March 17, 2025 • 20 mins
This week’s hometowns include a St. Patrick’s Day prank and a Cone Parade in Richmond, Virginia.
Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3UFCn1g.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
Hello, and welcome to my favorite murder the minisode. Marie
read you your stories? Would you like to go first? Sure?
I got a fucking classic hometown here. Amazing. This one's
called my dad eight Brown's Chicken and Valentine, Illinois, the
night of January eighth, nineteen ninety three. He knew four
(00:38):
of the victims.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
And this is, of course the Brown's Chicken massacre case
that I covered in episode two sixty three, which is
what I'm talking about, where seven people were murdered. Okay,
dear beloved MFM gang. For the many years I've listened
to your show, I've pondered what could I possibly share
while overlooking? My most obvious connection to a famous Massacre's
on on me while visiting my hometown of Chicago last week,
(01:03):
and I passed a Brown's Chicken and pasta. Here is
my moment of glory. I'm proud to say that my
dad is an immigrant and doctor who worked unbelievably hard
to establish his own medical practice in the late eighties
in the quiet northwest suburb of Palatine, Illinois. My dad's
practice was located just behind a Brown's Chicken. My dad
didn't like the Brown's Chicken because the building blocked the
(01:23):
street view of his office typical mentality of my business
staffy father, but he loved fatty crispy chicken. In time,
he became friends with the owners, Richard and Lynne Ellenfeldt.
My dad regularly ate at his friend's business, and Friday,
January eighth, nineteen ninety three was no exception. My dad
decided to stay late to catch up on work, but
(01:44):
dinner presented a dilemma. His new year's resolution was to
cut back on greasy food. After his business closed at
seven pm and his staff left, my dad said fuck it,
and he walked over to Brown's Chicken across the parking
lot to buy two pieces of classic leg and thigh
with the extra greasy cornbread, along with equally greasy mashed potatoes.
As he puts, it, sounds amazing. He chatted with Richard
(02:08):
for a bit before returning to his office with his
fried chicken. That night, he worked in his personal office
located in the back of the unit. He ate his dinner,
did his work until about ten pm, and left from
the rear door that opened into the alley behind the office,
not knowing what was happening. Less than two hundred and
fifty feet away from him. The next morning, he found
(02:28):
his office surrounded by yellow tape, police and news station bands.
To this day, my dad is still disturbed from the
moment he learned that his friend and his wife, Richard
and Lynn, were brutally murdered as he sat working in
his office the night prior. My dad doesn't recall hearing
anything that night. My dad also knew the two high
school students who were killed, Michael C. Castro and Rico L. Solis,
(02:51):
because he was their doctor and did their annual school physicals. Oh,
it's heartbreaking, I know. The following Monday, he went out
and bought his first gun and never fell safe in
that office again. In the months that followed, my dad
saw his business plainly in the background of local and
national news covering the story. The Brown's Chicken that once
blocked the view of my dad's office was the source
(03:12):
of free advertising on a level that he did not want. Unfortunately,
twenty five years later, my dad was the victim of
an attempted murder by a family member that it says,
that's another longer story. Uh, I mean, yes it is,
and you should write it. My dad survived by the
skin of his teeth, and I'm so grateful he's still
alive to recount the story and many others. I often
(03:33):
think about what my life could have been like if
he didn't survive, and all the light, love, memories and
stories that would have vanished with him. I admire your
work of bringing life back to the people we have
wrongfully lost, because the families of the victims deserve it,
and they deserve to know others stand with them in
their loss. I'm grateful on not one of them, but
my heart is with anyone affected by censeless acts of violence.
(03:54):
Stay sexy and don't follow your new ye's resolutions if
it means you get to see your friend's less love.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
Olivia God, Olivia, Like, what a what a story, and
what a thing for your dad to go through that alone,
separate from the other details. But just like an immigrant
that comes to this country, becomes a doctor, builds a business,
makes makes friends in his community, is part of the community,
(04:19):
and then this happens to the community. Unbelievable. All right, Well,
this episode is airing on Saint Patrick's Day, right, So
here's a little left turn email and this subject line
of it is a Saint Patrick's Day prank gone wrong.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
Now, I'm not.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
Sure who people are out there that are pranking people
on Saint Patrick's Day, the ones who cannot wait.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
For April Fools or what a thing?
Speaker 3 (04:45):
I don't or is it just kind of friends being
dicks to each other because they can.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
But I don't know. So I could see like a
little leprechaun being a prank star that makes sense. Well,
I think they're just greedy.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
I mean, I don't know why we're trying to fold
in other Okay, let me read this email. Okay, top
of the morning to you, lassies. I'm writing it as
a Day two listener. My friend Christina with a K
heard you on Day one and raved about you. Of
course I had to check out the podcast, and I've
been a loyal listener ever since. Now here's my story
of questionable parenting. For years, I've had a tradition of
(05:19):
setting my voicemail message as a leprechaun looking for his gold.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
I'm so sorry, what wait? What for you?
Speaker 3 (05:26):
I forgot about this and this used to be such
a big part of everyone's life. Is what was your
outgoing message going to be right? And it was kind
of like what you were about, and you definitely wanted
people to see you in a certain way. Yeah, so
this person's saying, for years, I've had a tradition of
setting my voicemail message as a leprechaun looking for his
gold on Saint Patrick's Day.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
What a fun way to be creative. I think mine
is like the robot right now? Is it so boring? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (05:55):
Well, I think it's because the trend is out where
it's like people don't really call each other as much anymore.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Right there used to be a really big deal.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
Okay, one particular year, I decided to take it a
step further and play a little prank on my kids,
who are six and eight at the time. I called
my home phone and left a message in my best leprechnvoys, No,
I have to do a LEPrecon.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
You have to do it?
Speaker 3 (06:17):
'tis knowing you have me gold and I'll be sneaking
in tonight to find your treasures. Yes from me? Wow?
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Yes, I'm so glad they didn't give this to me.
The powers that be did not pick this one and
give it to me, because I would have ruined that
and that was perfect. Thank you kindly.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
So they say I thought it was hilarious. That evening,
during supper, I played the message for the kids. My
daughter had a friend staying for a sleepover, and I
really sold it, acting surprise and saying a leprechaun left
us a message he thinks we have his gold. To
make it even more fun, I suggested we build a
leprechaun trap after dinner, using sticks in a cardboard box.
(06:56):
At first, it all seemed fine. The kids went along
with the idea, but then bedtime came. My daughter and
her friend came into the living room crying. They were
absolutely terrified that the leprechaun was coming for them. The
friend was so scared that she called her mother and
wanted to go.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
Oh, it's so embarrassing as a parent.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
When I got on the phone to explain it was
just a joke, neither the mother nor my husband found
it funny.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
She has not a friend in the room. No divorce
accept that little reprekahan.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
To this day, my daughter and son remind me of
how I traumatized them, insisting it was not a cool
thing to do. Of course, I still find it hilarious,
and I continue to leave my annual Leprechaun voicemail message
every Saint Patrick's Day, wishing you all a happy and
mischievous Saint Patrick's Day.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
Paula, Paula, just the thought of them, like my mom
if she were a prankster, how bad that would suck. Yeah,
you know, it's like a new level of trauma.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
I feel like I had a cousin and he now
does it to his daughter's which makes me laugh. But
I know that I felt very differently when he was
pranking quote unquote, which is just outright abusing us during
the seventies. But he still does stuff like he goes
out if he's going out to the car to get something,
and then he knows his daughters coming behind, he'll hide
behind a bush and then just jump out with them.
(08:15):
He does lots of that, that kind of stuff, And
I know it's because he's like, I want you to
get ready for the world, right.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
He don't trust anyone, especially not your parents, Like start
at home yet not trusting anyone.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
If you step out into a dark driveway in the
middle of the country, you better start wondering who's hiding
behind a bush.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
That's on you if you don't. Yeah, this is called
laughing when you're not supposed to do at a funeral. Hey,
Gal's just listen to the episode where you talk about
laughing so hard when you aren't supposed to. Our favorite
m I had to tell you the story. My sweet
and perfect Mormon grandmother, Joan died at the age of
(08:53):
ninety three a couple of years ago. Her only living sibling, Barbara,
died back in twenty twenty. It was COVID time, so
instead of bearing her sister, we had her cremated with
a plan to let her rest with my grandmother when
the time came in talking with the funeral home when
my grandmother died, we asked if we could just put
my great aunt's cremaines in with her sister. They were
going to bury the grandma. The cremaines hadn't been buried yet.
(09:17):
They vehemently said no, not unless we pay the quote
paperwork and fees to the tune of over six K.
And that says pretty sure in today's money, that's got
to be at least nine K inflation. Yeah, we declined
just to put them together.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
Well, but they're like basically like, oh no, no, that's
a whole separate bunch of charges that we are not
collapsing into one charge.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
Oh there's no two for one right here. At a
funeral the morning of my grandmother's burial, we all gathered.
Plan was to walk across the cemetery together to her
gravesite behind the hearse. We all had roses to place
on her casket. My grandmother's favorite animal was birds of
prey like owls, So I gave an owl stuffy to
my six year old niece to drop in her grave
(09:57):
with her casket. She hugged it all the wa way
to the grave and it was time she dropped it
on top of her casket. It made a loud thud.
I was trying desperately not to laugh and refuse to
make eye contact with my aunts, sisters, and mother because
I knew we all die of laughter at this inappropriate time.
This is because the night before I destuffed the owl,
(10:19):
took my great aunt Barber's cremains and placed them into
the stuffed owl. And so to back up, hell, yes
you did, cheers, stay sexy and don't let the funeral
homes charges keep you from letting your family rest together.
And should I say her name? I feel like I
didn't want out her, but oh well, Megan, she her Megan.
Speaker 3 (10:38):
Megan signed her name. She's like, you know what, come
for me, Come for me. She's already down there and buried. Yeah,
that's brilliant.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
I know. I love it breaking rules that don't belong.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
Yeah, the rules that are rules just so they can
charge you fees and get a foot is like, well
then you get Now we're all we all get to
try to rip each other off. If that's what your
standing rule is.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
I have rules too. Yeah, the rule you're trying to
get me, Like, get me? So then I'm going to
follow your rules and try to get you. Yeah, I'm
gonna get you an amen.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
Okay, let's see. Oh this is a classic hometown and
it says coming too close to a murderer is the
subject line. Hi, ladies, I've got a classic hometown for you.
This story comes from my mom, who has told it
over the years, and it gives me chills every single time.
The first few years of my life, my family lived
in a small town outside of Albany, New York. Early
(11:27):
one morning, my dad left for work, and my mom
decided to take her cup of coffee and her youngest,
cute little baby me out onto the front porch. My
older brother and sister were sleeping inside. As she sat
rocking me and enjoying the quiet morning, something caught her attention.
She watched as a man she didn't recognize emerged from
the house across the street and walk up the driveway.
(11:48):
As he reached the sidewalk, he stopped and noticed that
she was watching, and the two made eye contact. My
mom got instant bad vibes. He just stood for another
moment as my mom busied herself with adjusting me in
her lap and generally avoiding looking in his direction. He
finally moved down the road. What my mom didn't realize
at the time is that she had just witnessed this
man leaving the scene after brutally murdering our neighbor.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
Holy fuck. Yeah. Here's what happened.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
The previous evening, a young woman who lived across the
street had a small party at her home. About an
hour after all her guests had left, one man returned
to rape and kill her. After assaulting her, he dragged
her to the cellar, where he used a wooden footstool
to bludgeon.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
Her and slit her throat. Oh my god.
Speaker 3 (12:34):
Thankfully the man was arrested pretty quickly after her body
was discovered. My mom helped identify him, but has said
the whole situation was incredibly scary and traumatic.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
Of course.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
Yeah, after being seen, he could have very easily decided
to walk across the street to get rid of the witness.
That's something my mom has thought about many times.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
Definitely.
Speaker 3 (12:55):
Yeah. So there's my hometown story. Honestly, just an in
a long list about men who so easily perpetuate brutality
against women. It's sickening. So remember, stay sexy and drink
your coffee inside, love you cam.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
That is chilling. Yeah, that is like she could have
been the only witness to the fact that he was
still there, Like his alibi is out because of her,
and yep, he didn't do anything, fucking thank god. That's wild.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
Also, it's just that the exponential vulnerability of a mother
and her brand new baby.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
Yeah early in the morning, Oh my god, and the
poor world wild. All right, Well, my last one is
just completely not like that at all. Okay, it's called
dope hometown Festivals. So here we got great hey y'all
in minnesod for seventeen Oh and there's actually a Saint
Patrick's Day shout out in this one too. In Minnisod
(13:53):
four seventeen, after talking about one town's Hot Dog Day,
you requested more weird. Hometown festivals have two good ones.
This one's weird. I'm from Richmond, Virginia, where every New
Year's Day we host the Cone Parade. Dozens of hungover
people meet and parade through part of the city in
(14:13):
full body cone costumes that range from rolled up poster
board with names of metal bands written on them to
full coney works of art and wordplay. And oli under
does this mean like like a traffic cone? Or are
we talking about like an animal cone that you put
on animal when they get surgery. Can you look it up?
I guess traffic cone. My money's on a traffic cone.
(14:34):
That's what I thought too. But let's go. I've attended
as both a spectator and a cone and had a
blast either way. There's a live DJ, so there are
a few steps for the cones to dance aka awkwardly
bob up and down. A couple notable cones this year
were a few chapel rowan cones, UFOs abducting cows with
the cone as a tractor beam, a group of colored pencils,
(14:57):
and a dog in a cone, Get a dog in
a cone. I love my weird city Georgia.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
It's literally like cone shape, Like it's not a traffic cone,
just the.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
Shape of a cone. It could be anything and it's
just cone.
Speaker 3 (15:09):
Shit.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
Okay, that's easy, that works. I now live in Savannah, Georgia.
Saint Patrick's Day is the biggest event in Savannah every year,
which I didn't know that Saint Patrick is celebrated for
driving the snakes out of Ireland. So, of course, a
few days before the big event, a local group hosts
a Savannah Slithering, where people parade through the city dressed
(15:31):
as snakes and carrying snake lanterns. What mayas Vince is
a worst Namer. My husband and I have already started
our costumes for this year's slithering. How do you end
an email? I have no clue ssggm, and thank you
for all you do, Laura, shee they Laura, you killed
that ending. Incredible job.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
Yeah, this slithering is hilarious, like slithering. It's just it's
like such the game of telephone of time, where clearly
when that first started it made perfect sense. Was like
the lanterns were you know whatever, I'm making up something
from the thirties. This is how everybody lit things. Yeah,
and now it just is like snakes with lanterns, makes
no sense.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
I do love these, like adult gatherings like this the
Santa Con every year they have that like ride to
work in your underwear day in New York, Like I
just love those little things where you can be a
goofy adult.
Speaker 3 (16:24):
Yes, I think people need it.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
Yeah, make me happy. Okay, here's my last one.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
The title says the title, and then a dash don't
read this title out. Oh no, I'm sorry, It says,
don't read title if read out?
Speaker 1 (16:38):
Got it?
Speaker 3 (16:38):
Got it, and we get right into it. High pals,
longtime listener, first time emailer. You ask for inappropriate laughter
stories at a funeral, So here you go.
Speaker 1 (16:47):
Yes, my favorite.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
I hail from the Emerald Dial Dublin, Ireland. The Emerald
Dial would just be Ireland, but it's like I hailed
from the Emerald Dial Dublin, Ireland. Funerals here are long
events of silent, awkward gatherings where no one really knows
how to act or what to say to each other.
And then I would add editorial note in parentheses until
they all get.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
Drunk, and I was like, where's they all call? Though?
Speaker 3 (17:12):
Yeah, it's like that's the first fifteen minutes, but now
talk about when everyone gets three beers aboard. Anyway, a
family member of mine sadly passed away. It was my
first time attending a cremation. If you've never experienced one,
let me explain. It's basically the burial part, but at
the end, a curtain appears and slowly covers the coffin
and music plays. It's very symbolic, beautiful and sad. Well
(17:36):
it usually is, I'm sure, except for my family member's cremation.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
He chose the classic I Don't.
Speaker 3 (17:43):
Know Mambo number five by Lou Bega to play him
out of this World.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
Oh my god, I.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
Can't sing it. We can't sing it, but but I
love him so what a hero hero, Yes you read
that correctly. The song about wanting a little bit of
Monica Rita, Sandra and Tina suddenly started to blast out
of the old speakers. Imagine the worst sound called the
speakers banging out that intro.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
Based brilliant, brilliant.
Speaker 3 (18:13):
I didn't know the family member too well, so I
burst out laughing, immediately expecting everyone to be in on
this joke. And then in all caps it says nope,
and then it's a joke, a smiley face. As I
turned around, I caught shocked and alarmed expressions. It seems
no one expected this song, and it was brilliant. What
(18:34):
started as an extremely sad moment turned into a joyful one,
and afterwards stories were exchanged about how funny he was
and how he would have loved it. The moral of
the story is stay sexy and pick a funny song
for your cremation. Lots of love.
Speaker 1 (18:50):
Yon She her, Oh my God, like I love I
love this person. That's so fucking hilarious and amazing.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
It's so good to be like, Okay, yeah, I'm gonna die.
It makes me feel like they maybe were slightly on
the younger side to know that song and then to
know how funny it would be.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
Did you see recently the thing going around that was
like a grandma died and she had these cards made
up to pass out at her funeral that had Wiji
boards on it and said keep in touch. Yes, brilliant,
so good. If you know your funeral's coming, do something
funny on it. Yeah, pay it forward. You're not gonna
be here anymore.
Speaker 3 (19:29):
Think of others for one.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
And then have them write in their story to My
Favorite Murder. Please.
Speaker 3 (19:34):
All right, well, hey, happy Saint Patrick's Day. Please safe
in saying the Saint Patrick's Day. We don't want to
see you drink nine beers like you did last year.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
Come on, no green barf this year.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
Please come on, come on, stay sexy and don't get murdered. Okay, bye, Elvis,
do you want to cook? E? This has been an
exactly right production.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
Our senior producer is Alejandra Keck.
Speaker 3 (20:06):
Our editor is Aristotle Oscevedo.
Speaker 1 (20:09):
This episode was mixed by Leona.
Speaker 3 (20:10):
Squalacci, emailing her hometowns to My Favorite Murder at gmail
dot com.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
And follow a show on Instagram and Facebook at my
Favorite Murder. Goodbye
Hello, and welcome to my favorite murder the minisode. Marie
read you your stories? Would you like to go first? Sure?
I got a fucking classic hometown here. Amazing. This one's
called my dad eight Brown's Chicken and Valentine, Illinois, the
night of January eighth, nineteen ninety three. He knew four
(00:38):
of the victims.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
And this is, of course the Brown's Chicken massacre case
that I covered in episode two sixty three, which is
what I'm talking about, where seven people were murdered. Okay,
dear beloved MFM gang. For the many years I've listened
to your show, I've pondered what could I possibly share
while overlooking? My most obvious connection to a famous Massacre's
on on me while visiting my hometown of Chicago last week,
(01:03):
and I passed a Brown's Chicken and pasta. Here is
my moment of glory. I'm proud to say that my
dad is an immigrant and doctor who worked unbelievably hard
to establish his own medical practice in the late eighties
in the quiet northwest suburb of Palatine, Illinois. My dad's
practice was located just behind a Brown's Chicken. My dad
didn't like the Brown's Chicken because the building blocked the
(01:23):
street view of his office typical mentality of my business
staffy father, but he loved fatty crispy chicken. In time,
he became friends with the owners, Richard and Lynne Ellenfeldt.
My dad regularly ate at his friend's business, and Friday,
January eighth, nineteen ninety three was no exception. My dad
decided to stay late to catch up on work, but
(01:44):
dinner presented a dilemma. His new year's resolution was to
cut back on greasy food. After his business closed at
seven pm and his staff left, my dad said fuck it,
and he walked over to Brown's Chicken across the parking
lot to buy two pieces of classic leg and thigh
with the extra greasy cornbread, along with equally greasy mashed potatoes.
As he puts, it, sounds amazing. He chatted with Richard
(02:08):
for a bit before returning to his office with his
fried chicken. That night, he worked in his personal office
located in the back of the unit. He ate his dinner,
did his work until about ten pm, and left from
the rear door that opened into the alley behind the office,
not knowing what was happening. Less than two hundred and
fifty feet away from him. The next morning, he found
(02:28):
his office surrounded by yellow tape, police and news station bands.
To this day, my dad is still disturbed from the
moment he learned that his friend and his wife, Richard
and Lynn, were brutally murdered as he sat working in
his office the night prior. My dad doesn't recall hearing
anything that night. My dad also knew the two high
school students who were killed, Michael C. Castro and Rico L. Solis,
(02:51):
because he was their doctor and did their annual school physicals. Oh,
it's heartbreaking, I know. The following Monday, he went out
and bought his first gun and never fell safe in
that office again. In the months that followed, my dad
saw his business plainly in the background of local and
national news covering the story. The Brown's Chicken that once
blocked the view of my dad's office was the source
(03:12):
of free advertising on a level that he did not want. Unfortunately,
twenty five years later, my dad was the victim of
an attempted murder by a family member that it says,
that's another longer story. Uh, I mean, yes it is,
and you should write it. My dad survived by the
skin of his teeth, and I'm so grateful he's still
alive to recount the story and many others. I often
(03:33):
think about what my life could have been like if
he didn't survive, and all the light, love, memories and
stories that would have vanished with him. I admire your
work of bringing life back to the people we have
wrongfully lost, because the families of the victims deserve it,
and they deserve to know others stand with them in
their loss. I'm grateful on not one of them, but
my heart is with anyone affected by censeless acts of violence.
(03:54):
Stay sexy and don't follow your new ye's resolutions if
it means you get to see your friend's less love.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
Olivia God, Olivia, Like, what a what a story, and
what a thing for your dad to go through that alone,
separate from the other details. But just like an immigrant
that comes to this country, becomes a doctor, builds a business,
makes makes friends in his community, is part of the community,
(04:19):
and then this happens to the community. Unbelievable. All right, Well,
this episode is airing on Saint Patrick's Day, right, So
here's a little left turn email and this subject line
of it is a Saint Patrick's Day prank gone wrong.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
Now, I'm not.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
Sure who people are out there that are pranking people
on Saint Patrick's Day, the ones who cannot wait.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
For April Fools or what a thing?
Speaker 3 (04:45):
I don't or is it just kind of friends being
dicks to each other because they can.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
But I don't know. So I could see like a
little leprechaun being a prank star that makes sense. Well,
I think they're just greedy.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
I mean, I don't know why we're trying to fold
in other Okay, let me read this email. Okay, top
of the morning to you, lassies. I'm writing it as
a Day two listener. My friend Christina with a K
heard you on Day one and raved about you. Of
course I had to check out the podcast, and I've
been a loyal listener ever since. Now here's my story
of questionable parenting. For years, I've had a tradition of
(05:19):
setting my voicemail message as a leprechaun looking for his gold.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
I'm so sorry, what wait? What for you?
Speaker 3 (05:26):
I forgot about this and this used to be such
a big part of everyone's life. Is what was your
outgoing message going to be right? And it was kind
of like what you were about, and you definitely wanted
people to see you in a certain way. Yeah, so
this person's saying, for years, I've had a tradition of
setting my voicemail message as a leprechaun looking for his
gold on Saint Patrick's Day.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
What a fun way to be creative. I think mine
is like the robot right now? Is it so boring? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (05:55):
Well, I think it's because the trend is out where
it's like people don't really call each other as much anymore.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Right there used to be a really big deal.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
Okay, one particular year, I decided to take it a
step further and play a little prank on my kids,
who are six and eight at the time. I called
my home phone and left a message in my best leprechnvoys, No,
I have to do a LEPrecon.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
You have to do it?
Speaker 3 (06:17):
'tis knowing you have me gold and I'll be sneaking
in tonight to find your treasures. Yes from me? Wow?
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Yes, I'm so glad they didn't give this to me.
The powers that be did not pick this one and
give it to me, because I would have ruined that
and that was perfect. Thank you kindly.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
So they say I thought it was hilarious. That evening,
during supper, I played the message for the kids. My
daughter had a friend staying for a sleepover, and I
really sold it, acting surprise and saying a leprechaun left
us a message he thinks we have his gold. To
make it even more fun, I suggested we build a
leprechaun trap after dinner, using sticks in a cardboard box.
(06:56):
At first, it all seemed fine. The kids went along
with the idea, but then bedtime came. My daughter and
her friend came into the living room crying. They were
absolutely terrified that the leprechaun was coming for them. The
friend was so scared that she called her mother and
wanted to go.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
Oh, it's so embarrassing as a parent.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
When I got on the phone to explain it was
just a joke, neither the mother nor my husband found
it funny.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
She has not a friend in the room. No divorce
accept that little reprekahan.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
To this day, my daughter and son remind me of
how I traumatized them, insisting it was not a cool
thing to do. Of course, I still find it hilarious,
and I continue to leave my annual Leprechaun voicemail message
every Saint Patrick's Day, wishing you all a happy and
mischievous Saint Patrick's Day.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
Paula, Paula, just the thought of them, like my mom
if she were a prankster, how bad that would suck. Yeah,
you know, it's like a new level of trauma.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
I feel like I had a cousin and he now
does it to his daughter's which makes me laugh. But
I know that I felt very differently when he was
pranking quote unquote, which is just outright abusing us during
the seventies. But he still does stuff like he goes
out if he's going out to the car to get something,
and then he knows his daughters coming behind, he'll hide
behind a bush and then just jump out with them.
(08:15):
He does lots of that, that kind of stuff, And
I know it's because he's like, I want you to
get ready for the world, right.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
He don't trust anyone, especially not your parents, Like start
at home yet not trusting anyone.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
If you step out into a dark driveway in the
middle of the country, you better start wondering who's hiding
behind a bush.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
That's on you if you don't. Yeah, this is called
laughing when you're not supposed to do at a funeral. Hey,
Gal's just listen to the episode where you talk about
laughing so hard when you aren't supposed to. Our favorite
m I had to tell you the story. My sweet
and perfect Mormon grandmother, Joan died at the age of
(08:53):
ninety three a couple of years ago. Her only living sibling, Barbara,
died back in twenty twenty. It was COVID time, so
instead of bearing her sister, we had her cremated with
a plan to let her rest with my grandmother when
the time came in talking with the funeral home when
my grandmother died, we asked if we could just put
my great aunt's cremaines in with her sister. They were
going to bury the grandma. The cremaines hadn't been buried yet.
(09:17):
They vehemently said no, not unless we pay the quote
paperwork and fees to the tune of over six K.
And that says pretty sure in today's money, that's got
to be at least nine K inflation. Yeah, we declined
just to put them together.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
Well, but they're like basically like, oh no, no, that's
a whole separate bunch of charges that we are not
collapsing into one charge.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
Oh there's no two for one right here. At a
funeral the morning of my grandmother's burial, we all gathered.
Plan was to walk across the cemetery together to her
gravesite behind the hearse. We all had roses to place
on her casket. My grandmother's favorite animal was birds of
prey like owls, So I gave an owl stuffy to
my six year old niece to drop in her grave
(09:57):
with her casket. She hugged it all the wa way
to the grave and it was time she dropped it
on top of her casket. It made a loud thud.
I was trying desperately not to laugh and refuse to
make eye contact with my aunts, sisters, and mother because
I knew we all die of laughter at this inappropriate time.
This is because the night before I destuffed the owl,
(10:19):
took my great aunt Barber's cremains and placed them into
the stuffed owl. And so to back up, hell, yes
you did, cheers, stay sexy and don't let the funeral
homes charges keep you from letting your family rest together.
And should I say her name? I feel like I
didn't want out her, but oh well, Megan, she her Megan.
Speaker 3 (10:38):
Megan signed her name. She's like, you know what, come
for me, Come for me. She's already down there and buried. Yeah,
that's brilliant.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
I know. I love it breaking rules that don't belong.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
Yeah, the rules that are rules just so they can
charge you fees and get a foot is like, well
then you get Now we're all we all get to
try to rip each other off. If that's what your
standing rule is.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
I have rules too. Yeah, the rule you're trying to
get me, Like, get me? So then I'm going to
follow your rules and try to get you. Yeah, I'm
gonna get you an amen.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
Okay, let's see. Oh this is a classic hometown and
it says coming too close to a murderer is the
subject line. Hi, ladies, I've got a classic hometown for you.
This story comes from my mom, who has told it
over the years, and it gives me chills every single time.
The first few years of my life, my family lived
in a small town outside of Albany, New York. Early
(11:27):
one morning, my dad left for work, and my mom
decided to take her cup of coffee and her youngest,
cute little baby me out onto the front porch. My
older brother and sister were sleeping inside. As she sat
rocking me and enjoying the quiet morning, something caught her attention.
She watched as a man she didn't recognize emerged from
the house across the street and walk up the driveway.
(11:48):
As he reached the sidewalk, he stopped and noticed that
she was watching, and the two made eye contact. My
mom got instant bad vibes. He just stood for another
moment as my mom busied herself with adjusting me in
her lap and generally avoiding looking in his direction. He
finally moved down the road. What my mom didn't realize
at the time is that she had just witnessed this
man leaving the scene after brutally murdering our neighbor.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
Holy fuck. Yeah. Here's what happened.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
The previous evening, a young woman who lived across the
street had a small party at her home. About an
hour after all her guests had left, one man returned
to rape and kill her. After assaulting her, he dragged
her to the cellar, where he used a wooden footstool
to bludgeon.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
Her and slit her throat. Oh my god.
Speaker 3 (12:34):
Thankfully the man was arrested pretty quickly after her body
was discovered. My mom helped identify him, but has said
the whole situation was incredibly scary and traumatic.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
Of course.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
Yeah, after being seen, he could have very easily decided
to walk across the street to get rid of the witness.
That's something my mom has thought about many times.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
Definitely.
Speaker 3 (12:55):
Yeah. So there's my hometown story. Honestly, just an in
a long list about men who so easily perpetuate brutality
against women. It's sickening. So remember, stay sexy and drink
your coffee inside, love you cam.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
That is chilling. Yeah, that is like she could have
been the only witness to the fact that he was
still there, Like his alibi is out because of her,
and yep, he didn't do anything, fucking thank god. That's wild.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
Also, it's just that the exponential vulnerability of a mother
and her brand new baby.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
Yeah early in the morning, Oh my god, and the
poor world wild. All right, Well, my last one is
just completely not like that at all. Okay, it's called
dope hometown Festivals. So here we got great hey y'all
in minnesod for seventeen Oh and there's actually a Saint
Patrick's Day shout out in this one too. In Minnisod
(13:53):
four seventeen, after talking about one town's Hot Dog Day,
you requested more weird. Hometown festivals have two good ones.
This one's weird. I'm from Richmond, Virginia, where every New
Year's Day we host the Cone Parade. Dozens of hungover
people meet and parade through part of the city in
(14:13):
full body cone costumes that range from rolled up poster
board with names of metal bands written on them to
full coney works of art and wordplay. And oli under
does this mean like like a traffic cone? Or are
we talking about like an animal cone that you put
on animal when they get surgery. Can you look it up?
I guess traffic cone. My money's on a traffic cone.
(14:34):
That's what I thought too. But let's go. I've attended
as both a spectator and a cone and had a
blast either way. There's a live DJ, so there are
a few steps for the cones to dance aka awkwardly
bob up and down. A couple notable cones this year
were a few chapel rowan cones, UFOs abducting cows with
the cone as a tractor beam, a group of colored pencils,
(14:57):
and a dog in a cone, Get a dog in
a cone. I love my weird city Georgia.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
It's literally like cone shape, Like it's not a traffic cone,
just the.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
Shape of a cone. It could be anything and it's
just cone.
Speaker 3 (15:09):
Shit.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
Okay, that's easy, that works. I now live in Savannah, Georgia.
Saint Patrick's Day is the biggest event in Savannah every year,
which I didn't know that Saint Patrick is celebrated for
driving the snakes out of Ireland. So, of course, a
few days before the big event, a local group hosts
a Savannah Slithering, where people parade through the city dressed
(15:31):
as snakes and carrying snake lanterns. What mayas Vince is
a worst Namer. My husband and I have already started
our costumes for this year's slithering. How do you end
an email? I have no clue ssggm, and thank you
for all you do, Laura, shee they Laura, you killed
that ending. Incredible job.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
Yeah, this slithering is hilarious, like slithering. It's just it's
like such the game of telephone of time, where clearly
when that first started it made perfect sense. Was like
the lanterns were you know whatever, I'm making up something
from the thirties. This is how everybody lit things. Yeah,
and now it just is like snakes with lanterns, makes
no sense.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
I do love these, like adult gatherings like this the
Santa Con every year they have that like ride to
work in your underwear day in New York, Like I
just love those little things where you can be a
goofy adult.
Speaker 3 (16:24):
Yes, I think people need it.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
Yeah, make me happy. Okay, here's my last one.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
The title says the title, and then a dash don't
read this title out. Oh no, I'm sorry, It says,
don't read title if read out?
Speaker 1 (16:38):
Got it?
Speaker 3 (16:38):
Got it, and we get right into it. High pals,
longtime listener, first time emailer. You ask for inappropriate laughter
stories at a funeral, So here you go.
Speaker 1 (16:47):
Yes, my favorite.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
I hail from the Emerald Dial Dublin, Ireland. The Emerald
Dial would just be Ireland, but it's like I hailed
from the Emerald Dial Dublin, Ireland. Funerals here are long
events of silent, awkward gatherings where no one really knows
how to act or what to say to each other.
And then I would add editorial note in parentheses until
they all get.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
Drunk, and I was like, where's they all call? Though?
Speaker 3 (17:12):
Yeah, it's like that's the first fifteen minutes, but now
talk about when everyone gets three beers aboard. Anyway, a
family member of mine sadly passed away. It was my
first time attending a cremation. If you've never experienced one,
let me explain. It's basically the burial part, but at
the end, a curtain appears and slowly covers the coffin
and music plays. It's very symbolic, beautiful and sad. Well
(17:36):
it usually is, I'm sure, except for my family member's cremation.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
He chose the classic I Don't.
Speaker 3 (17:43):
Know Mambo number five by Lou Bega to play him
out of this World.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
Oh my god, I.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
Can't sing it. We can't sing it, but but I
love him so what a hero hero, Yes you read
that correctly. The song about wanting a little bit of
Monica Rita, Sandra and Tina suddenly started to blast out
of the old speakers. Imagine the worst sound called the
speakers banging out that intro.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
Based brilliant, brilliant.
Speaker 3 (18:13):
I didn't know the family member too well, so I
burst out laughing, immediately expecting everyone to be in on
this joke. And then in all caps it says nope,
and then it's a joke, a smiley face. As I
turned around, I caught shocked and alarmed expressions. It seems
no one expected this song, and it was brilliant. What
(18:34):
started as an extremely sad moment turned into a joyful one,
and afterwards stories were exchanged about how funny he was
and how he would have loved it. The moral of
the story is stay sexy and pick a funny song
for your cremation. Lots of love.
Speaker 1 (18:50):
Yon She her, Oh my God, like I love I
love this person. That's so fucking hilarious and amazing.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
It's so good to be like, Okay, yeah, I'm gonna die.
It makes me feel like they maybe were slightly on
the younger side to know that song and then to
know how funny it would be.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
Did you see recently the thing going around that was
like a grandma died and she had these cards made
up to pass out at her funeral that had Wiji
boards on it and said keep in touch. Yes, brilliant,
so good. If you know your funeral's coming, do something
funny on it. Yeah, pay it forward. You're not gonna
be here anymore.
Speaker 3 (19:29):
Think of others for one.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
And then have them write in their story to My
Favorite Murder. Please.
Speaker 3 (19:34):
All right, well, hey, happy Saint Patrick's Day. Please safe
in saying the Saint Patrick's Day. We don't want to
see you drink nine beers like you did last year.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
Come on, no green barf this year.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
Please come on, come on, stay sexy and don't get murdered. Okay, bye, Elvis,
do you want to cook? E? This has been an
exactly right production.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
Our senior producer is Alejandra Keck.
Speaker 3 (20:06):
Our editor is Aristotle Oscevedo.
Speaker 1 (20:09):
This episode was mixed by Leona.
Speaker 3 (20:10):
Squalacci, emailing her hometowns to My Favorite Murder at gmail
dot com.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
And follow a show on Instagram and Facebook at my
Favorite Murder. Goodbye
Hosts And Creators
Georgia Hardstark
Karen Kilgariff
Popular Podcasts
Boysober
Have you ever wondered what life might be like if you stopped worrying about being wanted, and focused on understanding what you actually want? That was the question Hope Woodard asked herself after a string of situationships inspired her to take a break from sex and dating. She went "boysober," a personal concept that sparked a global movement among women looking to prioritize themselves over men. Now, Hope is looking to expand the ways we explore our relationship to relationships. Taking a bold, unfiltered look into modern love, romance, and self-discovery, Boysober will dive into messy stories about dating, sex, love, friendship, and breaking generational patterns—all with humor, vulnerability, and a fresh perspective.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com