From UFOs to psychic powers and government conspiracies. History is riddled with unexplained events. You can turn back now or learn the stuff they don't want you to know. Phil Comman, my name is Matt. They called me Ben you are you? And that makes this stuff they don't want you to know. This is a very special episode. Dan, you really whipped on our whole German theme we had going, Okay, I'll do um at least do a bad Kennedy German accent. When Za called me, that's pretty good. That was good. Don't know the Kennedy German thing that you're talking about, ben I Bella, the old knit you you heard that story, right, I don't know. Uh well, uh well, Mr President. Uh The story is that when you were in Berlin, you gave a speech where you meant to say, I too am a resident of Berlin, but what you did instead was I too am a specific type of doughnut. That's awesome. Yeah, I can't remember if that's true or if that's just a myth. He said he was like a crueler or something. I guess I'm staring at no because only used to live in draining Yeah, I'm staring you because you used to live in Germany. I was a child, so for us, I did not consume the news for the purposes of this podcast. You are now our official German correspondent and expert. I reject that distinction. All right, it's pretty great. So, as you guys can see, we have nothing for you today. Oh yeah, we have We have nothing ordinary for you. Is that good? Because this is uh, this is a big, big week for us through um, some accident or or fate, some metaphysical clockwork of the heavens and the firmament. Uh. It turns out that Matt, Noel and I all have a very close birthdays. And as a matter of fact, while we are in the studio here along with of course our super producer Alex Williams, it is Noel Brown's birthday as we record this. Happy birthday, No, happy, happy New Year. Man. It's birthdays are super important. It's the only New Year person gets. I don't think you're forty. That's it. This is what I tell people so that they can tell me how good I look. That's a great strategy. Four. It's like you look like trash. And I'm pretty happy with thirty four. It's been a good. It's been a good day. You're great. Yeah. I went and had some hangs with friends last night. You were there, yea, and you were there. You were there, Alex was there. Actually you weren't there. You were you were getting in on a flight. Yeah, because I was celebrating my birthday in a way. Yeah, we all celebrate in our own and that you had a birthday just a few days ago. Yeah, yeah, I celebrated mine with some red label. I just won't go too much into detail. If you know what that is, that's what it is. And uh yeah it was delicious. It's very cryptic, mysterious. You know. It was scotch. Is it like a Johnny Walker? Yeah, I didn't want to say I'm drinking a bunch of scotch. You are a man, totally id gender thing, and it's meant you're you know, you're of age, you have you have agency, you are, in fact forty six, forty six and a half. You look great. You what is your secret? Well, the secrets mostly sungred day. The youngs oh oh good, okay, that's what we had thought it would be. Plus he has a touch of the Benjamin button. Yeah, a touch of the button and Uh, and so we all have our we all have our birthdays going on and in the past, during and let's say, momentous occasions like Halloween or something that we would get together and typically under the direction of our parent company, Illumination Global Unlimited, we would present some sort of story or a tale or a listener mail that you may have sent in and uh. For this episode, we decided to make a little story of our own. Used it looks everybody been selling it short a little bit. This is a fantastic story that Ben specifically wrote to celebrate his birthday and our birthday. Yeah, and we had no idea what was coming table read. It was very professional. It was a beautiful thing that came together two kinds. It was great. And you know, I won't say when your birthday is been, but it's very close to a time you're listening to right now. Now everybody's going to assume it's related to the eclipse. It's not. But yes, so yes, we put this together. And luckily, Matt Noel, obviously you guys are two of my closest friends. And I still don't know how you put up with this, uh, with this last second stuff that I end up pooling sometime. Well it's mostly on Alex. It is a lot. I mean, you're getting some resentful nodes. He's like, oh, you want me to do some more sound design problem? Right? Uh. So we have this story for you and we hope you enjoy it. I also, I think we shall also point out that we have other stuff we can create. If you guys enjoy fictional stories, We're not going to do it all the time, special occasion, you know what I mean. And we also have a ton of fantastically talented other people coworkers that are featured in this. Yeah. I don't know if if anyone's noticed, but the stuff they don't want you to know team has sort of grown a little bit, well actually the whole how stuff works team. But we're lucky enough to be able to tap two of these folks, and Alex and Tristan they have been helping us out a lot. Yeah, you'd probably hear us dropping their names from time to time. So you're definitely gonna hear super producer Alex in this story. And apparently Tristan tells Ben he loves him. I think we cut that part. Yeah, I'm still gonna say so. You'll also you'll also hear some other collaborators of ours. Right, long time listeners will recognize uh lord, vogel bomb, and any recent food stuff fame. You know, you'll probably be able to tell who's Yeah, oh boy, we've already said too much. So let's let's h cut past the cheesecake and let's cut the cheese. That's the most awful like euphemism for a fart, because it makes cheese seem gross. Yeah, it's really unfair to cheese. Well, I don't know what you guys, but I'm getting a little hungry. Is anybody interested in I don't know, hitting up a food joining or something. Every night in cities and towns across America, the same conversation takes place. But where did these hungry diners turn for a convenient burger and an easy beverage? Standing in front of the fast food friar like the ferryman before the river sticks fast food employees, Sam Sullivan is about to learn that some combo meal deals come with much more than the side of fries and a coke. Hello, Sam, it's uncle Roy. Listen. Have you heard from Amanda? No, she was supposed to go to your place tonight. Right, It's just that I haven't heard from her yet and it's getting late. I texted and called, but there was no response. Hey, no phones at work, sam Come on, keep it moving, do the work. Look, I'm sure she's fine. Okay. Maybe she went to a movie or a holiday party or something. I hope. So it's just with all the stuff in the news lately, you never know what. Because she's fine. Look, I have to get going. Could you just send me a text when she gets there? Okay, Well, thanks, Uncle Roy. Back to work, then, welcome to beasels Burgers. How may I help you? Samuel Slim, just the man I was looking for. Good evening, sir, evening? Hello? Can I help you with your order? Yes, let's see, I'll have a blackened goat chord. I'm sorry, I mean I'll have an apple cobbler. Yes, if that's also your total is dollar ten? Yeah? Please drive around to the second window. Okay, here, sir, are you all right? What of the chains? Pay no mind, Samuel, I have something very important to tell you. How do you know my name? No time? Listen and listen closely. Years ago you made a promise and a bargain, and now this promise comes due tonight. You will be visited by three spirits. Not all wish you well, but you must answer each question, each request, and you must remember ultimately how you answer is up to you. The choices will always and only be your own. Ah okay, yeah sure, pal, but spirits or no spirits. The apple cobbler here is still a dollar ten. This should suffice, remember, Samuel, the choices are your own. Dude. Those real silver dollars? Uh, well, you know, I think so? Hey, did you get a loaded that guy? No? No, no, I didn't see anyone. Was he weird? You know? Christmas man Holidays brings out the freaks. He was trying to do some sort of bit or something. I guess, Hang on a sex, Sam, Those silver dollars from eighteen oh four, well the store can still take them, right, Well, yeah, but we should totally switch them out. I mean, you got any ones? I think so? Yeah? Here's here's two bucks, and as assistant manager, I declare that I'll take one consider at a finders feed. Are these worth like money? Like money money? Keep kidding me? Yes, yes, Sam, these old coins are worth at least their weight in silver, probably more. But how did that guy know my name? Who cares? Look whoever he is? That nut job just paid us hundreds of dollars for a preheated cobbler. Welcome to beasels Burgers. Would you care to try our spit roasted Bub's glutton grille? Oh? That does sound nice, intellectable in fact, yes, I do care to try one. Oh and the number three as well. Huh? And and to drink or tears milk? No, no, sir, I'm afraid we do not. I'll have an orange fan to that. Okay, that'll be eight dollars and cents. Please drive around to the second wind Sam, Sam Sullivan. It's so wonderful to see you again. I'm sorry. Have we met? Oh? Yes, but it was a long time ago. I think that's the phrase you'd use back before your parents were born or their parents, back when everything was dark. I don't know if you remember now, but it usually comes back to everyone in time. Uh sure, okay, fine, whatever, Here we go. One orange fanto, one bub scletton grill, and a number three with fries perfect. A one more thing? Yes? Could you spit in it? What could you spit in the bag as a favor? I'm not sure that's a good idea, sir, not idea, so I'm not sure. Spit in the bag? Okay, Jesus all right, that'll still be eight dollars and cents here keep the change. How about I give you something else, Sam, as a tip. Your daughter isn't at the movies. She isn't at a holiday party? Are you a friend of Amanda's? A friend of everyone's? At the end, it's just another beginning. What perfect, my my, what a time we're having, remember Sam, that's the thing about kids, They're never wear you think. Hey, Tim, Yeah, I'm starting to get a weird feeling a little under the weather. Is Is there anyone else we could call in? And I'm afraid not, Man, it's just you and me on the graveyard shift till dawn. You want some ass bread and some coffee, some cocaine? Uh? No, I appreciate it, but I think I just need to take a restroom break. Can you keep your eye on the drive through for a second? Yeah? Sure, why not? M Hi, you've reached Amanda. I'm not able to get to the phone right now, so yeah, leave me a message. Okay, Bye, Hi mandyts Dad. I'm just calling to check in. Uncle Roy said he hasn't heard from you. Could you send us a text when you get this? All right? Bye? Love you. Did anyone come through? Nope? I guess the fans are all waiting for you, buddy whatever. Welcome to beasls Burgers. May I interest you in an as a FROs frapp or a pale horseman's moothie. You're in now? Are never bothered out? And look, lady, I don't know who you people are, what the hell you think is so funny? But I am going to call the cops on you tonight. I don't think you understand what's happening here. I'll come around. That's been here, I'll show you something. Call your manager over what's his name? Tim? Hello? Tim? Hey? Tim? Yeah? Here, I'll try again, Tim. Oh, Tim, I know what happened to your parakeets, Smarty remember her? The feathers were so soft, the snaps so surprising. Dude, I said, yeah, you don't hear that. No one can hear us, Sam, not unless they're already touched by the dark, Unless you mean the friar or the a c Then no, Sam, I did not hear that. What is up? Come check this out? At the window. I'm telling you, Sam, it doesn't matter. Watch I'm waving, see me waving? A very human thing to do, like remembering to blink? What am I supposed to be looking at? Sam? Could you close the window? Could you close the window? Please? Don't let all the heat out? Are you seriously telling me you're in on this? You know what? That is pretty dumb, even for you, man, you tell him Sam, Look, man, maybe you really are into the weather or something. I know, working on the holidays it sucks, but it's time and a half and I got no one else to fill in here, So just could you try and take it easy for me? Please? Giving me a heart attack here? It's been a ghost town all night. We haven't seen a single customer since what the silver dollar guy. We're basically being paid to sit on our butts here for a few hours. Can you just hang please? You're telling me that you cannot see her. There is no one to see Sam, Jesus, man, would you get it together? I'm going to grab a smoke now. You can't trust the others, but you can trust me. I want to make a deal with you, Sam Sullivan, a better deal than the one you made before I never made a deal with anyone. Oh, yes, yes you did. Maybe you didn't know it, but the deal was made nonetheless, and now we'll make a new one. I will give you a prophecy, and you will give me a keepsake. Hey, look, I'm not sure if I understand the reliquary. Yes, that's the word. Your grandfather's pocket watch. Do you remember the one you gave Amanda when she graduated high school? How did you know about the pocket watch? Reach into your pocket, Sam, that's where pocket watches belong, isn't it How? Oh my god? Here it is. But but it wasn't here a second ago. And there wasn't all that blood drying on it either. I imagine. I don't know what sort of game you people are playing, but I promise you give me the watch, give me the reliquary, and I will help you find your daughter. Okay, here the agreement is sealed. M heed me close, Oh mortal, These three things I prophecy. You will find one thing lost, you will lose one thing found, and your choice in the end will be wrong. Hey wait, what the hell? God damn it. Welcome to beasels Burgher's. How may I help you? Mandy, Where where have you been? Your uncle Roy and I have been calling you all night. I'm not sure where I am at, just sort of floating. I can come and ask you for something, yet, just drive around and meet me at the window. But I can't drive around. I read the car. I'm sorry it was a sharp turn and I wasn't drunker or anything that I was probably driving too fast and then getting down into the lake. I think Vanessa got out, but I'm not sure. Amanda, are you open? I only have a little time. I wanted to ask you for a memory. Do you remember when Mom was alive, back when the chemo took over, and we sat by the bedside night and day waiting, listening. Remember all those things you thought but never told anyone, how death has a sound and a smell and an I Do you remember how at Granny Hospital used to take me on field trips through the cafeteria and to Georgia State and at pizza place to keep me from saying Mom right after the latest treatment. Remember how we would both fake sleep sometimes just watching her, watching a shallow breath, wondering if her chest would rise again, or if that in Holly Shan the one we just saw would be her last. This isn't real, that's what you've said to that part. I remember at the memory. I want from you. Where is it there? So I am at Mom's bedside and greedy. You're praying, you're praying, Dear God, were God's were Hell or whoever's bothering to listen? Keep them safe? Please please, at least keep Manty safe. I'll do I'll do anything. And there you were alone, shot an in a room with flickering a low light, fluorescent bulbs that wash everything in a sick green hue, watching Mom die. But you weren't. No one ever really is. There are ears and eyes and hands all around us in the dark. But you reached out Dad, and so did the Mandy a choice of now'll be back. I'm no wait, Mandy, Amanda, Well, my friend, here we find ourselves again, wheels within wheels. I trust you've enjoyed your new acquaintances. Listen, you can't leave, Samuel. If you try to open the doors, you'll find them stuck fast. Should you crawl through the window, you'll find you cannot fit. Listen, Listen, close, and listen. Well, your daughter is in the hospital as we speak. Three floors down, in fact, from the same room where your wife passed into our arms, where you and I first met. And I am, as they say, a creature of my word? Why can't I move a small precaution only to make sure I have your full attention? Where where we are? Yes, Amanda Sullivan, currently comatose, brain dead and doomed. How many missed calls from Roy? I wonder will it haunt you years from now? The calls you missed while you were speaking with a ghost. That's what your daughter is now. But we can bring her back, Samuel, as we agreed, all you have to do is choose, Oh God, the phone, choose, choose what choose? Who will take her place? Of course nature? After all, the phores a vacuum here. I'll make it easy for you. The next person who comes to your window can be your sacrifice, your tribute to the dark. What do I have to do? All you have to do, Samuel is say yes, I will hear you. Welcome to beasls Burgers. How many? How may I help you? M hm? Another side is FOD customer Come around, then, says FOD customer. When well, When well? When well? Another size FOD customer coming around thenother side, fod customer? When will when? Well? When? Well, yeah, and there you have it, a story of morals. I would say, well, what do you think Samuel learned? Nol um, don't don't spit in the bag. That's what I learned. That's what I learned. That was one of my favorite parts. Actually, I think it's a great part. But don't spit in the bag. If a creeper runs up on you and you saw, do it when no one's looking, Like if someone asked me to do it, I would. I would probably do it. When do you? Yeah, what's when are you gonna get that opportunity? Yeah? You gotta live. But he was so forceful, like spit in the back. He obviously wanted something right, something maybe even more than spit. And we just talked about d n A right, that's true. That point point that you make come on, well, well, you know, I don't know if he learns anything. We don't know what he decides to do. That's true. So I guess the question for the listeners is what would you decide to do if you were if you were somehow in that situation, Well, to save your daughter, I mean I think unfortunately, I know what I would do. Spen the bag, wouldn't you. I've definitely spit in the bag, and I would say welcome to Beaselsberger's pull on through to the second window, and you know, see what happens, although it would probably end up being you know, a parent there's got it. You know, there's always a twist. Yeah, exactly, Very oh, Henry, I think this may be one of the first times you played a villain. Yeah. I was feeling it. I was enjoying myself. Although you know, my favorite part is when Alex was on this very Mike and actually was on our show. I think that that made me really happy. Yeah, and we're doing a bang up job. No less, Yeah, yeah, no less. And most importantly, we hope that you enjoyed the show at least a fraction as much as we enjoyed making it. And I want to say, Noel, no offense to anyone, but I really liked your assistant manager. Yeah. I really try to embody the role. Uh, you know, really live out my cantankerous curmudgeon lee old man kind of like dream. It's just such a it's just such a perfect jerk line for someone to be annoyed by having said yeah twice, I said, yeah, but it was the it was the were the gold coins or silver coins? The silver dollars from eighteen o four actually worth a quite a bit of money. It's silver dollars. And and of course, uh, this, this sort of stuff would not happen without the most important part of the show, which is you, not general you, specifically you listening to this now, and me yes, also specifically you, which reminds us it's time for chat at corners. Our first message comes from Luke, who says, I live near the beautiful Ocala, Florida, which for years has been a prime spot for rainbow gatherings. Oh boy, you guys, here we go, all right, saying every February people come from all over the US to meet there in the National Forest on Valentine's Day. The annual rainbow gathering is in full swing to welcome people home to pray, chant and send positive vibes towards the mutual goal of world peace. Now that is a great goal, I think, I mean all the always says you're correcting. Assuming there's no background checks to join up on the crew, and there are many runaway street kids and people with warrants hanging out and in the ranks. There's also a bunch of not safe for work nudity, but in my experience it's mostly been old hippies and young feral children running around. Oh, feral children, fal children. When I last attended to gathering, my then girlfriend now wife and I brought oranges as a gift to share with those we came in contact with. The oranges went quick and we were hugged almost every one hundred feet. Everyone we encountered was extremely friendly and welcoming, but being an avid listener of the show, I'm suspicious of everyone and cautious to not eat anything offered to me. But you know, Luke doesn't mind offering out oranges. Well, he does, but the other people don't. I love the show, and I found the Mars thought experiment very interesting. I couldn't help thinking that any colonization attempts on Mars would be similar to the PlayStation two game Red Faction, which is a fantastic game, Luke, and inevitably there would be no equal treatment, just the ruling class in the working class on the planet who would find out they are seen as expendable stepping stones for the rich. Keep up the great work. Luke uh if you guys, have you guys ever heard of red faction like red faction back in the day. Yeah? Cool. So it's like a sandbox he kind of game, right, Yes, exactly, And it's based on destruction of buildings. But the whole idea of the plot is that on Mars you've basically got miners and scrappers and then the wealthy people that control the minds and the scrappings. Well, for our next shout out, I have one from Kent. Maybe it's ken f It's all there's no space, so I'm gonna call him Kent. I like it. Let's see how he signed it. Now it's ken Man to let down Apollo eleven and Yugoslavian engineers as the subject. Guys, I just watched Houston We have a problem and never knew there was a conspiracy theory regarding the Apollo program and Yugoslavia. The comment that a debt was owed to the US with repayment being tied to the infamous Ugo automobile was the icing on the cake. Have you done or could you investigate this odd claim in your typical deep dive fashion? Then we seemed complete. However, I suspect there is more to the story. Great show. Thanks for years of interesting discussions. Can that's cool? Yeah, the UGO in and of itself is a is a neat story, right then, Yeah, the the UGO of the vehicle, Yeah, yeah, yeah, we have a if you're interested in were the one that exploded when you hit it or something like that, like it was because of the location of the engine or something, location of the gas tank. There maybe a couple of those. Yeah. So you can learn more about the difficulties with some of the cars produced under the communist era if you go to car stuff and check out uh, I think cars behind the Iron Curtain. Yeah, Iron curtain cars, uh, and they have I have some pretty interesting stuff there. But I will say not every not every car they put put out during that era was bad. Well, I want to know what the connection is to Apollo eleven. So yeah, we gotta check out this movie and maybe we can. I don't know. I mean, we can doing these interviews later, we can get the filmmaker. That'd be pretty cool. We shall do. Yeah, thank you for that recommendation, and also let us know what you guys think of the interviews if if they seem to your cup of tea, it seems like people are enjoying them. For the most part. We're trying to spread it out to where you have kind of a traditional episode that we do three of us in the studio and then bring somebody else in every once in a while. It's fun for us, we have it's fun for you because we learned a ton, Like really, we learned so much. When we have somebody else in here, and we got a couple of real cool ones coming up and then near future that are already in they can yeah. Yeah, yeah, we've been doing our homework. We've been we have been Honors students. You know, we've been. We've been working at it. So we have one more shout out for today and it is from Michael z. Michael says, Hi, just looking up stuff on Instagram and can't remember if you guys have done a podcast on the Man from toll Red. If not, I think it would make a good show, short and sweetened to the point. Michael Z, um, this is this is a very interesting tale. Have you guys heard of the Man from trod Yes, we did an episode video episode on it. Part of THEEO. So the legend is there's this guy who lands in Japan. Um. I think, Michael, you maybe had perhaps you were inspired by our utsuro Bune episode. But there's a guy who lands in a Japanese airport. He has a passport that no one recognizes. He claims he's from a country called tared and all of his according to the story, all of his stuff looks real, and the people encountered him began to think that perhaps he was from a parallel dimension or another universe just slightly tilted to the left of our own. But there is no confirmed primary source of this. There's no It's of like Barren Stein, Barren Stein Bears, you know, Barren stain Um. But it is. It is interesting. Michael. I'm gonna dig in and see if I can just send you the link to our video, maybe the one about mysterious disappearances. So I will send that to you, and thanks for asking about it. I wonder if we could do an audio podcast about mysterious disappearances. It just gets very dark, you know, like Eliza Lamb that that bothered me. Yea, that means more so than I think almost any we've done, just because it was so fresh kind of and like the evidence that's out there, like that video is just very chilling. That was a that was an interesting one. But then you know, I guess we did that. The one of the National Parks disappearance one right is dark as well. Um, but yeah, I think anytime you're talking about people just vanishing into thin air, it's always a little bit disturbing. And send us your examples or things that you think your fellow listeners would like to hear in the future. This concludes ours but not our show, Never Fear. Matt, Noel and I will return next week with something completely different, maybe an interview, maybe an episode where we dive deep on one of your suggestions. There's only one way to find out, well, they're they're like probably several ways. I'm sure you could ask someone you know who also listens to the show, but the easiest way to find out will be to tune in wherever you get your podcast. In the meantime, you can find every audio or video episode we've ever done on our website Deep Breath stuff they don't want you to know dot Com not that long, really, it feels long. Y'all can also hit me up on my beeper at two two two to nine area code, so find us right to us. We are conspiracy at how stuff works dot com, m

From UFOs to psychic powers and government conspiracies. History is riddled with unexplained events. You can turn back now or learn the stuff they don't want you to know. Phil Comman, my name is Matt. They called me Ben you are you? And that makes this stuff they don't want you to know. This is a very special episode. Dan, you really whipped on our whole German theme we had going, Okay, I'll do um at least do a bad Kennedy German accent. When Za called me, that's pretty good. That was good. Don't know the Kennedy German thing that you're talking about, ben I Bella, the old knit you you heard that story, right, I don't know. Uh well, uh well, Mr President. Uh The story is that when you were in Berlin, you gave a speech where you meant to say, I too am a resident of Berlin, but what you did instead was I too am a specific type of doughnut. That's awesome. Yeah, I can't remember if that's true or if that's just a myth. He said he was like a crueler or something. I guess I'm staring at no because only used to live in draining Yeah, I'm staring you because you used to live in Germany. I was a child, so for us, I did not consume the news for the purposes of this podcast. You are now our official German correspondent and expert. I reject that distinction. All right, it's pretty great. So, as you guys can see, we have nothing for you today. Oh yeah, we have We have nothing ordinary for you. Is that good? Because this is uh, this is a big, big week for us through um, some accident or or fate, some metaphysical clockwork of the heavens and the firmament. Uh. It turns out that Matt, Noel and I all have a very close birthdays. And as a matter of fact, while we are in the studio here along with of course our super producer Alex Williams, it is Noel Brown's birthday as we record this. Happy birthday, No, happy, happy New Year. Man. It's birthdays are super important. It's the only New Year person gets. I don't think you're forty. That's it. This is what I tell people so that they can tell me how good I look. That's a great strategy. Four. It's like you look like trash. And I'm pretty happy with thirty four. It's been a good. It's been a good day. You're great. Yeah. I went and had some hangs with friends last night. You were there, yea, and you were there. You were there, Alex was there. Actually you weren't there. You were you were getting in on a flight. Yeah, because I was celebrating my birthday in a way. Yeah, we all celebrate in our own and that you had a birthday just a few days ago. Yeah, yeah, I celebrated mine with some red label. I just won't go too much into detail. If you know what that is, that's what it is. And uh yeah it was delicious. It's very cryptic, mysterious. You know. It was scotch. Is it like a Johnny Walker? Yeah, I didn't want to say I'm drinking a bunch of scotch. You are a man, totally id gender thing, and it's meant you're you know, you're of age, you have you have agency, you are, in fact forty six, forty six and a half. You look great. You what is your secret? Well, the secrets mostly sungred day. The youngs oh oh good, okay, that's what we had thought it would be. Plus he has a touch of the Benjamin button. Yeah, a touch of the button and Uh, and so we all have our we all have our birthdays going on and in the past, during and let's say, momentous occasions like Halloween or something that we would get together and typically under the direction of our parent company, Illumination Global Unlimited, we would present some sort of story or a tale or a listener mail that you may have sent in and uh. For this episode, we decided to make a little story of our own. Used it looks everybody been selling it short a little bit. This is a fantastic story that Ben specifically wrote to celebrate his birthday and our birthday. Yeah, and we had no idea what was coming table read. It was very professional. It was a beautiful thing that came together two kinds. It was great. And you know, I won't say when your birthday is been, but it's very close to a time you're listening to right now. Now everybody's going to assume it's related to the eclipse. It's not. But yes, so yes, we put this together. And luckily, Matt Noel, obviously you guys are two of my closest friends. And I still don't know how you put up with this, uh, with this last second stuff that I end up pooling sometime. Well it's mostly on Alex. It is a lot. I mean, you're getting some resentful nodes. He's like, oh, you want me to do some more sound design problem? Right? Uh. So we have this story for you and we hope you enjoy it. I also, I think we shall also point out that we have other stuff we can create. If you guys enjoy fictional stories, We're not going to do it all the time, special occasion, you know what I mean. And we also have a ton of fantastically talented other people coworkers that are featured in this. Yeah. I don't know if if anyone's noticed, but the stuff they don't want you to know team has sort of grown a little bit, well actually the whole how stuff works team. But we're lucky enough to be able to tap two of these folks, and Alex and Tristan they have been helping us out a lot. Yeah, you'd probably hear us dropping their names from time to time. So you're definitely gonna hear super producer Alex in this story. And apparently Tristan tells Ben he loves him. I think we cut that part. Yeah, I'm still gonna say so. You'll also you'll also hear some other collaborators of ours. Right, long time listeners will recognize uh lord, vogel bomb, and any recent food stuff fame. You know, you'll probably be able to tell who's Yeah, oh boy, we've already said too much. So let's let's h cut past the cheesecake and let's cut the cheese. That's the most awful like euphemism for a fart, because it makes cheese seem gross. Yeah, it's really unfair to cheese. Well, I don't know what you guys, but I'm getting a little hungry. Is anybody interested in I don't know, hitting up a food joining or something. Every night in cities and towns across America, the same conversation takes place. But where did these hungry diners turn for a convenient burger and an easy beverage? Standing in front of the fast food friar like the ferryman before the river sticks fast food employees, Sam Sullivan is about to learn that some combo meal deals come with much more than the side of fries and a coke. Hello, Sam, it's uncle Roy. Listen. Have you heard from Amanda? No, she was supposed to go to your place tonight. Right, It's just that I haven't heard from her yet and it's getting late. I texted and called, but there was no response. Hey, no phones at work, sam Come on, keep it moving, do the work. Look, I'm sure she's fine. Okay. Maybe she went to a movie or a holiday party or something. I hope. So it's just with all the stuff in the news lately, you never know what. Because she's fine. Look, I have to get going. Could you just send me a text when she gets there? Okay, Well, thanks, Uncle Roy. Back to work, then, welcome to beasels Burgers. How may I help you? Samuel Slim, just the man I was looking for. Good evening, sir, evening? Hello? Can I help you with your order? Yes, let's see, I'll have a blackened goat chord. I'm sorry, I mean I'll have an apple cobbler. Yes, if that's also your total is dollar ten? Yeah? Please drive around to the second window. Okay, here, sir, are you all right? What of the chains? Pay no mind, Samuel, I have something very important to tell you. How do you know my name? No time? Listen and listen closely. Years ago you made a promise and a bargain, and now this promise comes due tonight. You will be visited by three spirits. Not all wish you well, but you must answer each question, each request, and you must remember ultimately how you answer is up to you. The choices will always and only be your own. Ah okay, yeah sure, pal, but spirits or no spirits. The apple cobbler here is still a dollar ten. This should suffice, remember, Samuel, the choices are your own. Dude. Those real silver dollars? Uh, well, you know, I think so? Hey, did you get a loaded that guy? No? No, no, I didn't see anyone. Was he weird? You know? Christmas man Holidays brings out the freaks. He was trying to do some sort of bit or something. I guess, Hang on a sex, Sam, Those silver dollars from eighteen oh four, well the store can still take them, right, Well, yeah, but we should totally switch them out. I mean, you got any ones? I think so? Yeah? Here's here's two bucks, and as assistant manager, I declare that I'll take one consider at a finders feed. Are these worth like money? Like money money? Keep kidding me? Yes, yes, Sam, these old coins are worth at least their weight in silver, probably more. But how did that guy know my name? Who cares? Look whoever he is? That nut job just paid us hundreds of dollars for a preheated cobbler. Welcome to beasels Burgers. Would you care to try our spit roasted Bub's glutton grille? Oh? That does sound nice, intellectable in fact, yes, I do care to try one. Oh and the number three as well. Huh? And and to drink or tears milk? No, no, sir, I'm afraid we do not. I'll have an orange fan to that. Okay, that'll be eight dollars and cents. Please drive around to the second wind Sam, Sam Sullivan. It's so wonderful to see you again. I'm sorry. Have we met? Oh? Yes, but it was a long time ago. I think that's the phrase you'd use back before your parents were born or their parents, back when everything was dark. I don't know if you remember now, but it usually comes back to everyone in time. Uh sure, okay, fine, whatever, Here we go. One orange fanto, one bub scletton grill, and a number three with fries perfect. A one more thing? Yes? Could you spit in it? What could you spit in the bag as a favor? I'm not sure that's a good idea, sir, not idea, so I'm not sure. Spit in the bag? Okay, Jesus all right, that'll still be eight dollars and cents here keep the change. How about I give you something else, Sam, as a tip. Your daughter isn't at the movies. She isn't at a holiday party? Are you a friend of Amanda's? A friend of everyone's? At the end, it's just another beginning. What perfect, my my, what a time we're having, remember Sam, that's the thing about kids, They're never wear you think. Hey, Tim, Yeah, I'm starting to get a weird feeling a little under the weather. Is Is there anyone else we could call in? And I'm afraid not, Man, it's just you and me on the graveyard shift till dawn. You want some ass bread and some coffee, some cocaine? Uh? No, I appreciate it, but I think I just need to take a restroom break. Can you keep your eye on the drive through for a second? Yeah? Sure, why not? M Hi, you've reached Amanda. I'm not able to get to the phone right now, so yeah, leave me a message. Okay, Bye, Hi mandyts Dad. I'm just calling to check in. Uncle Roy said he hasn't heard from you. Could you send us a text when you get this? All right? Bye? Love you. Did anyone come through? Nope? I guess the fans are all waiting for you, buddy whatever. Welcome to beasls Burgers. May I interest you in an as a FROs frapp or a pale horseman's moothie. You're in now? Are never bothered out? And look, lady, I don't know who you people are, what the hell you think is so funny? But I am going to call the cops on you tonight. I don't think you understand what's happening here. I'll come around. That's been here, I'll show you something. Call your manager over what's his name? Tim? Hello? Tim? Hey? Tim? Yeah? Here, I'll try again, Tim. Oh, Tim, I know what happened to your parakeets, Smarty remember her? The feathers were so soft, the snaps so surprising. Dude, I said, yeah, you don't hear that. No one can hear us, Sam, not unless they're already touched by the dark, Unless you mean the friar or the a c Then no, Sam, I did not hear that. What is up? Come check this out? At the window. I'm telling you, Sam, it doesn't matter. Watch I'm waving, see me waving? A very human thing to do, like remembering to blink? What am I supposed to be looking at? Sam? Could you close the window? Could you close the window? Please? Don't let all the heat out? Are you seriously telling me you're in on this? You know what? That is pretty dumb, even for you, man, you tell him Sam, Look, man, maybe you really are into the weather or something. I know, working on the holidays it sucks, but it's time and a half and I got no one else to fill in here, So just could you try and take it easy for me? Please? Giving me a heart attack here? It's been a ghost town all night. We haven't seen a single customer since what the silver dollar guy. We're basically being paid to sit on our butts here for a few hours. Can you just hang please? You're telling me that you cannot see her. There is no one to see Sam, Jesus, man, would you get it together? I'm going to grab a smoke now. You can't trust the others, but you can trust me. I want to make a deal with you, Sam Sullivan, a better deal than the one you made before I never made a deal with anyone. Oh, yes, yes you did. Maybe you didn't know it, but the deal was made nonetheless, and now we'll make a new one. I will give you a prophecy, and you will give me a keepsake. Hey, look, I'm not sure if I understand the reliquary. Yes, that's the word. Your grandfather's pocket watch. Do you remember the one you gave Amanda when she graduated high school? How did you know about the pocket watch? Reach into your pocket, Sam, that's where pocket watches belong, isn't it How? Oh my god? Here it is. But but it wasn't here a second ago. And there wasn't all that blood drying on it either. I imagine. I don't know what sort of game you people are playing, but I promise you give me the watch, give me the reliquary, and I will help you find your daughter. Okay, here the agreement is sealed. M heed me close, Oh mortal, These three things I prophecy. You will find one thing lost, you will lose one thing found, and your choice in the end will be wrong. Hey wait, what the hell? God damn it. Welcome to beasels Burgher's. How may I help you? Mandy, Where where have you been? Your uncle Roy and I have been calling you all night. I'm not sure where I am at, just sort of floating. I can come and ask you for something, yet, just drive around and meet me at the window. But I can't drive around. I read the car. I'm sorry it was a sharp turn and I wasn't drunker or anything that I was probably driving too fast and then getting down into the lake. I think Vanessa got out, but I'm not sure. Amanda, are you open? I only have a little time. I wanted to ask you for a memory. Do you remember when Mom was alive, back when the chemo took over, and we sat by the bedside night and day waiting, listening. Remember all those things you thought but never told anyone, how death has a sound and a smell and an I Do you remember how at Granny Hospital used to take me on field trips through the cafeteria and to Georgia State and at pizza place to keep me from saying Mom right after the latest treatment. Remember how we would both fake sleep sometimes just watching her, watching a shallow breath, wondering if her chest would rise again, or if that in Holly Shan the one we just saw would be her last. This isn't real, that's what you've said to that part. I remember at the memory. I want from you. Where is it there? So I am at Mom's bedside and greedy. You're praying, you're praying, Dear God, were God's were Hell or whoever's bothering to listen? Keep them safe? Please please, at least keep Manty safe. I'll do I'll do anything. And there you were alone, shot an in a room with flickering a low light, fluorescent bulbs that wash everything in a sick green hue, watching Mom die. But you weren't. No one ever really is. There are ears and eyes and hands all around us in the dark. But you reached out Dad, and so did the Mandy a choice of now'll be back. I'm no wait, Mandy, Amanda, Well, my friend, here we find ourselves again, wheels within wheels. I trust you've enjoyed your new acquaintances. Listen, you can't leave, Samuel. If you try to open the doors, you'll find them stuck fast. Should you crawl through the window, you'll find you cannot fit. Listen, Listen, close, and listen. Well, your daughter is in the hospital as we speak. Three floors down, in fact, from the same room where your wife passed into our arms, where you and I first met. And I am, as they say, a creature of my word? Why can't I move a small precaution only to make sure I have your full attention? Where where we are? Yes, Amanda Sullivan, currently comatose, brain dead and doomed. How many missed calls from Roy? I wonder will it haunt you years from now? The calls you missed while you were speaking with a ghost. That's what your daughter is now. But we can bring her back, Samuel, as we agreed, all you have to do is choose, Oh God, the phone, choose, choose what choose? Who will take her place? Of course nature? After all, the phores a vacuum here. I'll make it easy for you. The next person who comes to your window can be your sacrifice, your tribute to the dark. What do I have to do? All you have to do, Samuel is say yes, I will hear you. Welcome to beasls Burgers. How many? How may I help you? M hm? Another side is FOD customer Come around, then, says FOD customer. When well, When well? When well? Another size FOD customer coming around thenother side, fod customer? When will when? Well? When? Well, yeah, and there you have it, a story of morals. I would say, well, what do you think Samuel learned? Nol um, don't don't spit in the bag. That's what I learned. That's what I learned. That was one of my favorite parts. Actually, I think it's a great part. But don't spit in the bag. If a creeper runs up on you and you saw, do it when no one's looking, Like if someone asked me to do it, I would. I would probably do it. When do you? Yeah, what's when are you gonna get that opportunity? Yeah? You gotta live. But he was so forceful, like spit in the back. He obviously wanted something right, something maybe even more than spit. And we just talked about d n A right, that's true. That point point that you make come on, well, well, you know, I don't know if he learns anything. We don't know what he decides to do. That's true. So I guess the question for the listeners is what would you decide to do if you were if you were somehow in that situation, Well, to save your daughter, I mean I think unfortunately, I know what I would do. Spen the bag, wouldn't you. I've definitely spit in the bag, and I would say welcome to Beaselsberger's pull on through to the second window, and you know, see what happens, although it would probably end up being you know, a parent there's got it. You know, there's always a twist. Yeah, exactly, Very oh, Henry, I think this may be one of the first times you played a villain. Yeah. I was feeling it. I was enjoying myself. Although you know, my favorite part is when Alex was on this very Mike and actually was on our show. I think that that made me really happy. Yeah, and we're doing a bang up job. No less, Yeah, yeah, no less. And most importantly, we hope that you enjoyed the show at least a fraction as much as we enjoyed making it. And I want to say, Noel, no offense to anyone, but I really liked your assistant manager. Yeah. I really try to embody the role. Uh, you know, really live out my cantankerous curmudgeon lee old man kind of like dream. It's just such a it's just such a perfect jerk line for someone to be annoyed by having said yeah twice, I said, yeah, but it was the it was the were the gold coins or silver coins? The silver dollars from eighteen o four actually worth a quite a bit of money. It's silver dollars. And and of course, uh, this, this sort of stuff would not happen without the most important part of the show, which is you, not general you, specifically you listening to this now, and me yes, also specifically you, which reminds us it's time for chat at corners. Our first message comes from Luke, who says, I live near the beautiful Ocala, Florida, which for years has been a prime spot for rainbow gatherings. Oh boy, you guys, here we go, all right, saying every February people come from all over the US to meet there in the National Forest on Valentine's Day. The annual rainbow gathering is in full swing to welcome people home to pray, chant and send positive vibes towards the mutual goal of world peace. Now that is a great goal, I think, I mean all the always says you're correcting. Assuming there's no background checks to join up on the crew, and there are many runaway street kids and people with warrants hanging out and in the ranks. There's also a bunch of not safe for work nudity, but in my experience it's mostly been old hippies and young feral children running around. Oh, feral children, fal children. When I last attended to gathering, my then girlfriend now wife and I brought oranges as a gift to share with those we came in contact with. The oranges went quick and we were hugged almost every one hundred feet. Everyone we encountered was extremely friendly and welcoming, but being an avid listener of the show, I'm suspicious of everyone and cautious to not eat anything offered to me. But you know, Luke doesn't mind offering out oranges. Well, he does, but the other people don't. I love the show, and I found the Mars thought experiment very interesting. I couldn't help thinking that any colonization attempts on Mars would be similar to the PlayStation two game Red Faction, which is a fantastic game, Luke, and inevitably there would be no equal treatment, just the ruling class in the working class on the planet who would find out they are seen as expendable stepping stones for the rich. Keep up the great work. Luke uh if you guys, have you guys ever heard of red faction like red faction back in the day. Yeah? Cool. So it's like a sandbox he kind of game, right, Yes, exactly, And it's based on destruction of buildings. But the whole idea of the plot is that on Mars you've basically got miners and scrappers and then the wealthy people that control the minds and the scrappings. Well, for our next shout out, I have one from Kent. Maybe it's ken f It's all there's no space, so I'm gonna call him Kent. I like it. Let's see how he signed it. Now it's ken Man to let down Apollo eleven and Yugoslavian engineers as the subject. Guys, I just watched Houston We have a problem and never knew there was a conspiracy theory regarding the Apollo program and Yugoslavia. The comment that a debt was owed to the US with repayment being tied to the infamous Ugo automobile was the icing on the cake. Have you done or could you investigate this odd claim in your typical deep dive fashion? Then we seemed complete. However, I suspect there is more to the story. Great show. Thanks for years of interesting discussions. Can that's cool? Yeah, the UGO in and of itself is a is a neat story, right then, Yeah, the the UGO of the vehicle, Yeah, yeah, yeah, we have a if you're interested in were the one that exploded when you hit it or something like that, like it was because of the location of the engine or something, location of the gas tank. There maybe a couple of those. Yeah. So you can learn more about the difficulties with some of the cars produced under the communist era if you go to car stuff and check out uh, I think cars behind the Iron Curtain. Yeah, Iron curtain cars, uh, and they have I have some pretty interesting stuff there. But I will say not every not every car they put put out during that era was bad. Well, I want to know what the connection is to Apollo eleven. So yeah, we gotta check out this movie and maybe we can. I don't know. I mean, we can doing these interviews later, we can get the filmmaker. That'd be pretty cool. We shall do. Yeah, thank you for that recommendation, and also let us know what you guys think of the interviews if if they seem to your cup of tea, it seems like people are enjoying them. For the most part. We're trying to spread it out to where you have kind of a traditional episode that we do three of us in the studio and then bring somebody else in every once in a while. It's fun for us, we have it's fun for you because we learned a ton, Like really, we learned so much. When we have somebody else in here, and we got a couple of real cool ones coming up and then near future that are already in they can yeah. Yeah, yeah, we've been doing our homework. We've been we have been Honors students. You know, we've been. We've been working at it. So we have one more shout out for today and it is from Michael z. Michael says, Hi, just looking up stuff on Instagram and can't remember if you guys have done a podcast on the Man from toll Red. If not, I think it would make a good show, short and sweetened to the point. Michael Z, um, this is this is a very interesting tale. Have you guys heard of the Man from trod Yes, we did an episode video episode on it. Part of THEEO. So the legend is there's this guy who lands in Japan. Um. I think, Michael, you maybe had perhaps you were inspired by our utsuro Bune episode. But there's a guy who lands in a Japanese airport. He has a passport that no one recognizes. He claims he's from a country called tared and all of his according to the story, all of his stuff looks real, and the people encountered him began to think that perhaps he was from a parallel dimension or another universe just slightly tilted to the left of our own. But there is no confirmed primary source of this. There's no It's of like Barren Stein, Barren Stein Bears, you know, Barren stain Um. But it is. It is interesting. Michael. I'm gonna dig in and see if I can just send you the link to our video, maybe the one about mysterious disappearances. So I will send that to you, and thanks for asking about it. I wonder if we could do an audio podcast about mysterious disappearances. It just gets very dark, you know, like Eliza Lamb that that bothered me. Yea, that means more so than I think almost any we've done, just because it was so fresh kind of and like the evidence that's out there, like that video is just very chilling. That was a that was an interesting one. But then you know, I guess we did that. The one of the National Parks disappearance one right is dark as well. Um, but yeah, I think anytime you're talking about people just vanishing into thin air, it's always a little bit disturbing. And send us your examples or things that you think your fellow listeners would like to hear in the future. This concludes ours but not our show, Never Fear. Matt, Noel and I will return next week with something completely different, maybe an interview, maybe an episode where we dive deep on one of your suggestions. There's only one way to find out, well, they're they're like probably several ways. I'm sure you could ask someone you know who also listens to the show, but the easiest way to find out will be to tune in wherever you get your podcast. In the meantime, you can find every audio or video episode we've ever done on our website Deep Breath stuff they don't want you to know dot Com not that long, really, it feels long. Y'all can also hit me up on my beeper at two two two to nine area code, so find us right to us. We are conspiracy at how stuff works dot com, m