Description

Put your best face forward tonight as we embrace uncertainty, court spontaneity, and make out with impulsivity. Meet a luckless karaoke wallflower, an HR rep with big, big feelings, and someone whose never heard of a capybara. Will the high-risk, high-reward path be strewn with rose petals? Or will Josie fumble at the finish line?

Josie's Lonely Hearts Club was created by Maximilian Clark and Rachel Music. Our callers this week included the talents of Shane Salk, Matt Mundy, Danielle Cohn and Sarah Allyn. Our story editor is Aliza Brugger. Executive produced by Good Story Guild. Follow us @goodstoryguild on Instagram or join our Discord!

Featured promotion: Divorce Ranch is now out. Check out the new limited series from Good Story Guild wherever you listen.

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Transcription

• Speaker #0

  Hi. Oh,

• Speaker #1

  hey. Your tooth is fixed.

• Speaker #0

  Yeah, they fit me in last minute. I was worried I'd have to go to a vet like in the gangster movies.

• Speaker #1

  I told you, Sharif is a lifesaver.

• Speaker #0

  Really is. I mean, you have all the hookups, don't you?

• Speaker #1

  Oh, no. I know Sharif from Pickleball League. I haven't hooked up with him.

• Speaker #0

  What?

• Speaker #1

  I mean, it's pretty agile, but I don't, I mean, I'm not really attracted. Oh, oh, yeah, yeah. You mean like knowing people? Yeah, I know people.

• Speaker #0

  Care to help me out one more time?

• Speaker #1

  Do you want a vet? Like for surgery or Horatio?

• Speaker #0

  No, he's my perfect little boy.

• Speaker #1

  Okay, because I do know a guy for either, really.

• Speaker #0

  I'm sure you do. I need to send Alex a photo. Oh,

• Speaker #1

  okay. Yeah, just make sure your face isn't in it. You don't want to regret anything.

• Speaker #0

  Real funny. That kind of defeats the purpose, though. But, okay, so I brought the one I want to send. I just need to, um.

• Speaker #1

  scan it oh it's you brought up actual physical photo i was a bridesmaid we all got prints hence the chartreuse and the chiffon is it no good

• Speaker #0

  It's the best one I have.

• Speaker #1

  Don't you have any pictures online you could just send? Why am I even asking at this point? Look, I don't want to be indelicate here, kid, but how old is this photo?

• Speaker #0

  Only a couple years. Old enough to notice, but not old enough that it actually matters. Why is it bad? Do I look puffy? Is my eye doing that thing?

• Speaker #1

  No, no.

• Speaker #0

  Are my nostrils flaring? Sometimes my nostrils flare.

• Speaker #1

  I mean, yeah, they're flaring, but that's not the problem. You just look different somehow. We can top this. You know, I have a smartphone. We'll take the photo here during the show in your element.

• Speaker #0

  That's a great idea, smartphone. Smart idea. Alex sent her photo last night, so I want to get to it. Last night?

• Speaker #1

  Jesus, Jo. Why didn't you say so? This is an emergency. What? She shows you what she looks like and you haven't sent anything back yet? Well, then help me. All right, we're coming up to the top of the show. You get your cans on and I'll strategize. Hey, every second counts.

• Speaker #0

  Uh-huh. Oh, jeez. I'm a they. Good night, cuties, and welcome to Josie's Lonely Hearts Club. I'm your host, Josie Heller. Let's spend the night together. If you joined us last week, we were plucking dreams from our gray matter and realizing them in vivid technicolor. I want to go one step further tonight. No, no, not step. Leap. A leap of faith. Have I ever told you about the time I went to the Louvre? I planned everything. My route, my outfit, my middle school French icebreakers. Only to stand at the entrance, dressed in my Tuesday best, and see two words that had slipped by me at every turn. Fermez mardi. Closed Tuesdays. Merde. But here's where it gets interesting. As I sulked off to a bistro to smother my sorrows in Bechamel, I saw a flyer for another gallery, the Bernheim Jeune. They had a retrospective on Annick Gendron. So 60-odd years ago, she used industrial wheels to whirl paint across plexiglass and made these stunning, irreplicable works of art. I mean, no offense to the Mona Lisa. But it was the highlight of my summer, made even sweeter by the impulse that drew me there. There is so much to experience in those unexpected moments that come from letting go of the shore. So be brave, my lonely hearts. It's time to take life for a whirl. Dial 505-555-KDNM and we will take the plunge together. Frank, are those lines buzzing yet?

• Speaker #1

  Yeah, it's a veritable beehive over here. First up, we have Owen calling in from Silver City.

• Speaker #0

  Owen from Silver City, welcome to the show.

• Speaker #2

  Hey Josie, oh, I just love you so much. Hello. I listen to you all the time and I just wanted to call because I have had an awakening. Life is so... Wonderful? I had this near-death experience. I saw a car accident. All I could think about was, what if I was in the way of that car accident? It could have been ended, and I have done so little, and now I just feel like I want to experience the whole world, and I want to experience Paris, the ocean, and I...

• Speaker #0

  Right.

• Speaker #2

  Sorry.

• Speaker #0

  No, it's okay. Take a breath. I love this. I love your excitement.

• Speaker #2

  The ocean is very deep.

• Speaker #0

  Oh, yes.

• Speaker #2

  Paris? There's a lot of people there, right? I just overwhelm myself.

• Speaker #0

  It sounds like prior to this accident, you've had a bit of a smaller life.

• Speaker #3

  I mean,

• Speaker #2

  don't get me wrong. I read. It's probably not the same. It seems like we only have one life, so we gotta live it and we gotta experience everything. But we only have one life and I don't wanna die. Most people that die are outside and in the world.

• Speaker #0

  Correlation is not causation. You know, if you needed to go to the hospital to get your appendix out and you didn't want to go to the hospital because people die in hospitals, well then where would that put you? Sepsis!

• Speaker #2

  I could have sepsis?

• Speaker #0

  No, I... I could have...

• Speaker #2

  I've got to look this down. I've got to look up sepsis.

• Speaker #0

  Don't think...

• Speaker #2

  How do I know if I need an appendix?

• Speaker #0

  Well, you've already got one. It's fun. It's a vestigial organ that no longer serves anything.

• Speaker #2

  I have something in me that I don't need? I mean, hold on. I'm going to just lay on the floor.

• Speaker #0

  You know, Owen, fortune favors the bold. I reckon that if you get your steps in, you know, you put in the time, and you get a couple of... new experiences under your belt, that feeling might just lessen. Right now, it's so big because you think about it all the time. You're feeding that wolf as the old.

• Speaker #2

  I'm scared of wolves.

• Speaker #0

  Well, you shouldn't be. They're not indigenous to the Southwest. Coyotes, though. Those, that, that. Oh, God. But don't think about coyotes in this moment.

• Speaker #2

  Oh, but it would be great to meet a coyote.

• Speaker #0

  Do zoos fill you with anxiety, Owen?

• Speaker #2

  Oh my god, I would love to go to the zoo, but they don't seem safe.

• Speaker #0

  But then you will have never gone to a zoo. You see how you have the thought, I would like to go to a zoo. You feel that butt coming. You sit on it and you go to the zoo. Before the butt happens, just sit on that butt. Next thing you know, you've seen a capybara.

• Speaker #2

  God, what is that?

• Speaker #0

  A capybara is the world's largest rodent.

• Speaker #2

  Oh my god, that sounds horrifying.

• Speaker #0

  No, no, they're kind of cute, actually. They look like big ol'guinea pigs.

• Speaker #2

  Aw, I love cute.

• Speaker #0

  I know.

• Speaker #2

  People, there are people there, right?

• Speaker #0

  There can be, but you know what I would do? I would call the zoo and I would say, Hey, what's your off season? I went to a zoo on a rainy day. You know what, I loved it. There wasn't a soul there.

• Speaker #2

  You do know that pneumonia is caught by being in the rain?

• Speaker #0

  Ah, I think. That for the purposes of expanding your horizons, you should hope for the best. And you, I can tell, your general constitution, you will not do anything reckless or unsafe. I feel...

• Speaker #2

  Don't get me started about the constitution. I am terrified for that thing right now.

• Speaker #0

  I don't put my thumb in that particular pie.

• Speaker #2

  Thanks, pie.

• Speaker #0

  There you go. Nothing dangerous about pie. Why don't you go and get yourself a slice of pie, Owen?

• Speaker #2

  I am gonna get up... I'm going to get myself a piece of pie and I am going to see how far I get in that process before I break down. And then I'm going to just sit on my butt and I'm going to try it again. And what could happen?

• Speaker #0

  Oh, that's just got me so, so excited. Oh, and you have an amazing night. And I hope that that is the best tasting pie because it's the first pie of the rest of your life.

• Speaker #2

  Thank you.

• Speaker #0

  Well, love that excitement. I love somebody who's got a new lease on life. Look at that brand spanking new butt. Frank, who have we got on the line?

• Speaker #1

  Well, coming up next, we have Dragos. From Rio Rancho. Hello?

• Speaker #0

  Dragos. Welcome to the show.

• Speaker #2

  Hi,

• Speaker #3

  yes. I'm calling from a payphone. I'm just trying not to wake my fiancé. So, real quick, I need your opinion. We're on our way to Vegas, and I'm having reservations about our wedding tomorrow.

• Speaker #0

  Oh, you've got cold feet.

• Speaker #3

  Yes.

• Speaker #0

  Well, what seems to be the problem?

• Speaker #3

  I asked her to marry me. I was kind of on a whim, but she said yes. Oh,

• Speaker #0

  that's wonderful.

• Speaker #3

  I literally just met her in the diner.

• Speaker #0

  You just met her just now?

• Speaker #3

  No, like two days ago.

• Speaker #0

  Oh, two days ago.

• Speaker #3

  I mean, she's great. She's great. But it's two days. And I just kind of was like, we should get married. And she's like, yes. I do like her. But the simple fact that I made a joke that she took seriously, should that not be a red flag in and of itself?

• Speaker #0

  Devil's advocate here. Somebody could also say to Becky, this guy asked you to marry him after two days. Isn't that a red flag? So how'd the joke come up?

• Speaker #3

  Well, it came up that my visa was expired. And I just made the joke that, well, you know, this could go on longer if you married me.

• Speaker #0

  On one hand, you have a whirlwind romance, and on the other hand, you have potentially going home. So what makes that so untenable?

• Speaker #3

  She's got a little bit of a foot fetish, and... I'm terribly ticklish. Just, I mean, even thinking about it right now is, oh gosh, this is why I wear army boots.

• Speaker #0

  You need something from her, which is a tremendous amount of understanding. We're going to enter into a marriage, and I have to leave behind my homeland, my place of birth, and start over with you? And you flip that. She goes, I want to get married, and I need to tickle feet for my own pleasure. I know, I know. but this is and could be not only a marriage of affection and love, but one of convenience. And what if you had a very straightforward, pragmatic conversation of Becky, I will marry you. And in exchange, you can explore your foot-related fantasies extramaritally. You could have a really modern relationship here.

• Speaker #3

  You could have an open foot relationship?

• Speaker #0

  Yeah, open from the ankles down. I think that you could build something stronger than an infatuation, and that's a partnership. Listen, you tie that knot, you have a wonderful honeymoon, you give us a call back and let us know how it goes, okay?

• Speaker #3

  I will. And I'll probably try not to keep a list of all the other feats she's seeing.

• Speaker #0

  Don't worry about that. Those tootsies are not your concern.

• Speaker #3

  Josie, thank you so much.

• Speaker #0

  You are so welcome.

• Speaker #1

  All right, Josie, I'm afraid we have to cut to the people who have footed the bill for this episode.

• Speaker #0

  What we're going to do is I'm going to step away from the mic for a second or two and we're going to play a couple of words from our sponsors. Be right back, cuties.

• Speaker #4

  Hi, I'm Christopher Gebauer, and I'm interrupting your podcast to tell you about another podcast, which is one of the more forgivable podcast interruptions if we're keeping score. I want to tell you about the newest offering from the Good Story Guild. Divorce Ranch is a six-part limited series created by Rachel Music, set in Reno, Nevada in 1949. I play Detective Francis O'Connell in this immersive, full-cast production that blends Western and Noir for a fresh take on a classic audio fiction genre. But here, take a listen to the trailer.

• Speaker #1

  Welcome to this week's episode of Divorce Ranch.

• Speaker #4

  Dearest Ma, did you know there was a place you can simply wait by a pool and be handed a divorce?

• Speaker #5

  A ranch resort where patrons stay exactly 42 days and residents are able to file for divorce.

• Speaker #1

  Amen. That's $25 for the rings, $8 for the marriage certificate.

• Speaker #0

  No redones. This is Detective O'Connell from the Chicago Police. Fireboy O'Connor. He's looking for Mitzi.

• Speaker #6

  God knows the kind of carousing that woman did each night.

• Speaker #5

  We'll find her.

• Speaker #4

  This case has taken a strange, dark turn.

• Speaker #0

  What are you doing?

• Speaker #4

  I'm investigating a missing person.

• Speaker #0

  You seem to be very thorough with your hands.

• Speaker #4

  And I fear the women of the Sidewinder may know more than they're saying.

• Speaker #0

  Every day I have to choose between the lies I can tolerate and the lies that I can't. You really had to start putting your nose where it shouldn't be.

• Speaker #4

  I'm a missing persons detective, not Philip Marlowe.

• Speaker #0

  Jeepers, are you okay? are you still with us it's no way to treat a lady god damn it sorry for being uncivil about it divorce ranch by the good story guild wherever you get your podcasts come out come out wherever you are

• Speaker #4

  I hope you check it out now let's get back to Josie and Frank okay you

• Speaker #0

  What are you doing with the lamp?

• Speaker #1

  The lighting in here sucks. Okay. I've only had some tungsten.

• Speaker #0

  Tungsten?

• Speaker #1

  This overhead light isn't going to do it. We'll make do. Here, lift your chin. Mm-hmm. Suck on your tongue.

• Speaker #0

  No.

• Speaker #1

  Mouth closed. Do you know how to smize?

• Speaker #0

  A smize?

• Speaker #1

  This isn't working. Here, just pretend I'm not here.

• Speaker #0

  Oh, if only.

• Speaker #1

  All right, come on. Is she cute?

• Speaker #0

  She's the cutest. She's got this scrunchy little smile and half a dozen freckles and these sunburnt shoulders. She looks like she could kick my ass. She looks like a hot volleyball coach in a soap opera.

• Speaker #1

  That's certainly a vibe here. Look up. Look at the mic. Look over here. Up, up, up, up.

• Speaker #0

  I'm nervous.

• Speaker #1

  Don't be. Try pounding a little. No, no, sexy pouting. Jesus, Jo.

• Speaker #0

  It's just been a while since I got my hopes up about anything. What if I... What if she thinks that I'm... Or what if she doesn't think that I'm...

• Speaker #1

  Joanne. Hey, Joanne. Possible.

• Speaker #0

  It's no good.

• Speaker #1

  No, it's... They're fine, it just... It doesn't have that same... Oh. Hey, look, we're back in ten. Come on, game face. Hey, maybe she'll call in.

• Speaker #0

  You think?

• Speaker #1

  There it is. That's the one. Oh. All right, but we're back.

• Speaker #0

  Welcome back, cuties, to Josie's Lonely Hearts Club. We are talking about seizing the day and taking action. Who else out there wants to tackle something? Frank, have we got any callers waiting?

• Speaker #1

  All right. Up next, we have Julia calling in from Grants.

• Speaker #0

  Julia from Grants, welcome to the show.

• Speaker #5

  I'm calling because there's this guy, right, at work, and I've just never had feelings like this, Josie. Like, I think it's just one of those I can't stop thinking about him, and when I see him, like, my face flushes and my stomach starts churning, and I just feel like I... I need to tell him how I feel, you know, but I've just never felt anything this big before. And so I just wanted to see what you thought of that.

• Speaker #0

  Well,

• Speaker #5

  I'm just so nervous. I mean, do I do I tell him how I feel? And what if he doesn't feel the same way? I mean, we do have to work together. And but what if he does feel the same way? That's almost scarier, you know, Josie. My real question here is, have you ever just felt something so strong like that? Something where you just... You feel like if they didn't know, you'd explode?

• Speaker #0

  Yeah, I do. It's not great to sit on big feelings like that. Has he given you any inkling that those feelings are mutual? Well,

• Speaker #5

  I don't know. I mean, he doesn't really look at me much.

• Speaker #0

  He has a little bit of a love from afar.

• Speaker #5

  Well, big feelings from afar, you know? It's just sort of a like...

• Speaker #0

  Okay, if it doesn't feel like love, what does it feel like? It's igniting this tigress in you.

• Speaker #5

  Well, I... I think I hate him. I think I hate him more than I've hated anyone in my entire life. Like I see him and, and, and like I said, it's, it's every line on his smug, stupid little face. And it's, it's when he makes his coffee, how he announces that there's soy milk in it. Like he's better than everyone else, you know? And it's the fact that when I talk to him, I have to repeat myself like two or three times. And I think I'm a very clear communicator most of the time. And he sits next to me. And it's again, it's the way he smells. I just, I can't stand it. It ignites something in my animal brain that just wants to attack him. And I just, I'm like, is it time to just tell him, tell him how I feel?

• Speaker #0

  Love and hate, they are, they're so similar. They're both rooted in. passion.

• Speaker #5

  I just want to take his face and rip it off. You know, I've never felt this way that a person was just making the world worse by existing within it.

• Speaker #0

  Is there a way that you can go to HR or an office manager and say, could my desk be moved? And you could.

• Speaker #5

  I think that's a great idea, Josie. There's only one issue with it, which is. We are the HR department.

• Speaker #0

  Oh, gosh.

• Speaker #5

  Yeah, I would be reporting a complaint to myself or to him, which feels...

• Speaker #0

  What are the things you can do within the boundaries of what is HR appropriate? I don't know. Maybe that soy milk disappears. Maybe leave a strongly worded admonition on his desk and just let him know, without a moment's rest, I see you and... I hate it.

• Speaker #5

  I do love a strongly worded admonition.

• Speaker #0

  For yourself, get out there and hit something. Go to a rage room, take up kickboxing. You've got to get this anger out of your body, all right? Or else it's going to sit there and I don't coagulate.

• Speaker #5

  That's amazing. I will look into that. Thank you so much, Josie. You always know what to say.

• Speaker #0

  Oh, Julia, thank you so much. And thanks for calling in. I wish you all the best.

• Speaker #1

  we can't look back in anger we can only look forward with joy who do we have coming up next you want to look forward with joy we have a return caller yet again who who who who um who is it it is alex calling

• Speaker #0

  in from albuquerque do you remember alex alex from albuquerque welcome welcome back to the show

• Speaker #6

  Hey, cutie. I'm just hoping you know you're appreciated.

• Speaker #0

  It does my heart good to hear you say that. Anything I can help you with tonight?

• Speaker #6

  More so I wanted to share. I used to work for this giant corporation doing contract negotiations. I started off thinking it'd feel good doing good things out there from a position of power. As I got into the job, I realized there was far more red tape and bureaucracy and NDAs than I could... actually overcome. Unfortunately, this lasted for a few years for me. I even had a life-threatening encounter that still wasn't the final straw. But I will say, when I finally left, I really vowed to always stay true to myself, to never sacrifice who I was, who I am, ever again. It's important to be honest with yourself, to be honest with the people who matter most, and be who you are, loud and proud, right?

• Speaker #0

  Exactly. You've got nothing if you don't have your authenticity. You know? Yeah.

• Speaker #6

  Josie, I'm curious how you ended up doing what you do now on this show, sharing yourself with so many of us out here.

• Speaker #0

  How did I get into the job? Well, I've always been a storyteller and I have always in my travels and in my experiences been told, gosh, you have a lovely speaking voice. And Josie's Lonely Hearts Club was born. And that is that is how I got here.

• Speaker #6

  I'm curious if I may ask a follow up question. How well do you hear your inner voice?

• Speaker #0

  Oh, my dear, I hear that inner voice in stereophonic surround sound. It is just straight from the tap, undiluted, pure Josie Heller day in and day out.

• Speaker #6

  That's really impressive. I feel like that's something that a lot of people struggle with, the quiet moments and truly hearing themselves. It's actually something I've been thinking about a lot lately. I was running from something, and I'm coming to a point in my life where I'd rather run towards something.

• Speaker #0

  It is the unmet need that motivates, and you should chase after what you want instead of fleeing what you don't.

• Speaker #6

  Right. Right.

• Speaker #1

  Yeah. Sorry, Josie. We're going to have to take a leap to the next show because our hour is coming up.

• Speaker #0

  Well, gosh, isn't that a shame? Alex, don't don't go anywhere. I just let me let me close out the show.

• Speaker #6

  You can count on me.

• Speaker #0

  All righty. Well, cuties, what a show it has been. My gosh, we've got people boldly going forth and taking the bull by the horns. Well, it's inspiring to hear and to be a part of. Keep your hot little hands off that dial because we do have another show coming up. And Frank, actually, it's, you know this, it's The Hospital Dangler.

• Speaker #1

  The Hospital Dangler, of course. Join us at KD&M for our bi-weekly series about the hospital genius who is out there solving cases and curing people by dangling them by their ankles outside the hospital window. It is unconventional. It is stirring. It's romantic. It's action-packed. And you'll laugh, you'll learn. The Hospital Dangler, starring... New Mexico's own French steward. Only on KDMM.

• Speaker #0

  Hey, are you still there?

• Speaker #6

  Yeah. Excited to hear more about this chasing after your most authentic voice in stereophonics.

• Speaker #0

  I mean, I have somewhat of a... People listen to the show because they want me to be confident. You know, they want the Josie who has all the answers.

• Speaker #6

  No, that makes sense. But I hope you have some time and spaces when you can just be you. Happy to listen to you, if that's... something that could help.

• Speaker #1

  Hey, Joanne, are there spare XLR cables in there?

• Speaker #0

  Not that I can see, Frank.

• Speaker #6

  I'm assuming I shouldn't share with your audience that your name is Joanne?

• Speaker #0

  Thanks. And yeah, I guess that particular cat's out of the bag. Yeah, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, yep.

• Speaker #6

  I think Joanne sounds great. I'm, I'm excited to get to know her.

• Speaker #0

  If you must.

• Speaker #6

  I mean, do you like Joanne?

• Speaker #0

  It's a little solipsistic to like yourself. But I'm aware I am not for everyone. So Josie is for everyone.

• Speaker #6

  It just feels a little at odds with that authentic voice being in surround sound.

• Speaker #0

  You know, I mean,

• Speaker #6

  at some point, I mean, Joanne. has got to be your choice, right? I mean, if anybody's going to choose you, it's got to start with you.

• Speaker #0

  I'm working up to it.

• Speaker #6

  Sounds like you're in a slightly different place than...

• Speaker #0

  No, that's... Okay,

• Speaker #6

  we're all on our own journey. Remind me how you got your job again. Storytelling, right? How heavily do you lean into fiction versus fact?

• Speaker #0

  I think that there is a difference between what is factual And what is true, always true.

• Speaker #6

  Wow, I feel like I'm a... under NDA again, like there's some, some spinning going on here.

• Speaker #0

  I'm not trying to spin anything. It's just sometimes we learn more from a story because that's how you just said, you know, I want to do good from a place of power. I'm trying to do good from a place of power in the little snow globe that I have.

• Speaker #6

  Is it you? Have you ever actually done-have you ever actually been yourself? Have you done the good?

• Speaker #0

  Alex, I don't understand how I keep striking out. I am doing my goddamn best here.

• Speaker #6

  I don't know. I mean, character's only so good without integrity. Look, I guess bottom line is, you know, am I still an audience member here, or have you ever been honest with me?

• Speaker #0

  I am. I am. honest with you. Um, in so far as I can. Oh, shit. Uh, wow.

• Speaker #6

  Okay. Uh, sounds like you've, uh, if that needs a lot of thinking through, then let me know when you get to get to know Joanne a little better. And I'd love to meet her too. Uh, until then, um, good night, Josie.

• Speaker #0

  All right.

• Speaker #1

  Hey, Joanne. You tell Alex that once I have her email, Addie, that photo will be out to her lickety-split.

• Speaker #0

  What the hell did you do?

• Speaker #1

  What do you mean, what did I do?

• Speaker #0

  You blew my cover.

• Speaker #1

  Cover? Do you hear yourself?

• Speaker #0

  So now Alex thinks I'm lying to her just because you- You were lying!

• Speaker #1

  What? You didn't even tell her your name? Yeah,

• Speaker #0

  well forgive me for having some defenses up. Because nobody has ever met Joanne and said, Oh, fascinating, tell me more. So I help people and I use Josie to do that. That's who Alex met. So why are you two punishing me for the only thing I'm good at?

• Speaker #1

  That is not what I'm saying, and I bet it's not what she's saying, and you know it. You don't trust yourself to be the person you are on your freaking driver's license to a woman that you're supposedly, I can't stop thinking about her, but I'm not going to tell her my name?

• Speaker #0

  I trusted that she might understand. I trusted that as time went on, she'd know I was working out.

• Speaker #1

  Oh, yeah, sure, sure. How are you ever going to get to that next stage of the relationship where it's all honesty and butterflies if you can't stop pretending who you are?

• Speaker #0

  Where do you get off telling me how to do anything? Who suddenly made you the authority on my love life?

• Speaker #1

  You know what? No.

• Speaker #0

  You're right.

• Speaker #1

  I'm not. But I'll tell you one thing, Joe. People out there, your audience, yeah, they might have a very special personal relationship with Josie Heller. But the people in Joanne's life, all we get is... Whatever warmed up leftovers you leave on the plate, Josie's spare parts. You know, I've seen you twice a week for a year. And then you show me a picture from three years ago. And I don't know who the hell I'm looking at. And it's not your hair. And it's not your makeup. I just look at her and I don't know who this person is.

• Speaker #0

  That's right. You don't. And since we're strangers, I don't think I owe you one more second of my free time. But you want to know why you don't recognize the woman in that photo?

• Speaker #1

  it's because she had people who loved her it's because she let people get in oh save it i'm off the clock go got credits to do hey cuties it's josie's lonely hearts club it was created by maximilian clark and rachel music there are colors tonight included the talents of danielle cohen matt monday shane salk sarah allen our story editor is eliza bruger the podcast is brought to you by the good story guild and you know if you've been listening to the show and you like it why don't you leave a review maybe we'll find out who you are okay all right i'm going you stick around and listen to whatever stupid podcast you have