel so connected to the deck, and I'm so grateful to Kay for her generosity, her friendship, and her intuition. Thank you for all you do. I absolutely adore the podcast in the community you've created." Aww.
Christine Schiefer: Wow.
Em Schulz: That's very precious. That is always weird when you get a...
Christine Schiefer: That's so special.
Em Schulz: I'm imagining on Kay's side buying something and you're like, I don't know what this is for yet, but I know...
Christine Schiefer: Yes.
Em Schulz: That I need this.
Christine Schiefer: Yes.
Em Schulz: And I've had that more than I've had the friend feeling.
Christine Schiefer: I was gonna say, well, you and I do a lot of, uh, purchasing at random gift shops, so yeah, I, I think we're primed for that feeling definitely. A lot of times it ends up being Em who I need to give it to... [laughter] Or Eva, but...
Em Schulz: There, there are, uh, yeah, it's weird when you buy something, you're like, it's, this is gonna be useful. And then when it hap... When the day comes, you're like, oh, I knew it.
Christine Schiefer: You're like, oh man, look at me go past me killing it.
Em Schulz: Yep.
Christine Schiefer: Nailing it.
Em Schulz: Yep. Did you ever have an a-ha moment with a person or anything like that or?
Christine Schiefer: You know what? I did Em, and I, I don't think I've ever talked about this. Oh God. I'm getting nervous now. Oh God. Okay. There was this girl in my undergraduate program or class, and her name was Amanda, and she and I did some group project together. I forget. And I remember we were in the, and like, I'm, I'm afraid to say this 'cause if she ever hears this, she's, I'm so afraid she's gonna be like oh my God...
Em Schulz: You're gonna be such a freak.
Christine Schiefer: What a freak. [laughter] Yes. Because I remember thinking like, oh my God, I have known this... Like, it was almost uncanny, like we were the inside jokes, like we were so in sync, it was like a little bit freaky.
Em Schulz: Mm.
Christine Schiefer: Um. And then I went off to Germany for study abroad and we kind of lost touch, and then I was never able to reconnect with her again. And I remember thinking when we first met, like, this is gonna be like a lifetime trend.
Em Schulz: Our... This is our love story.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah.
Em Schulz: Yeah.
Christine Schiefer: Like, I'm, this is like a ride or die, like new bestie. And then I moved, uh, away for like two and a half, three months, and umm, I just, I lost touch. I, something weird happened. I don't know, like we'd occasionally see each other, but it was always kind of like, we just, we're in separate places now. It was very strange.
Em Schulz: Hmm.
Christine Schiefer: And I still, to this day, I'm like, man, there was nobody, like, I remember laughing so hard. I was like peeing my pants and I was like, that does not happen like, usually the day you meet somebody, you know? Umm.
Em Schulz: I've had that. I had that with someone. Um...
Christine Schiefer: But what if it was one sided? I don't know. You know what I mean? Like, maybe she was like, please get away. Stop peeing your pants in front of me, you freak. Umm, but I mean...
Em Schulz: I worry the same thing.
Christine Schiefer: Amanda M if you're out there, umm, I would love to get back in touch. I don't know if you're around or where you are or what you're up to, but if you are, umm, hi, hi, it's me.
Em Schulz: That's how I feel about a Kristin M from sophomore year of college...
Christine Schiefer: Ohh.
Em Schulz: It was like right when I needed a friend the most, I was like going through a breakup and I wasn't really sure about like my place in college yet. And, uh, or I was, I was just kinda really going through it. And this person, like truly felt timeline wise, like it was fate. She transferred in that semester and then when I was like kind of growing and like didn't, like, I wasn't as insecure anymore, she like transferred away and then...
Christine Schiefer: Yes.
Em Schulz: I, I tried to keep in touch with her and she just like, just never on the face of the Earth again.
Christine Schiefer: That's exactly, it's almost like they just stopped materializing. You're like, wait, how did that happen?
Em Schulz: My mom had that with a, right before she met her current husband. She, it was like her first, I don't know if they were officially like boyfriend-girlfriend, but it was the first guy she was dating, like going on multiple dates with. And umm, she remembers him like so well, and they really clicked and like they were having a lot of fun. And she remember... All she remembers now is like kind of what he looked like, in that, he had like two twin boys. That's all she really remembers.
Christine Schiefer: Whoa.
Em Schulz: But they had like, they went on so many like wonderful dates where it was just exactly what she needed in the moment and then like a... Like out, out of nowhere, he just fucking honestly probably like, maybe ghosted her I guess, but just faded away. Just like there was like, like just never heard from him again, and she was...
Christine Schiefer: Well, it must be hard back then 'cause you're not able to like stalk them on Facebook. You know, it's like if they ghost, they ghost.
Em Schulz: I guess so. I mean, this was like 2018.
Christine Schiefer: Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you meant like before her, like first husband, like...
Em Schulz: No, her current husband...
Christine Schiefer: Way back.
Em Schulz: Current...
Christine Schiefer: Oh, I understand. Okay.
Em Schulz: Umm, but, but he like, but that was what made it even weirder is that like, she should have been able to like look him up.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah.
Em Schulz: And he just kind of like faded away. And I usually, I would imagine that would've hurt her feelings. 'cause he must have like ghosted her.
Christine Schiefer: Right.
Em Schulz: But she remembers thinking like, no, that was exactly what I needed in this moment. I think I'm ready for my next relationship. And a week later, she met Tom.
Christine Schiefer: Oh my gosh.
Em Schulz: Isn't that weird?
Christine Schiefer: That is weird.
Em Schulz: It was like, like, it's like some people are just like, and it sounds so objectifying, but it feels like sometimes people are just like, like filler people for like something you need in that moment and then just kind of...
Christine Schiefer: Yeah.
Em Schulz: Evaporate.
Christine Schiefer: And you know what though? I don't even know if it's, umm, objectifying 'cause it's almost like she might've been that for him too. You know what I mean?
Em Schulz: Mm-hmm.
Christine Schiefer: Like maybe they were both that for each other. That's so, wow. Wow. This is no wonder I suggested this 80,000 years ago. What a great topic. Okay. Wow. Well, thank you Megan for that. Umm, this story is from, let's see, Bekah. Hi Bekah. It's called: A work place story AND a fate story that involves love, psychics and the podcast! like how these are all just so like, uh, what do you call it? Self-serving. We're like, it's fate...
Em Schulz: I know.
Christine Schiefer: But it's always about us.
[laughter]
Christine Schiefer: "This is long, so let's get to it. My first story is about workplace creepiness. I used to work in the same school district where Ronald DeFeo Jr., went to school."
Em Schulz: Oh shit.
Christine Schiefer: "My students were obs..." I know. Get this Em. "My students were obsessed with this idea once they found out."
Em Schulz: Of course they were.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah. Teenagers. Are you kidding? "One day I told them we were done talking about it because they were going to get me in trouble and we should not glorify this man. Talking about murder in seventh grade is typically frowned upon. The next day, I walk into my room..."
Em Schulz: Typically, but not when I'm there.
Christine Schiefer: Typically, but not if it's Professor Em coming, coming through. [laughter]
Em Schulz: But not if I'm having a great time doing it.
[laughter]
Christine Schiefer: "The next day, I walked into my room and noticed my smartboard." Do you know smartboards? We didn't really have them.
Em Schulz: Okay. We had a smartboard for the last, like half of senior year. And I remember thinking this isn't gonna be a thing and apparently...
Christine Schiefer: Exactly.
Em Schulz: Now it's obviously a thing.
Christine Schiefer: It always felt like that, like when a new technology came through. Umm, yeah. Smartboard. So, uh, for those of you who don't know, Bekah says, let's see, a computer chalkboard basically.
Em Schulz: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Christine Schiefer: Umm, and so they "walked into their classroom and noticed that the smartboard had red markings all over it. No one goes into the classroom after we leave, aside from the janitors. And these markings were random and sporadic. I brushed it off and thought it was just a glitch. The next few days, the same thing happened. Red marks all over the board. I would change the color of the markers and I would still get red." Oh yeah. Because this is like a technology thing. This is like, it's not like someone takes a marker...
Em Schulz: Well, my first thought is remember when smartboard, maybe it's still like this, but I definitely remember that first chunk of time when there was a smartboard. Every teacher forgot that they couldn't just use their Expo marker on it. Or they, or they couldn't use like a sharpie. Like people would always mistake Sharpies.
Christine Schiefer: Oh and it would... Yes. Oh yes. Yes.
Em Schulz: You know? Like you would forget what marker you had in your hand.
Christine Schiefer: Because you had a special and they were those small ones.
Em Schulz: Yeah.
Christine Schiefer: Like they were, they were Expo, but they were like the little ones that looked like Sharpies. Yeah. And so people would always be...
Em Schulz: Vis-a-Vis? is that what it was?
Christine Schiefer: Vis-a-Vis, that's it! Holy shit.
Em Schulz: Vis-a-Vis pens.
Christine Schiefer: You just blew my mind. Woah.
Em Schulz: Because you know what Vis-a-Vis pens were for? Projectors.
Christine Schiefer: Exactly. You could wipe it off with...
Em Schulz: Which I know, kids aren't used anymore.
Christine Schiefer: Remember when they would wipe 'em off with those brown paper towels from the bathroom?
Em Schulz: Ugh, I know.
Christine Schiefer: Like they're just crusty and dry.
Em Schulz: But there was always something so beautiful about like watching your math teacher, like spray, spray the projector.
Christine Schiefer: Yes.
Em Schulz: And just...
Christine Schiefer: Like wipe down.
Em Schulz: And you could watch it wipe away, oh my God.
Christine Schiefer: That's probably where we got our first like as ASMR inklings as millennials.
Em Schulz: Easily.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah.
Em Schulz: Our, the kids these days would never know what a Vis-a-Vis and a bottle of spray would do to you on a projector, you know? [laughter]
Christine Schiefer: Yeah. They're like, well I can just go on TikTok and probably watch 40 different people do it. Well, you know what? It was special 'cause we got it rare, rarely.
Em Schulz: Anyway. I thought the, I would imagine the red marks would be someone mistaking a Vis-a-Vis for an Expo marker and, and...
Christine Schiefer: Classic mistake. [laughter]
Em Schulz: And then it's, and then it's just stuck on the board. Yeah.
Christine Schiefer: No, I thought that same thing. Umm, but it looks like it's like part of the actual text, like the...
Em Schulz: The screen is being glitchy.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah.
Em Schulz: Okay.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Uh, "I brushed it off and thought it was a glitch. The next few days, the same thing happened. Red marks all over the board. I would change a color of the markers and it would still get red. Then things started to move around my room. For example, I had tiny frogs everywhere. I would find..."
Em Schulz: What?
Christine Schiefer: I like that... Okay. I thought that was...
Em Schulz: Is this a science class or...
[laughter]
Christine Schiefer: I thought it was going to be... Well, you know, they're probably like one of those quirky teachers who collects things and then all the students bring them more frogs.
Em Schulz: Ohh. Okay.
Christine Schiefer: Oh, you didn't, did you think real frogs?
Em Schulz: Yes. I thought like, this was like a magical, magic school bus episode where the frogs all show up.
[laughter]
Christine Schiefer: So we all got on the bus and go, went inside the frog to figure out what was the problem.
Em Schulz: And then the frog went inside us and it was like very meta. Yeah.
Christine Schiefer: It was, it was uh, all really beautiful. Umm, no, I was thinking, oh my god, is this like a plague situation? Like one day you walk in and there's little frogs everywhere, like locusts. [laughter] But no, apparently the frogs had already preexisted, as Eva just said earlier, a preexisting condition, these frogs.
Em Schulz: Okay, I see.
Christine Schiefer: Okay. Let's see. Uh, "for example, I had tiny frogs everywhere. I would find them inside my fake candles on top of bookshelves places students wouldn't go like inside my locked closet on the shelves."
Em Schulz: Mmm.
Christine Schiefer: "The last straw was that my board started glitching during a lesson one day it was turning off and on. I asked the students to come forward if they had a remote." Oh God. That I have not experienced that. But classic just turning it off.
Em Schulz: Reset.
Christine Schiefer: As one of the students. Yeah. Uh. "I asked the student to come forward if they had a remote. No one did. I went through all their stuff, no one had one... That day after school, I said, whoever you are, leave me alone. And I never had another issue."
Em Schulz: Hmm.
Christine Schulz: "I have since left that district, but will never forget that experience. I don't know if it was Ronald Defeo, but it was odd timing." Eugh.
Em Schulz: I feel like if I lived so close to Ronald Defeo or like part of that legacy I'd blame everything on it. I'd go well you know how it is.
Christine Schiefer: Me too. It's easy.
Em Schulz: And then I'd go...
Christine Schiefer: He like fucking deserves it. Right. It's like, whatever. Just take it.
Em Schulz: Yeah, yeah.
Christine Schiefer: Um, he's a ghost. He can handle it.
Em Schulz: Mm-hmm.
Christine Schiefer: "The next story is about my husband and I and how we were faded to be together, I did just tell the story on Jim Harold's Campfire..." Okay, that means I for sure heard it already, oops, "but it felt fitting for the fate theme Christine requested. One thing about me is I love psychics, but I am not gullible, and I do my best not to give away information during readings." Oh my God, I remember this story from Jim Harold's Campfire. "One day I went to a psychic and she started to talk about my future husband, she explained that he would be younger than me with tattoos and a beard. He would have a military connection, someone with a G name would introduce us..."
Em Schulz: Ope.
Christine Schiefer: "But we had already known each other, and there was a big red script letter A attached to him."
Em Schulz: A? Okay.
Christine Schiefer: Okay, wow, this is wild, this this feels like a psychic who's...
Em Schulz: It's specific.
S3: Ver... Yeah, very uh confident you know in her abilities.
Em Schulz: Yeah you... I feel like uh if I were a fraud, like a fraudulent psychic, which I would be by the way, if I were doing this. [laughter] Um. But like...
Christine Schiefer: Which you are-aren't until you start charging people and then all of the sudden status shifted.
Em Schulz: Should be imprisoned.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah.
Em Schulz: Yeah, um but I feel like uh you can really get away with a lot if you're as vague as possible, but that is...
Christine Schiefer: This is yeah hyper especially...
Em Schulz: That screams...
Christine Schiefer: To say, this is your husband. Like, you'll marry this person. Yeah. That's, that's like next level shit.
Em Schulz: Yeah.
Christine Schiefer: "It was then that she mimicked the A she was seeing in her mind, I thought it was interesting, but again, I didn't put too much thought into it. A year or so later, I went to another psychic, no connection to the first, she proceeds to tell me almost the exact same details down to the red A."
Em Schulz: So in, so in that case, you're either finding only really credible sources or, your husband is c-crazy powerful and really coming through.
Christine Schiefer: Or your fate connection is so strong...
Em Schulz: Ohh, yes.
Christine Schiefer: That like it's just meant, it's like so, it's like a spotlight you know for the psychics.
Em Schulz: Yeah.
Christine Schiefer: Your probably like the dream client for a psychic...
Em Schulz: They're like what a breath of fresh air I can actually see what's going on here.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah. I describe it easy-peasy. Yeah, I had the exact same thought Em, I was like, either I have to go to this town where you're finding all these psychics and figure out what is in the water, or this connection is so strong, [laughter] it's just like obvious.
Em Schulz: Undeniable.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah, "I was shocked even a little nervous that someone else had clearly seen something like this a few more years had gone by, and my sister was coming into her own psychic abilities. I am fiercely private and do not like to share my readings with people..." I like how, as I read this allowed to all our listeners...
Em Schulz: Yeah, I'm pretty private. But anyway, here you can read it publicly.
Christine Schiefer: But this my love story, [laughter] uh... "I do not like to share my readings to people, what if they don't happen? I would look foolish. My sister was practicing on me, and I kid you not, she shared the exact same details. She even went as far as to mention a military connection, being a Marine..." Oh, so your sister is like one step up from the other psych, she's like, I got more intel actually.
Em Schulz: She's... Actually I... This is my first time and I'm just practicing but I'm better than them so...
Christine Schiefer: Beginners luck I guess. "She also mentioned the big red A," this is so weird. "She then said, you are going to see him again soon. By the beginning of summer, I was stunned. I asked her if she had heard me say that as I had no recording and didn't write it down, she swore she hadn't. Regardless two other psychics had said it, so how could all three have gossiped about me." Now that would be quite a sight. "A few weeks later, the end of May 2019, I went to my cousin's birthday party, I didn't wanna go, but my mom was insistent, I go and I see this guy there who I had not seen since we were kids. His father and my mother grew up as next door neighbors and friends, so we had seen him when we were younger, but stopped when we were about 12. We started talking and ended up talking all night. During this time, I discovered that aside from the obvious beard and age gap, I knew he was a bit younger than me, that he had tattoos and a military correction connection to the Marines."
Em Schulz: Mmm.
Christine Schiefer: "All of his friends were Marines, I was freaking out a bit, (This guy could be my husband!)" which must be so trippy. What if you like... What if you...
Em Schulz: That's when you you so sneak a picture to your sister and you're like, is this it.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Say yes or no. 'Cause otherwise I'm wasting my time, I need to go to bed. Um. Yeah, that must be so much pressure, like uh-oh what if you cock block yourself because of your psychic readings, you're like...
Em Schulz: When three mediums have said something...
Christine Schiefer: Yeah...
Em Schulz: You... Or psychics I have to l... What is the difference between med-medium, medium and psychics?
Christine Schiefer: A medium communicates with the deceased...
Em Schulz: And psychics see...
[overlapping conversation]
Christine Schiefer: Or dead people and psychics are clair... They have uh, uh, uh clair abilities...
Em Schulz: Okay.
Christine Schiefer: They have sight uh into like the present, somebody else's life, for example, the present circumstances or future or past.
Em Schulz: Well, if three psychics all told me the same thing, I truly would just... I, if I found someone attractive and I they didn't match the criteria, I'd be like, do I wanna fling tonight or no, and just keep it moving.
Christine Schiefer: I know. It would be so... It would be, it would really like shape how you thought about interactions with people. Yeah. Oh my God.
Em Schulz: Yeah.
Christine Schiefer: "But I kept my cool, there was no A. And I couldn't figure out the G name connection, that's when he explained that his nickname was Quincy because his first name is John and his middle name is Adam, he said, 'you know like the president' and did a letter A in the air with his finger."
Em Schulz: Shut up.
Christine Schiefer: Like Quin... Like A. Oh my God, "I almost peed my pants." [laughter]
Em Schulz: Yeah. Well, you have to... At this point I'm mad you didn't.
Christine Schiefer: The fact that, the fact that he did the A, like the first psychic drew out the A with her hand is pretty weird.
Em Schulz: Yeah, eerie, the fact that they all kept saying, I don't know what it is, it's it's something like this and you like they had to be...
Christine Schiefer: Eugh!
Em Schulz: They almost had to do because they knew it would be difficult to understand.
Christine Schiefer: Yes. Oh my God. Yes.
Em Schulz: Also, like what a weird thing to do because like A isn't the first thing I would think of to... I mean, I guess A like Adam, but I wouldn't have thought of all the things to finger mime in that moment would be the letter A.
Christine Schiefer: The letter A.
Em Schulz: It's like, Oh, you know like the President A... Like what?
Christine Schiefer: He did like a president and he did... Yeah.
Em Schulz: Yeah, I don't know.
Christine Schiefer: I don't either. That's so weird.
Em Schulz: Whatever it it was meant to be. So I'm gonna shut my mouth.
Christine Schiefer: I guess maybe his guardian angels were like draw the A, just so she really gets it. Like just make sure...
Em Schulz: They literally grabbed his hand and then went A.
[laughter]
Christine Schiefer: Seriously. I mean he must had, had to, I don't know, be divinely inspired. Okay, "we figured out later that the G connection was our grandparents because they ended up being best friends and even share a cemetery plot." [laughter] So the grandparents...
Em Schulz: And you're just meeting this...
Christine Schiefer: Introduced them.
Em Schulz: What are you... That's very precious so it's... That feels as if it's divine from your grandparents doing...
Christine Schiefer: It does, doesn't it? Oh my God, you're right. It's them in the afterlife.
Em Schulz: Yeah. So your grandma was the one making you do the A.
Christine Schiefer: Holy shit.
Em Schulz: And then and the and your grandma was making you...
Christine Schiefer: Yeah. No wonder!
Em Schulz: Was was holding your face so you'd stare at the A.
Christine Schiefer: Yes! And the fact that... Yeah, his grandma was holding the hand... Yeah, that's so funny. Um. And the fact that...
Em Schulz: They're just, they're just Pinocchios kind of dangling. [laughter]
Christine Schiefer: Yeah is that all our lives are honestly, I don't think trust my grandmother to do that for me, but uh... Okay.
Em Schulz: I'm just gonna use that next time I'm a bad driver, I'll be like, Grandma, get off...
Christine Schiefer: Grandma, God, I thought your license got suspended. [laughter] Um. Yeah, the fact that also like you'll be introduced by someone with G, and it's like grandma, grandpa, grandma and grandpa, like no wonder this is such a strong message for psychics.
Em Schulz: Wow.
Christine Schiefer: That's so wild dude. Okay, sorry, let me finish. "We figured out later that the G connection was our grandparents as they were best friends and even share a cemetery plot. We have been destined for quite some time as they had always wanted their children to be together." Yes. That's become very obvious.
Em Schulz: Yeah we figured that one out.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah. We figured they have their hands in this one, "the connection to the podcast is that the same weekend, you guys read my story about getting lost in the back rooms of the hospital I volunteered in, I got engaged." Oh, gosh. Now, we're part of the problem.
Em Schulz: You're welcome.
Christine Schiefer: "We were on a plane traveling to Tennessee when we both listen to the episode, listener stories, July 2021. I said, this weekend can't get any better. And then he proposed."
Em Schulz: Awww.
Christine Schiefer: I'm gonna cry. "It's a tiny cameo in the story," don't worry, we'll take it, we'll take any cameo we can get. Uh. "But I like to think you guys brought the good vibes to that weekend," I love that we're just attached to everybody's lives...
Em Schulz: We did.
Christine Schiefer: We did, yeah. You're welcome, by the way.
Em Schulz: Yeah.
Christine Schiefer: "Sorry for the long stories, love you crazy coots and all that you do stay amazing. Bekah." Wow.
Em Schulz: So um that's lovely. Also, how did you not... Well, I guess, how would you totally know your grandparents best friends, grandkids.
[overlapping conversation]
Christine Schiefer: Well no she said that they had met. Remember she said...
Em Schulz: Oh! Right, right, right.
Christine Schiefer: Like we knew him in high school, we were like kind of... Which feels not to be a huge weirdo, but here we go, it feels like you and me where like we were in school together...
Em Schulz: Mm-hmm.
Christine Schiefer: But we like there were only 15 kids or people... Adults in our class, students and...
Em Schulz: Remember someone dropped out on like week one.
Christine Schiefer: Someone dropped out. Yeah. Then someone else did. Yeah, uh I think there were probably 13 of us, and you and I lived on the same street. Like we were the only ones who lived across the street from each other, and we still like weren't really friends, and then we went to LA and it was like now, you can be friends.
Em Schulz: Mm-hmm.
Christine Schiefer: You know what I mean? Um. That feels like this where like... The first psychic said, you've already met this person. Her sister said, it's someone you know. You know there's so many things. So they had known each other, but only like in passing.
Em Schulz: Speaking of like grandparents and fate and you know very sweet relationships. That happened in my own family with my, with my grandma and grandpa, they have uh this best, this couple, this best friend couple that they were best friends with for decades...
Christine Schiefer: I wish I had... That would be so fun. Can you move over here so we can be a best friends, couple?
Em Schulz: Well don't piss me off.
Christine Schiefer: No but you're still too far away, come here, come play with me.
Em Schulz: Uh. But so my grandparents, they had the best friend couple forever, and my grandparents were big uh party throwers and they loved hosting and so... And they would do like crazy themed parties, and they would like hire a videographer.
Christine Schiefer: I'm picturing a luau.
Em Schulz: I mean, ev... You name it, they've done it and they would host...
Christine Schiefer: They would roast pig.
Em Schulz: They would hire photographers and videographers, they would make home videos out of them and everything.
Christine Schiefer: Geez.
Em Schulz: And uh that was some of the videos that... I don't know if I mentioned this. I must have when I was um at the time, but there was a long period last year where in all my free time, I was digitizing...
Christine Schiefer: Mm-hmm.
Em Schulz: Home videos for my mom's Christmas present. So I got to see a bunch of the videos of my grandma's parties and anyhow by my grandma and her husband, they he has a son that has been single for a little bit, and he ended up meeting this woman and it's like his like r... His true love, he has never been this happy and like the whole family heard about it. And he's like 65-ish, I think...
Christine Schiefer: Oh.
Em Schulz: And the whole family still is like, this is the one.
Christine Schiefer: Aw. The bachelor he's finally settling down. [laughter]
Em Schulz: Well I guess her parents already passed away, so he never got to meet them and he was like, well, what were they like? Blah, blah, blah. And it ended up being the best friends of...
Christine Schiefer: Shut the fuck up.
Em Schulz: Of his parents and I have like video footage of all of their parents like partying together.
Christine Schiefer: [gasp]
Em Schulz: That I got to show them, so...
Christine Schiefer: So wait. When, when did that happen? That he met her, how long what was that...
Em Schulz: Truly in the last few years.
Christine Schiefer: Oh my God, that's like a current thing.
Em Schulz: Yeah, so they and it was so weird because he was describing this...
Christine Schiefer: That's crazy.
Em Schulz: Woman to his parents and like never using her last name because it just didn't come up.
Christine Schiefer: So his parents were still alive. You're...
Em Schulz: Yeah.
Christine Schiefer: Okay, wow. Oh wow.
Em Schulz: And he just kept saying like, Oh, this woman I really like this woman, I really like this woman. And then they met her and they were like, Holy shit, you're my best friend's kid, like what are the odds that you two would find each other?
Christine Schiefer: Like the things I've seen your parents do at a party, in the in the bathroom, you would never ever believe.
Em Schulz: It's like if I, it's like if I had a kid and then died and then Leona, and this kid fall in love one day and like brings my kid to your house after I'm gone, you're like, I absolutely know you. Why the fuck is this happening?
Christine Schiefer: Em I'd be like get the fuck out now. [laughter] You're banned from this property, I banish you.
Em Schulz: That's what I'm making Leona and my kid, the little Pinocchio strings, I'm like...
Christine Schiefer: Oh yeah, [laughter] that's when your dumbass spills wine all over me. And I'm like, great, thanks. Uh.
Em Schulz: Anyway. I, I love when it's uh when it feels like kismet, that people find each other. That's very sweet.
Christine Schiefer: I totally agree. I'm still looking for my childhood friend Maria, remember one time on Patreon, I did like a shout out. I've been looking for my friend Maria since we were little, and we said we would re-unite and then we never did. So...
Em Schulz: Aww. Well you still have time.
Christine Schiefer: My friend Maria I think she moved, she lived in North Avondale with me in Cincinnati, so if anyone knows Maria who moved somewhere in Pennsylvania, in my mind, at age 4, Pennsylvania was like another country.
Em Schulz: Sure.
Christine Schiefer: And I actually thought it was Transylvania.
Em Schulz: Of course.
Christine Schiefer: So for a long time, I thought she had moved to Transylvania until I got older and realized Pennsylvania is like four hours away, um so maybe she's, she's out there. Uh. So yeah, I look for Maria and Amanda. Can you... You have a blue Chevelle parked out front? I need you to come see me at the DJ booth. Um.
Em Schulz: Kristin M um...
Christine Schiefer: Kristin M can come too. Yeah.
Em Schulz: Yeah, I don't know. I, I truly don't know where she went, but I hope she's okay.
Christine Schiefer: I wonder... Do you think every Kristin M and Amanda and, and Maria are out there like could it... Is it me?
Em Schulz: Every single one of them, but the one we're looking for probably.
Christine Schiefer: Okay, my Amanda one... Okay Amanda went to American University that's and was graduated or whatever, I don't know. High School in '09, I think. Then um Maria, what, what do I know about Maria? She liked Spaghetti-Os.
Em Schulz: Okay that's a set...
Christine Schiefer: Is that helpful? Her mom was named Josephine. I do remember that. And then what's the other one? Oh uh what's um...
Em Schulz: Oh Kristin M.
Christine Schiefer: Kristin M. Is there like one like kind of vague identifying factor?
Em Schulz: Uh. She was a cutie pie with a lot of tattoos.
Christine Schiefer: Oh okay! Wait okay oh yeah, yours was later on your sophomore year of college, right.
Em Schulz: Mm-hmm.
Christine Schiefer: Okay, I was back on my Maria, a four-year-old, I was like, Holy shit.
Em Schulz: But here's the thing, I, I did find her on TikTok, she fell onto my feed and then I tried commenting to be like, hey, to me, I don't think she knew who I was, 'cause I look so different than I did from college.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah sure, of course.
Em Schulz: But I don't think she realizes that I found her and I'm trying to reconnect. I think she just thinks a stranger just reached out I don't know.
Christine Schiefer: What did you say? Did you say something like vague or was it like...
Em Schulz: She's like, well, that's how I found out that she like is a mom now, because she posted a video about like having a baby. And I just went like, Oh my God, you're a mom now congrats, so I like to think she's like...
Christine Schiefer: She's like who the fuck are you. [laughter]
Em Schulz: Yeah, I don't know. Whatever.
Christine Schiefer: Okay, well, she's a mom now, and we know that guys. [laughter] All right, so I don't even know that much about uh the other two.
Em Schulz: Uh. Next story we have is from Brandi, who uses she/her pronouns, thank you for normalizing pronouns. And the topic is: Fate Love Story, we know we like this already...
Christine Schiefer: Mm-hmm.
Em Schulz: With a little spooky, it says.
Christine Schiefer: [gasp] Yes.
Em Schulz: So Brandi says, "Heyo, long, long time listener, first time caller, I've been listening to the podcast in episode four and absolutely adore y'all."
Christine Schiefer: Wow.
Em Schulz: Um. "So Christine asked for fate stories, and I always love telling mine. My husband and I spent our lives in close proximity to each other..."
Christine Schiefer: [gasp]
Em Schulz: "But never officially met until we were adults."
Christine Schiefer: I love these stories where they're like, just so many missed...
Em Schulz: So, so close, but so far.
Christine Schiefer: Yes! Yes.
Em Schulz: That was you and me. Okay.
Christine Schiefer: Aw.
Em Schulz: Uh. "We were both born in the same city in Arizona, then moved away to a tiny town in Ar..." Then... Hang on now, "we were both born in the same city in Arizona, then both moved to a tiny town in Arizona, way up in the mountains. I moved around a lot as a kid, but always kept coming back to Snowflake, Snowflake Arizona."
Christine Schiefer: Oh yeah.
Em Schulz: I always forget there's a town called Snowflake.
Christine Schiefer: I love it.
Em Schulz: "When I was 18, I moved back and after a terrible situationship, my, I met my lovely husband, it was pretty instant, and we married after eight months."
Christine Schiefer: [gasp]
Em Schulz: And we, of course, "we had of course, spoken about our lives in the funny coincidences where we could have met, but never did."
Christine Schiefer: Wow.
Em Schulz: "And his brother was on a mission for the LSD church would be eloped, and when he got back I..."
Christine Schiefer: Wait you mean LDS.
Em Schulz: Oh it says LSD oh my God, I'm sorry. It does say LSD.
Christine Schiefer: It does. Wait, maybe it is LSD Church, listen, I don't know.
Em Schulz: I think you're right though. I think it's LDS.
Christine Schiefer: I love that their phone was like, I got you, girl, I know you're trying to say LSD. What... Why would you try to say LDS, I know you.
Em Schulz: Uh. "And when we got back, I knew that I knew this guy, but couldn't remember where from. We soon realized that we had known each other at school, and my husband and I realized that for years, but uh we had ridden the same school bus and never knew each other. And this is maybe not the craziest story, but crazy and cute to me, my husband and I are both very sensitive to other worldly things, including one trip when we were dating, when we were dating to an abandoned gas station in the middle of the mountains of Arizona where something tried to learn my husband into a dark room calling with my voice."
Christine Schiefer: Ew, what?
Em Schulz: "I was on the other side of the gas station, and Chris still talks about how sad the voice seemed when he refused it." Thank God he rused it though.
Christine Schiefer: Eugh! Thank God though. Seriously.
Em Schulz: And then it still tried to like mimic her and like.
Christine Schiefer: Eugh.
Em Schulz: Taunt him.
Christine Schiefer: What does that mean?
Em Schulz: "We also have a haunted painting in our house of a little girl and her protector. She hides stuff occasionally and I've seen her once or twice. But we just cohabitate." That's lovely. I...
Christine Schiefer: That's nice.
Em Schulz: I don't know if I could do that. [laughter] "Love y'all and our parasocial relationship. Can't wait to see you on tour again."
Christine Schiefer: I also love our parasocial relationship, so, umm, wow. Wow. That's a doozy.
Em Schulz: Mm-hmm.
Christine Schiefer: That also makes you wonder, I mean, maybe just me 'cause I'm nutso, but like with the voice coming from the bathroom and like, they've already been like fated to meet. Like, what does it mean? Is it a different parallel...
Em Schulz: Yeah, I always wonder if...
Christine Schiefer: Dimension where it is her in the bathroom. I don't know.
Em Schulz: Also, like, are... Does it all come from the same energy or do you happen to have...
Christine Schiefer: Yeah.
Em Schulz: Good energy around you, but you can still experience bad energy? I never, I would always be in my head that everything was like all coming from one source.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah.
Em Schulz: And then I would feel scared that I couldn't trust it.
Christine Schiefer: Whoa. Dude. That's freaky.
Em Schulz: Or be like, or I guess, I guess if you're just at a random gas station, I guess you're fine. But still.
Christine Schiefer: Maybe, Yeah. Maybe it's the gas station. Maybe the gas station has like an entity that mimics...
Em Schulz: Ugh.
Christine Schiefer: People.
Em Schulz: I feel like at a gas station, like ghosts should know that women already are just trying to tolerate like human creeps. Like, you don't need to be doing all that.
Christine Schiefer: But I think that's why they're there. They're like, it's easy where this is the, this is our stomping ground. You know?
Em Schulz: Yeah. Yeah, ugh.
Christine Schiefer: Classic. Sick. Umm, I said classic. I mean, sick. Umm, what was I gonna say? I don't know. Okay. The next story I have, let's see. Yours was from bran- Brandi, right?
Em Schulz: Mm-hmm.
Christine Schiefer: Okay. This is from Kenzie. And I love this subject line. This is my brain. Fate? Maybe? Two question marks there. "Em, Christine. Hello. I might just have a story about fate for you." I like how you're still very unsure, Kenzie. I might have a story about fate.
Em Schulz: I might, I don't know. You tell me.
Christine Schiefer: Ju-jury's out. "Last October I started running because of my mental health. I realized there were easier ways, but it's what my friends were doing. So, you know, peer pressure is real. I signed up for a half marathon for this June in the Grand Tetons. And to help keep myself on track I've signed up for little races almost monthly." Oh my God. Is this what I'm supposed to do for mental health? Well then I'm screwed 'cause that's not happening. [laughter]
Em Schulz: I, I think I'm actually, I think either I'm so mentally unwell that, uh, I could never do any of that. Or I'm actually so mentally well that I don't need to do that. Okay.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah. You know better. Yeah. Maybe we're not at the point yet. Rock bottom will be when we start running marathons. [laughter]
Em Schulz: Whatever my, whatever my mental status is that keeps me from having to run that's where I am.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah. It's like a, there's like a switch that needs to stay in place.
Em Schulz: Yeah. Good for You. I, that could I could not.
Christine Schiefer: I mean, Kenzie, to be clear, I'm deeply impressed. I, I just, I just wish I could be more like you. Umm, let's see. "I signed up for a half marathon and to help my, keep myself on track, I've signed up for little races almost monthly." Also, quick side note. I have heard actually that running is like a very good way 'cause you get endorphins and shit. I just have never quite experienced that for myself. So, you know.
Em Schulz: Uh. As someone who formerly ran, I can confirm I would be in a better head space if I ran. [laughter]
Christine Schiefer: I see. Okay. So, so, so, so the jury is in that it is probably a good thing to do, but we're just.
Em Schulz: Yeah. I just don't love myself enough to keep that.
Christine Schiefer: I'm skipping that one.
Em Schulz: To get it back. Yeah.
Christine Schiefer: Cool. "In January, I picked the coldest race I could find. Definitely not on purpose, but I live in Utah, so everything is cold. It was in Bear Lake, which is a little tourist spot in northern Utah. My lungs burned after I ran and I decided I wanted to find some warm food. I found this little diner where I was the only customer. The hostess sat me at a table in the middle of the room. From this spot, I could see the front entrance and the kitchen. There was a doorframe right by the entrance where if you turned left, it took you to the restrooms and right took you out the door to the parking lot. I could see the whole place. The waitress took my order and left to grab me some water. Not even seconds, it felt like after she left, this man walked over to my table." Ah! red flag. [laughter] I'm like already afraid. "He had a winter coat on and was maybe around 80 years old. He then started talking to me about moose." Oh. "He told me how he thought they," the oh, was from me, by the way. Sorry. I was taken by surprise.
Em Schulz: No, I understood. I, I agree.
Christine Schiefer: By what I'm reading. "He told me how he thought they were beautiful animals and if you were to see one, you were so lucky. I told him I loved them, that I watched them all year behind my house. And right then the waitress walked out of the kitchen carrying my water. The old man looked at her and said to me, 'Well, it's my time to go.' And walked to the front and turned left towards the bathroom." Oh my god. Oh my God. Oh my god. "The waitress barely missed the guy, but she acted as if he was never there. I got up immediately and went to the bathroom. There was nowhere for him to go."
Em Schulz: [gasp]
Christine Schiefer: "I walked into the bathroom, legit, just walked in. I didn't care." Like in the men's room, we're talking.
Em Schulz: Mm-hmm.
Christine Schiefer: "He was not in there. This man had nowhere to go. I could see the front door and he did not leave yet he was not anywhere in the restaurant. I went back to the booth to eat but, you know I watched those doors. I was not gonna miss this guy leaving, but he never came back. I paid and started the 45 minute drive home through the mountains. Halfway through the drive, I looked on the shoulder of the road and anyone wanna guess what was right there? A freaking moose."
Em Schulz: Which feels like he's still in the car with you.
Christine Schiefer: You think?
Em Schulz: I feel like, like what are the odds? Like I feel like he orchestrated that in in some way.
Christine Schiefer: And he just wanted to sit there and watch as it happened to be like, haha.
Em Schulz: I guess, I mean, I feel like it would, it was orchestrated at some point.
Christine Schiefer: For sure.
Em Schulz: Part, part of you would feel like someone was in the car with me in that moment.
Christine Schiefer: My, yeah, that's a good point. My visual is immediately like from angels in the outfield when he's like, like winking in the clouds.
Em Schulz: Oh yeah.
Christine Schiefer: I'm like, that's my visual. Like, he's up there. Like you see the moose. [laughter]
Em Schulz: Nice.
Christine Schiefer: But that's probably a '90s. Umm, that's probably from the '90s. That's why. Uh, okay. Buh, buh, buh. "I look to the shoulder of the road and anyone wanna guess what was right there? A freaking moose. Now, to anyone, this is such a random, weird conversation, but me, I freaking love moose! When I had my bridal pictures done, there was a moose who had just walked into the background."
Em Schulz: That's amazing.
Christine Schiefer: I I love this. It's like your, your animal. Aw, "I always associated moose with my grandpa. And after his passing, I feel like more moose keep showing up. But I have no idea who this man was. But I wish with everything I could find out." I wish I, can we find out it. We're looking for Amanda M, Kristin M, the man who loves moose uh, in a puffer jacket. Come on.
Em Schulz: I, I do like, was he an older man you think 'cause or was he...
Christine Schiefer: Well, well, she said 80.
Em Schulz: Okay. 'Cause I was gonna say maybe it was like your grandpa like in disguise, but also maybe it was just like your grandpa's friend who was like, I got nothing going on.
Christine Schiefer: Wait, we've learned a lot about grandparents who are friends in the afterlife. Maybe this is grandpa's best friend. Yeah.
Em Schulz: Maybe he was like, you're busy.
Christine Schiefer: She won't recognize you.
Em Schulz: Doing something else today. But like, I'll drop down and say something.
Christine Schiefer: I'll tell her about the moose. I'll tell her. [laughter]
Em Schulz: Also, like, I wonder what if this guy, it, it freaks me out about like dads that love trains or something. 'cause it's like, did this man just love moose? And he decided to not go to the afterlife and just stick around this diner.
Christine Schiefer: Oh, no. I was thinking, I was thinking with...
Em Schulz: So he could sense others who love moose, just so we could talk about them one last time.
Christine Schiefer: He's like, I just wanna tell you about the moose you're gonna see later. Ohh, you're gonna be so excited. I can't tell you, but you're gonna see something really cool. But if it's a moose, [laughter] just know that you're really lucky. [laughter] Yeah. It does feel that way. I was thinking, what if it was just an older man who had a hyper fixation on mooses, just like people with trains and they will stop you and be like, let's talk about trains. And you're like, please, no. You know?
Em Schulz: Yeah.
Christine Schiefer: Maybe that's this guy in moose, but he just pick the right person to talk to.
Em Schulz: I, that's what I was also gonna say is like, what if he does this to everyone and you're just lucky that...
Christine Schiefer: Kenzie.
Em Schulz: You love moose.
Christine Schiefer: I love that. And you were so open and then you saw a moose that day. That's pretty damn cool.
Em Schulz: Yeah. That feels totally orchestrated to me.
Christine Schiefer: I love this story. Kenzie, I do wonder. I'm with you, Kenzie. I'm, I, I I can never understand when people write stories and then they're like, anyway, I wonder who that was, but, oh well. I love that Kenzie is like, I need to know who that was. That would be me. I would be obsessed with figuring out who that was. But that was.
Em Schulz: Maybe that area had like a former moose wrangler or something and he died doing what he loves...
Christine Schiefer: Oh yeah!
Em Schulz: You know?
Christine Schiefer: Oh, yeah. Billy Moose. I've heard about him.
Em Schulz: We all know him.
Christine Schiefer: Good old Billy Moose.
Em Schulz: Do you remember "Morris The Moose"? The book.
Christine Schiefer: That's really familiar. Yeah. Did he like...
Em Schulz: That was one of my favorite books growing up.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah. Let me look it up. Oh, you know, I feel like I must have read that, but I don't really remember it.
Em Schulz: Oh, you gotta read that to Leona.
Christine Schiefer: It wasn't, it wasn't a staple in my house, but maybe I'll get Leona a copy.
Em Schulz: Uh, when I, I think it was so special because the book that I had was already like a several generation hand-me-down.
Christine Schiefer: Aww.
Em Schulz: It's from like the '50s or '60s. So when I was a kid, it was the first book I had to be like gentle with. So it, it's like a very old book in my head.
Christine Schiefer: Is that why you, uh, next to your bookshelves, you had those white satin gloves that your mom made you wear?
Em Schulz: Mm-hmm. Yeah. And, but I would have that little moose ghost come read it to me every night.
Christine Schiefer: Oh, that's nice. [chuckle]
Em Schulz: So that was helpful. Anyway, uh, if you need a, a book recommendation, I think.
Christine Schiefer: There's also, if you give a, "If You Give a Moose a Muffin," so you know, there's, that's, I, I read that one.
Em Schulz: So many options.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah. So.
Em Schulz: Well, thank you so much. That was a, that was a great story. It was a-moos-ing.
Christine Schiefer: That was, uh, really, really, really fun and cool. It was very a-moos-ing. Uh, for sure.
Em Schulz: The, our next listener is Sara uses she/her pronouns. Thank you for normalizing pronouns. And the story is a queer story about how I fell in love with my roommate on a trip aboard. Wow.
Christine Schiefer: I thought, I thought I was really hoping it was a queer story about mo, about moose, and I was really excited. But.
Em Schulz: One can dream. We've got a lot of, we've got a lot to read still on this.
Christine Schiefer: That'll be my next request. Can somebody, anybody who has a story, a queer love story about moose, send them on in.
Em Schulz: Okay, so this is from Xavi, who's a she/her pronouns. Thank you for normalizing pronouns. And the subject line is: sending this in while in line for your last live show in LA.
Christine Schiefer: Shut up.
Em Schulz: That's precious.
Christine Schiefer: That was the fall, the spring, right?
Em Schulz: Yeah. Well, that's really sweet. Okay. Well, hey, it worked. Uh, so Xavi says, "hello everyone. I am typing this back up while in line to watch your May 2nd LA show."
Christine Schiefer: May. [chuckle]
Em Schulz: "I started listening back in 2017 right after I moved away for several years on my own. So listening to your podcast kind of felt like you two were my only friends for the longest time."
Christine Schiefer: Aw.
Em Schulz: "I just heard the latest listener story and you asked for fate stories. So here's one about a stranger. How a stranger saved my life by having a really terrible day himself." Umm, content warning to people. This is, umm, attempted suicide and mentions of blood and light injury. Uh, okay, so the story goes, "I used to be diagnosed with manic depression as well as anxiety, which devolved into paranoia alarmingly quickly. During this period in my life, which lasted almost a decade, there were two years in which I actively tried my absolute best to unalive myself without a single hesitation."
Em Schulz: I tried drinking cups of bleach...
Christine Schiefer: [gasp]
Em Schulz: Cutting myself very deeply.
Christine Schiefer: Oof.
Em Schulz: Umm, "and I would try to overdose with sleeping pills and painkillers. At the time I had been getting prescriptions for high amounts of high dose Vicodin and morphine pills, which were definitely not great for a teenager's unhealthy body and mind. Though I had six serious attempts before my last one, I would always walk away with a slight stomach ache after drinking harsh chemicals. My deep cuts would clot immediately regardless of me being a literal anemic, thin blooded, always freezing person who can't even get kitty scratches to stop bleeding. And I always, always woke up from my massive doses of pills with just a headache and stomach ache."
Christine Schiefer: Whoa.
Em Schulz: "My seventh attempt was my final one because it was the one that made me realize that I could also hurt others by losing the battle..."
Christine Schiefer: Aww.
Em Schulz: "Against suicide and, and depression. When I was 14, I went to a state park with big trees on a school day by taking a Greyhound and then a local bus. I was far away from people alone, and it was cold and drizzling in the park area. I was so sure that I would be alone. I climbed this massive tall tree with a lot of difficulty intending to jump down."
Christine Schiefer: [gasp]
Em Schulz: "I couldn't tell how high up I was, but I climbed for so, so long I could feel the swaying of the trunk and I could see other tree tops around me."
Christine Schiefer: Whoa.
Em Schulz: "Well, I am clumsy by nature always and still. And before I even reached the very top, I slipped and lost my footing."
Christine Schiefer: [gasp]
Em Schulz: "I hit something on the way down and passed out. I woke up in a big shared room at a hospital, but had no idea where I was or what had happened."
Christine Schiefer: Oh my God.
Em Schulz: "There was, there was a curtain between my bed and the bed next to me and the two beds were empty across the way. The curtain beside me was drawn open, and it was a young man. He had, he had a cast for both of his feet to his hips, a weirdly colored cast from his right shoulder to his hand, a cast from his left elbow to his hand and a neck brace."
Christine Schiefer: Whoa.
Em Schulz: "He was all bruised up and part of his face looked swollen, even had a big patch of gauze on his forehead. He looked over at me and said, you know, you would have died already without you forcing it if you were really meant to."
Christine Schiefer: [gasp] Whoa.
Em Schulz: Wow. So it's like if you were supposed to die, you would I guess?
Christine Schiefer: I, I guess, Yeah, without for. Okay.
Em Schulz: "I wasn't in much physical pain because all I had was a slight sprained ankle and a few minor scratches and bruises. Uh, that was it. I remember that I began crying so hard and that I was trying to say that I was so, so sorry. He later told me that something had made sure that he got to the state park that day without it being his actual intention to, but that he knew why the moment he heard the crashing. He had just been turned away from the Marine Corps earlier that day as he was 17 and underage, and he was on his way back home on the bus. During the ride the bus tire blew and they had to wait for nearly an hour on the side of the freeway in the middle of a long stretch of nothing..."
Christine Schiefer: [gasp]
Em Schulz: "While they waited for a new bus to take the commuters while the tire was swapped on the other one. The second bus did not go in the same direction he was going at all, and it hopped onto a different freeway going northeast, winding up yet another long area of nothingness. At first, he had let them know that they were going the wrong way for everyone on the bus, but one of the commuters from the original bus said, calmly, no, no, this is the direction I was going in. Confused he sat back down and figured he would catch the right one at the next station. He told me that he had suddenly felt a strong pull to just hop out and wander or walk around. So he hopped off at the next bus stop, right outside of the state park that I was in. He started walking around the pines in the gentle rain when he then heard something big cracking the branches in a tree right, right near him."
Christine Schiefer: Oh my God.
Em Schulz: "And he was near enough to run underneath to try to break the fall, and he broke my fall."
Christine Schiefer: Holy shit.
Em Schulz: "We became very close and amazing friends. And his dream of being a Marine was realized soon after he finished physical therapy after my having literally broken most of him."
Christine Schiefer: Oh.
Em Schulz: "He was 20 by the time he joined and served, and we were amazingly close up until he passed away overseas unexpectedly."
Christine Schiefer: [gasp] Shit.
Em Schulz: "To this day, I thank him and fate for having saved my life that day. I miss you so much. Umm, you're my perfectly timed hero and friend," and that's the story.
Christine Schiefer: Oh God, now I'm getting emotional. I mean, and the fact that he's since passed away at such a young age...
Em Schulz: Mm-hmm.
Christine Schiefer: It just feels like what a powerful life he lived in that short period of time. That's just incredible. Saved your life.
Em Schulz: Yeah. It's a big one.
Christine Schiefer: I like how if I hear you crashing in a tree, I'm running the other way. He's like, here I come.
Em Schulz: I know. I would've absolutely ran the other way.
Christine Schiefer: Mm-hmm.
Em Schulz: I can't imagine, but kudos to him to catch you.
Christine Schiefer: Yes.
Em Schulz: What? Yeah.
Christine Schiefer: Yes. Unbelievable. Okay. Uh, so this is our last one. This is a queer love story about how I fell in love with my roommate on a trip abroad. It actually says aborad. But you know what? We've got LSD, we've got aborad. Things are things are exciting today. Umm, this is from Sara. She/her. "Hello everyone. I've been a listener for the past three years. I am a chaotic listener who listens to all..." No, I know what you're gonna say, "to all the old episodes out of order." [sigh]
Em Schulz: Hah. Well, that's on you.
Christine Schiefer: It's your, yeah, it's your loss, man. "I'm finally caught up and can now say that Sundays are my favorite day of the week because it means new episodes. I found you guys when searching for queer friendly podcasts." That's nice. I wonder where, where you could search that. Like maybe Spotify or something. I don't know.
Em Schulz: Wherever you maybe need to.
Christine Schiefer: Maybe Reddit. "Y'all have really become like friends to me, which feels weird to tell you because I've, you have no idea who I am," well, we do now. "I've always wanted to send in a story, but I don't have any paranormal or true crime. I do, however, have an epic love story about fate and realizing that I am indeed not straight."
Em Schulz: Welcome.
Christine Schiefer: [chuckle] "So the story starts in November, 2019. I was in a not so great relationship with a guy who was more like a half-ass friend than a boyfriend. Before I realized just how shitty the relationship was, I booked a trip for us through a travel agency to go to Amsterdam, Paris, and London with a group of random people from around the US. One of our mutual friends was planning on coming too. That mutual friend invited his friend named Sam. She/her. I'd never met Sam before, since we were booking with a travel agency the rooming situation was girls had to room with girls and boys had to room with boys. Unless you wanted."
Em Schulz: Twist my arm.
Christine Schiefer: Eh. "Unless you wanted to get your own room for $800," well, they're really just asking you to be gay here.
Em Schulz: So I'm saving money and kissing girls. That's crazy. That's amazing.
Christine Schiefer: Oh my God. What is this travel agency? [laughter] Umm, "which I was not doing because number one, I was a broke college student and number two, I didn't really care if I shared a room with my boyfriend or not. Anyway, it was planned that Sam and I would room together. I told our mutual friend that I wanted to meet Sam before the trip, since I was going to be her roommate for two weeks. So our friend planned a bonfire at his house and invited all of us so that we could meet." Okay. Quick question for you, Em, would you prefer to meet them before knowing you already? Like you, you have to spend two weeks in this room with them either way. Would you prefer to like meet them up before you go on the trip first at like a social gathering? Or would you just be like, I don't wanna know because otherwise.
Em Schulz: I don't wanna know.
Christine Schiefer: If they're terrible. You wouldn't wanna know.
Em Schulz: Yeah, because then I'm dreading it.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah. I don't think I, yeah, I think I would, I would rather just go into it blind, like, you know.
Em Schulz: 'Cause also if you meet in advance, let's say you're really not vibing, but they really like you, they could try to make...
Christine Schiefer: Ah, that's bad.
Em Schulz: Additional plans with you. And it's like, I can't get out of this yet because they know that I also don't know much about this trip.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah.
Em Schulz: So, uh, if we meet at the hotel or whatever, or meet on the trip, then if things aren't going well, at least I can constantly excuse myself out of the room. Or like.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah. You kind of already have a...
Em Schulz: We gotta do our own things.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah. I mean, obviously that's not what's gonna happen here. We know guys, but like, I'm just curious out of... Yeah. Out of personality wise.
Em Schulz: Unless the fate is, they become mortal enemies.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah. Right. Oh, interesting. Yeah. No, my, I think Em, I think I'd be the same way. Maybe that's why we were never friends. We were like, let's not even meet each other. Yeah.
Em Schulz: I was Like, I don't even wanna risk this.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah. Yeah. Wait till we're desperate for friends then we'll meet. Okay. Anyways, it was planned this... [rewinding tape vocalization]. Okay. So, bonfire. "Flash forward to the night of the bonfire. I walked in my friend's backyard where everyone was sitting and I had this feeling in my gut that something was about to happen. It was like this giddy, bubbly feeling I had never felt before." Aw.
Em Schulz: That's really sweet.
Christine Schiefer: When I hear a feeling that something was about to happen, I'm like, I get that all the time. But it's not giggly bubbly.
Em Schulz: It's just anxiety.
Christine Schiefer: No, yeah. It's just like, cool. Here comes the apocalypse. Just dread, just existential dread.
Em Schulz: I got it.
Christine Schiefer: "The first thing I saw when I walked up to the group was Sam's long blonde," le... Blonde hair, blonde legs, [chuckle] Sam's long blonde hair.
Em Schulz: Okay. [chuckle]
Christine Schiefer: I thought it was gonna say legs. And then it said blonde and I went, oh, nevermind. [laughter] Uh, "Sam's long blonde hair. I remember thinking that it was beautiful. Then I heard her laugh. It was the most intoxicating sound."
Em Schulz: Oh my God.
Christine Schiefer: "It felt like I was physically being pulled toward her. Like I was no longer in control of my body. I couldn't stop staring at her either. You know how Edward Cullen told Bella Swan, 'you are like my own personal brand of heroin?' Well, I now fully understand what he meant. Everything about her was so attractive to me. I introduced myself to Sam trying not to act weird as I, as weird as I felt because my boyfriend was standing right next to her. I just remember instantly thinking, I want to kiss her." Wow. "This thought..."
Em Schulz: Okay. As you should.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah. "This thought startled the hell out of me because I had never had this type of thought towards anyone before, especially a girl. I had dated guys all my life, but I had never felt an instant attraction like this. She didn't say anything profound that night, but I hung on every word she said. Before I met Sam, I would've said that I was a free loving type of person. Love sort of always just came to me and I embraced it. I never chased after anyone. I never made the first move. But my instant feelings for Sam made me question if I ever even liked anyone before. It was so intense. I let myself think all of these wild thoughts then tried to bring myself back to reality. You are dating someone, you are straight."
Christine Schiefer: "I felt so guilty for the thoughts I was having, but as hard as I tried, I couldn't deny fate. A week later, I opened up to my best friends about my new revelation of liking a girl. I decided to talk to my boyfriend to end things. When I told him that I didn't think we had a 'normal' relationship, he very bluntly told me, yeah, 'I realized that a year and a half ago.'" Okay.
Em Schulz: Okay.
Christine Schiefer: Douche. "This guy had been stringing me along for over a year, purposely being terrible so that I would break up with him." I hate people.
Em Schulz: Classic. Classic.
Christine Schiefer: I hate people. "I felt so stupid, but at the same time, so relieved and free. At the end of the day, I realized that this is my life. No one should have the power to tell me how to live it. I decided that despite my messy breakup, I was going on my trip. I was going to be roommates with Sam and I was going to follow my heart, which is exactly what I did. Three days into our trip the tension between us was unbearable. So I-" woo... "So I told Sam how I felt about her. Luckily our feelings were mutual. Sam and I made the most out of every moment on that trip together."
Em Schulz: Okay!
Christine Schiefer: Ahh! [laughter] "It felt like we were in a movie exploring the city. Sneaking around like a couple of teenagers." Right. Especially because they're supposed to be like rooming with only, you know...
Em Schulz: Mm-hmm.
Christine Schiefer: To keep the romance at bay.
Em Schulz: Of course.
Christine Schiefer: Oh my God. Oh my God. Uh, "with all of the freedom in the world. Meeting Sam turned my world upside down in the best way possible. Our wedding was on April 20th and it was the best night of our lives. So that is how I fell in love with my roommate on a trip abroad and ended up marrying her. How could we have lived in the same small town with the same friends, but never met until the perfect time? The only answer is fate. Eva, even if you are the only one who sees us, thank you for taking the time to read it. Em and Christine, if you are reading this, then holy shit! please come back to South Louisiana, [laughter] all of the love from my big queer heart, Sara."
Em Schulz: Very nice.
Christine Schiefer: Wow. Wow. Wow! You got my heart beating here. This is quite a romance you've laid out.
Em Schulz: I know. Uh, I like how.
Christine Schiefer: Remember when you acci...
Em Schulz: What? When I accidentally what.
Christine Schiefer: I was gonna say, when you accidentally, when you first skipped the- the email five, umm, with this story, and you said aboard. And it turns out it was abroad because the, because they misspelled it. So you read it as aboard and I read as abroad. Umm, 'cause at the end I went wait abroad? I thought it was aboard. Okay. Anyway.
Em Schulz: Sorry. I yeah, like maybe like on a ship, whatever. Uh.
Christine Schiefer: I thought maybe it was like a cruise. Yeah.
Em Schulz: Yeah. Uh, either way it was abroad technically...
Christine Schiefer: Yes it was.
Em Schulz: Umm, I feel like all of them were love stories. Did all of them become love stories or friend stories at least?
Christine Schiefer: Umm. Well, not the one where they saved the life that was more fate.
Em Schulz: They became friends.
Christine Schiefer: Oh yeah. But not love story. Sorry. Yeah, but not, you mean like friend stories?
Em Schulz: I think they were all, uh, relationship fate stories.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah. Is there another kind? I mean, I'm trying to think of what a not relationship fate story is. Me and lemon. I guess if that's a relationship.
Em Schulz: Uh, I would say like, like careers or like your mental like find this thing.
Christine Schiefer: Oh, that's fair.
Em Schulz: Or something.
Christine Schiefer: No, that's true. I my brain like, couldn't even get my head outta that thought of framing it in relationships, but yeah, you're totally right. Also fate could be like, oh no, that would be a relationship. Yeah. Career. Yeah, that's true.
Em Schulz: Or Like finding something.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah.
Em Schulz: Finding a moose.
Christine Schiefer: Finding. Oh yeah. That one didn't really become a friend story.
Em Schulz: I mean, unless you're that guy who really wants to be friends with moose, you know? So.
Christine Schiefer: Oh yeah. Well he's just waiting for the day. He himself gets to see a moose. Sounds like.
Em Schulz: I feel like in the afterlife. He's just riding the moose, you know.
Christine Schiefer: Aw.
Em Schulz: Speaking of moose, I'm wearing a mousse shirt right now.
Christine Schiefer: You are? Wait, look at that. You didn't notice that till now. That's hilarious.
Em Schulz: The sweetest, the sweetest moose.
Christine Schiefer: Oh, that's actually really cute. Is that vintage?
Em Schulz: No, I've worn it in front of you before. It was the, in Maine, the chocolate moose.
Christine Schiefer: Oh. Oh, oh, oh. Oh. I've seen it before. But I just, I didn't know what it was for. I thought it was just like something you found it.
Em Schulz: It's a candy saw in Maine. But they have the, I think the world's largest chocolate moose. But it's a literal chocolate statue of a moose.
Christine Schiefer: That's right. That's right. I remember the moose. Yeah.
Em Schulz: So it is the sweetest moose.
Christine Schiefer: That's very sweet.
Em Schulz: Umm, anyway, I hope to the, to the moose person. Hope you really enjoy that.
Christine Schiefer: Mm-hmm.
Em Schulz: Umm, maybe me wearing this today was fate. I don't know.
Christine Schiefer: Oh, that's fate. Oh my God. You're right.
Em Schulz: Uh, maybe that guy, uh, also Pinocchio stringed me into putting the shirt on this morning.
Christine Schiefer: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Hell yeah.
Em Schulz: You know.
Christine Schiefer: Oh yeah.
Em Schulz: Uh, well thank you everyone for your stories and uh, happy September, Zeptember as we know it.
Christine Schiefer: Happy Zeptember. [laughter]
Em Schulz: And I, I hope everyone's having a good time. I will not make any predictions 'cause that has gotten me into some trouble.
Christine Schiefer: Thank you.
Em Schulz: But happy Zeptember and happy autumn because I officially, for me once it's September 1, it is no longer the summer months and therefore it is fall. So.
Christine Schiefer: That's, I'm exactly the same boat. I will sign the petition.
Em Schulz: Which means we're officially only 60 days away from...
Christine Schiefer: Ahhh!
Em Schulz: Halloween.
Christine Schiefer: Mwuah-hah-ha-ha.
Em Schulz: Uh, I hope... So that means the next listener story will be our Halloween spooky.
Christine Schiefer: Yeah. Our October.
Em Schulz: October month.
Christine Schiefer: Oh my God. It's Happening! And it's Leona's birthday on the same day as it is every year. And I always forget.
Em Schulz: Precious.
Christine Schiefer: I mean, I don't forget her birthday. I just forget it's on our.
Em Schulz: It's only happened like twice so far. [laughter] So you're...
Christine Schiefer: That's true. That's true. The pattern hasn't even been established.
Em Schulz: No, you could, you still have a lot of time to fuck it up. Don't worry.
Christine Schiefer: That's true. [laughter]
Em Schulz: Umm, all right, well thank you everyone and we'll see you next month and...
Christine Schiefer: That's.
Em Schulz: Why.
Christine Schiefer: We.
Em Schulz: Drink.