I'm sorry to hear about Misty. He looks like he was a cute little
guy. Was Jackie the gal from the cul de sac Bridge Club? You
know, it's been so long, I just don't remember who's who anymore.
This old brain can barely remember to get the mail each day. Do you
remember Patty, Patty with the crystals? Paul's married to her now. I
always know she was a floozy. Everyone's always telling me to go out on
dates. What for at our age? What's the point? Really, I
don't like cruises. I much prefer to stay. I do get out to
Scottsdale sometimes. It gets so hot. It's about seventy seven degrees here today,
and I like that just fine. I went to Mexico once when I
was younger. There was poverty all over. The antiques were very cheap.
Antiques these days are so expensive. Why should I pay forty dollars for something
I paid ten dollars for thirty years ago. I just don't understand it.
Bye. It's funny to look back at the beginning of this podcast, to
look back at what it was, meant to be, what it was,
and now sitting here to see what it is. What it's become that journey
is so strangely similar to the journey of the letters themselves, from experience to
incident to accident to something so much bigger than just two girls renting an apartment
in Oakland. When I started the Karen and Ellen Letters podcast, it was
meant to be just about those letters, the telling of that story, the
story as I knew it. But through the podcast, that story changed.
It became something bigger, and the further it grew outward, the more I
found myself looking inward, both at my own experiences and at the original letters
themselves. I began to reread them, but with a new perspective. It
was less about the comedy and more about the mystery how these letters came to
be and what they meant beyond the scope of my own experiences. About three
weeks before we wrapped production on the first season, Jeff, who plays Mark,
sent me a text message, a text message that changed my whole outlook
on the Karen and Ellen Letters. It merely said, hey, have you
seen this? Followed by a link, And as soon as I clicked that
link, I knew that the Karen and Ellen journey wasn't coming to a close.
That instead, it had only just begun. I pulled out my old
file folder of letters and started scribbling notes, creating timelines, carefully comparing and
contrasting and seeing things that had pre obviously escaped me. I called Sarah,
and that's where what she refers to as her murder board was born. That's
where our looming vacation transformed into a new obsession, one of late night phone
calls, file transfers, head scratching and jaw dropping revelations. That's when season
two truly began, on a one am phone call, and with just a
handful of correspondents we'd begin referring to as the Lost Letters. Now, these
lost letters weren't literally lost letters. They actually came from a few different places,
and some of them let us down long, entangled paths to new truths.
Others were mostly dead ends that served merely as contradictions to everything we thought
we knew. They reminded us that not everything was black and white, right
versus wrong, or fiction versus nonfiction. What was real took on a whole
new meaning. Truth became strangely fluid. One of those dead ends came from
my file folder itself. It was another letter I had always overlooked because it
seemed like it had been there by mistake. It was a different handwriting,
one that was almost childlike, and it was only part of a letter.
There was no real end to it, there was no definitive signer. Contextually,
it made no sense, and while there was no way to be sure,
after reading it a few times, Sarah and I were both pretty certain
about who we thought the letter was from. George. Hello, how are
you doing? I hope everything is going well for you. I hope everything
is going good with your kids and all the changes. As for myself,
I'm bored as hell. I went out briefly today and watch TV with a
friend. Of course, I locked myself out and now I have to wait
until after dinner for my landlord to come let me back in. So I'm
just kicking back, waiting for mail call until then so I can get more
depressed. I've got a colder the flu, and I feel like shit.
Damn it. My back hurts like hell. I need someone to rub it,
but there's no one here. My friend Jennifer left today. Remember I
told you she's got the shit. She had to go to Childchilla. I
can't wait to get over the wall. Well, the mail just came.
No new letters from you. I know you told me to write, and
if you're not going to write, I would appreciate it very much if you
would just let me know what's up with one fucking letter, and I won't
bother you anymore. After over five years. You can do that much,
can't you. I am so upset. I can't believe I'm still writing.
You would think I would get the hint by now. Well, I am
not going to keep wasting envelopes. I don't even have on someone that doesn't
write back. So I won't bother you anymore, or at least until I
get a letter from you. And it's not just you. No one has
written me back. I give up. But when I do get out,
I know things are going to be different. I know things are going to
be different for me. Days with the g who springs with nav Doctor got
over from the Karen and Ellen letters have surprised me so much that they no
longer surprise me anymore. But when Jeff sent over copies of the Firewood letters,
I was alarmed. If you'll remember from season one, there's a string
of letters between Ellen and Mark regarding free firewood. February fifth, nineteen eighty
eight. Dear Mark, Marcia, a former tenant of yours, is a
good friend of me. She tells me that when she used to rent her
apartment from you on McKinley Street, you used to take her free firewood for
free. She says, you take free firewood to lots of your tenants.
How come I never get any? Yours, Ellen, February eighth, nineteen
eighty eight, Dear Ellen, it is true that I used to give firewood
to Marsha. It is also true that I still give free firewood to some
of my tenants, those with fireplaces. Your cottage has no wood stove or
fireplace. Sincerely, Mark. Dear Mark, I know I haven't gotten a
fireplace. If I did have one, I would have seen it by now.
But it's irrelevant. If you give free firewood to your other tenants,
I should get a free share too, Yours Ellen. The thing that alarmed
me about the firewood letters that Jeff sent me was that there were more than
what I originally had, and they were slightly different. February fifth, nineteen
eighty eight. Dear Mark, Marcia is a good friend of mine. She
says that when she used to rent an apartment from you, you used to
give her free firewood for free. She says that you give free firewood to
your tenants all the time. How come I never get any? Yours,
Ellen, February eighth, nineteen eighty eight. Dear Ellen, it is true
that I used to give free firewood to Marsha, and I still give free
firewood to my tenants. The reason I haven't offered you any free firewood is
because your cottage does not have a fireplace. Sincerely, Mark, February tenth,
nineteen eighty eight. Dear Mark, I know I haven't got a fireplace.
If I did have one, I would have seen it by now,
but that's irrelevant. If you give free firewood to your other tenants, I
should get some too, Yours, Ellen, February fourteenth, nineteen eighty eight.
Dear Ellen, I don't understand. Since you have no fireplace, why
would you want firewood? And what would you do with it if I gave
it to you? Sincerely, Mark, February eighteenth, nineteen eighty eight.
Dear Mark, I knew you were going to ask that question. I don't
know what I would do with the firewood, but I want it. Anyway.
It annoys me that you give free firewood to your other tenants and that
I don't get any. I'd pay my rent on time. Yours Ellen,
February twenty fourth, nineteen eighty eight. Dear Ellen, I am sorry you
feel this way, but I am not going to change my position. I
only give free firewood to my tenants who have fireplaces or wood burning stoves.
Sincerely, Mark, March second, nineteen eighty eight. Dear Mark, Okay,
then can I get a fireplace. I'd like to have a fireplace,
and there's a good place to put one on the north wall in my living
room. I believe it's true north, but I can't be for sure until
we can get Gurulahara here. There are no windows on that wall, and
I think it would look really nice there. A fireplace would increase the value
of my cottage, so it would be a good investment for you. I
like marble, Karen likes pottery. Yours, Ellen in March eighth, nineteen
eighty eight. Dear Ellen, I am not going to build a fireplace in
your cottage just so that I can give you free firewood. Frankly, I
think this is ridiculous. Sincerely, Mark, At first, I just assumed
some of these letters hadn't been included in my file folder. But then I
realized there were slight differences between the ones that had and the ones that Jeff
had sent me. I couldn't really make heads or tails of why they'd be
different, and thought perhaps they'd just been transcribed incorrectly. I didn't think long
about it, though, because there were more letters, new letters i'd never
seen. Dear Mark. The answer back, I have tried everything, but
nothing works. I have even tried yelling at them. Ellen, Dear Ellen.
I have been meaning to talk to you about this for some time.
I know that you have been yelling at the ants in your kitchen. I
can hear you from my office. However, yelling get out, get out
at ants doesn't work. I don't know if ants have ears, but I
am sure that they don't understand English. I will come over and spray something
in your kitchen to get rid of them. Mark, dear Mark, Will
this spray kill the ants, Ellen, Dear Ellen. Yes. I use
a product that is made from the oil of orange peels. It is not
harmful to people, but it destroys the respiratory system of ants and other insects.
They die quickly because they can't breathe. Mark, Dear Mark, I
don't want you to do that. That sounds awful. How would you feel
if you couldn't breathe? Let me think about this for a while. I
was hoping you had a spray that would just keep the ants away, like
mosquito repellent keeps mosquitoes away. Ellen, Dear Ellen, I don't have aunt
repellent. I don't even know if such a product exists. I use orange
peel oil because it is non toxic to people and safe to use in restaurants
and home kitchens. However, this product does kill ants, it doesn't just
repel them. Mark Dear Mark. I need time to think this over.
Please don't do anything until I say so. Ellen, dear Ellen, Okay,
think it over. I will spray or not spray your kitchen as you
wish. There are many products on the market that will kill or repel ant
ants, but I don't know of any, aside from orange peel oil,
that are safe to use in a kitchen or around food. I have investigated
this matter, Mark, dear Mark, I found six more dead ants in
my kitchen this morning. I found four dead ants in my kitchen yesterday.
Did you spray that stuff in my kitchen? I don't think there is anything
in my kitchen that would kill ants. I found most of the ants on
top of the sink near the soap. Do you think the ants might have
eaten the soap and died? Is soap poisonous to ants? If it is,
do you know of a brand of soap that won't kill any ants if
they eat it? Ellen, Dear Ellen, I did not spray in your
kitchen. You told me not to. Frankly, I think it is silly
for you to worry about the health of ants in your kitchen. You have
probably killed hundreds of ants by just walking on the grass in your yard.
Mark, Dear Mark, Wow, I've been thinking about what you said about
walking on ants in the yard. You are probably right. It makes you
wonder if it is okay to walk in the yard. I have been taking
the ants in my kitchen outside and putting them in the yard, but I
don't know if that's the right thing to do. It is depressing, but
I know you are right. I am now taking the ants to the back
porch and dropping them off into the yard. Some of them maybe get hurt
in the fall, but that's better than walking on other ants in order to
save the kitchen ants. Don't you think? What do you think I should
do? Ellen, Dear Ellen, do whatever you think is best. Mark,
Dear Mark. I asked my mother for her advice about the ants.
She thinks that trying to save ants is stupid. She says that she kills
ants all the time. My mother thinks that I have too much time on
my hands. She says that instead of trying to save the ants in my
kitchen, that I should come over to the church today and help her make
brownies for gift baskets for our very old members. What do you think,
Ellen, Dear Ellen, I agree with your mother. If you change your
mind and want me to spray your kitchen, let me know. Mark,
dear Mark, would you like some brownies? My mother and I made a
lot of them today at the church for gift baskets. We made too many
of them. They are very good. If you want to spray my kitchen,
go ahead. I have lost interest in the ants, Ellen Bonnie.
Here is the homework Ellen left in their cottage that I mentioned previously. I'm
not sure it will have any value, but you asked for everything. Mark
August twenty third, nineteen eighty eight. Geography, one oh one Ellen.
Austria. Austria is the biggest island in the world. Austria is famous for
its kangaroos. The government of Austria is run by Kurt Waldheim, a Nazi.
Austria is mostly desert. There are many strange animals in Austria and people
who ski across the Alps. The capital of Austria is Vienna, where they
make sausages. The people of Austria speak German. Crocodile Dundee speaks English,
but that's because he doesn't live in Vienna, but in the desert. The
people who live in the desert in Austria are called Aboriginals and they speak English.
Vienna is famous for its beautiful white leprechaun stallions. They were almost killed
during World War Two the End. August twenty ninth, nineteen eighty eight.
Geography, one oh one Ellen. The Philippines. The Philippines is a country
that is a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean near China. The Philippines
is a very old country in the Bible. The Philippines sent Delilah to cut
Samson's hair, and then Samson brought down their temple. The capital of the
Philippines is Manila, which is famous for its envelopes. I use them all
the time. The Philippines used to belong to Spain. Then it belonged to
the US. That's US. Now it belongs to President Marcos. The Philippines
were invaded by Japan during World War II, until we kick them out.
Japan is also a country that is a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean
near China. In Japan, they speak Japanese. In the Philippines they do
not. The end September two, nineteen eighty eight. Geography one oh one
ellen India India is a large country in Asia. There are more people in
India than any other country in the world except China. Even though India is
big, it is poor. Many useful things come from India, such as
India ink, cotton, and tea. But most important of all, India
gave the world karma. What could be more important than that. Indians speak
a lot of different languages and have a lot of different religions. The Indians
who live in India are the real Indians. The Indians who live in the
us, like the Schnook Indians in Oregon are not Indians at all. I
don't know why they call themselves Indians, but it sounds like bad karma to
me. The end September fourth, nineteen eighty eight. Geography, one oh
one Ellen, France. France is a big country in Europe and is bordered
by Germany, Italy and Spain. French is a Romantic language, which means
that they picked it up from the Romans who roamed to France a long time
ago. France is famous for its art. The most famous museum in France
is the Louver in Paris. The Louver is very, very beautiful, except
you can't get inside if you are carrying food or wine with you, which
doesn't sound very French to me. France is famous for its food, wine
and toast. France is really a tourist trap. I know I was there.
You can tell it's a tourist trap because there are so many tourists there.
Sometimes it reigns in France and sometimes it doesn't. The end September sixth,
nineteen eighty eight, Geography, one oh one, Ellen, number one.
The capital of Spain is Madrid. Spanish is a Romantic language. Which
means it came from the Romans. They really roamed all over the place.
Number two. The capital of Chile is San Diego. They also speak Spanish.
Number three. The capital of India is New Delhi. They speak a
lot of different languages there. Number four. The capital of Brazil is Rio.
They speak portun Geese. Number five. The capital of Libya is Cairo,
they speak Arabic. Number six. The capital of Greece is Athens,
they speak Greek. Number seven. The capital of French Guineas. They speak
French. Number eight. The capital of Dutch Guineas, they speak Dutch.
September seventh, nineteen eighty eight. Western Siev. One hundred and ten.
Ellen match the names in column A with the names in column B, and
briefly state the connection. Column A. Jesus Christ, Martin Luther, til
the hun Franklin Roosevelt, Napoleon Bonaparte, Augustus Caesar, columb Caligula, John
the Baptist, Erasmus, Pope, Leo the First, Harry Truman, the
Duke of Wellington. One Jesus Christ and Napoleon Bonaparte. They both had bad
luck and died poor. Two John the Baptist and Attila the hunt. They
both had the same middle name. Three Roosevelt and Truman. They wanted to
take away everybody's money and give it to welfare chiselers. Four Martin Luther and
the Duke of Wellington. They were famous black Americans. Martin Luther was shot
and the Duke of Wellington wrote take the a train. Five Pope Leo the
First and Augustus Caesar. They were both anti communists. Six Erasmus and Caligula.
They had no last names. Seven. Who was the publisher of the
abolitionist newspaper The Liberator? William Lloyd Garrison? Eight briefly explain how the invention
of the cotton gen affected the institution of slavery. People in the South drink
a lot of cotton gen especially black slaves. Nine. Who was principally responsible
for the development of the nullification doctrine? John E. Calhoun? Ten?
In what case did the Supreme Court rule that the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional?
Dread Scott? Eleven What were the major tenets of the abolitionist movement? John
Brown was an abolitionist. White people in the South kept black slaves to make
cotton gent in. The abolitionists wanted to free the slaves, so there wouldn't
be any more Cottingen. But boot lickuors like al Capone made it anyway.
Then they repeeled abolition. Leslie, where's Leslie here? I'm here. What's
the status of our special project? The entire team is onboard and route our
first meetings on Tuesday. It's on your calendar. Why am I just now
hearing about this? Why do I have to ask about these things? Actually?
I left you two messages, and I left a note in your office
about fine coffee. Please? Hello everyone. People seem to really like my
last mouse release video, so I recorded another one. It's the same type
of trap, although this one is a little different. It's a different brand.
I think it's the same idea, though. So again, you pull
down this little lever here and you should go. You should be going.
Maybe he's scared. Maybe oh oh sh I'm gonna whisper because he's starting to
move and I don't want to scare him. Come on, little mouse,
go be free. Come on, little mouse. He's moving. There he
goes, there he goes,