1 00:00:01,960 --> 00:00:03,960 Speaker 1: So my life pretty much derailed Back in the spring 2 00:00:03,960 --> 00:00:07,240 of twenty twenty two. This is when the downward spiral, 3 00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:10,960 so to speak, really began for me. Trust me, this 4 00:00:11,039 --> 00:00:14,599 is necessary context for the rest. I was at Buffalo 5 00:00:14,599 --> 00:00:18,480 Wild Wings watching some UFC fights and some friends and 6 00:00:18,519 --> 00:00:21,679 we decided to cook up a harmless little parlay before 7 00:00:21,679 --> 00:00:24,839 the main card. I never gambled at anything before. I 8 00:00:24,879 --> 00:00:27,839 only had this vague understanding of how it worked. But 9 00:00:29,399 --> 00:00:31,640 I just passed some exams and I was about five 10 00:00:31,719 --> 00:00:35,039 or six strinks deep, and the world just seemed so 11 00:00:35,280 --> 00:00:39,200 open and rife with possibilities. So I thought, you know, 12 00:00:39,479 --> 00:00:43,039 why the hell not. I ended up turning fifteen dollars 13 00:00:43,079 --> 00:00:46,560 into over two hundred dollars that night. Bast In the 14 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:48,240 way I was acting, you would have thought that I'd 15 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:51,520 won two hundred million. The high was just it was. 16 00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:55,240 It was that good, more visceral than I would have thought. 17 00:00:55,359 --> 00:00:59,119 I never reached that high ever again. Even after hitting 18 00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:02,640 ludicrous bet that paid out fifty to sixty times more, 19 00:01:02,799 --> 00:01:08,120 nothing really came close to replicating it, which was really 20 00:01:09,879 --> 00:01:13,439 the crux of my issues. My dumbass just kept trying 21 00:01:13,439 --> 00:01:16,200 to chase it as much as I'm sure you'd all 22 00:01:16,239 --> 00:01:18,079 love to hear it. I'm not going to go into 23 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:21,840 it a detailed timeline of my misery. Just know that 24 00:01:21,879 --> 00:01:25,480 it was bad, probably worse than your imagining right now. 25 00:01:25,599 --> 00:01:29,560 Bridges burned, legal trouble, having to avoid calls from very 26 00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:35,280 persistent debt collectors, the works. The only reason I'd been 27 00:01:35,319 --> 00:01:37,519 able to somewhat keep my head above water for so 28 00:01:37,640 --> 00:01:41,239 long was due to my job. He was one of 29 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:43,480 those positions that paid you a lot to sit around 30 00:01:43,519 --> 00:01:46,280 in an office and update a spreadsheet every now and then, 31 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:51,000 maybe an hour of real work a day. Even luckier 32 00:01:51,040 --> 00:01:52,239 to be able to hang out to it for as 33 00:01:52,239 --> 00:01:56,519 long as they did so. When the consultants were hired 34 00:01:56,560 --> 00:01:59,840 and the fat started being trimmed, I really had no 35 00:02:00,079 --> 00:02:02,239 right to be as shocked as I was when I 36 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:05,239 saw a notification for my manager waiting for me on teams. 37 00:02:06,599 --> 00:02:09,319 I did end up with a pretty decent severance. You 38 00:02:09,319 --> 00:02:13,960 can guess what I did with that, eh, I actually 39 00:02:14,039 --> 00:02:17,240 tripled it the following week, betting on motherfucking golf of 40 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:20,159 all things. Of course, I should have stopped right there 41 00:02:20,199 --> 00:02:23,599 and updated my LinkedIn, polished off my suit, registered for 42 00:02:23,639 --> 00:02:26,400 some networking events, but no that wasn't gonna work for me. 43 00:02:26,879 --> 00:02:29,039 In my head, no work meant more time to learn 44 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:32,639 how to become a more proficient gambler. Every night was 45 00:02:32,680 --> 00:02:39,560 spent diving into statistics, deep analytics, line movements, even sports psychology. 46 00:02:39,599 --> 00:02:41,919 Of all things. It's a called when you think you 47 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:45,080 know it all, you really don't know shit, right, the 48 00:02:45,479 --> 00:02:49,120 Freddy Krueger Effects something like that. Things were going all 49 00:02:49,199 --> 00:02:51,280 right for a while, not great, but I was winning 50 00:02:52,319 --> 00:02:54,719 just enough that I was able to stomach at all. 51 00:02:56,800 --> 00:03:01,039 Then one night, I was completely co out, decided to 52 00:03:01,240 --> 00:03:05,719 place a very large, stupid bet on a certain boxing match. 53 00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:12,360 Flopped hard. Then, in my desperation to recoup something, I 54 00:03:12,439 --> 00:03:16,479 cooked up another long shot parlay some fights the following weekend, 55 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:20,719 and I'm sure you can guess what happened, And I 56 00:03:20,759 --> 00:03:22,919 was laid off. Four months ago, I had a total 57 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:27,199 of forty five K in liquid savings and only thirty 58 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:34,000 five K in debt across all my accounts. Now I'm 59 00:03:34,039 --> 00:03:37,840 down to twenty seven dollars and fifty cents. That's for 60 00:03:37,879 --> 00:03:42,599 the debts. I don't even know. I don't want to look. 61 00:03:43,719 --> 00:03:46,400 My cards are all maxed, my credits shot. I can't 62 00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:49,120 talk to my family anymore. My friends are no longer 63 00:03:49,159 --> 00:03:52,000 my friends, and every day there are people who look 64 00:03:52,120 --> 00:03:56,000 like they enjoy breaking fingers standing outside of my apartment building. 65 00:03:57,479 --> 00:04:00,400 Sometimes they managed to make it in and knock seriously 66 00:04:00,439 --> 00:04:02,319 at my door, and I just have to pretend like 67 00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:08,400 I'm not there. By the time I came to my 68 00:04:08,439 --> 00:04:13,520 senses and I started job searching again, I had already 69 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:15,680 dug a cavern for myself that was going to take 70 00:04:15,719 --> 00:04:22,360 some herculanean effort to scale out of. I did manage 71 00:04:22,399 --> 00:04:24,319 to get some interviews, but never made it to any 72 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:27,959 second rounds. Maybe I was coming off too strung out. 73 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:31,120 I don't know. Side tangent. Don't you fucking hate it 74 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:33,480 when they ask about gaps in your employment? It's like, 75 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:38,600 fuck off man. Anyway, I haven't gotten an interview in 76 00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:40,959 a while. Things don't seem to be looking up there. 77 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:44,639 A few days ago, the collectors actually tried physically breaking 78 00:04:44,680 --> 00:04:47,120 down my door. I got real close as well. To 79 00:04:47,199 --> 00:04:49,519 one of my neighbors. This old military type came out, 80 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:52,160 threatened to shoot their kneecaps off. They didn't skid out all. 81 00:04:53,639 --> 00:04:56,959 I got lucky there in Bangkong, getting lucky again, which 82 00:04:58,319 --> 00:05:01,240 leads me to last night. I was drunk off some 83 00:05:01,279 --> 00:05:04,600 bottomshelf vodka and decided to try a more shameful and 84 00:05:04,759 --> 00:05:10,160 unorthodox method of procuring funds. That method being using AI 85 00:05:10,319 --> 00:05:14,519 generated SOB stories to ebag on Reddit. And yeah, look, 86 00:05:15,079 --> 00:05:17,800 I was desperate, right, I wasn't thinking straight. I know, 87 00:05:18,639 --> 00:05:20,920 of course, I wasn't sure how much I'd be able 88 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:23,079 to get out of it. Certainly not enough to put 89 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:25,120 a tiny debt in the total debt, but maybe just 90 00:05:25,199 --> 00:05:27,839 enough to get the collectors off my back. It's for 91 00:05:27,879 --> 00:05:31,399 a while, and what more could I lose from trying. 92 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:34,759 I still had the wherewithal to at least edit out 93 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:37,399 most of the chech ept speak and the posts before 94 00:05:37,439 --> 00:05:43,079 copying and pasting them to as many relevant subredits as possible. Predictably, 95 00:05:43,079 --> 00:05:45,360 I got called out almost immediately and getting blocked from 96 00:05:45,399 --> 00:05:48,199 one community after another. But just when I was ready 97 00:05:48,199 --> 00:05:52,920 to give it up, somebody shot me a message I'll 98 00:05:52,959 --> 00:05:57,680 pasted below. Hey there, my name's Scott. I saw you post. 99 00:05:58,600 --> 00:06:01,519 That really sucks, man. Really, I've been there. I think 100 00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:04,240 I can help now. I can't just give you money 101 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:06,720 straight up, because I don't have much myself. But I 102 00:06:06,759 --> 00:06:08,839 can't offer you a quick and reasonable, trouble free way 103 00:06:08,879 --> 00:06:11,920 to get some nothing weird or illegal or sexual, So 104 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:14,360 don't worry about that. I have a friend who's head 105 00:06:14,399 --> 00:06:17,000 of a property group that owns a mall. The mall's 106 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:19,759 located there, so it shouldn't be too far of a drive. 107 00:06:20,279 --> 00:06:23,439 In any case, you'll be compensated for fuel. So here's 108 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:26,000 the crux of the proposal. You see, the mall's not 109 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:28,560 doing so well these days. I think most malls aren't, 110 00:06:28,639 --> 00:06:31,560 but the location for this one is just so awful 111 00:06:31,639 --> 00:06:34,000 that well, it's doing worse than the rest of them. 112 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:36,680 But for whatever reason, the guy isn't quite ready to 113 00:06:36,759 --> 00:06:38,800 let go of it. It's not that he even really 114 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:41,560 cares about it being profitable. He just doesn't want to 115 00:06:41,560 --> 00:06:45,120 get shut down and repurposed for something else for whatever reason. 116 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:48,199 You know, you know how weird rich people can be. 117 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:52,120 Have you heard about mystery shoppers. It's not as eerie 118 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:54,720 as it sounds. They're just people who are hired to 119 00:06:54,759 --> 00:06:57,800 walk around malls or shopping centers pretending to be customers. 120 00:06:58,319 --> 00:07:01,000 That's basically what he's recruiting for, to make you look 121 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:02,839 like the place still has some juice left in it. 122 00:07:03,040 --> 00:07:05,160 So that he can delay the inevitable for as long 123 00:07:05,199 --> 00:07:08,480 as he can. Again, for what I don't know. You'll 124 00:07:08,480 --> 00:07:10,040 be given a certain window of time in which you 125 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:12,639 are meant to walk around doing your best to pretend 126 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:15,000 like you actually have a reason to be there, which 127 00:07:15,279 --> 00:07:18,319 would involve some shopping, looking around, having a meal in 128 00:07:18,360 --> 00:07:20,879 the food court, et cetera. Once you ender the building, 129 00:07:20,959 --> 00:07:23,360 you'll go up to Starbucks on the second floor, go 130 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:25,360 up to the barista, tell her that you're part of 131 00:07:25,399 --> 00:07:28,000 the program, and she'll give you one hundred dollars cash. 132 00:07:28,439 --> 00:07:30,399 You can then go ahead and spend that one hundred 133 00:07:30,399 --> 00:07:32,079 dollars or whatever you'd like over the course of the 134 00:07:32,079 --> 00:07:34,519 time you're in there. Make sure you spend all of it, 135 00:07:34,759 --> 00:07:37,279 don't try to keep it. They'll know once your time 136 00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:39,879 is up you can simply leave, but don't try and 137 00:07:39,959 --> 00:07:44,199 leave early. Once again, they'll know, in order to receive compensation, 138 00:07:44,319 --> 00:07:47,319 you'll need to be there for your entire allotted duration. 139 00:07:47,920 --> 00:07:50,079 You can stay longer if you like, but not a 140 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:53,160 second less I mean that, literally, not even a second. 141 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:56,399 Compensation is as follows, two hundred and fifty dollars for 142 00:07:56,439 --> 00:08:00,360 each hour spent there, to be transferred immediately upon your departure. 143 00:08:00,680 --> 00:08:03,319 If my friend likes your performance, there'll be opportunities for 144 00:08:03,319 --> 00:08:05,399 you to come back. Let me know if this sounds 145 00:08:05,399 --> 00:08:07,759 like something you'd be interested in, and then I'll send 146 00:08:07,759 --> 00:08:13,079 over more details. Cheers. Okay, so clearly a joke, right, 147 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:17,879 I mean, I'm being trolled. But then well, I tried 148 00:08:17,920 --> 00:08:20,040 to think about what the punchline possibly could have been, 149 00:08:20,199 --> 00:08:24,839 and I couldn't come up with anything. So I pivoted 150 00:08:24,839 --> 00:08:28,160 to the idea that maybe maybe it was a scam, 151 00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:31,759 something even more nefarious than that. The setup track well 152 00:08:31,839 --> 00:08:34,600 enough lure people out to somewhere remote under the pretense 153 00:08:34,679 --> 00:08:37,159 they were going to make some good money, but not 154 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:39,679 such good money that it seemed like a glaring trap. 155 00:08:39,919 --> 00:08:42,159 Two fifty an hour for walking around and a mall 156 00:08:42,320 --> 00:08:46,159 is just skirting that edge. In my opinion, What the 157 00:08:46,159 --> 00:08:47,799 fuck are they planning to do? Once I get there? 158 00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:51,320 They mug me, They don't broke as shit, don't have anything, 159 00:08:51,399 --> 00:08:53,600 so I mean, that can't be it. So what else 160 00:08:53,639 --> 00:08:57,000 do I have that's valuable? My organs? And maybe they'll 161 00:08:57,080 --> 00:08:59,600 kidnap me and torture me to death in the dark web. 162 00:09:00,840 --> 00:09:02,879 I think the reason I'm typing this all us because 163 00:09:03,759 --> 00:09:05,759 I'm hoping when I read it back something will click 164 00:09:06,840 --> 00:09:08,399 that I'll be able to come to my senses and 165 00:09:08,440 --> 00:09:11,759 realize just how bad an idea it is, because right now, 166 00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:19,840 against all logic, I'm genuinely considering it because those fuckers 167 00:09:19,840 --> 00:09:26,360 are pounding on my door again. This time they knock 168 00:09:26,440 --> 00:09:28,919 for like twenty minutes straight. It got intense enough that 169 00:09:28,919 --> 00:09:30,360 I really thought they were going to give another shot 170 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:35,919 of breaking it down, but they didn't. Lucky me. I 171 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:38,639 thought about spending less time here so that if they 172 00:09:38,639 --> 00:09:40,480 ever did storm in, I wouldn't have to make a 173 00:09:40,480 --> 00:09:43,399 break for the fire exit. But I don't know where 174 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:46,879 i'd go. Maybe the library of the gym. No, if 175 00:09:46,919 --> 00:09:48,960 it ever comes to a point where I'd have to 176 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:53,120 do all that, it's basically already over for me. That's 177 00:09:53,159 --> 00:09:56,919 nowhere to live. Trying to weigh everything. Now, do I 178 00:09:56,960 --> 00:09:59,480 have anything to lose besides my life? Did things get 179 00:09:59,519 --> 00:10:03,200 worse they are right now? One of the people I 180 00:10:03,240 --> 00:10:05,440 owe money to is this guy named Renzo. I met 181 00:10:05,440 --> 00:10:07,440 Renzo at a bar while I was watching Canel O 182 00:10:07,480 --> 00:10:12,039 versus Crawford car Well, that was that like nine months ago. Jesus, 183 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:15,840 So anyway, I met this guy, and I was blitzed 184 00:10:15,879 --> 00:10:18,720 out of my head. Told him very confidently that I'd 185 00:10:18,720 --> 00:10:21,519 bet the house on Crawford. He seemed to like the 186 00:10:21,559 --> 00:10:23,360 cut of my jib, so he went ahead and did so. 187 00:10:24,399 --> 00:10:27,799 Not quite the house, but pretty fat stack. I made 188 00:10:27,879 --> 00:10:30,840 him some good money that night, made some good money myself. 189 00:10:31,279 --> 00:10:34,720 Then we just drank and drank until things got hazy. 190 00:10:34,799 --> 00:10:38,159 And the only other thing I really remember before waking 191 00:10:38,279 --> 00:10:40,799 up in his apartment the next morning, not what you think, 192 00:10:41,399 --> 00:10:46,399 was my face being pressed down into cold concrete. My 193 00:10:46,480 --> 00:10:49,159 clothes were still on phone and wallets still in my pockets, 194 00:10:49,639 --> 00:10:51,840 and I was just slumped over on a couch with 195 00:10:52,039 --> 00:10:54,679 one side of my face staying so bad I felt 196 00:10:54,679 --> 00:10:58,360 like something was pulsating beneath it. Looking at myself using 197 00:10:58,360 --> 00:11:00,200 the camera on my phone, I could see that my 198 00:11:00,240 --> 00:11:03,840 face was red and swollen, scratches overlapping each other like 199 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:08,039 a bloody lattice. Then Menzo comes into the living room 200 00:11:08,080 --> 00:11:10,159 saying he couldn't believe what I did last night and 201 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:13,240 how much of a dog I was. I didn't know 202 00:11:13,279 --> 00:11:15,279 what he was referring to, and I still don't. I 203 00:11:15,360 --> 00:11:19,679 never asked. So that's how I met the guy. I'd 204 00:11:19,759 --> 00:11:22,080 later find out that he traffics a lot of cocaine 205 00:11:22,159 --> 00:11:24,840 over the border and does a lot of it himself, 206 00:11:25,600 --> 00:11:29,399 and that there's a small jar sitting next to his 207 00:11:29,440 --> 00:11:34,080 television containing several shriveled, dried up human ears that he 208 00:11:34,159 --> 00:11:36,519 claims used to belong to the members of some outlaw 209 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:39,240 gang in the Old West. I'm sure a reasonable person 210 00:11:39,279 --> 00:11:43,000 would have considered these things very carefully and concluded that 211 00:11:43,080 --> 00:11:46,919 they might be better off keeping their distance, But not me. 212 00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:51,600 In fact, I did the worst thing anybody could have done. 213 00:11:51,720 --> 00:11:54,559 I ended up borrowing money from him, only about three K. 214 00:11:55,240 --> 00:11:56,639 Maybe not a lot to some of you, but when 215 00:11:56,639 --> 00:11:59,399 you're dealing with this guy, it's still three k too 216 00:11:59,480 --> 00:12:01,960 much to be fair. Though he was the one that 217 00:12:02,039 --> 00:12:04,679 had first offered it up, told me to throw on 218 00:12:04,759 --> 00:12:07,120 whatever I thought might get me some coin, and if 219 00:12:07,159 --> 00:12:11,879 I won, we'll be sure the profits. I guess he 220 00:12:11,960 --> 00:12:13,559 was under the impression that I was some sort of 221 00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:16,240 master's sports better that I knew what the fuck I 222 00:12:16,320 --> 00:12:20,799 was doing should I asked him what would happen if 223 00:12:20,799 --> 00:12:25,039 I lost before I had accepted it? And I did 224 00:12:25,039 --> 00:12:28,080 lose it all of it, couldn't pay him back even 225 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:30,440 a sin. I didn't hide it from him, just told 226 00:12:30,519 --> 00:12:33,080 him the fact straight and clear, to which he smiled 227 00:12:33,679 --> 00:12:36,360 told me it was all right, and then I had 228 00:12:36,360 --> 00:12:40,240 a week to pay him back. The week turned into 229 00:12:40,279 --> 00:12:43,120 a month and two months. Then I just started flat 230 00:12:43,159 --> 00:12:46,559 out avoiding him, wasn't picking up his calls, being very 231 00:12:46,919 --> 00:12:49,440 careful to scan my surroundings for any sign of him 232 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:52,360 whenever I was out. Eventually, I guess he snapped and 233 00:12:52,360 --> 00:12:56,120 sent his goons after me, and now and now here 234 00:12:56,159 --> 00:12:59,399 we are. The reason I bring up Brenzo is because 235 00:12:59,399 --> 00:13:01,559 he's the most pressing issue in my life right now. 236 00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:04,240 The guy clearly not going away, and if I don't 237 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:08,159 placate him soon, something very bad is going to happen, 238 00:13:08,240 --> 00:13:11,279 and I'm I'm not gonna be able to run from it. 239 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:14,919 I just gave him a call, apologized for ducking him, 240 00:13:15,360 --> 00:13:17,159 then asked him plainly how much money I needed to 241 00:13:17,159 --> 00:13:20,080 give him at this point to square everything up, get 242 00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:21,639 him the call, off his goons and leave me be. 243 00:13:24,919 --> 00:13:29,519 He told me ten K and if I don't bring 244 00:13:29,519 --> 00:13:33,559 it to him by Tuesday next week, he'd come up 245 00:13:33,559 --> 00:13:36,200 to my apartment himself and blast the door off its hinges, 246 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:45,279 and that I could try leaving the city. I'm getting 247 00:13:45,320 --> 00:13:48,759 the police involved, but that it wouldn't matter because eventually 248 00:13:49,720 --> 00:13:52,720 he'd get me, and once he did, he'd skin me 249 00:13:52,759 --> 00:13:55,399 alive before tossing me into a vat of boiling oil. 250 00:13:57,679 --> 00:14:00,320 I told him, okay, meet me at the bar next 251 00:14:00,320 --> 00:14:05,159 Tuesday at noon, that i'd have the money. Then I 252 00:14:05,200 --> 00:14:11,480 hung up. Now I'm really panicking. I mean, I don't 253 00:14:11,559 --> 00:14:13,399 the guy has access to a batta boil the large 254 00:14:13,440 --> 00:14:16,240 enough toss a body into. But I kind of believe 255 00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:20,000 him about this getting a live part. A ten K 256 00:14:20,120 --> 00:14:22,879 divided by two hundred and fifty is forty dollars and 257 00:14:22,879 --> 00:14:26,679 a half. About one hundred and seventy hours before I 258 00:14:26,679 --> 00:14:30,080 have to meet him, I just messaged Scott back, telling 259 00:14:30,159 --> 00:14:33,080 him I was very much interested in the mall thing. 260 00:14:35,200 --> 00:14:41,519 Let's see what he says. They didn't take long for 261 00:14:41,559 --> 00:14:43,519 Scott to get back to me. It was glad to 262 00:14:43,519 --> 00:14:46,000 hear it, and then asked who I could start. I 263 00:14:46,039 --> 00:14:48,240 told him immediately. Then I asked him how many hours 264 00:14:48,240 --> 00:14:50,759 he can get me before Tuesday. He told me he 265 00:14:50,759 --> 00:14:53,519 could maybe swing thirty five. I told him I really 266 00:14:53,519 --> 00:14:56,159 needed forty and was there any way that he could 267 00:14:56,200 --> 00:15:00,919 make that happen. He said no, I was a hard limit, 268 00:15:01,360 --> 00:15:03,639 but he could probably vouch for me and get me 269 00:15:03,679 --> 00:15:05,759 a rate up to two hundred and sixty five an hour. 270 00:15:06,519 --> 00:15:09,399 Then I tried pushing for two eighty five, claiming that'd 271 00:15:09,440 --> 00:15:12,519 be the minimum I need to stave off eviction, basically 272 00:15:12,519 --> 00:15:15,399 trying to guilt him into it. It was along back 273 00:15:15,440 --> 00:15:18,799 and forth, but eventually, eventually they were able to come 274 00:15:18,840 --> 00:15:22,240 to a mutual agreement. He then sent me an address, 275 00:15:22,559 --> 00:15:26,000 told me to be there from exactly two to nine tomorrow. 276 00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:28,200 I told him I appreciate it and send him the 277 00:15:28,240 --> 00:15:31,840 details that he asked for, which was just my name, age, 278 00:15:31,840 --> 00:15:36,440 phone number, email, and that's it. No address, no work history, 279 00:15:36,480 --> 00:15:40,159 no social Security number, literally anything else. They didn't even 280 00:15:40,159 --> 00:15:42,799 ask for a picture of my ID, which was convenient 281 00:15:43,519 --> 00:15:46,120 but also sketchy as fuck. I mean, I could have 282 00:15:46,120 --> 00:15:49,480 been a literal bot. How would he know so many 283 00:15:49,519 --> 00:15:53,000 red flags that you could? You could supply a parade 284 00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:56,519 with him, but itel like I really had the luxury 285 00:15:56,519 --> 00:15:58,840 of backing out at this point. Maybe I could try 286 00:15:58,919 --> 00:16:02,399 leaving town. I don't think I get too far. I 287 00:16:02,399 --> 00:16:05,440 don't think it end well. I told him i'd be there, 288 00:16:05,679 --> 00:16:07,600 and a few hours later he sent me another message 289 00:16:07,679 --> 00:16:11,639 via an email. This time, Hey Scott, please remember this 290 00:16:11,679 --> 00:16:13,840 before you go. It's really important that you do your 291 00:16:13,840 --> 00:16:16,279 best to act like a real customer from the moment 292 00:16:16,360 --> 00:16:18,799 you step inside to the moment you leave. If anybody 293 00:16:18,840 --> 00:16:20,600 comes up to you and asks you what you're doing, 294 00:16:20,840 --> 00:16:23,000 tell them you're shopping or going to see a movie, 295 00:16:23,080 --> 00:16:26,240 or grabbing lunch or just killing some time, have a 296 00:16:26,320 --> 00:16:30,080 response ready and deliver it clearly and confidently. Absolutely no 297 00:16:30,320 --> 00:16:33,039 acting like a deer in the headlights. Just be calm, 298 00:16:33,240 --> 00:16:36,320 be natural, don't think about it too much now while 299 00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:38,639 you're in there, don't ask any questions of your own. 300 00:16:38,919 --> 00:16:41,759 You see or hear something weird, just ignore it. But 301 00:16:41,799 --> 00:16:44,679 if you ever feel like you're in genuine danger, don't 302 00:16:44,720 --> 00:16:47,559 hesitate to leave. You'll be paid in full for the day. 303 00:16:47,679 --> 00:16:52,639 Should any incidents transpire, please let me know. Tell me 304 00:16:52,679 --> 00:16:55,360 exactly what happened, and I'll relay it to my friend. 305 00:16:55,759 --> 00:16:58,639 He likes to keep tabs on that sort of stuff. Also, 306 00:16:59,120 --> 00:17:01,200 one more thing I should should have mentioned at the start. 307 00:17:01,559 --> 00:17:03,559 Try to keep what you see in there to yourself. 308 00:17:03,840 --> 00:17:06,160 Try out to talk about it too much. But if 309 00:17:06,160 --> 00:17:09,440 you do because I know you probably will just make 310 00:17:09,480 --> 00:17:13,119 sure you leave out the specifics. I know it sounds contradictory, 311 00:17:13,160 --> 00:17:17,279 but my friend would rather keep everything contained here. Good 312 00:17:17,359 --> 00:17:22,400 luck man, rooting for you. So yeah, I'm not sure 313 00:17:22,400 --> 00:17:24,559 what to make of that, but I'm trying not to 314 00:17:24,559 --> 00:17:28,319 think about it. I thought about sending Scott in on 315 00:17:28,359 --> 00:17:30,920 the message, asking what kind of danger I could possibly expect, 316 00:17:32,119 --> 00:17:34,240 but fuck it, don't bite the hand that feeds you 317 00:17:34,359 --> 00:17:38,759 or something. It's late now, I'm watching Breaking Bad for 318 00:17:38,799 --> 00:17:41,319 the fourth time. I have about eight hours before I 319 00:17:41,359 --> 00:17:44,680 need to be at the mall. I really should get 320 00:17:44,680 --> 00:17:48,240 some sleep, make sure i'm mentally sharp for tomorrow. My 321 00:17:48,279 --> 00:17:50,319 heart's beating pretty fast, and I get the sense that 322 00:17:50,359 --> 00:17:53,599 the rest won't come easy right now. I looked at 323 00:17:53,599 --> 00:17:56,440 the address. It does seem to be real, an active 324 00:17:56,440 --> 00:18:00,279 place with real reviews. Nothing glaringly off about it. Other 325 00:18:00,319 --> 00:18:03,319 than the location. It's about twenty five minute drive for 326 00:18:03,440 --> 00:18:06,960 my apartment. It's pretty out of the way, not very accessible. 327 00:18:07,559 --> 00:18:09,440 I think I have just enough left in my account 328 00:18:09,480 --> 00:18:11,640 to fill up my tank with enough gas to get 329 00:18:11,640 --> 00:18:16,359 there and back. Then that's it. So if this does 330 00:18:16,400 --> 00:18:18,440 turn out to be some stupid joke, then I'm really 331 00:18:18,440 --> 00:18:23,599 screwed tight. I'm done for I'll be screwed tight if 332 00:18:23,599 --> 00:18:25,799 I show up or not. And even if it is 333 00:18:25,799 --> 00:18:27,759 a trap, I show up and immediately gets shot in 334 00:18:27,759 --> 00:18:31,240 the head or kidnapped or tortured. Well, this that means 335 00:18:31,279 --> 00:18:32,519 I won't have to deal with a lot of annoying 336 00:18:32,559 --> 00:18:36,440 shit in the future. Fading it that way, well, it 337 00:18:36,519 --> 00:18:40,039 really is win win win, and I'm starting to feel 338 00:18:40,039 --> 00:18:46,519 better about it. Sitting in my car right now, and 339 00:18:46,599 --> 00:18:49,960 I'm feeling oddly mellow more than having a long time 340 00:18:50,440 --> 00:18:53,359 could be a defense mechanism, my psyche trying to brace 341 00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:55,880 me for the unknown get also be the vodka red 342 00:18:55,880 --> 00:18:59,079 bulk and caction, and I finished chugging. Whatever it is, 343 00:18:59,119 --> 00:19:02,000 I'll take it. The parking lot is larger than i'd expected. 344 00:19:02,519 --> 00:19:04,440 It about a fifth of the way full, which is 345 00:19:04,599 --> 00:19:07,440 surprising to me given the location. It might be a 346 00:19:07,440 --> 00:19:09,720 stretch to call it the middle of nowhere, but just 347 00:19:09,799 --> 00:19:12,240 based on a cursory glance, you can make a case 348 00:19:12,279 --> 00:19:15,880 for it. No other buildings around, no other sign of 349 00:19:15,920 --> 00:19:19,160 life at all, just a desolate stretch of highway on 350 00:19:19,160 --> 00:19:24,200 one side, a dense forest on the other. It's about 351 00:19:24,200 --> 00:19:26,759 ten minutes out of the city, smack dab between some 352 00:19:26,799 --> 00:19:31,279 gray industrial area in a long stretch of farmland. Can't 353 00:19:31,279 --> 00:19:34,720 fathom what the target demographic was here. It's about ten 354 00:19:34,759 --> 00:19:37,759 before two. A lot of thoughts running through my head, 355 00:19:37,799 --> 00:19:40,799 but doing a good job but stamping most of them out. 356 00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:46,079 And another five minutes I'll head in. It's just after 357 00:19:46,119 --> 00:19:47,960 eight now and I'm sitting in the food court, sipping 358 00:19:47,960 --> 00:19:51,839 on the remnants of a milkshake, not a mellow any more. 359 00:19:53,720 --> 00:19:57,119 It's been strange here, real fucking bizarre. I'm still trying 360 00:19:57,160 --> 00:20:00,880 to process it. When at first end, which I made 361 00:20:00,880 --> 00:20:03,759 sure to do so exactly that two, I had followed 362 00:20:03,799 --> 00:20:07,079 Scott's instructions and immediately headed up to the second floor. 363 00:20:07,400 --> 00:20:10,880 Looked around the place. Seemed typical enough. There was a 364 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:13,519 usual fair h and m foot locker, bath and body 365 00:20:13,519 --> 00:20:17,079 works for a candy shop store selling cute but useless 366 00:20:17,119 --> 00:20:21,359 toys and knickknacks. Not quite bustling with activity anywhere, but 367 00:20:21,400 --> 00:20:24,559 it's not empty enough for it to feel eerie, though 368 00:20:24,599 --> 00:20:26,680 it feels really weird knowing that everybody you pass by 369 00:20:26,759 --> 00:20:28,599 is likely there for the same fucked up reason that 370 00:20:28,640 --> 00:20:31,000 you are. I mean, so I've been trying to avoid 371 00:20:31,039 --> 00:20:34,640 making eye contact. I spent a lot of time searching 372 00:20:34,640 --> 00:20:37,200 around for the Starbucks. Eventually found it tucked away in 373 00:20:37,240 --> 00:20:39,319 some corner, all the way at the end of a 374 00:20:39,359 --> 00:20:42,880 long string of dead and vacant storefronts, almost like they 375 00:20:42,960 --> 00:20:45,400 made a concerted effort to hide it. And maybe it 376 00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:48,519 was just a coincidence. I I don't want to get 377 00:20:48,519 --> 00:20:52,319 too conspiratle yet. I walked inside and the only person 378 00:20:52,319 --> 00:20:54,759 in there other than the barista was the dude sitting 379 00:20:54,799 --> 00:20:56,759 at the table with a half eaten sandwich in front 380 00:20:56,759 --> 00:20:59,079 of him. He didn't look up or really register my 381 00:20:59,119 --> 00:21:04,480 presence at all, kept staring blankly ahead something I don't 382 00:21:04,480 --> 00:21:07,039 know what. I couldn't figure it out, maybe the painting 383 00:21:07,039 --> 00:21:09,799 of abstract shapes on the wall. I went up to 384 00:21:09,799 --> 00:21:12,720 the barista, who had short blonde hair to be in 385 00:21:12,759 --> 00:21:16,079 her twenties. I offered up a smile, which wasn't reciprocated, 386 00:21:16,240 --> 00:21:19,680 not that I really cared. What did catch me off 387 00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:21,759 guard was the look on her face like I was 388 00:21:21,799 --> 00:21:23,960 the scourge of the earth or something like I just 389 00:21:24,440 --> 00:21:27,799 murdered ten puppies in front of her and then laughed 390 00:21:27,839 --> 00:21:30,759 about it. I was so puzzled by that that my 391 00:21:30,799 --> 00:21:32,920 train of thought completely derailed For a second, I forgot 392 00:21:32,960 --> 00:21:36,559 what I was supposed to do. After stumbling through several 393 00:21:36,599 --> 00:21:38,559 half baked sentences, it finally came back to me and 394 00:21:38,559 --> 00:21:42,160 I spat it out in a part of the program. 395 00:21:42,839 --> 00:21:46,000 She sighed and actually rolled her eyes before asking me 396 00:21:46,039 --> 00:21:48,880 what I wanted to order. I just stared at her, 397 00:21:49,400 --> 00:21:52,480 no clue what to say, probably looking bewildered. I told 398 00:21:52,519 --> 00:21:55,000 her again that I was part of the program. She 399 00:21:55,039 --> 00:21:57,400 shook her head to side again. You're supposed to buy 400 00:21:57,440 --> 00:22:00,640 something first, she told me. Keep your her voice really 401 00:22:00,720 --> 00:22:03,359 low while staring daggers at me. They didn't tell you. 402 00:22:04,359 --> 00:22:06,000 I shook my head and told her, no, they didn't 403 00:22:06,599 --> 00:22:08,400 supposed to buy something. Hand me some cash, then I 404 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:11,480 gave you the change, get it. I remember starting to 405 00:22:11,519 --> 00:22:14,640 get light headed here, thinking was this real? Was that dreaming? 406 00:22:15,359 --> 00:22:17,799 So order something and then give me some cash, she 407 00:22:17,839 --> 00:22:20,400 went on, doesn't matter how much, just give me something. 408 00:22:21,480 --> 00:22:23,440 I told her I'd have a black coffee, and then 409 00:22:23,559 --> 00:22:26,440 began digging through my wallet. Surprised or relieved to find 410 00:22:26,480 --> 00:22:28,839 a crumpled one dollar bill in there, I took it 411 00:22:28,880 --> 00:22:31,000 out and handed it to her. She snatched it quickly 412 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:32,799 out of my hand, and then dumped it in the 413 00:22:32,839 --> 00:22:34,960 register and then gave them back a small stack of 414 00:22:35,000 --> 00:22:40,599 crisp ten bills. I counted them quickly. I'm total. I 415 00:22:40,640 --> 00:22:43,839 turned around, getting ready to leave, but then she called 416 00:22:43,920 --> 00:22:46,960 me back, asking did I forget about something? I stopped 417 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:50,039 turning around, and she went about making the coffee, her 418 00:22:50,079 --> 00:22:53,559 movements slow, almost labored. I noticed that she was walking 419 00:22:53,599 --> 00:22:57,079 with a limp. It took her a few minutes to 420 00:22:57,079 --> 00:22:59,359 finish up, and then she held out the cup, giving 421 00:22:59,400 --> 00:23:01,559 me one last glare as I grabbed it from her. 422 00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:05,960 Never been more glad to be leaving Starbucks. Like I said, 423 00:23:06,599 --> 00:23:10,160 real bizarre stuff. But as I'd come to find out, 424 00:23:10,359 --> 00:23:13,839 this is only the tip of the iceberg. I took 425 00:23:13,880 --> 00:23:18,720 a sip of the coffee, tasted burned a hell, just 426 00:23:18,839 --> 00:23:21,920 completely got awful, so I tossed it. Made my way 427 00:23:21,960 --> 00:23:24,359 over to one of those mall directory things, so had 428 00:23:24,359 --> 00:23:26,279 a lot of time to kill, so I began perusing 429 00:23:26,279 --> 00:23:29,519 the options. Eventually I settled on heading over to the chilies, 430 00:23:29,920 --> 00:23:33,559 having a margarita two or three. Yeah, I have a problem. 431 00:23:34,240 --> 00:23:36,079 I went back down to the first floor, keeping my 432 00:23:36,160 --> 00:23:39,319 visions squarely ahead, trying not to draw an attention to myself. 433 00:23:39,640 --> 00:23:41,319 At one point, I walked past a woman who looked 434 00:23:41,319 --> 00:23:44,759 to be in her early sixties late seventies, and I 435 00:23:44,759 --> 00:23:47,359 had to wonder she here for the money as well, 436 00:23:47,480 --> 00:23:49,160 or did she just happen upon this place in her 437 00:23:49,160 --> 00:23:52,680 own volition. I almost wanted to ask her directly, but 438 00:23:53,160 --> 00:23:55,960 I thought better of it. Arriving at the Chilies, I 439 00:23:56,000 --> 00:23:58,319 had it straight for the bar and was surprised to 440 00:23:58,359 --> 00:24:01,359 find most of the seats there occupied most lively place 441 00:24:01,400 --> 00:24:03,839 I'd seen them all by far, though there wasn't a 442 00:24:03,920 --> 00:24:06,720 soul at any of the tables. It was a mixed group, 443 00:24:06,759 --> 00:24:09,720 you know, men, women, some old, some young, all seemed 444 00:24:09,759 --> 00:24:12,240 pretty drunk, glaring at me and my lovelyly as if 445 00:24:12,319 --> 00:24:17,039 I was intruding on some sacred ground. I thought this 446 00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:18,680 was just the way that it was going to be. 447 00:24:19,319 --> 00:24:22,200 I tried not to take it personally. I took a 448 00:24:22,200 --> 00:24:23,960 seat at the end of the bar, trying and failing 449 00:24:24,039 --> 00:24:27,200 to catch the bartender's attention. He was a youngish guy, 450 00:24:27,319 --> 00:24:31,480 maybe early thirties, big beard, pencil thin arms, covered in tattoos. 451 00:24:32,960 --> 00:24:34,839 I think it took about five full minutes before he 452 00:24:34,880 --> 00:24:38,720 finally reluctantly looked my way. He started to walk toward me, 453 00:24:38,880 --> 00:24:43,119 moving real slow, as if trying to draw out the steps. Yeah, 454 00:24:43,799 --> 00:24:46,000 is all he said to me, his tone oozing with 455 00:24:46,079 --> 00:24:48,799 cold contempt. I told him that I'd have a margarita 456 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:52,039 along with the budweiser. For a while, he continued to 457 00:24:52,039 --> 00:24:54,319 stare at me, his expression implying that I'd crossed some 458 00:24:54,359 --> 00:24:57,119 sort of line by asking to be served alcohol at 459 00:24:57,119 --> 00:24:59,599 a bar and a fucking chilies. Then he took a 460 00:24:59,640 --> 00:25:03,680 deep there his nose and turned away. He walked over 461 00:25:03,720 --> 00:25:06,359 to the liquor shelf. I watched him as he dumped 462 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:08,720 the tequila into a glass and threw a lime wedge 463 00:25:08,720 --> 00:25:11,200 in it, topping it off with a messy splash of sprite, 464 00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:14,599 spilling most of it on the counter. Then he walked 465 00:25:14,599 --> 00:25:16,720 back over, set it down roughly in front of me, 466 00:25:17,279 --> 00:25:20,680 and walked away again. Didn't bother with the buttweizer. I 467 00:25:20,720 --> 00:25:23,240 didn't bother pressing him for it. More in trouble than 468 00:25:23,279 --> 00:25:26,000 it was worth, I reckon. I sat there and set 469 00:25:26,119 --> 00:25:29,359 my drink, slowly watching CNN on the television, but not 470 00:25:29,440 --> 00:25:32,000 really paying attention to it. It was hard to focus 471 00:25:32,000 --> 00:25:34,279 on anything at all when you could just feel that 472 00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:36,519 every single pair of eyes in the room was stuck 473 00:25:36,559 --> 00:25:39,960 on you like glue, that you were the center of 474 00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:43,440 attention for reasons that were probably not so good. I 475 00:25:43,480 --> 00:25:45,480 finished the drink and felt like I needed one more 476 00:25:45,519 --> 00:25:48,039 to get a tolerable buzz. Going try to get the 477 00:25:48,079 --> 00:25:50,599 bartender's attention again, but this time he just straight up 478 00:25:50,640 --> 00:25:54,359 ignored me, kept facing ahead while leaning against the back shelf, 479 00:25:54,920 --> 00:25:57,920 taking swigs off of smeirnof bottle before putting it back 480 00:25:58,839 --> 00:26:02,839 lately swaying on his feet. Gal was plastered. At a 481 00:26:02,880 --> 00:26:05,039 point it starts to become a blow to your ego. 482 00:26:06,599 --> 00:26:09,160 This was about that point. I began shouting at us. 483 00:26:09,240 --> 00:26:10,720 I'm like, come on, man, get a guy and I 484 00:26:10,839 --> 00:26:15,680 get a fucking drink, maybe probably with a bit more 485 00:26:15,720 --> 00:26:18,519 of an edge to my voice, but he he still 486 00:26:18,559 --> 00:26:21,279 wouldn't look at me. I look down at the rest 487 00:26:21,279 --> 00:26:23,079 of the bar, and suddenly nobody else was looking at 488 00:26:23,079 --> 00:26:26,079 me either, like the entire room had suddenly and collectively 489 00:26:26,119 --> 00:26:29,279 agreed to pretend like I no longer existed. What the 490 00:26:29,319 --> 00:26:33,799 fuck is wrong with you people? I shouted nothing against you, buddy, 491 00:26:34,240 --> 00:26:37,440 somebody couldn't see who shot it back there's too many 492 00:26:37,480 --> 00:26:40,599 people in here right now, I asked out loud, What 493 00:26:40,640 --> 00:26:43,039 the hell is that supposed to mean? It's five o'clock 494 00:26:43,119 --> 00:26:46,799 on a Tuesday. Bartender spoke up, his tone, implying that 495 00:26:46,880 --> 00:26:50,279 he was explaining something painfully obvious. Think about it, yeah, 496 00:26:50,720 --> 00:26:54,359 I bus he get a chilies get on Tuesday, five o'clock. 497 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:57,200 Think about it. If we don't sell this, then nobody 498 00:26:57,240 --> 00:26:59,559 gets paid. So quit your whining. Come back. What it's 499 00:26:59,599 --> 00:27:04,039 emptier any for the questions of mine fell on deaf 500 00:27:04,119 --> 00:27:07,519 ears that was invisible again, slapped one of the ten 501 00:27:07,559 --> 00:27:10,599 dollars bills onto the counter, stood up, and left the place. 502 00:27:12,559 --> 00:27:14,519 For the next few hours, I sort of just wandered 503 00:27:14,559 --> 00:27:16,960 around my head in a bit of a daze, still 504 00:27:16,960 --> 00:27:20,119 not fully convinced this wasn't a dream. I went over 505 00:27:20,119 --> 00:27:22,880 to the food court. It's in KFC. Guy worrying the 506 00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:25,559 counter there didn't say a word to me, communicating via 507 00:27:25,680 --> 00:27:28,279 nothing but head nods. Then, when I bit into the chicken, 508 00:27:28,319 --> 00:27:30,680 I realized that some of it was still raw. I 509 00:27:30,759 --> 00:27:35,559 just ate around it. After that, I went over the 510 00:27:35,640 --> 00:27:38,839 under armour store spent some time looking over some knockoff 511 00:27:38,920 --> 00:27:45,519 jackets and labels read Andre armoir that nevertheless seemed comparable 512 00:27:45,519 --> 00:27:48,319 in quality to the real thing. I picked up one 513 00:27:48,319 --> 00:27:52,559 of them, along with a T shirt. Surprisingly, the lady 514 00:27:52,559 --> 00:27:54,960 who worked there was actually pretty nice, actually put some 515 00:27:54,960 --> 00:27:58,720 effort into being an employee. Maybe she was a real employee. 516 00:27:59,519 --> 00:28:01,319 After that, when I was down to just twenty dollars 517 00:28:01,359 --> 00:28:03,359 and went over to the movie theater, which was completely 518 00:28:03,359 --> 00:28:05,839 empty save for a woman who was asleep behind the 519 00:28:05,839 --> 00:28:09,119 box office and some guy sweeping the floors. The screen 520 00:28:09,160 --> 00:28:11,599 that was supposed to be displaying what was playing was glitched, 521 00:28:11,680 --> 00:28:14,680 completely bugging out, so I went up to the guy 522 00:28:14,759 --> 00:28:17,799 asked him what was on. He just shrugged, said it 523 00:28:17,799 --> 00:28:20,519 could be anything. Then I asked how was I supposed 524 00:28:20,559 --> 00:28:22,119 to buy a ticket? And said all I needed to 525 00:28:22,160 --> 00:28:24,200 do was go up to the box office, put ten 526 00:28:24,240 --> 00:28:25,960 dollars under the counter, and go into any one of 527 00:28:25,960 --> 00:28:28,799 the theaters, but to try and not wake Lindsey up, 528 00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:32,119 since she gets really cranky when then happens, he doesn't 529 00:28:32,160 --> 00:28:35,240 want to deal with it. They parted ways with another bill, 530 00:28:35,720 --> 00:28:38,720 then went into the closest theater, catching about two thirds 531 00:28:38,759 --> 00:28:41,079 of the last Avatar movie, you know, the one with 532 00:28:41,119 --> 00:28:43,920 the fire in it. There was only one other person 533 00:28:43,960 --> 00:28:46,680 in the theater, sitting near the front there there when 534 00:28:46,720 --> 00:28:49,279 I walked in. They didn't move. After the film had finished, 535 00:28:49,880 --> 00:28:52,599 they left the theater, went to the washroom, took a piss, 536 00:28:53,119 --> 00:28:55,640 splashed my face with cold water while looking at myself 537 00:28:55,640 --> 00:28:59,880 in the mirror, taking deep breaths. Now the anxiety was 538 00:29:00,240 --> 00:29:06,519 to break through fear as well. After I finished drying myself, 539 00:29:07,039 --> 00:29:10,079 the stall closest to the wall opened up. I looked over, 540 00:29:10,160 --> 00:29:12,920 seeing the door hanging ajar, but with nobody emerging from 541 00:29:12,920 --> 00:29:15,359 behind it. Through the gap at the bottom, I could 542 00:29:15,359 --> 00:29:18,279 see a pair of dirty white sneakers. That's whoever they 543 00:29:18,279 --> 00:29:21,720 belonged to. It was just standing there, which was a 544 00:29:21,759 --> 00:29:24,559 really freaky thing to think about. I left the washroom 545 00:29:24,559 --> 00:29:26,960 shortly afterward, looking over my shoulder to make sure nobody 546 00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:31,400 was trying to follow me out. Nobody did. There were 547 00:29:31,400 --> 00:29:33,880 a few more odd occurrences after this. I walked past 548 00:29:33,920 --> 00:29:37,319 an electronic store and this short, older dude came out 549 00:29:37,319 --> 00:29:39,759 from behind the counter with his big smile on his face. 550 00:29:40,119 --> 00:29:42,559 Tried a gesture for me to come inside. Cell phone, 551 00:29:43,160 --> 00:29:46,799 cell phone. He kept saying, fix cell phone. I told 552 00:29:46,880 --> 00:29:49,640 him my cell phone didn't need fixing, and his expression 553 00:29:49,720 --> 00:29:52,240 dropped like a stone in a lake, and watched him 554 00:29:52,240 --> 00:29:54,079 as he walked back into the store and rolled down 555 00:29:54,079 --> 00:29:58,279 the security gates and disappeared behind them. Then the lights 556 00:29:58,279 --> 00:30:01,960 went off and signed. There's also this lady walking around 557 00:30:02,039 --> 00:30:04,319 with a metal tray claiming to be offering samples of 558 00:30:04,359 --> 00:30:07,720 cinnamon rolls. The cinnamon rolls, in questions, were doll ups 559 00:30:07,759 --> 00:30:12,640 of thick, gray, bubbling sludge. Safe to say I passed 560 00:30:12,640 --> 00:30:15,240 on that. At some point I had what I believe 561 00:30:15,359 --> 00:30:17,640 was a panic attack. Never had one before, but I 562 00:30:17,640 --> 00:30:20,359 think this was it. The technis in my chest, an 563 00:30:20,359 --> 00:30:23,440 overwhelming sense of dread. I found a bench somewhere. I 564 00:30:23,480 --> 00:30:26,400 took a seat, pulled up some breathing exercises on YouTube, 565 00:30:26,839 --> 00:30:29,640 and tried to replicate them. To my surprise, they work 566 00:30:29,680 --> 00:30:32,039 pretty well. I went back to the food court spent 567 00:30:32,119 --> 00:30:34,240 my last ten dollars in a large peanut butter milkshake 568 00:30:34,319 --> 00:30:37,880 from Basking Robbins with a bunch of chocolate bullshit blended 569 00:30:37,920 --> 00:30:41,400 into it. That's where I am now, just sitting here 570 00:30:42,279 --> 00:30:44,079 waiting for nine to hit so I can get the 571 00:30:44,079 --> 00:30:46,799 fuck out of whatever the fuck this place is. I'm 572 00:30:46,799 --> 00:30:50,000 feeling better now, I think it's just the dopamine from 573 00:30:50,039 --> 00:30:53,920 all the sugar, but feeling all right enough that I 574 00:30:53,960 --> 00:30:57,240 think I'll be able to get through this Shit's a 575 00:30:57,240 --> 00:31:00,559 guy walking towards me now, just set down beside me. 576 00:31:04,599 --> 00:31:06,279 The good news is I'm back in my apartment now, 577 00:31:06,400 --> 00:31:09,599 mostly unscathed. They're not so good news is that as 578 00:31:09,680 --> 00:31:11,200 much as I need the money, I'm not sure I 579 00:31:11,200 --> 00:31:14,279 can go back to that place. So about that guy 580 00:31:14,279 --> 00:31:18,160 in the food court right, He was young, maybe early twenties, tall, skinny, 581 00:31:18,160 --> 00:31:21,039 brown haircut into a short fade, looks like a bog 582 00:31:21,079 --> 00:31:23,839 standard college kid. Sat next to him and started making 583 00:31:23,880 --> 00:31:26,240 small talk, asking how my day had been, was the 584 00:31:26,279 --> 00:31:28,839 milkshake good, et cetera. Try ignoring him first, but he 585 00:31:28,839 --> 00:31:32,359 seemed nice, normal, coherent enough. I started to feel bad 586 00:31:32,359 --> 00:31:35,079 about it, so we got to talking a bit. Told 587 00:31:35,079 --> 00:31:38,160 me the name was Daniel. He used to be a copywriter, 588 00:31:38,240 --> 00:31:40,759 but I got laid off after about six months. Hadn't 589 00:31:40,759 --> 00:31:44,759 been able to find anything since. So what's what he 590 00:31:44,799 --> 00:31:48,559 was doing here? What about you? He then asked, why 591 00:31:48,559 --> 00:31:51,440 are you here? Right at that moment, I felt comfortable 592 00:31:51,480 --> 00:31:53,559 enough to tell him the truth. I told him about 593 00:31:53,559 --> 00:31:56,440 the gambling, the debts, the collectors. He felt nice and 594 00:31:56,599 --> 00:31:59,599 cathartic earing out my dirty laundry to a complete stranger. 595 00:31:59,680 --> 00:32:02,559 So I kept on going. I didn't stop talking until 596 00:32:02,559 --> 00:32:04,559 my eyes drifted down and I landed on the shoes 597 00:32:04,599 --> 00:32:11,279 he was wearing. He's really worn, scuffed white sneakers. Okay, 598 00:32:11,680 --> 00:32:14,519 I thought he'd be a coincidence, and even if it 599 00:32:14,599 --> 00:32:17,319 was the same guy from the bathroom, and so what. 600 00:32:18,519 --> 00:32:22,000 But then I remember Scott's message, specifically his instructions about 601 00:32:22,319 --> 00:32:24,160 what I was supposed to do if somebody tried to 602 00:32:24,200 --> 00:32:26,440 talk to me, and the realization washed over me like 603 00:32:26,480 --> 00:32:29,759 a cold wave. I suddenly stood up told him I 604 00:32:29,960 --> 00:32:32,480 had to get going. He started protesting, telling me that 605 00:32:32,720 --> 00:32:35,160 I should stick around because he had something you wanted 606 00:32:35,160 --> 00:32:37,759 to show me. I told him I was tired and 607 00:32:37,799 --> 00:32:40,839 I really needed to go home. He started grinning, showing 608 00:32:40,880 --> 00:32:45,000 off blocky chick lit teeth, really stretched his lips as 609 00:32:45,039 --> 00:32:47,599 wide as they could go, and then a bit wider 610 00:32:47,640 --> 00:32:52,119 than that. Looked really uncanny. He asked me again what 611 00:32:52,160 --> 00:32:55,839 I was doing here shopping. I told him I was shopping. 612 00:32:57,119 --> 00:33:00,200 He pointed out that I didn't have any bags I 613 00:33:00,240 --> 00:33:03,480 had been shopping for. I started scanning the floor around me, 614 00:33:03,519 --> 00:33:06,440 before remembering that I'd left the underarmer bag in the washroom. 615 00:33:06,880 --> 00:33:10,160 He started laughing in this jovial manner, though there was 616 00:33:10,160 --> 00:33:13,680 something clearly ominous beneath it. You're not shopping, are you? 617 00:33:14,079 --> 00:33:17,440 He asked? Then? What? Why? Why are you here? I 618 00:33:17,440 --> 00:33:20,079 snuck a glance at my phone and saw eight point fifty. 619 00:33:20,680 --> 00:33:22,720 I repeated that I really needed to leave, and then 620 00:33:22,759 --> 00:33:25,799 I turned around and started heading for the exit. To 621 00:33:25,839 --> 00:33:28,160 my dismay, I could hear his steps keeping pace behind me. 622 00:33:28,519 --> 00:33:30,160 Once I got to the door, I checked the time again, 623 00:33:30,240 --> 00:33:33,720 eight fifty five. I turned and Daniel or whoever the 624 00:33:33,759 --> 00:33:37,519 fuck he was, was standing there, standing about a half 625 00:33:37,559 --> 00:33:41,599 dozen feet away. Don't you have to go home? He questioned, 626 00:33:41,599 --> 00:33:44,400 holding onto the grin doors right there. Why don't you 627 00:33:44,480 --> 00:33:47,599 leave right now? I was checking my phone ever a 628 00:33:47,680 --> 00:33:50,200 few seconds, no longer making an attempt to hide it. 629 00:33:50,519 --> 00:33:52,160 He laughed again and said that if I wasn't going 630 00:33:52,200 --> 00:33:54,440 to go home, I might as well come and see 631 00:33:54,480 --> 00:33:58,359 what he wants to show me. Now, the panic had returned, 632 00:33:58,359 --> 00:34:01,279 and I really had to force myself to stay put 633 00:34:01,319 --> 00:34:03,880 for just a few more minutes. Minutes that sceneed to 634 00:34:03,880 --> 00:34:06,839 be stretching into infinity. I told myself that I was 635 00:34:06,880 --> 00:34:09,320 ready to sprint. The second he tried to make a move, 636 00:34:10,039 --> 00:34:12,239 I started wondering who I was more scared of Renzo. 637 00:34:13,360 --> 00:34:16,519 What this fucker right here in front of me came 638 00:34:16,599 --> 00:34:20,800 up inconclusive. As the seconds ticked down, he continued goading 639 00:34:20,920 --> 00:34:23,719 me to come with him, each request insinuating more of 640 00:34:23,760 --> 00:34:27,000 a threat than the last, the grin slowly fading, twisting 641 00:34:27,000 --> 00:34:31,320 into something more outwardly malicious. The moment that the clock 642 00:34:31,400 --> 00:34:33,559 hit nine, I tried to bolt, though I didn't get 643 00:34:33,599 --> 00:34:36,840 very far. The bastard grabbed my collar started dragging me back. 644 00:34:36,920 --> 00:34:40,000 I tried yanking myself away, but the fucking freak had 645 00:34:40,039 --> 00:34:43,880 this inexplainable iron grip. It was nothing but luck that 646 00:34:43,920 --> 00:34:46,400 I'd been wearing one of my old cheap shirts, and 647 00:34:46,599 --> 00:34:48,639 the fabric of which was already starting to tear. I 648 00:34:49,239 --> 00:34:52,119 jerked myself forward a few more times until it shredded 649 00:34:52,119 --> 00:34:55,119 off my back. Once free, I lunged ahead and pushed 650 00:34:55,119 --> 00:34:57,920 the door open, folding myself outside and tripping over my 651 00:34:57,920 --> 00:35:02,360 own feet, elbows planting hard onto the concrete. The searing 652 00:35:02,400 --> 00:35:04,840 pain jolted up my arms, and I think I heard 653 00:35:04,840 --> 00:35:07,239 something crack, but I wasn't too worried about it in 654 00:35:07,239 --> 00:35:09,760 the moment, more more concerned about making sure Daniel wasn't 655 00:35:09,760 --> 00:35:12,119 about to drag me back inside. I scrambled to my 656 00:35:12,159 --> 00:35:14,880 feet and spun around to face the doors, bracing myself 657 00:35:14,880 --> 00:35:18,400 for well, I don't know what, maybe for him to 658 00:35:18,400 --> 00:35:24,079 be charging towards me like a bull, which he wasn't. 659 00:35:25,440 --> 00:35:28,079 He remained inside, his face now pressed up against the glass, 660 00:35:28,440 --> 00:35:32,559 features pancaked into this odd, grotesque visage, staring at me 661 00:35:32,639 --> 00:35:35,960 with wide bulging eyes, relentlessly dragging his tongue across the 662 00:35:35,960 --> 00:35:39,280 glass in a circular pattern, like he'd suddenly forgotten how 663 00:35:39,280 --> 00:35:41,920 to act like a human. Or maybe maybe he just 664 00:35:41,960 --> 00:35:44,719 didn't care anymore, no longer felt the need to keep 665 00:35:44,800 --> 00:35:47,840 up the front. I just stood there and stared back, 666 00:35:47,880 --> 00:35:51,400 convinced that the second I tried to move, he'd do 667 00:35:51,480 --> 00:35:55,960 the same. I'm not sure how long this little stalemate 668 00:35:55,960 --> 00:35:58,280 of ours went on for, but I remember it. I 669 00:35:58,400 --> 00:36:02,039 remember my heart racing the entire time, beating faster and faster, 670 00:36:02,480 --> 00:36:07,800 approaching a point where I thought it might just explode. 671 00:36:07,880 --> 00:36:14,119 But eventually he did leave, detached his face from the glass, 672 00:36:14,239 --> 00:36:20,400 spun around just walked off. I doubled over, puked up 673 00:36:20,400 --> 00:36:23,400 some bile, took several deep breaths before walking over to 674 00:36:23,440 --> 00:36:28,159 my car, cold, shirtless, watching the sun dip into the horizon. 675 00:36:29,079 --> 00:36:31,000 I wasn't expecting to find that my tires had all 676 00:36:31,000 --> 00:36:36,159 been slashed, all four of them. My stomach dropped and 677 00:36:37,159 --> 00:36:38,960 dropped even further when I looked around and saw that 678 00:36:39,000 --> 00:36:41,679 my car was now literally only one in the entire lot. 679 00:36:42,679 --> 00:36:44,639 I tried calling for an uber, but the network out 680 00:36:44,679 --> 00:36:48,199 there was so shit the app wouldn't load. I could 681 00:36:48,239 --> 00:36:50,280 have gone back into the mall to use the Wi Fi, 682 00:36:50,320 --> 00:36:53,239 but I mean fuck that. I just leaned on the 683 00:36:53,280 --> 00:36:55,920 hood of my car, mulling over my options, feeling a 684 00:36:55,920 --> 00:37:00,000 bit numb. My apartment was about eighteen miles away, theoretic 685 00:37:00,119 --> 00:37:03,440 me walkable, but the bigger problem was I really didn't 686 00:37:03,480 --> 00:37:06,760 know the way. There was a good chance if I 687 00:37:06,760 --> 00:37:08,880 tried walking, I'd end up in the next town over, 688 00:37:09,039 --> 00:37:12,320 especially in the dark, which is something I thankfully didn't 689 00:37:12,320 --> 00:37:15,039 have to risk. A few minutes later, the front door 690 00:37:15,079 --> 00:37:17,719 swung open and out came a woman, maybe in her thirties, 691 00:37:17,800 --> 00:37:20,800 dressed in jeans and a windbreaker. She didn't seem all 692 00:37:20,840 --> 00:37:23,000 too dangerous, but my expectations were up in the air 693 00:37:23,039 --> 00:37:28,679 at this point, so I backed away regardless. She walked 694 00:37:28,719 --> 00:37:31,480 halfway across the lot before stopping looking over at me. 695 00:37:32,079 --> 00:37:33,679 It seemed like she was about to say something, but 696 00:37:33,719 --> 00:37:36,320 then hesitated, looking away for a second before looking back, 697 00:37:37,159 --> 00:37:39,320 and she called out, asking if I needed a ride. 698 00:37:39,920 --> 00:37:43,039 I told her I'd love one. Could she first proved 699 00:37:43,039 --> 00:37:45,159 to me that she wasn't with that maniac I just 700 00:37:45,280 --> 00:37:49,960 escaped from. She said she wasn't with him, but she 701 00:37:50,000 --> 00:37:51,719 didn't know how she supposed to prove that to me, 702 00:37:52,480 --> 00:37:54,320 and she wasn't going to wait around, so if I 703 00:37:54,360 --> 00:37:59,360 wanted to ride, I should make that decision soon. I shivered, 704 00:38:00,599 --> 00:38:03,199 starting to get cold. She never questioned why I was shirtless, 705 00:38:03,920 --> 00:38:06,519 and then asked her where her car was. She told 706 00:38:06,559 --> 00:38:09,280 me to follow her, but not before flashing the glock 707 00:38:09,320 --> 00:38:12,760 attached to her hip. She said she didn't think that 708 00:38:12,840 --> 00:38:16,360 I was a threat, but that she absolutely would not 709 00:38:16,480 --> 00:38:19,159 hesitate to shoot if I tried anything, and I assured 710 00:38:19,199 --> 00:38:24,079 her I wasn't going to try anything. She parked about 711 00:38:24,079 --> 00:38:26,079 a half mile away from the mall on a dirt 712 00:38:26,079 --> 00:38:29,719 patch in the forest, well hidden from the road. Asked 713 00:38:29,719 --> 00:38:31,440 her why she parked all the way out there and 714 00:38:31,480 --> 00:38:33,920 not in the lot. She told me the first time 715 00:38:33,920 --> 00:38:35,519 she left her car in the lot after eight pm, 716 00:38:35,519 --> 00:38:38,559 her tires had gotten slashed. I then asked her how 717 00:38:38,559 --> 00:38:43,440 long she's been working at the mall. She said she 718 00:38:43,519 --> 00:38:47,199 didn't really want to talk about it, that she'd prefer 719 00:38:47,280 --> 00:38:49,639 it if we just sat in silence for the duration 720 00:38:49,760 --> 00:38:57,199 of the trip, so we did. Once we were back 721 00:38:57,239 --> 00:38:59,119 in the city, she dropped me off at a train station. 722 00:39:00,039 --> 00:39:02,000 I don't have any cash for a ticket, but it 723 00:39:02,039 --> 00:39:03,840 was pretty close to my apartment, only about a ten 724 00:39:03,880 --> 00:39:08,400 minute walk away. I thanked her. I hopped out before 725 00:39:08,440 --> 00:39:10,199 she took off. I asked her what her name was. 726 00:39:10,800 --> 00:39:14,159 She just shook her head say it'd be pointless for 727 00:39:14,199 --> 00:39:21,360 me to know. When I got home, I drained the 728 00:39:21,400 --> 00:39:23,239 rest of the vodka and my fridge and passed on 729 00:39:23,360 --> 00:39:27,079 on the couch. When I woke up this morning, I 730 00:39:27,199 --> 00:39:29,480 checked my phone and saw a notification from my bank. 731 00:39:30,679 --> 00:39:35,239 I've been e transferred three thousand dollars. I also got 732 00:39:35,239 --> 00:39:39,039 another email from Scott. Hey man, I saw you might 733 00:39:39,079 --> 00:39:40,480 have had a rough first day, so I sent you 734 00:39:40,519 --> 00:39:43,039 a bit extra on top of the promised amount. Your 735 00:39:43,039 --> 00:39:45,360 hours are the same for today two to nine pm. 736 00:39:45,719 --> 00:39:48,519 And also, man, just remember what I said before you 737 00:39:48,559 --> 00:39:54,599 drew a customer there, so act like it. It's about 738 00:39:54,599 --> 00:39:58,639 half past ten. I'm just laying on the couch sipping 739 00:39:58,679 --> 00:40:04,360 sm tomato juice and not really wanting to move, especially 740 00:40:04,480 --> 00:40:10,199 not to go back to that place. Spent some time 741 00:40:10,239 --> 00:40:12,480 trying to calculate how far three thousand dollars could get 742 00:40:12,480 --> 00:40:15,960 me if I skipped down. Concluded probably not very far. 743 00:40:17,360 --> 00:40:19,239 Then I tried conjuring up some other ways I might 744 00:40:19,239 --> 00:40:22,320 be able to cover the last seven thousand dollars before 745 00:40:22,360 --> 00:40:27,920 asking myself who I was kidding. I really don't want 746 00:40:27,960 --> 00:40:37,400 to go back there that I know i'll probably have to. 747 00:40:46,199 --> 00:40:48,599 Hey there, kids, it's me mister peebe pasta. And before 748 00:40:48,599 --> 00:40:50,639 we say goodnight, I just wanted to say thank you 749 00:40:50,679 --> 00:40:53,800 so much for watching tonight's video, or for listening to 750 00:40:53,800 --> 00:40:56,599 tonight's episode or the podcast if you were listening it 751 00:40:56,639 --> 00:40:59,280 to the podcast on Spotify or wherever you get podcasts, 752 00:40:59,519 --> 00:41:01,559 or if you're to the video on YouTube, which is 753 00:41:01,559 --> 00:41:03,880 the only place where I posed videos. I really appreciated 754 00:41:03,880 --> 00:41:05,280 you guys, and I'd appreciate it if you hit that 755 00:41:05,320 --> 00:41:07,679 thumbs up, you hit the subscribe button, and you hit 756 00:41:07,719 --> 00:41:11,000 the bell thing say the subscribe button. As always, I 757 00:41:11,039 --> 00:41:12,559 want to give a very big thank you to everybody 758 00:41:12,559 --> 00:41:15,880 who supports me on Patreon, patreon dot com slash mister Pasta. 759 00:41:16,000 --> 00:41:18,840 That is the main place you guys are able to 760 00:41:18,880 --> 00:41:20,519 support me. If you guys want to be able to 761 00:41:20,519 --> 00:41:22,679 support me, which you absolutely don't have to do, but hey, 762 00:41:23,159 --> 00:41:27,159 thank you, and especially if you guys like you can 763 00:41:27,199 --> 00:41:30,239 become one of these wonderful people whose names I mispronounced, 764 00:41:30,639 --> 00:41:33,760 people such as Diana Kraus Asset System, Benjamin two thousand 765 00:41:33,760 --> 00:41:36,320 and three, Lake Bratler Bottle Cooler, Brandon Mendoza, Caltuna, Cory 766 00:41:36,400 --> 00:41:38,400 x Kenchrion, the Code Best, Daniel Polson, Don taking Kay 767 00:41:38,480 --> 00:41:40,960 enchanted Buns, Eric Anthony Caruso s to being fifteen squirrels 768 00:41:40,960 --> 00:41:42,960 on a trench coat, Dalaty Gremlin, his nephew, Himo, Jerry 769 00:41:43,000 --> 00:41:45,639 Hour a minute, second Time, Jay Kearns, Jedi's Pet, luc Eipher, 770 00:41:45,679 --> 00:41:47,920 Nick mc flant, piss Red Shadow Cat, Remember the Sun 771 00:41:47,960 --> 00:41:50,159 Salty s Prize, so Marilyn Scary Stories Fuel Me thirty 772 00:41:50,199 --> 00:41:52,840 two Seclude Simps, Bloody Mojoe Sky, Harper Smiley, the Psychotic 773 00:41:52,880 --> 00:41:55,000 Sully Man, Holly Sue, Team Leo seventy six, The Chab 774 00:41:55,000 --> 00:41:57,039 His Brothers, the Ginger Bruds, Tommy Walters, Vice, Roy Scorn, 775 00:41:57,079 --> 00:41:59,559 William Wellington X, Reapert sixty nine x X Lucky Cat 776 00:41:59,639 --> 00:42:01,920 xx of Bowl Shadow Gardens and Peaceful Buddha. Thank you 777 00:42:01,960 --> 00:42:08,800 all so much for being here, and as always, sweet dreams, m.