Well, hello there, welcome to Laura Kane after Dark. I'llo Laura Kane.
This is my co host of almost five years, my bff almost seventeen
years. I know it's over seventeen years. It's like almost eighteen. Yes,
Eric Grimmer, Laura Kade, I love you. I love you too.
Mary. Happy Merry Christmas early, I guess yes, Holiday, someone
in this room, it's going to be a very merry Christmas. Producer Brian.
Okay, now, before we get to anything that's going on tonight,
huh, there is something that Eric is going to give Brian. Yep.
And all I got was a text message that said, in capitals, omg,
omg, omg, You're never gonna believe what I have for Brian.
And here's why I got a text message. Wait wait wait wait wait wait
wait stop stop stop stop, oh god, you're not gonna reveal anything.
I don't want to say what it's about. No, I'm not gonna say
what it's about saying no, don't say, don't say, don't tell.
After Okay, you guys are don't want to miss this. It's good.
I purposely didn't want it. He wanted to tell me that I'm glad you
don't know, because otherwise I feel way more left out just being the only
person that didn't know. I wanted to be surprised too, so I really
like that. So anyway, so that's coming up. Also, Eric is
telling his story tonight. We're a little late telling it because usually we tell
the beginning of December. That hit the anniversary of his mom's passing is December
first. Uh, He's going to talk about his mom and some things that
I think a lot of you can relate to. And I think you have
an important message and he's Eric is not normally this open and vulnerable, but
but this is going to be something that you're not gonna want to miss because
I know what it's about, and it's it's a big deal, and I'm
excited. I'm I'm I'm very much looking forward to what you're going to say.
Thank you, because I love you very much and I'm here. I'm
I'm here, I'm here for you. Okay, you know that I'm here
for you, and I'm always here for you. I know, I know,
I know, But more importantly, everyone's here for me. Okay,
let's talk about if Brian doesn't put a shrine up in his house, my
face on it, and some a bullet already has one, I do,
I do, I would need a bigger one if if this is here's the
thing. Also occasionally prone to I don't want to say over exaggerating. Yes,
things that are great are amazing, and things like so, I mean,
are things that are just cool are also the greatest thing I've ever seen.
So it could be something amazing, or give me something that's just like,
you know, oh that's really cool. Yeah, you know, I
just don't know if I'm expecting like earth shattering or just like a really good
Christal. I'm sure I'll be good regardless. But you know you are one
thousand correct about that, you two. Eric's overly excited about it, Like
I got you a brand new brand of toothpaste that just came out. It's
not hitting the shells for another twelve hours. I got it before anyone know.
Oh he's taking it away, he's taking it away. No, he
just got his present. Oh the toothpaste. Yeah, it's a joke,
Laura, that's a joke. I know you don't get those, but right
over my head, right over my head. All right, So let's first
talk about this big box that's sitting there. Well, it's in the box.
I had change the box because we added some more stuff. Dig Hard
seven, No, Diehard, what's in the box is from seven? That's
from die Hard. No, that's from seven. I cud he is the
worst. I made this joke last week. I don't remember it. See
well, remember when he goes what's in the box? I went, oh,
home alone and then went oh elf or I said, oh, Polar
Express is the worst. All right, just open your dam anyway, it
wasn't funny the second time. It was falling on you too, Okay,
anyway, well I wasn't paying attention. I'll give Erica pass because he's got
some informat your microphone on the box. You get to pass this box you,
Brian is worth over one thousand dollars. And if you want to be
in the drawing to win what's in this box, which I will show you
and Eric will show you too, then go to Laura Kane after dark dot
com and you will see the link on there. It's five dollars an entry.
Every time you you donate five dollars, you get your name put into
a box. Somebody donated one hundred dollars so their name goes in twenty times.
So we're raising money for Claia and the Doll Face Club Sober Living Home.
By the way, I'm wearing Oh my god, which damn it do
I have to give that to you? I'm so mad right now because that's
my favorite, so much better in it. It is cool she I know
her, her designs are incredible cool. So these girls who live in the
Sober Living Home, like I said, I've lived in one before, and
it's very important, and it's so supportive and these people, these girls,
these women really look up to Clia and this is her passion and she's been
clean for over ten years. And the girls and the house need basic things.
They also need things to entertain themselves, games and field trip type of
stuffed and so that's where the money is going that we are raising. And
here's what's in the box? What box? Okay? So oh elf,
stop it, stop it. So Claria she donated a hoodie doll Face Club
the sell out like like this is and they're not cheap. And then there's
well there's this one's pretty cheap. Laura. I'm sorry, La. Laura
came after dark hoodie a lanyard we have various things from San Diego crystals and
jewelry. One of them being is a necklace. Even you can't even see
it. It's a what is that stone, oh, tiger's eye. It's
a tiger's ie heart. There's a bunch of other like necklaces in here too,
from San Diego crystals and jewelry. And this handcarved box, it is
so beautiful and it's got a bunch of stones in it, and a bracelet
and a necklace, and a gasha and a sage. Then from our favorite
man Jay Wurtzler, he's giving you two hundred dollars cash cash money. We'll
be in this box hichattle cheek. And then from La joya Cosmetic, five
hundred dollars to be used for anything, botox products, a surgery. Plus
you get a year's worth of a glam Fami membership, which is worth one
hundred and twenty dollars. So six hundred and twenty dollars this whole certificate is
worth. Let me tell you those products are off the hook. Oh my
god, Eric can tell you that someone who has spent six hundred and twenty
dollars in their store, I have try double that anyway, that's why he
looks so incredible lately, all those products, he's why he's our model for
moddeling off all these items. That's right, more stuff to be added.
This box is already worth over one thousand dollars. So this is what you
have a chance to win when you donate five dollars, and it's going to
a great cause. If you watched our show on Monday or two day,
then you know all about Clea and her Sober Living Home and doll Face Club.
And it's just a really cool, very awesome thing that I think we
are behind one thousand percent, and we hope you get behind it too.
I think that box is now officially the most expensive thing. That's the heaviest
thing. That's the heaviest weight that Laura's lifted hold one since her TV remote?
Do you need help? No? I got it. I got it
sure. Because we like sitting here watching your drug, I got to get
it out of the way, all right, Hold on, what is this
down here? Look at that yets yike? First, before I tell you
the embarrassing and the other embarrassing thing that happened to me last week, let
me put on my big surprise face. Well, it was usually super weak.
Yeah, no, this is well the thousand dollars gift card wasn't weak.
That was a pretty good story and thank god I found it was embarrassing.
You almost lost it though it almost had to pay three hundred bucks to
get a bet. It was embarrassing what they found in my car. This
is almost as embarrassing and pretty I have evidence. I have something to show
you. During my host chet, Eric has something. God, Okay,
I'm gonna quote him. It's gonna be epic, Yes, epic. Huge
For Brian, this could be huge. He couldn't wait to get here tonight.
He would wait to tell me, but I didn't want to hear it.
You couldn't even wait till our Christmas episode, which next week, where
we're actually swapping gifts. That's what I wanted him to do. But if
it's that good, I'm okay having a show to myself where I am the
stone. Well you get to come up here and get it. And during
his host Chet, but first, let's talk about our fabulous sponsors that help
us put on this show every week twice a week, and one of those
people would be l Hooya Cosmetic Surgery. Hi doctor, you want to say
hi to Amy too and unique and you have to say hi to you doctor
Swiston and doctor Salazar. Hi, doctor Salazar and everybody who works at Laoya
Cosmetic is just incredible. And here's some more about Thank you for making me
look like I'm in high school? True, yeah, pretty close. A
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Another person we love greatly or another company and person is Jay Wartzler.
He's been with us through thick and thin, and he also donated to the
Magical Holidays. I think I need to respond to him. I think I
will do. I'm annoyed. We know we nailed down a date, but
I don't think we nailed down a time. Well, I will make you
do that before you leave tonight. So bossy. He makes an appointment but
doesn't make a time for the appointment. It's He's very frustrating. But anyway,
everybody, Harriet is more about capital growthing. Are you ready to take
control of your financial future? Look no further than Jay Wartzler. You're trusted
and our favorite certified financial planner. Life is full of financial decisions and with
thirty plus years of experience and a dedication to your financial wellbeing, Jay is
your partner and achieving your financial goals. So if you're at or near retirement
and you want to know if you have sufficient assets and income sources for a
comfortable retirement, or if you are simply changing jobs and you're unsure about what
your options are with your current retirement plan. Please reach out to j.
Jay Wurtzler and the team at Capitol Growth go the extra mile to ensure your
financial success. Their office is a one stop shop for financial advising, estate
planning, tax preparation, and divorce analysis. Call J today at eight five,
eight, five, five two six nine six to zero or email him
at jayw Yes Capitalgrowthinc. Dot com. And the newest sponsor to join the
podcast, San Diego Crystals and Jewelry. They so generously donated the one hundred
and fifty dollars hand card wooden box filled with stuff and also some necklaces.
I'm wearing their earrings right now. A necklace. They fixed my jewelry.
They made me this ring. They've got tons of stones, every kind of
crystal you can can possibly imagine. They have gold, they have silver,
they have engagement rings, they have scarves, they have cool boxes and those
sound bowls. You know, there's things that you're supposed to meditate to anyway.
Sandy Crystals and Jewelry two locations, one on Newport in Obi and one
in La Joya, right off of Prospect. That one is fancy and it's
nice. Hi Sammy and brothers, we love you. Guys, and we
thank you so much for sponsoring the podcast. It means a lot. Speaking
of jewelry, I have a bone to pick with you. What could that
possibly be? I have not seen you wearing the designer jewelry that I got
you for your TIMU gift exchange. That's a good point. That was expensive
stuff you got you. It was I'm pretty sure it was Gucci. Gucci,
Yeah, Kucci, Coucci. Uh huh it was Kucci. Wow,
it was Rose Gold Baton. If you took a trip in your car up
the fifteen to the fifty two, I think off a Curney Mason or Curney
Villa or a convoy. There's the dump. It might be underneath all the
trash that's in. Is that where the coochie story isn't? Now? I
threw it away? You did not. I was not. What am I
gonna do with a toilet paper necklace and spur earrings? Wear them? Did
you actually get rid of them? Yes? I'm not going to keep that
around right on, Eric? Did you do you still have your hairy belly
fanny pack? Yes? And actually I just wear my wore my sweatshirt the
other day. I can't believe you wear that hideous dolphin sweatshirt. That is
crazy. If there was ever a doubt, Eric really won that. I
am getting you the grossest shit, even if it's not your birthday or whatever.
Just wait. Coming up next week is our TMU Christmas Show. It's
gonna be a long week next week. It's gonna be a great week next
week. Because it's gonna be a great week. You're gonna lose. Yeah
whatever, look at Oh you're see you're nervous, so scary. You're nervous.
I'm nervous because this week is my week. I okay, oh yeah,
all right, let me start so we can bring Brian up and make
this for his host chat this week. It's not really necessary. I got
to get this out of the way, so Brian can We're going to stretch
this out this surprise. God, I will cut you off. I will
mute your microphone. Hey. So Thursday, here's my host shot. There
was a Christmas party that I was invited to. It's not my company,
but it's a Christmas party. And I was possibly going to see maybe an
ex at this party. So not that I want this person back in my
life, because I don't, but you know how, I don't know.
As a woman, you kind of want a guy to see you and go,
god, wow, I made a mistake, even though they never do
that. It's just a fantasy. Quickly, do you feel like you need
closure from that encounter or well, let me just we were together five months,
so not really, it's still a decent amount of time. It is
a decent amount of time, but the way it ended was so rude that
I no, I don't need closure from that because I know what kind of
person he is now from what he did. But still, if I had
run into him, I wanted to look banging right. So I got this
dress at a store called act Too, which is in let Mesa. No,
this is a Marchiano by guess. This dress was originally four hundred dollars,
but it was they sold it. I think it was like seventy bucks.
It's pure silk. It's absolutely no, it's really beautiful. On.
No, it's actually beautiful on And let me preface this by saying, would
you like to tell our viewing and listening audience. Okay, your your actual
dress size? Okay, I'm a size six, and what size is this
dress? It's a sice too, so nothing bad could possibly have h Well,
I mean, she's probably busting out of it, so she's trying to
make sound jealous. It goes down to my feet. The bottom part was
fine until it got to about here to her boobs. Now standing no,
and it had a nice low It looked really pretty low cuts. I could
not button the top buttons, but it was fine. It looked good as
long as I was standing well. In order to get to the party,
I had to sit in my car and drive. As I'm driving, six
buttons exploding. Oh my god, if we could only have been that lucky
Brian. The button. The buttons were screaming. They were hanging on so
tight, the one right here, and then I looked down and where is
it? Here it is? Then it starts to ripe. So I'm like,
great, I can't go to the party with a ripped dress. And
it ripped in the bath. Two. So I'm halfway to del Mar and
I'm like, damn it. I can't show up at a party in a
rip dress. I look like trash. So I'm not really familiar with you
TC. Only I know Nordstrom, right, So I hurried into Nordstrum and
I grabbed the first thing I saw, which actually was a skims dress,
long sleeve long. It was fine, it was olive green, and it
was a decent price. So anyway, went to the party. He didn't
show up, which was fine. Do you think he knew you were gonna
be there? I don't know. I don't know, and I don't care.
Yeah, but so that's what. Yeah. So then the next day
the credit card, I know, the gift card thing happened. So it's
been a crazy week anyway, So that's my host chat all right, Now,
Brian, get up here. Gonna keep a little clasp on this so
there's no peaking. Okay, Now, do you want to give him like
a little like a backstory? Do you wanna do you just want to give
it to him? What do you want to say anything? Knowing that I
drew Brian's name in our Laura Cane after Dark gift exchange, well we didn't,
but it's interesting because I got him something too. Oh well, I
drew no one's name, but it seems like everyone drew my name. I
was working my magic and I was hoping, hoping, hoping it would come
before Christmas. There was a lot of texting going on a lot of emailing
and today, bro oh my god, in the mail. Yes, it
was sent to me by someone's publicist and possibly the legend himself. Is that
all you want to say? And then just jews want him to open it?
Merry Christmas, Brian, from both of us, from your favorite ginger,
from both of us, from Laura Kane after dark. No, no,
you already got him something. And once again, my gift is better
than I mean. Yeah, no doubt, no doubt. I need to
hand you the items or would you like no, no, no, let
them open it. Well, well I want to do this first, all
right, do it however you think it's going to be better, close your
eyes and Santa is going to give you a big surprise. Okay, it
is a okay, wait, this is great. What it's a wait,
it's keano wreaths. Oh geez, that's perfect. It is because I was
just about to order an ugly sweater for a party you have to go to.
So this is perfect. Well that is good because I was gonna say
this is him exaggerating again. But oh my god, oh my god,
oh my god. Okay, Brian, close your eyes again, close your
eyes. Oh my god, wait, what on God's green earth? Oh,
Jess Waite, what on God's green Earth? It's a piece of paper,
a handwritten piece of paper. Oh my god, just blank, he
has terrible hand ring. I'm just gonna that there, I still have you.
What does it say? Can you read it? Even? It's in
black ink on a blank, white piece of paper? Oh my god,
what does it say? Okay, my god, Brian, Oh my god,
I hear. You're a big fan and I'm truly grateful. Keep up
the good work. Enjoy Ballerina. Oh that's the latest. That's the latest
movie. Yes, oh my oh my fucking god. This was in his
hands an autograph addressed to me, an autograph picture of Keanu Reeves as Jesus.
It's from John Wick. That is insane. That's really cool. Eric,
Oh my god, Oh my god, here show this, show this.
Oh my god. Okay, what are you gonna do with this?
Wow? What are you gonna do with this? I will I'm of course
you are. Oh my god. That's a that's on a vinyl print too.
That's not even like just paper. Holy, that won't even This might
be the craziest thing that's ever happened to me. Eric, you did a
good job. Wow. So this is our clip for the episode. Oh
my god, Oh my god. He touched this, he signed, he
touched and he put energy into that. He thought about you, Eric,
you did. I'm in utter shock, like, actually that's insane. Okay,
wow, good well done, and thank you. You're welcome because you
ran into it. I thought he was lyingve me this entire time. Now,
can you expand upon the story at all or like, did you you
really didn't meet him? Yes? And yeah, can you break us down?
Yeah? Can you break it down a little bit beat because I know
you couldn't say anything for a while. No. So, uh, it
was obvious that I was taking photographs. I was like, hey, I'm
with a podcast on iHeartRadio here in San Diego. That was a little bit
of our producer is a big fan. Is there something we're on like a
bunch of other but anyway, continue, Yeah, and I told him okay.
And so I was put in touch with his people and you talked to
him like on the street, right, Yeah, Oh my god. He
is the coolest guy, the nicest guy. I just see him like popping
up into people's weddings, playing catch with bowl. You know, like like
families. There's an Instagram thing that I follow it. I's not his official
Instagram, but he's like dancing all the time and doing cool things. We
gotta go see dog Star if they ever come into town, Brian, that'll
be our next Like if they come to San Diego, we'll go and then
we will. Then there'll be a lot of texting, yes, emailing.
Oh my god, so you have all his contact in and stuff. Oh
my gosh, that's insane. I was so cool, Eric, good job,
Yeah, well done, Jesus. I didn't think anything would come of
this, Brian. And then where did you get the I pad the sweat
shirt that was sent that came that was sent separately. Oh yeah they sent
that. Yeah, that came to my house. Wow, Oh my god.
Okay, so now you have something to word to your fun party.
And then you have something to frame. Two things to frame. Yeah,
I just figured to I frame them together or separately or oh yeah they're Oh
gosh, wow, that's really cool. Get I feel like I need a
custom, like really nice frame. Yeah, definitely go for the go for
the money. Spend the money, spend the money to get it done.
All I frame them and then you can text them back a picture of it
all nicely framed with him in it, with you in it. Yeah,
yes, for sure. Oh my god, we got to keep this relationship
up. Well. I did not know how this was going to come,
and I was stressing out because I got the I got an email that said
heavy received the package. The package yet and I said, no, I
haven't. And then I was like, oh no, did they send it
to the wrong address? What happened? And so they sent me a tracking
number and I typed it into UPS and it said arrived at the facility in
San Diego, and it was supposed to be here on the eighth or ninth,
and it wasn't coming, and it was still showing that it was at
the that it arrived at the if this gets lost, I didn't know what
it was. I had no idea what it was until and then I went
to check my mail today and there was a package in there, and I'm
all, oh, oh my, did you know what they were sending.
I did not know. I did not know. It's so fucking insane.
That is really superol. Oh my god. Here, I feel like we
just have to end the show now, Like, yeah, there he goes,
great guy, what a great, great guy. Thank you so much.
That made my That made my year and next year probably a couple of
years. My gift is gonna suck, really, it probably will. Well,
you've got one week to get another. Oh I hear like Steven Spielberg's
signing Harriston for chop Kine. Right, Quentin Tarantino guarant she's gonna be the
new Ballerina. Oh yeah, that'd be cool. Yeah, huh, she's
gonna be in the new She's the star of the new movie Ballerina, which
he is in. Okay, I don't think that's confirmed, but it was
confirmed, yeah, because it was gonna be the girl that was in Parabellum
and she opted out and so on. Ad armis. I'm cool with that
in anyway. Awesome. Okay, you can now take your goods and go
back because Eric is gonna tell us the story. Enjoy. Brian, Oh
my gosh, Brian, I know this is like see why I couldn't wait
till Christmas show. I understand I wouldn't have been able to wait either.
What a total like mind fuck, Oh my god, I've never seen him
smile, this giant in my life. How cool. How freak Laura will
never make me smile? This never y Well? Actually, now this is
a challenge. I love challenges. I love challenges. Challenge. Yes,
Also, the bounty is still on the table if kan Reeves comes in the
studio. So you're free, free work. Can I tell you what I
have if you and they're spoils already? No, I don't have anything to
do. Yeah, but the contact that I have, You have a contact?
Oh? Sure, tell me the contact? Should I say it out
loud? Or is this or is that a stupid thing for me to do?
Just say it? Or actually here, wait here, let me mean
it for I don't think it'll work out, but that's cool. Should I
not say anything? That's right. We're just we're gonna look like stalkers by
the end. We're like the same company has has approached you from two different
angles. See, maybe if you were just adorable like I was. Oh
god, it's a pincer manuvement. Oh my god, you want to arrest
the rest of the show. Okay, So why don't we play a little
bit of the nice Christmas music? Because this is this is not the easiest
time of year for Eric, because this December is when he lost this dear,
wonderful, precious mother. Yes, and we at this time he shares
the story about his relationship with his mother and what an incredible person she was
and how close they were and what happened. And this year you have kind
of a message about other things too. So, yeah, so this has
been a very weird season. I So I lost my mom shortly before COVID
to brain cancer, and you and Marla and probably Karen were the three people
that really knew what was going on, because I really didn't share it with
a lot of people. And and you and Marla were actually at her celebration
of life. And she was diagnosed probably ten years prior with Parkinson's and so
I, you know, we'd always been very close, and I was taking
her into her doctor's appointments and all that, and probably about I don't know,
ten years in twelve years in she started acting really weird and she was
getting really really upset in like the late afternoons where she would call me at
work and she'd be like, when are you coming over, Like I'm scared
things like that. I'm like, what is going on? And so a
friend of mine, her mom had Parkinson's and got something called sundowner syndrome.
So that and sundowner syndrome is something that's very hard to determine in somebody.
So I did stuff like got her lights, you know, the automatic that
they would turn on, got her music and stuff so that at that time
of day it would kind of mellow her out. And I would stay over
there and stuff like that. So I had asked her at one point to
come and live with me because she was starting to forget things and she was
making doctor's appointments and not telling me about them, and so I said,
listen, I want you to come and live with me, and she's like,
well, I don't want to. You know, you live downtown and
I just want to stay in my house. And I'm like okay. So
I was staying over there a lot, but it was getting to be exhausting
because I had a job and I also had to live my life and do
things that I needed to do, and so I was doing this just on
my own, and so I had to get my sibling involved. And there's
with my with my family, it's just me and another sibling from our actual
parents, and so about I don't know, maybe six months later, I
was going on a business trip and I said, hey, listen, I'm
going to pre make all your food because I took her grocery shopping every week.
And I've talked about that, I think on the show, which was
a just an exercise in tear with her lists and she'd look at all the
ingredients. It was hilarious and it was always fun, like we traveled together,
we went to concerts together. She was always game for anything. So
I noticed that her left hand was gnarled and it was just retracting, and
she was complaining about her eye sight in her left eye. So I called
her optometrist. I'm like, hey, that prescription that you just filled for
her, isn't the right one. We're going to need to come back in
and they're like, no, it's the right one, and she's like,
Eric, I can't see. So it got to the point where we both
had full time jobs, my sibling and I, so I said, we're
gonna have to do something right now. She's gonna need full time care.
So we looked at care facilities and I was beside myself. I was in
tears. Every day. I probably looked at every single one in San Diego
County, and I thought I wouldn't put my worst enemy in. Some of
these so not cheap. They are about ten thousand dollars a month. So
if you do not, if you have an opportunity to get long term care,
get it, get it. Get it, because it will save your
life. You will not. We didn't have to pay hardly anything out.
So your mom had that. She had it. So my dad had set
her up a long time ago for it. And so we through a recommendation
of a friend that does this for a living. She said, if you
can get your mom into this particular facility, and if anybody's looking to do
it, just DM me and I'll give you the love this placed people.
I loved the place. I love the people. They were so kind to
her and so good to her, and they let me. I mean,
there's rules, and I just had full rain of like I was able to
stay with her all night. I used to dog set for this little dog
named London, and my mom just loved her, and they'd let me sneak
her in because it was sometimes the only thing that would calm my mom down.
And so we took her and took her to see it, and she
liked it, so the day after Thanksgiving we put her in and then within
a month I got a phone call at work and they said, your mom
in the emergency room. You need to get down there. So I called
my sibling and everything was kind of like it wasn't at the time serious because
nobody really knew what was going on until I was on my way there,
and I guess that's when the news got delivered. So I got there and
I went into my mom's room and all she said was I'm sorry, and
she started crying and I was like, what are you sorry about? And
they said, well, she has brain cancer and so I was like,
you know, well, how bad is it and they're like, it's bad
and it's at the base of her neck on the right side, so that's
why it's affecting everything on the left. And they said we can do surgery
because it's contained. But with her age she was eighty and how frail she
was, it was going to be a coins toss. So they said there's
an eighty five percent chance that she won't make it, and I was like,
well, you know, this isn't great. So this was in December
and oh no, no, no, this wasn't November, because no,
this was We took her at the end of November. I'm sorry. I
got a little ahead of myself. So in December her health was just declining
and we didn't know what it was. I had just taken her three months
earlier for a cat scan everything, and they were like, nope, everything's
fine, there's nothing going on. There's a little bit of a shadow,
but it's nothing. So Christmas came around and she was really depressed and I
was like, mom, you know what's what do you want to do?
And she said, I want to go to church and I want to go
to my house. And I was like, well, mom, they're not
going to let us because she could she couldn't even stand up on her own,
like we had to carry her, like from the bed to the wheelchair
and stuff like that. And I said, and we were. I was
a mess because I didn't know what was wrong with her. And then I
questioned myself putting her in there. I was like, did they do something
like? I didn't know? So I got clearance from the head person.
I said, can we just take her for a few hours and we'll promise
we'll bring her back at one piece so when they said yes, I went
to her house and I decorated the entire house because I knew it was going
to be the last time, and so I got the tree decorated, decorated
the whole house, and then I got uh food and everything. So when
we took her to church, I was like, Okay, I got to
get back to the house to get the lights on, to get the food
warmed up. And my Mom's like, what's the hurry, you know,
don't I don't want to go. There's not going to be anything there.
You know, what's the point in opening presence when there's no Christmas? And
so I was like, Mom, let's just do it, Like you wanted
to go to see your house near things, Let's just go. Because we
had to get her out of there, like it was a very covert thing,
and she did not want to go, and my sibling was like,
well you're going, So they literally packed a bag. She didn't have time
to go through anything. So she was kind of expecting to come and just
be in an empty in a house that had no decorations or anything. So
I had opened her mail and put Christmas cards out and you know, all
that stuff. So we get there and she was like a kid on Christmas
Day, Like she was so happy and she just wanted to stay and stay
and stay, and you know, it was so beautiful. It was it
was probably one of the best Christmases I've ever had. So literally eight days
later, it was the day before my birth two days before my birthday,
that she got diagnosed with brain cancer. So it was on January sixth,
my birthday's on the eighth, and I there was some chatter between my sibling
and his partner about very nondescript stuff. It was nothing. It was just
something that was at her house that wasn't a big deal compared to what the
fate was that we had at hand. So she had the surgery, and
the surgeon called and said, your mom was a rock star. She made
it through just great. And I was like, that's all I wanted.
That's that was the best Christmas gift. I was like, I don't need
anything, I don't want for anything, and so I was, you know,
and she knew who I was. Like when we were able to see
her in recovery, she's like, she's asking for you, you know,
for both of us, which was great, and so on the way out.
I'm told, well, we're leaving for a couple of days. The
sibling mm hmm, And I said, so in the you're going to leave
with all this going on? And so I was like, all right,
well, it's your life, you know, do whatever you need to do.
And that started an avalanche, which I we never recovered from it.
So we had a conversation in the morning. It was my birthday and I
was going to spend the day with her and do some therapy with her and
stuff. And I had turned my phone off because I had forgot to charge
it, and so I had like a five percent battery and I didn't think,
you know, all these people were like blowing up my phone, like
how's your mom? Happy birthday? And so around seven point thirty in the
evening, I was like, hey, Mom, I'm going to just run
downstairs and get something to eat. And she was like, well, you're
going to come back, right and I said, sure, yeah, I'm
going to come back. So at that point I decided to check my phone,
and I think between between text messages and voicemails, I think I had
something like two hundred and eighty nine messages and I wasn't going to go through
them all at that time, I would have never been able to. So
I as I was leaving from eating, I noticed that my sibling and this
partner had both called me, and I was like, nothing could have possibly
happened in the half an hour that I'd been gone. So I called,
and it was just awful. It was like shouting at me and telling me
that I was just a piece of shit basically, you know, and I
wasn't communicating and everything, and I'm like, wait a minute, you're gone,
and I'm the only one here and I'm doing exactly what I said I
was going to do. So I'm done with that conversation. And so it
just it just got worse to the point where I wasn't being told about There
were things that were done that you shared with me when this was going on
that year that were They're horrible. Yeah, nobody should ever be treated like
that, especially somebody whose family and I felt so I was right there.
I was listening to it all and I didn't understand why. Yeah, and
it's it's so I know you have a message for people about and this is
the message. It just went on and on and on, and it got
so bad that we don't speak anymore. And a couple of months ago I
got I was contacted by a relative and they informed me that my sibling has
stage four cancer. And I thought, well, I'm going to have to
reach out now because I can't know this information and not do anything. So
after my mom died, there was a lot of stuff I just wouldn't put
up with anymore, and I thought negativity was one of the main ones.
I was just like, I have no time for it. I don't want
to revisit it. So all of the contact information for them was gone.
I was just like, not going to need it again, so, you
know, so I found surprisingly an old email. I sent an email and
I didn't hear anything back. So my relative said, well, text,
so I got the number. I texted, and I didn't hear anything.
And then I finally heard something. It might have been later that that day
when I texted, but it was late in the evening and I was like,
oh my gosh, this is a great sign. And what you said
was very kind considering what he had. Yeah, yeah, you said you
loved it. Yes, And I said that I really missed them and that
I would, you know, to keep me abreast of what was going on
and maybe we could meet. And then I found out something that just crushed
me, and that was they did not want me to know, and for
the reasons that they didn't want me to know were unbelievable. And so I
thought, well, I've done my part and I don't think there's really anything
else that I can do. So my message for people, especially, you
know, with the holiday season and sometimes things are this all started with something
that was so petty and minuscule and it just ballooned into something that it should
have never done. And you know, I know there's two sides to every
story, and they've got theirs, and you were actually a witness to it,
so you know, and I I subsequently heard from another family member that's
no longer here, but it confirmed a lot. And it's just if you
can just don't let it, don't let it get to what it did with
my family. You know, well, because to choose your related to you
don't you don't get to choose your family, but you do get to choose
your chosen family. So you know, I mean, I've got you,
I've got Marla, I've got amazing people in my life. And had I
not had that I don't know, because not only did you lose your mother
because you had already lost your father, but you lost a sibling too,
my only one at the at the exact same time. So circumstances that were
Yeah. So it was literally like it wasn't just my mom's passing, it
was the passing of the relationship with my sibling and the whole family. Yeah.
So I went to really being an orphan, yeah, because I just
didn't have anybody. And you know when you're when you're going through that,
it's not about who wins. It's not about who gets the most money.
It's not about who gets this and who gets that. That's all tangible.
It's all stuff that can be replaced for the most part. This is the
first Christmas that I actually put up a tree, because I stopped the minute.
It was our favorite time of the year. So the minute my mom
passed, I I stopped believing in a lot of stuff. But I am
I was like, I'm never celebrating Christmas again. And so this was really
the first year. I did it. Last year and it was really but
it wasn't at my home. So this year I did it at my home,
and I thought I have very little regrets in life. And I had
a few ornaments that my mom had that were beautiful, but there were ones
that she made, and then there're ones that I got from like my grandparents.
And when I was going through all that, I was just so broken
that I was like, I don't want any of it. Just take it.
I don't want any of it. So they've got everything, and I
was like, oh man, there were a couple things that I would have
loved to have just had, but in the mindset at the time, I
was just like, Nope, never going to use it. And it is,
it's memories, but you remember, you remember that. I remember them,
so yeah, And like I said, it's just stuff. But if
you're holidays are a hard tire for a lot of people because of this reason
family friction. Yeah, And if there's a way that you can fix it,
do it. If there's not, it's okay to say no. Like
if you have friction in your family and they're like come visit and you're like,
I don't want to. You can put up boundaries. You're allowed to
do that. You really have to, Yeah, because sometimes it's just not
worth it. It can be worth it if you can mend things. But
if you can't, your own self preservation and well being is much more important.
And you feel, you feel whole because you did your You reached out.
I did, which was hard to do considering the things that went on.
It was very hard, and you stepped up mm hmm. And I
did it for my mom and my dad, Yes, because I thought,
even though they're not here, I thought if they knew, Yeah, that
I knew and didn't do anything. I mean, that would just But remember
what Natalie the psychic said. Yes, she said, your mom does know.
Yeah, she knows, and she's at peace. Yeah. Yes,
she didn't understand, so that was kind of she didn't know any of this.
No, she didn't know anything. So that hopefully gave you a little
bit of it, did peace, Yeah, it did. But that's my
main thing with the holidays is if it's not something that you want to do,
if it gives you too much stress and too much anxiety, don't do
it. Yeah, you know, if it's going to result in maybe a
fractured relationship becoming even more fractured, sometimes it's best to just spend it with
your chosen family. And that's what's cool at this age we can choose our
family, can Yeah, yeah, yeah, you really can. And I'm
very grateful for that. I'm very grateful for you and the people in my
life that I just love and cherish. You know. It's uh yeah,
so important that you have, Like Claire was saying, that you have someone,
yeah, you know, support system. Yeah, support system. Yeah,
you went through hell. I will never forget that year. Oh no,
it was awful. It was you were so so stressed and so skinny,
and you were so so sad and yeah, everything was coming at you
and well, and I have to thank you because there were times where it's
like nobody wants to hear this drama. I mean, nobody would believe some
of the stuff that happened. Like I could write a book, I know,
some of the stuff was. It was like out of a movie,
it really is. And it was mind boggling. And it's weird how like
somebody you grow up with can change like that, or can from other influences.
Yeah. Yeah, we're trying to be super vague about that. Yeah,
but it was. I mean, sometimes you're just so blown away by
it that you I mean I was not only knew that I was losing my
mom, but I was just I would wake up barely able to breathe.
And I mean, I'm not being over dramatic about that. I think there
were there were times where I don't I think I would just forget because you're
just waiting for that other shoe to drop, and you're like, when's it
gonna I know it's going to happen, it's just a matter of when and
how bad it's going to be, you know. And a lot of it
is like, honestly, you know, it's like I'm her son and I
am being made to look terrible and I hadn't done anything, and so I'm
like yeah, and so I was like this is crazy, but yeah,
but you know, it's it left me with a lot of like I went
and visited her and my dad on December first, and it was the first
time that I left where I didn't cry, because I always felt like I
was leaving them, and this time, I, for some odd reason,
I didn't like. It was very with you. It was, Yeah,
it was very strange. It was the first time in a couple of years
that I I didn't get super emotional when I left. But the following day
I woke up in tears, like just sob out of a dead ass sleep,
just sobbing, and I wasn't exactly sure why. And then it just
kind of passed like I felt a very like I was laying in bed and
I just felt like a very kind of a warm sensation come over, and
I was like, oh, I feel like they're here and they're letting me
know this. Okay, So yeah, I was. You know, it's
weird leading but my dad died in nineteen ninety eight. He was sixty years
old suddenly, and that was a long time ago. Yeah, and uh
so it's the sixteenth of December is his passing date. And so it was
similar to you where like, God, Christmas kind of sucks now, I
don't I don't even care, Like I don't want to celebrate. It's but
then you know, time passes and then you know, you have your kids
and you have you know, which he never got to me, unfortunately.
But some years, even this long of a time, Yeah, it hits
you. It does all at once, like whoa, and it just you
can't predict it. Yeah, Like, I don't know what's gonna happen on
the sixteenth. Maybe it'll just be a day. Hey, he was cremated,
we spread his ashes. I don't have a place to go visit him,
but I feel like he's everywhere. Yeah, and I've always felt like
that. Yeah. So, and you know, I'm blessed to still have
my mother. God I'm so black, and I do not take that for
granted. Oh no, especially knowing what you went through and how close you
were. I call your mom, Call your mom, tell her you love
her. My mom used to say to me, we'd go to dinner and
we'd be like, the staff would literally come to us and go she would
eat it. Two places. She'd eat it Islands and she'd eat it telios.
Those were the only two places I'd ask her to venture out and she'd
be like, oh no, let's no, you know, I feel like
a tackle. But they'd have to tell us, like I mean, they
knew us by name, and they were always super excited. But they'd say,
Okay, you know, we've just been watching you two laugh for an
hour, but we're close. We want to go home, and we're like
oh, and then you know, it'd be ten o'clock and I'd be like,
oh god, I need to go grocery shopping, and she's like let's
go. Wow. So I mean she'd be out till midnight or whatever.
But yeah, it was uh And I used to just stare at her like
I was memorizing every line in her face, and she's like, what are
you doing? I know, isn't that? Did you look more like your
dad or your mom? I look more like my I looked a lot more
like my mom growing up, but I look a little more like my dad
now. But I still have a lot of my mom's features. Yeah,
yeah, because she was very tall and thin and yeah. Yeah, Well,
thank you for sharing your story, and thank you for the message,
because I think somebody needed to hear that that's going through something similar. Yeah,
and you're not alone. I mean the first time I told that story,
so many people messaged and said, God, I thought I was the
only one going through it. And you know, I mean I still talk
to my parents all the time. Oh yeah, I know, I do,
I see, Yeah, same to my dad all the time. Yeah,
I mean why not, I know they're there with board, right,
Yeah, I know my dad was named Hester only keel. Oh my god,
have you seen her lately? No? Oh boy, I think that
was real. Oh it was something picks or it didn't happen, but you
saw it. I think you saw something. I think you think you saw
something. Oh, I definitely saw something stamping, but that I don't want
to talk about it because I don't want to come back. Oh God,
here she comes. I'm in a very emotionally conflicted place right now because,
on one hand, Eric just sold a very heart touching story. But every
fifteen seconds the words I have a personalized letter from Keanu Reeves would just flash
as my head. I'd be like, this is really touching. I'd be
like, don't you smile like they could see you. Oh my god,
Kean, what a great show. I know, real tonight for sure?
Of course? What what is that? Merry Christmas? Yes, yeah,
mom and dad. Merry Christmas to your dad. Yeah, Mary rims with
daddy and mom. I'm going to see you on Christmas Eve, and most
of all, Merry Christmas to me. I know your mom was so cute.
I texted her on Thanksgiving and she's like, my Eric, she goes,
I was just thinking about you, and I was like, God,
I love her. You want to hear something. My brother is named Eric
spelled with a K with red hair, so like you could easily be my
brother, like you might as well be, because I have a similar situation
with my brother kind of going on sort of ever since my dad died.
It kind of got weird. Yeah, but we're working through it. Yeah,
my brother's named keanun you say that him the best, not just say
he's a lot older than me. There's no one to thank you for my
sweatshirt. Oh my god, I knew it. Damn it. That was
my favorite one. I don't want I don't know, but I'll get you.
Want you want what you want this kind? Did they have one do
anything with like their font on it, like their logo? Yeah, I'll
get you. Want a hoodie? Yeah, all right, I'll get you.
I love their text, like the like logo. I know it's super
cool. Alright, we're talking about Dolphe's Club and all right, we're just
we're rolling through topics. Damn anything, damn it. Next week is our
big TAMU Christmas, No Tuesday. I have a big gift for both of
you though, actually is it a duel get like for both of us or
one for me one for him. It's for the show. I was also
going to have a gift individually, for each of you that I'll still do
eventually, but it wasn't going to be ready in time. But I have
a gift for the show. So cool all of us. Oh, that's
awesome. And then on our Thursday show we have that's our Christmas Christmas show
and we have special outfits and everything. Yes, and you're going to sing,
uh, jingle bells or something. Ill. No, I do not.
I do not do Christmas carols walking around in ladies underwear or whatever,
walking around and deck the halls with balls of holly. Oh yeah, I
thought you were going to do that. Oh my god, maybe miss Leo
come in? Oh my god? What miss Lee and Drake came in last
year. We used to do when I worked with Jeff and Jerr, we
used to have to play Christmas music on one of the stations we weren't and
we've made up dirty lyrics to every single Christmas during the breaks. It was
so do you have those written down anywhere? Oh? Oh, they're they're
definitely. Balls were in there, definitely, Like I don't know, I
can't think of anything off the top of my head, and I don't want
to bag on the station because one of the things we talked about was about
the stage. Oh no, oh, no, all no, I can't
say tell me later. No, I'll tell you later. Anyway, thank
you for sharing her because I know you're you're kind of a private person,
and I I respect that. You know, I'm like completely the opposite.
So it's it's it's really cool to have some insight into your life. Yeah,
I think I don't. Yeah, anyway, don't miss next week.
It's gonna be big. You are going down. You're going down. So
my gifts run the gamut. You guys, I mean Eric one, but
I won for receiving, so you really did so Eric won, Eric one
already one. But this little thing we're doing, it's we're not going to
do a vote on the website or anything. Is better. Are you guys
giving real gifts as well? Or only team Yeah? My real gift was
the the he got He brought us new microphones. Yeah, for the show
gifts. But but as far as giving each other something, no, we
we said we're only going to do that hideous like that's your gift, So
this is your gift. I'm the only person getting real gifts this year.
Friend, you really you are? Yeah, family, the only gift that's
gonna make anybody in this group smile, because Laura will be crying next week
when I'm the baby, real baby of the family. You are, so
you are literally quite so, Yeah you are. You're gonna wake up on
Christmas morning Santa is coming for you. That was what a great thing.
That was fantastic, well done, well done, well done. All right,
it's literally like my family heirloom. Now like this is gonna get passed
down, Oh my god, totally, which is like my dad Like,
yeah, I got the autograph from Clark Gable. I'm like, what the
fuck is Clark Gable? I love Clark Gable, but that would be amazing
thing to have. Keanu's like, he's iconic. K He's getting a little
bit closer to home every day. I know he's gonna be sitting right there
one of these days eventually, when that when the Funko Pop reaches the seat,
we will summon real Kean. He yes, yes, full sized.
So oh, make sure that you guys check out Laura Kane after Dark and
the doll Face Club. So we're a living house. The five dollars donation
that you give gets your name into a box and the thousand dollars holiday Christmas
box could be yours. We're gonna pick the winters. There's more stuff coming
and every five dollars you donate gets your name put into the box and we'll
do the drawing on the twenty first. Do you want to put your Do
you want to put your dress in the box for somebody that can actually fit
into it's ruined, it's ripped. I can't. And it was a nice
dress once it was if your size too, and you know how to sew,
yeah, be my guess you don't mind looking like ornate furniture. It
was a beautiful dress. She sent me a picture of her in it,
and I was all, Holy smoke, were you just like pouring out of
it? Oh my god? The top was like Dolly Parton. All I
wanted to do was I took a selfie of me in the car in the
dress. I wanted to show how the buttons were kind of like coming like
screaming. Gap. Let me just say something. All the comments I got
were from men because my boobs are so it looks so hute. Oh my
god. I did. I posted it because I wanted to show what was
happening to the dress. When in reality my boobs look at this. Oh
my god. And then I don't mean as if I wasn't assaulted enough.
She sends me this that she wore these to work pink crocs, yes,
hideous with socks. You know what else I wore to work on Sunday onesie?
Oh god, you know why didn't you just wear it all together?
Did I wear the cross? No? But look what I'm worrying right now.
Oh no, oh no, for Walt, I'll take my god,
not even real. I'll take birks of our croc furry pinks from Walmart.
There's so many things wrong with that sentence. Yeah, you have no class,
King God, Me and Eric over here we understand Stoley, we do.
Oh my god. You don't break out into a rash when you walk
into a Walmart. No, I love like a shame wrest. Walmart is
there's so many good prices and you can find some. Probably they probably have
a cream there for your rash of shame. Ship you out to the lakeside
that you get when you I thought you were in the same from my vagina
something no box? Okay, wait a minute, what whoa what? So?
She says the other day oh god, what I'm gonna No, yes,
do I want to know this? No, check this out. You
might not want to come into work that day. I'm not coming to work
that day. What my the man who delivered both my babies, my guy,
my obg Yan, the guy who's had his fists right up in your
boo many many times. Yuck has retired, but in his office he had
a of like a mold, not a mold. But when I talked about
this, yeah, you want to bring in the model. I know he
still has it. I know he kept it and I'm going to get it
from him Amazon like dirty. No, do not give her any ideas where's
that one that comes apart so we can put it back together. I already
told you I'm not doing that. You have to order it because I'm not
going to order it. Order it. I'll order it. I'll send it
to you. You know. It's so funny. My son is also on
my Amazon account. He goes, Mom, what in the hell are you?
Because there's some things on there that I ordered that are like whack could
do? And this is going to be the most whack. And this is
my disclaimer, and I will say it right now. If you bring one
of those in, I'm going to have a jug of epicac. All your
friends are mail, all your best friends are female. There's some lifelike ones.
Okay, don't show him. Don't show okay, because help me pick
one. Oh oh my god, no, you are not asking my Brian
to help. I think you. Brian is actually like excited about this.
Oh he's not. He's going to tell you to f off because he got
the gift that's going to keep giving. Oh now he's going to use the
gift against you, Brian, don't you don't. He said he got you
the gift that keeps on giving. So now don't help me. Absolutely is
a million favors from me. Oh god, all right, we got to
end this show. We do. We were having so much I know,
we're having so much fun, and it was it's been great and and we
love you guys, thank you so much for listening. And next week is
going to be awesome. It's gonna be can't so much fun and it's our
big Christmas week shows two and make sure you donate. Laura Kane after dark
dot com so living and love your podcast. Thank you so much, you
guys for watching and listening. What are you doing? What was that?
I don't know what are you talking about? Just lock out? I love
you. I love you too. I'm actually not gonna cu him off this
time because he has a million favors from me. He's gonna he gets as
much time to ramble as Brian. Why did you tell him that? Well,
I'm just saying that he I owe him a lot of favors now,
and so I am not going to forcibly sign him out now. Brian's the
best thing since slice bread. I'm going to take my pants off right now.
Oh no, I do not want to see your labia. No,
okay, well I don't want to see that either. You can't see it
from here, only he can. No, wouldn't bet All right, I'm
doing it. Here goes my belt, then lock out? No, here
goes my belt, Here goes my love your podcast, Love you, my
sweet babies. Bye bye