July 14, 2022 • 31 mins
Georgia gets a visit from the past as she tries to move on with her life in Los Angeles.
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 (00:00):
Teleporce Productions and I Heart Radio presents wheel Woman Confessions
of a Getaway Driver. How long were you hiding out
from Joe before he tracked you down? It took some time,
but it was still well before I was prepared to
see him. I thought I was so careful, But under
(00:21):
all the stress of starting a new life, I had
forgotten to close my bank account back home. Though I
had opened a new account in l A, it was
still with the same bank, and Joe used it to
get my number. Hello, Where are you, Georgia, l A?
(00:47):
Where you called me? Where in l A. I'm in
no mood for guessing games. What difference does it make, Joe?
I'm not coming back. Warning you for the last time, Georgia,
get your ass home now. But for the first time,
I wasn't scared. I had begun to build my own life.
I was independent, and my new freedom gave me a
(01:07):
new confidence. Not this time, Joe, I refuse to live
that way anymore. Just come home, Georgia, and I'll forget
this ever happened. I can't. Why can't you? Because it
will never end, Joe, You'll never change. I'll change. I've
had a lot of time to think. I don't blame
you for running, but you have to give me another shot.
(01:28):
Let me prove it to you. Okay, please, Joe, just
leave me alone. It just won't work, Okay. I'm so
sick of being miserable. There's never been enough of me
left to give Tony. How can I be a good
mother if I'm always in mental turmoil? It hasn't been easy,
but you know what, we are both happier now than
we have ever been. So please, if you really care
(01:51):
about us, leave us alone. I worry about you too,
by yourselves. Do you have any money I'm getting by?
Do you have any idea what you've put me through?
Not knowing where the hell you are, or if you're
all right or not? For Christ's sake, Georgia, you're all
alone in that fucking city with a little kid. Do
you realize what an easy mark you are? Honey? You
(02:11):
need me more than you realize. Okay, come home, please,
I can take care of myself. God damn it, Georgia,
don't make me do this. Tell me where you are.
You know I'll find out anyway, So why don't you
make it easy on yourself? You see what I mean?
Joel I'm hanging up now. He didn't have my address yet,
(03:20):
but I knew it would be simple enough to find.
I started looking for another apartment, but it was easier
this time, and I meant what I said to him.
Tony and I were happier than ever, and I wasn't
going to give that up. I kept Joe at bay,
but then I got into a situation where I needed
his help. There was this real creep, Steve, just some
(03:41):
weirdo I met in passing once who became fixated on me,
who got it in his head that I should be
with him, and he made it clear he would stop
at nothing to make that dream a reality. He was
an obsessive maniac, stalking me and threatening me. I tried
everything to get him to leave me alone, but nothing worked.
He wouldn't relent. He would call incessantly, ring, ring, ring, ring.
(04:04):
I can still hear that phone ringing today. I'd hang
up on him and he'd call right back. I turned
on my answering machine and he'd talked until he used
up my tape. He would show up at my door
in the middle of the night, crying, begging me to
let him in. I'd call the police and he'd take off,
but he'd be back the next night with a different story.
One night, he turned up bleeding. Go away, Steve. He's
(04:30):
opened the door. They're out there. They just stabbed me.
Open the door, Georgia. I think I'll need an ambulance.
Look all your people, if you don't believe me, I'm
bleeding to death. What happened? I was parking in the
alley and these two black guys jump me. He stabbed me.
Becauld you get me a towel. He was bleeding, but
(04:54):
I knew he was lying about what happened. I had
a sinking feeling he stabbed himself. I'll call nine. No, No,
it's okay, Steve. You're bleeding. You have to go to
the hospital. The police arrived before the paramedics. When they
(05:15):
questioned him, the story was slightly different. The police led
him to the ambulance and then returned to the apartment
after he was driven away. Officer, I think he may
have stabbed himself. Now why would you think that? Well,
I believe he would say or do anything to get
me to open my door to him. I've had this
(05:37):
problem with him before. Your department has a record of
all this. He's not a very stable person. He claims
your husband hired the guys who did this to him.
What man? My husband doesn't even know he exists. In fact,
he doesn't even hope I exist. This guy is a
habitual liar. I know he stabbed himself. We'll still have
to check it out. Where does your husband live? No, God,
(06:00):
I don't want him to find me. I won't tell you.
Why can't you guys be concerned about my safety? Do
you know how many times I've called you for help?
This guy is nuts? Why don't you believe me? Why
don't you average you want anything about it? I'm sorry, miss,
but if he hasn't actually hurt you, there's nothing we
can do. Our hands are time. Surprise, surprise, the police
(06:24):
were useless. The calls were still incessant. I called a
mutual acquaintance who confirmed my fears. He told me that
Steve was bad news and had just took him for
eighty grand. What's worse is apparently Steve had been lying
about his daughter's death. She was very much alive, and
what's more, he was still married. I was told to
(06:44):
stay away from him. He clearly had his crew loose.
I was trying and Then one day I came home
from work and I couldn't find Tony. I looked everywhere,
at the park, at the neighbors. When I walked back
into the apartment, frantic, the phone was ringing, m H, Hello, Tony,
(07:08):
where are you with my daughter? Steve? I just took
her fire so worried. Bring back my daughter, Steve right now. Yes,
I'll talk to you, Just get her back here now.
Within ten minutes they were back. I sent Tony downstairs
to play with our neighbor's daughter before yelling at Steve.
(07:29):
He didn't answer. Instead, I watched in fear as he
pulled out a shotgun. I didn't think. I just ran.
I barricaded myself in my bedroom and called. He left,
but I knew he'd be back. The police, well, they
took another report. It dawned on me that I could
actually wind up dead if I didn't do something about it.
(07:49):
The police would never stop him. So I called the
one person I knew who would fight fire with fire.
They say it was my last resort. Yeah, yeah, hi, Joe,
(08:11):
where are you? Where have you been hiding? I've been worried, sick.
I'm in Los Angeles, but I need your help. What's
the matter? I have a problem, and I don't know
who else to turn to? What kind of problem? There's
this guy, Joe, I'm here. Do you have to help me?
(08:32):
He's gonna kill me. I've been staying at a friend
since he broke into my apartment, but he'll be back.
I'm afraid to go home. Will you? Will you help me?
If anyone's gonna kill you, Georgia, it's gonna be me.
How do you get yourself into these message? Do you
see now why you need me? Who the hell else
would do what I do for you? Joe? I call
it because I need your help, not to fight. There
isn't a day that goes by. I don't think about you.
(08:53):
In that city, with all those nuts running around. I
knew this would happen. Why don't you just come home
where you belong? He canna help me or not? All right?
Thank you, Joe. I'll send somebody meet him at the
airport tomorrow. I'll put him on the eight thirty flight.
How will I recognize him? He'll find you. He'll have
(09:16):
instructions to stay with you day and night until the
problem is taken care of. What's he gonna do? You?
Know better than to ask that kind of question on
the phone. Don't worry, honey, You're in good hands. Nothing
will happen to you. One thing I knew about Joe,
(09:46):
he knew how to handle a crisis in retrospect. That
was a real turning point in our relationship. Joe's guy
Al waited with me in my apartment until Steve inevitably
showed up. Al was prepared to do whatever was necessary,
but I couldn't let him go through with it. I
thought if he just scared Steve enough, it would solve things.
(10:06):
I watched as Al beat Steve to a bloody pulp
and then told Steve to never talk to me again.
He scurried away, nodding, and Al went back east and
for a while things were quiet. I was hopeful, and then,
like all pests, Steve returned. It started incrementally. I would
see his car on my block. Then the calls were back,
(10:28):
and the late night drop ins, and this time his
threat sounded more serious. He was psychotic and I felt
he was truly dangerous. But I didn't know what to do.
The police were a dead end, and I didn't want
to call Joe again. I thought of calling Sammy g
but he was dodging his own bullets from the mob
and the law. So I called someone else I knew
(10:51):
I could rely on without a price attached. Hello, Hi, Frankie,
Georgia girl. How are you doing? Baby? I've been better,
(11:11):
I am. I need your help. I'm sorry to ask,
but can you fly out here? Of course? Maybe? Okay?
So eye to night. Thank you, Frankie. How long can
you stay? As long as you need me? I picked
him up at the airport the next day and filled
(11:32):
him in. He was livid. You gotta be kidding me.
Why didn't Joe just kill the motherfucker? I mean you,
you've got a bunch of fucking lightweights around you. Baby,
you should have just called me in the first place.
I wouldn't let him. Frankie, Georgie girl, you gotta wake up.
You have torn your hot baby, Frankie, I'm so glad
(11:52):
you're here. I feel so much safer now. This has
been a nightmare. The first thing we got to do
was find another place to live. How's Tony dealing with
all this? She's been staying with my cousin, but she's
amazingly resilient. This is nothing new to her, Frankie, she
hasn't had a very happy childhood. One day, how make
(12:13):
it up to her? Funny how life is. I'll let
you go to protect you from the kind of life
you wound up having. Anyway, I should have married you, baby.
I kicked myself more than once for being such a fool.
There's never been anyone else like you. I keep searching
for even a glimpse of you and other women, but
it's never there. You're cut above the rest, Georgie girl,
(12:34):
you deserve a lot more from life than what you've
gotten so far. Thanks, Frankie. I'm not so sure I
believe that, but it's nice to hear. You're a winner, baby,
and don't you ever forget that. For the next few weeks,
Frankie accompanied me wherever I went. He was mine temporary bodyguard,
(12:57):
and we became lovers again during the time, but I
would not allow myself to think about a future with him.
I was trying to get away from that old life,
and honestly, too much time had passed, too much of
my innocence had been lost. But I was relieved to
know that the comfort of our friendship would be there forever.
After a little while with no Steve incident. I decided
(13:19):
to run an errand on my own and test out
my independence. And you know what happened, Not Steve, but
the FBI. One of your people cornered me and brought
me in for questioning. Sounds familiar? Please have a seat.
Are you going to tell me why I'm here? I
have to pick up my kid from school. You were
(13:40):
at a party in Bellows Home on February six, which
you attended with your husband? Am I correct? If you
say I was? Then I guess I was. Several reputed
mafia members attended that party. Did you overhear any conversations
between any of these men that you can recall? Nope?
Why was Salvat or reality there? I don't know the man.
(14:04):
Is this or is this not? A photo of the
two of you together in New York? Anyone else you
want to claim not to know. He threw more pictures
at me, images of me with all the usual suspects.
Paul Castellano, the head of the Gambino family, Tony Lee
Captain and the Gambino family, Sammy g and Joe Colombo.
(14:25):
Nice guys you're friendly with. They're just old acquaintances from
back home level with us, Georgia. We can help you.
I don't know anything that's not what Steve tells us.
Excuse me, everybuddy. Steve told us you're willing to testify
against Joe and the mob. We know they're giving you
(14:48):
in Steve trouble. Joe's our lead suspect on a case
we've been working on for over a year. Give us
something we can use and you'll be rewarded. I can
promise you that we'll put you in Steve together into
witness protection, send you both anywhere you want to go.
What this is insane. You guys have got it all wrong.
I want to get away from Steve. You aren't in
(15:12):
a relationship. No, he's just some creep who won't leave
me alone. Jesus, check with the police department. I filed
a thousand complaints against the guy. You guys have been
taken for a sucker. Well, obviously need a bit of
time as we checked this out, make sure we can
find you. Did you consider helping them? No? I knew
(15:38):
it would only cause more problems for me. But they
did eventually figure out I was telling the truth about Steve,
and boy were they mad. Finally they got rid of
that problem. Turns out the FBI did not like being manipulated.
They found enough offenses to put Steve behind bars where
he belonged. But after that meeting, I was less scared
about Steve and more scared than Joe would learn that
(16:00):
I'd even talk to the FBI. I went straight home
and told Frankie, what happened. You gotta go see Joe, baby.
You gotta let him know what's happening here. Frankie hated Joe,
but he felt a kinship in this situation. A code
which Italians on the dark Side lived by was taking charge.
If the FBI has been following you, they probably gotta
(16:21):
make on me by now. This is gonna bring down
some peat on our friends on the East, and they're
not going to be happy about it. I gotta get
back to New York and smooth this thing out before
tempest stuff flaring. You know what I mean? I sit down,
but I didn't get permission. Georgie girl, I can't explain
it right now, but you may have to come to
New York for a few days. I'll send you a
ticket if it comes to that. I'm afraid to go
(16:42):
see Joe Frankie, I know, but you gotta go, baby,
can't just leave him in the dock. I'll leave you
some money, get a hotel for a while until I
can figure this out. Miss you, Frankie. Yeah, me too, baby.
I don't like leaving you like this, but I have
enough choice. I know. See you when I see you.
(17:04):
Georgia Gruel. Yeah, I love you, baby, I love you too, Frankie.
(17:25):
I was terrified, but I did go to see Joe.
I knew it was the right thing to do. I
explained everything and apologized profusely. Amazingly, he seemed composed. He
poured us both a drink without saying a word. I
was thrown by his calm reaction, and I struggled to relax.
But as we started talking, I realized this wasn't about me.
(17:48):
It was about him, and he remained fairly levelheaded. He
paced around the room as we discussed the course of
action we would take depending on the scenario. It was
four o'clock in the morning before we stopped talking. We
were both pretty weary, as I knew he would Joe
try to convince me once again how much he loved me,
but for the first time ever in person, I was
(18:10):
able to view him only as a batterer, an abuser,
and a controller and remained firm. When he was satisfied,
he let me leave. I was relieved, and after that
there were no more threats, no more menacing phone calls.
At one point later, his mother got sick and he
asked me to come visit her, which I did. I
(18:31):
always loved her and Joe appreciated that our relationship was civil,
and finally I felt free. I was able to focus
on Tony, my stunt career, and build a life for
myself in Hollywood. The last thing I was looking for
was a relationship. In fact, I was adamantly against one.
But then I met Richard. My cousin. Randy and his
(19:05):
girlfriend Susan had just moved to l A, and I
decided to take Susan out on the town. We went
to Pips, a private nightclub, where my neighbor, who was
a member, called to leave our name at the door.
We arrived at nine pm and the crowded disco was
in full swing. Moments after walking in the door, I
felt a tap on my shoulder. Would you like to dance? Oh? No,
(19:27):
thank you? Well, then would you like a drink. No,
thank you, I've had my limit until I get some
food in me. Of course? Can I get you some need? No,
I'm I'm here with a friend. Hi, I'm Susan. Who
are you? My name is Richard daughdre. Are you ladies hungry? Starved? Good? Well,
it's settled, then I'll get us a table. I started
(19:49):
to object, but Susan followed after him, and I felt
I had no choice but to follow. We made our
way into the dining room and sat down at a
cozy booth across from table. Warren Beatty sat with three
spectacular women, yet his eyes explored the room, resting occasionally
in my direction. Frank Sinatra stood at the bar with Jilly,
a character I had briefly associated with the New York City.
(20:12):
Lucille Ball was absorbed in a back gab and game
in the adjacent room with Jim Rose, a director who
lived in the building next to mine. Richard's eyes started
around the room. I sensed he was in search of
some recognition from his peers for the status we had
brought to him. He was nice enough, but I wasn't interested,
not necessarily because of him, but dating in general. At
(20:33):
that point, I really had no experience with a healthy
man to distinguish the difference between what was normal and
what was not, and I didn't want to make that
mistake again. I couldn't, but when we left, Susan confessed
she gave him my number. Predictably, he called the next
day and invited me to dinner Friday. I tried to
get out of it, claiming I didn't have a babysitter,
(20:55):
but he called my bluff and invited Tony to come along.
To my surprise, had a great time, and after a
few dates, which always included my daughter, my initial fears
faded away. Richard was a kind soul with money to enjoy,
and I soon found myself looking forward to our dates.
He was extremely patient and I became comfortable with him,
(21:17):
and Tony enjoyed all the attention he showed her. In time,
I fell in love and was surprisingly happy. Richard treated
Tony and me like royalty, and he knew about my
past and didn't seem to judge me. When he asked
me to marry him, I said yes, which meant I
had to make a call. I was dreading, but Joe
and I had reached a new level of understanding, and
(21:39):
finally he agreed to a divorce. Well, agree maybe the
wrong word, but he didn't contest it. He even said
he could live with it as long as he could
still talk to me sometimes and spend some time with Tony,
which I could live with. What's his was his, What's
mine was mine, and I was free to get married
once again. Richard and I had a small wedding in
(22:06):
a large suite at the Desert End Hotel in Las Vegas.
No invitations were sent. Only family members and a few
close friends were present. Though Joe knew about it, he
didn't know where or when it was happening. I still
didn't totally trust it was sitting well with him and
didn't want any surprises. It was Thanksgiving Day. My new
(22:27):
life was beginning on the same day that Jimmy Missarros
had ended just six years earlier. Darlene, who was once
married to Joe's younger brother Jimmy, was my maid of
honor pen in hand. She hesitated before assigning her name
as a witness. Darlene was easy to read. I could
tell she was worried that Jimmy or Joe would somehow
find out that she was a willing accomplice in the crime.
(22:48):
I was committing, daring to remarry when married to Joe.
I wasn't even allowed to be friends with Darlene. Joe
viewed her independent spirit as a bad influence on me,
and here she was my maid of honor. Oh god,
this is just two bizarre not as bizarre as our
past are. Do I call Richie daddy new mom if
(23:10):
you want to, Tony, I think he'd like that. Everyone
was in a great, loving mood when suddenly the door
of the suite opened. All eyes landed on the two
large men who entered. Everyone could tell they were no
ordinary guests. I followed the stairs to see Joey tia
Barelli and Tommy Taylor, now Joey's bodyguard, walking towards me. Joey,
(23:35):
what are you doing here? Well, I hear getting married
and I happened to be in town, so I thought
i'd surprise you. You make a beautiful bride Georgie girl.
Well thanks, Tommy, I guess I must think so too,
since I've been the bride three times now. So who's
the lucky guy? Richard? Come over here, rich This is
(24:00):
Joey Tiabarelli and Tommy Taylor. They're old friends of mine
from Rochester. Nice to meet you. You better be good
to this girl. She's a very special lady. You're lucky guy. Yes,
thank you. I know that. Is there a place we
can talk privately, Georgia? Um, sure, come with me. I
(24:25):
excuse myself from Richard, leaving him to entertain our guests.
I led Joey up the winding staircase to the elegant
bedroom Tommy and tell so what's up. Things are still
a little bad in Rochester, Georgia. Since Sammy g has
(24:47):
been gone, God rest his soul. There's been practically a
murder a week. It's a freaking power struggle, and I'm
afraid we're not winning. It's not my world anymore, Joey.
It'll always be your world. Honey. You can take the
girl out of New York, but you can't take the
New York out of the girl. You want a bed.
I've never seen you turned down a bed before, Joey.
(25:07):
You want to lay a little down on that one, Georgie.
I gotta go on the land for a while. I
need five grand Jesus Christ. Joey, this is my wedding day,
you think because you're getting married to a millionaire. Now
you can forget who your old friends. Uh, I'll bet
you got more than that downstairs. He's a millionaire, Joey,
I'm not. I can think of a way to make
(25:27):
you one real fast. Come on, Joey, what is this
a fucking shakedown? Of course not, honey, we're friends. I'm desperate, Georgie,
or I wouldn't be asking if you want to see
your old buddy alive five years from now. You'll help me.
If you don't, you're giving me my destinance. Don't lay
that ship on me. I'm not giving you a death sentence.
You did that to yourself a long time ago. How
(25:48):
many times did I save your ass from that piece
of ship? Huh? You didn't save my asked, Joey. Sammy did,
and I never asked for the favor. Besides, you guys
had your own agenda. Don't try and tell me it
was all on my half. Now, who's forgetting the girls
from New York? If Sammy hadn't become the man? Georgia,
you might not even be here to way that pretty
white dress right now? And you goddamn well know it.
(26:11):
Who's kidding? Who? Here? You owe me, honey, I don't
know you shit. I have to get back to my
guest Joey. After all, this is a wedding. What about
the money. My old life was literally and violently intruding
on the new. But I realized the only way to
get rid of him without ruining the entire day was
(26:33):
to give him some money. Joey, only gangsters walk around
with five grand in their pockets. This is the real world.
I'll get you a thousand, but that's as far as
I go, and for your information, this is coming out
of my pocket. I'll have to pay Richard back, and
I expect you to pay me back someday, one way
or another. I found Richard and pulled him aside, telling
(26:58):
him I needed a thousand dollars. He wasn't thrilled, but
he didn't question it. I discreetly gave Joey the money.
Then they finished their champagne and left a fine beginning
to my new life. But I had come to learn
that there were no real beginnings and ends. My past
would always be a part of me, but that didn't
(27:18):
mean I couldn't move forward. If this was the worst
of my problems. I had learned to tolerate it. The
champagne started to flow once again, and the piano began
back up. It was a wonderful day, and then, miraculously,
I became pregnant on my honeymoon. Nine months later, I
gave birth to my son, Dustin. It was one of
(27:39):
the happiest days of my life. The hospital room was
filled with flowers and balloons. Tony's life was now filled
with dance and riding lessons, outings with friends, parties, and
school plays, most of which Richard participated in. She felt
like she belonged. She finally laughed and smiled again. I
actually had the family I always wanted. How did that
(28:02):
sit with Joe? I always was worried he might lash out,
but for the most part we remained civil. He did
show up unannounced at my house once soon after I
was married, but I think he just wanted to make
his presence known more than anything else. But whether or
not he was there, so much of our relationship continued
to haunt me. I actively tried to work through it,
(28:23):
but it really shaped the adult I grew into. As
he got older, Joe found himself all alone and he
had to contend with the life he led. The situations
he created. He became his own judge and jury, and
sentenced himself to life as a recluse. He gave up
and waited impatiently to die, making himself physically sick. At
(28:43):
the age of fifty seven, he could barely walk or breathe,
and the demons in his head continued to haunt him.
When death refused to take him naturally, he finally took
a gun that had mysteriously disappeared from my house during
his visit, put it to his head, and drove all
the demons away and for all. Not many fond memories
are nice words were said in the wake of Joe's passing.
(29:07):
The world had not suffered a great loss, But finally
I felt completely free. At a certain point during my
life with Joe, Georgia Black had taken over completely. She
needed to so I could survive. But now that he
was gone, I felt like I could really say goodbye
(29:28):
to her. What about Frankie, How did he take the
news you remarried? Frankie said, if I was happy, he
was happy, and I like to believe he meant it.
We both always loved each other, but I suppose we
just weren't meant to be. He remained a close friend
though and a confidante until the end of his life,
(29:48):
even visited occasionally and never stopped being good to me
and Tony. The truth is, every part of my past
made me who I am. I just learned with time
how to hold onto the good bits and let go
of the hard parts. I think that's something everyone has
to contend with at some point or another, even if
(30:08):
your pass isn't quite as colorful as mine was. Wheel
Woman is written by Lars Jacobson and Sabrina Jagulin and
directed by Sabrina Jagulin, Produced by Lars Jacobson and Sabrina Jagulin,
Executive produced by Georgia Duranti and Noel Brown for I
Heart Radio. Wheel Woman stars Lelia Simonton as Georgia, with
(30:32):
additional performances by Tanner Beard, Zachary Webber, Simon Jagulin, Chase Mullins,
Nick Williams, Gabe Greenspan, Dylan McCullum, Garrett Bear, Nora Garrett,
Duncan Kladein, Victoria Foyt, Max Georgie, Mariah Bess, and Max Jacoby.
Edited by Chris Childs, with sound design and theme music
(30:53):
by Chris Child's adapted from the book The Company She
Keeps by Georgia Duranty. Wheel Woman Can Fessions of a
Getaway Driver is an I heart Radio production. For more
podcasts from I heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Teleporce Productions and I Heart Radio presents wheel Woman Confessions
of a Getaway Driver. How long were you hiding out
from Joe before he tracked you down? It took some time,
but it was still well before I was prepared to
see him. I thought I was so careful, But under
(00:21):
all the stress of starting a new life, I had
forgotten to close my bank account back home. Though I
had opened a new account in l A, it was
still with the same bank, and Joe used it to
get my number. Hello, Where are you, Georgia, l A?
(00:47):
Where you called me? Where in l A. I'm in
no mood for guessing games. What difference does it make, Joe?
I'm not coming back. Warning you for the last time, Georgia,
get your ass home now. But for the first time,
I wasn't scared. I had begun to build my own life.
I was independent, and my new freedom gave me a
(01:07):
new confidence. Not this time, Joe, I refuse to live
that way anymore. Just come home, Georgia, and I'll forget
this ever happened. I can't. Why can't you? Because it
will never end, Joe, You'll never change. I'll change. I've
had a lot of time to think. I don't blame
you for running, but you have to give me another shot.
(01:28):
Let me prove it to you. Okay, please, Joe, just
leave me alone. It just won't work, Okay. I'm so
sick of being miserable. There's never been enough of me
left to give Tony. How can I be a good
mother if I'm always in mental turmoil? It hasn't been easy,
but you know what, we are both happier now than
we have ever been. So please, if you really care
(01:51):
about us, leave us alone. I worry about you too,
by yourselves. Do you have any money I'm getting by?
Do you have any idea what you've put me through?
Not knowing where the hell you are, or if you're
all right or not? For Christ's sake, Georgia, you're all
alone in that fucking city with a little kid. Do
you realize what an easy mark you are? Honey? You
(02:11):
need me more than you realize. Okay, come home, please,
I can take care of myself. God damn it, Georgia,
don't make me do this. Tell me where you are.
You know I'll find out anyway, So why don't you
make it easy on yourself? You see what I mean?
Joel I'm hanging up now. He didn't have my address yet,
(03:20):
but I knew it would be simple enough to find.
I started looking for another apartment, but it was easier
this time, and I meant what I said to him.
Tony and I were happier than ever, and I wasn't
going to give that up. I kept Joe at bay,
but then I got into a situation where I needed
his help. There was this real creep, Steve, just some
(03:41):
weirdo I met in passing once who became fixated on me,
who got it in his head that I should be
with him, and he made it clear he would stop
at nothing to make that dream a reality. He was
an obsessive maniac, stalking me and threatening me. I tried
everything to get him to leave me alone, but nothing worked.
He wouldn't relent. He would call incessantly, ring, ring, ring, ring.
(04:04):
I can still hear that phone ringing today. I'd hang
up on him and he'd call right back. I turned
on my answering machine and he'd talked until he used
up my tape. He would show up at my door
in the middle of the night, crying, begging me to
let him in. I'd call the police and he'd take off,
but he'd be back the next night with a different story.
One night, he turned up bleeding. Go away, Steve. He's
(04:30):
opened the door. They're out there. They just stabbed me.
Open the door, Georgia. I think I'll need an ambulance.
Look all your people, if you don't believe me, I'm
bleeding to death. What happened? I was parking in the
alley and these two black guys jump me. He stabbed me.
Becauld you get me a towel. He was bleeding, but
(04:54):
I knew he was lying about what happened. I had
a sinking feeling he stabbed himself. I'll call nine. No, No,
it's okay, Steve. You're bleeding. You have to go to
the hospital. The police arrived before the paramedics. When they
(05:15):
questioned him, the story was slightly different. The police led
him to the ambulance and then returned to the apartment
after he was driven away. Officer, I think he may
have stabbed himself. Now why would you think that? Well,
I believe he would say or do anything to get
me to open my door to him. I've had this
(05:37):
problem with him before. Your department has a record of
all this. He's not a very stable person. He claims
your husband hired the guys who did this to him.
What man? My husband doesn't even know he exists. In fact,
he doesn't even hope I exist. This guy is a
habitual liar. I know he stabbed himself. We'll still have
to check it out. Where does your husband live? No, God,
(06:00):
I don't want him to find me. I won't tell you.
Why can't you guys be concerned about my safety? Do
you know how many times I've called you for help?
This guy is nuts? Why don't you believe me? Why
don't you average you want anything about it? I'm sorry, miss,
but if he hasn't actually hurt you, there's nothing we
can do. Our hands are time. Surprise, surprise, the police
(06:24):
were useless. The calls were still incessant. I called a
mutual acquaintance who confirmed my fears. He told me that
Steve was bad news and had just took him for
eighty grand. What's worse is apparently Steve had been lying
about his daughter's death. She was very much alive, and
what's more, he was still married. I was told to
(06:44):
stay away from him. He clearly had his crew loose.
I was trying and Then one day I came home
from work and I couldn't find Tony. I looked everywhere,
at the park, at the neighbors. When I walked back
into the apartment, frantic, the phone was ringing, m H, Hello, Tony,
(07:08):
where are you with my daughter? Steve? I just took
her fire so worried. Bring back my daughter, Steve right now. Yes,
I'll talk to you, Just get her back here now.
Within ten minutes they were back. I sent Tony downstairs
to play with our neighbor's daughter before yelling at Steve.
(07:29):
He didn't answer. Instead, I watched in fear as he
pulled out a shotgun. I didn't think. I just ran.
I barricaded myself in my bedroom and called. He left,
but I knew he'd be back. The police, well, they
took another report. It dawned on me that I could
actually wind up dead if I didn't do something about it.
(07:49):
The police would never stop him. So I called the
one person I knew who would fight fire with fire.
They say it was my last resort. Yeah, yeah, hi, Joe,
(08:11):
where are you? Where have you been hiding? I've been worried, sick.
I'm in Los Angeles, but I need your help. What's
the matter? I have a problem, and I don't know
who else to turn to? What kind of problem? There's
this guy, Joe, I'm here. Do you have to help me?
(08:32):
He's gonna kill me. I've been staying at a friend
since he broke into my apartment, but he'll be back.
I'm afraid to go home. Will you? Will you help me?
If anyone's gonna kill you, Georgia, it's gonna be me.
How do you get yourself into these message? Do you
see now why you need me? Who the hell else
would do what I do for you? Joe? I call
it because I need your help, not to fight. There
isn't a day that goes by. I don't think about you.
(08:53):
In that city, with all those nuts running around. I
knew this would happen. Why don't you just come home
where you belong? He canna help me or not? All right?
Thank you, Joe. I'll send somebody meet him at the
airport tomorrow. I'll put him on the eight thirty flight.
How will I recognize him? He'll find you. He'll have
(09:16):
instructions to stay with you day and night until the
problem is taken care of. What's he gonna do? You?
Know better than to ask that kind of question on
the phone. Don't worry, honey, You're in good hands. Nothing
will happen to you. One thing I knew about Joe,
(09:46):
he knew how to handle a crisis in retrospect. That
was a real turning point in our relationship. Joe's guy
Al waited with me in my apartment until Steve inevitably
showed up. Al was prepared to do whatever was necessary,
but I couldn't let him go through with it. I
thought if he just scared Steve enough, it would solve things.
(10:06):
I watched as Al beat Steve to a bloody pulp
and then told Steve to never talk to me again.
He scurried away, nodding, and Al went back east and
for a while things were quiet. I was hopeful, and then,
like all pests, Steve returned. It started incrementally. I would
see his car on my block. Then the calls were back,
(10:28):
and the late night drop ins, and this time his
threat sounded more serious. He was psychotic and I felt
he was truly dangerous. But I didn't know what to do.
The police were a dead end, and I didn't want
to call Joe again. I thought of calling Sammy g
but he was dodging his own bullets from the mob
and the law. So I called someone else I knew
(10:51):
I could rely on without a price attached. Hello, Hi, Frankie,
Georgia girl. How are you doing? Baby? I've been better,
(11:11):
I am. I need your help. I'm sorry to ask,
but can you fly out here? Of course? Maybe? Okay?
So eye to night. Thank you, Frankie. How long can
you stay? As long as you need me? I picked
him up at the airport the next day and filled
(11:32):
him in. He was livid. You gotta be kidding me.
Why didn't Joe just kill the motherfucker? I mean you,
you've got a bunch of fucking lightweights around you. Baby,
you should have just called me in the first place.
I wouldn't let him. Frankie, Georgie girl, you gotta wake up.
You have torn your hot baby, Frankie, I'm so glad
(11:52):
you're here. I feel so much safer now. This has
been a nightmare. The first thing we got to do
was find another place to live. How's Tony dealing with
all this? She's been staying with my cousin, but she's
amazingly resilient. This is nothing new to her, Frankie, she
hasn't had a very happy childhood. One day, how make
(12:13):
it up to her? Funny how life is. I'll let
you go to protect you from the kind of life
you wound up having. Anyway, I should have married you, baby.
I kicked myself more than once for being such a fool.
There's never been anyone else like you. I keep searching
for even a glimpse of you and other women, but
it's never there. You're cut above the rest, Georgie girl,
(12:34):
you deserve a lot more from life than what you've
gotten so far. Thanks, Frankie. I'm not so sure I
believe that, but it's nice to hear. You're a winner, baby,
and don't you ever forget that. For the next few weeks,
Frankie accompanied me wherever I went. He was mine temporary bodyguard,
(12:57):
and we became lovers again during the time, but I
would not allow myself to think about a future with him.
I was trying to get away from that old life,
and honestly, too much time had passed, too much of
my innocence had been lost. But I was relieved to
know that the comfort of our friendship would be there forever.
After a little while with no Steve incident. I decided
(13:19):
to run an errand on my own and test out
my independence. And you know what happened, Not Steve, but
the FBI. One of your people cornered me and brought
me in for questioning. Sounds familiar? Please have a seat.
Are you going to tell me why I'm here? I
have to pick up my kid from school. You were
(13:40):
at a party in Bellows Home on February six, which
you attended with your husband? Am I correct? If you
say I was? Then I guess I was. Several reputed
mafia members attended that party. Did you overhear any conversations
between any of these men that you can recall? Nope?
Why was Salvat or reality there? I don't know the man.
(14:04):
Is this or is this not? A photo of the
two of you together in New York? Anyone else you
want to claim not to know. He threw more pictures
at me, images of me with all the usual suspects.
Paul Castellano, the head of the Gambino family, Tony Lee
Captain and the Gambino family, Sammy g and Joe Colombo.
(14:25):
Nice guys you're friendly with. They're just old acquaintances from
back home level with us, Georgia. We can help you.
I don't know anything that's not what Steve tells us.
Excuse me, everybuddy. Steve told us you're willing to testify
against Joe and the mob. We know they're giving you
(14:48):
in Steve trouble. Joe's our lead suspect on a case
we've been working on for over a year. Give us
something we can use and you'll be rewarded. I can
promise you that we'll put you in Steve together into
witness protection, send you both anywhere you want to go.
What this is insane. You guys have got it all wrong.
I want to get away from Steve. You aren't in
(15:12):
a relationship. No, he's just some creep who won't leave
me alone. Jesus, check with the police department. I filed
a thousand complaints against the guy. You guys have been
taken for a sucker. Well, obviously need a bit of
time as we checked this out, make sure we can
find you. Did you consider helping them? No? I knew
(15:38):
it would only cause more problems for me. But they
did eventually figure out I was telling the truth about Steve,
and boy were they mad. Finally they got rid of
that problem. Turns out the FBI did not like being manipulated.
They found enough offenses to put Steve behind bars where
he belonged. But after that meeting, I was less scared
about Steve and more scared than Joe would learn that
(16:00):
I'd even talk to the FBI. I went straight home
and told Frankie, what happened. You gotta go see Joe, baby.
You gotta let him know what's happening here. Frankie hated Joe,
but he felt a kinship in this situation. A code
which Italians on the dark Side lived by was taking charge.
If the FBI has been following you, they probably gotta
(16:21):
make on me by now. This is gonna bring down
some peat on our friends on the East, and they're
not going to be happy about it. I gotta get
back to New York and smooth this thing out before
tempest stuff flaring. You know what I mean? I sit down,
but I didn't get permission. Georgie girl, I can't explain
it right now, but you may have to come to
New York for a few days. I'll send you a
ticket if it comes to that. I'm afraid to go
(16:42):
see Joe Frankie, I know, but you gotta go, baby,
can't just leave him in the dock. I'll leave you
some money, get a hotel for a while until I
can figure this out. Miss you, Frankie. Yeah, me too, baby.
I don't like leaving you like this, but I have
enough choice. I know. See you when I see you.
(17:04):
Georgia Gruel. Yeah, I love you, baby, I love you too, Frankie.
(17:25):
I was terrified, but I did go to see Joe.
I knew it was the right thing to do. I
explained everything and apologized profusely. Amazingly, he seemed composed. He
poured us both a drink without saying a word. I
was thrown by his calm reaction, and I struggled to relax.
But as we started talking, I realized this wasn't about me.
(17:48):
It was about him, and he remained fairly levelheaded. He
paced around the room as we discussed the course of
action we would take depending on the scenario. It was
four o'clock in the morning before we stopped talking. We
were both pretty weary, as I knew he would Joe
try to convince me once again how much he loved me,
but for the first time ever in person, I was
(18:10):
able to view him only as a batterer, an abuser,
and a controller and remained firm. When he was satisfied,
he let me leave. I was relieved, and after that
there were no more threats, no more menacing phone calls.
At one point later, his mother got sick and he
asked me to come visit her, which I did. I
(18:31):
always loved her and Joe appreciated that our relationship was civil,
and finally I felt free. I was able to focus
on Tony, my stunt career, and build a life for
myself in Hollywood. The last thing I was looking for
was a relationship. In fact, I was adamantly against one.
But then I met Richard. My cousin. Randy and his
(19:05):
girlfriend Susan had just moved to l A, and I
decided to take Susan out on the town. We went
to Pips, a private nightclub, where my neighbor, who was
a member, called to leave our name at the door.
We arrived at nine pm and the crowded disco was
in full swing. Moments after walking in the door, I
felt a tap on my shoulder. Would you like to dance? Oh? No,
(19:27):
thank you? Well, then would you like a drink. No,
thank you, I've had my limit until I get some
food in me. Of course? Can I get you some need? No,
I'm I'm here with a friend. Hi, I'm Susan. Who
are you? My name is Richard daughdre. Are you ladies hungry? Starved? Good? Well,
it's settled, then I'll get us a table. I started
(19:49):
to object, but Susan followed after him, and I felt
I had no choice but to follow. We made our
way into the dining room and sat down at a
cozy booth across from table. Warren Beatty sat with three
spectacular women, yet his eyes explored the room, resting occasionally
in my direction. Frank Sinatra stood at the bar with Jilly,
a character I had briefly associated with the New York City.
(20:12):
Lucille Ball was absorbed in a back gab and game
in the adjacent room with Jim Rose, a director who
lived in the building next to mine. Richard's eyes started
around the room. I sensed he was in search of
some recognition from his peers for the status we had
brought to him. He was nice enough, but I wasn't interested,
not necessarily because of him, but dating in general. At
(20:33):
that point, I really had no experience with a healthy
man to distinguish the difference between what was normal and
what was not, and I didn't want to make that
mistake again. I couldn't, but when we left, Susan confessed
she gave him my number. Predictably, he called the next
day and invited me to dinner Friday. I tried to
get out of it, claiming I didn't have a babysitter,
(20:55):
but he called my bluff and invited Tony to come along.
To my surprise, had a great time, and after a
few dates, which always included my daughter, my initial fears
faded away. Richard was a kind soul with money to enjoy,
and I soon found myself looking forward to our dates.
He was extremely patient and I became comfortable with him,
(21:17):
and Tony enjoyed all the attention he showed her. In time,
I fell in love and was surprisingly happy. Richard treated
Tony and me like royalty, and he knew about my
past and didn't seem to judge me. When he asked
me to marry him, I said yes, which meant I
had to make a call. I was dreading, but Joe
and I had reached a new level of understanding, and
(21:39):
finally he agreed to a divorce. Well, agree maybe the
wrong word, but he didn't contest it. He even said
he could live with it as long as he could
still talk to me sometimes and spend some time with Tony,
which I could live with. What's his was his, What's
mine was mine, and I was free to get married
once again. Richard and I had a small wedding in
(22:06):
a large suite at the Desert End Hotel in Las Vegas.
No invitations were sent. Only family members and a few
close friends were present. Though Joe knew about it, he
didn't know where or when it was happening. I still
didn't totally trust it was sitting well with him and
didn't want any surprises. It was Thanksgiving Day. My new
(22:27):
life was beginning on the same day that Jimmy Missarros
had ended just six years earlier. Darlene, who was once
married to Joe's younger brother Jimmy, was my maid of
honor pen in hand. She hesitated before assigning her name
as a witness. Darlene was easy to read. I could
tell she was worried that Jimmy or Joe would somehow
find out that she was a willing accomplice in the crime.
(22:48):
I was committing, daring to remarry when married to Joe.
I wasn't even allowed to be friends with Darlene. Joe
viewed her independent spirit as a bad influence on me,
and here she was my maid of honor. Oh god,
this is just two bizarre not as bizarre as our
past are. Do I call Richie daddy new mom if
(23:10):
you want to, Tony, I think he'd like that. Everyone
was in a great, loving mood when suddenly the door
of the suite opened. All eyes landed on the two
large men who entered. Everyone could tell they were no
ordinary guests. I followed the stairs to see Joey tia
Barelli and Tommy Taylor, now Joey's bodyguard, walking towards me. Joey,
(23:35):
what are you doing here? Well, I hear getting married
and I happened to be in town, so I thought
i'd surprise you. You make a beautiful bride Georgie girl.
Well thanks, Tommy, I guess I must think so too,
since I've been the bride three times now. So who's
the lucky guy? Richard? Come over here, rich This is
(24:00):
Joey Tiabarelli and Tommy Taylor. They're old friends of mine
from Rochester. Nice to meet you. You better be good
to this girl. She's a very special lady. You're lucky guy. Yes,
thank you. I know that. Is there a place we
can talk privately, Georgia? Um, sure, come with me. I
(24:25):
excuse myself from Richard, leaving him to entertain our guests.
I led Joey up the winding staircase to the elegant
bedroom Tommy and tell so what's up. Things are still
a little bad in Rochester, Georgia. Since Sammy g has
(24:47):
been gone, God rest his soul. There's been practically a
murder a week. It's a freaking power struggle, and I'm
afraid we're not winning. It's not my world anymore, Joey.
It'll always be your world. Honey. You can take the
girl out of New York, but you can't take the
New York out of the girl. You want a bed.
I've never seen you turned down a bed before, Joey.
(25:07):
You want to lay a little down on that one, Georgie.
I gotta go on the land for a while. I
need five grand Jesus Christ. Joey, this is my wedding day,
you think because you're getting married to a millionaire. Now
you can forget who your old friends. Uh, I'll bet
you got more than that downstairs. He's a millionaire, Joey,
I'm not. I can think of a way to make
(25:27):
you one real fast. Come on, Joey, what is this
a fucking shakedown? Of course not, honey, we're friends. I'm desperate, Georgie,
or I wouldn't be asking if you want to see
your old buddy alive five years from now. You'll help me.
If you don't, you're giving me my destinance. Don't lay
that ship on me. I'm not giving you a death sentence.
You did that to yourself a long time ago. How
(25:48):
many times did I save your ass from that piece
of ship? Huh? You didn't save my asked, Joey. Sammy did,
and I never asked for the favor. Besides, you guys
had your own agenda. Don't try and tell me it
was all on my half. Now, who's forgetting the girls
from New York? If Sammy hadn't become the man? Georgia,
you might not even be here to way that pretty
white dress right now? And you goddamn well know it.
(26:11):
Who's kidding? Who? Here? You owe me, honey, I don't
know you shit. I have to get back to my
guest Joey. After all, this is a wedding. What about
the money. My old life was literally and violently intruding
on the new. But I realized the only way to
get rid of him without ruining the entire day was
(26:33):
to give him some money. Joey, only gangsters walk around
with five grand in their pockets. This is the real world.
I'll get you a thousand, but that's as far as
I go, and for your information, this is coming out
of my pocket. I'll have to pay Richard back, and
I expect you to pay me back someday, one way
or another. I found Richard and pulled him aside, telling
(26:58):
him I needed a thousand dollars. He wasn't thrilled, but
he didn't question it. I discreetly gave Joey the money.
Then they finished their champagne and left a fine beginning
to my new life. But I had come to learn
that there were no real beginnings and ends. My past
would always be a part of me, but that didn't
(27:18):
mean I couldn't move forward. If this was the worst
of my problems. I had learned to tolerate it. The
champagne started to flow once again, and the piano began
back up. It was a wonderful day, and then, miraculously,
I became pregnant on my honeymoon. Nine months later, I
gave birth to my son, Dustin. It was one of
(27:39):
the happiest days of my life. The hospital room was
filled with flowers and balloons. Tony's life was now filled
with dance and riding lessons, outings with friends, parties, and
school plays, most of which Richard participated in. She felt
like she belonged. She finally laughed and smiled again. I
actually had the family I always wanted. How did that
(28:02):
sit with Joe? I always was worried he might lash out,
but for the most part we remained civil. He did
show up unannounced at my house once soon after I
was married, but I think he just wanted to make
his presence known more than anything else. But whether or
not he was there, so much of our relationship continued
to haunt me. I actively tried to work through it,
(28:23):
but it really shaped the adult I grew into. As
he got older, Joe found himself all alone and he
had to contend with the life he led. The situations
he created. He became his own judge and jury, and
sentenced himself to life as a recluse. He gave up
and waited impatiently to die, making himself physically sick. At
(28:43):
the age of fifty seven, he could barely walk or breathe,
and the demons in his head continued to haunt him.
When death refused to take him naturally, he finally took
a gun that had mysteriously disappeared from my house during
his visit, put it to his head, and drove all
the demons away and for all. Not many fond memories
are nice words were said in the wake of Joe's passing.
(29:07):
The world had not suffered a great loss, But finally
I felt completely free. At a certain point during my
life with Joe, Georgia Black had taken over completely. She
needed to so I could survive. But now that he
was gone, I felt like I could really say goodbye
(29:28):
to her. What about Frankie, How did he take the
news you remarried? Frankie said, if I was happy, he
was happy, and I like to believe he meant it.
We both always loved each other, but I suppose we
just weren't meant to be. He remained a close friend
though and a confidante until the end of his life,
(29:48):
even visited occasionally and never stopped being good to me
and Tony. The truth is, every part of my past
made me who I am. I just learned with time
how to hold onto the good bits and let go
of the hard parts. I think that's something everyone has
to contend with at some point or another, even if
(30:08):
your pass isn't quite as colorful as mine was. Wheel
Woman is written by Lars Jacobson and Sabrina Jagulin and
directed by Sabrina Jagulin, Produced by Lars Jacobson and Sabrina Jagulin,
Executive produced by Georgia Duranti and Noel Brown for I
Heart Radio. Wheel Woman stars Lelia Simonton as Georgia, with
(30:32):
additional performances by Tanner Beard, Zachary Webber, Simon Jagulin, Chase Mullins,
Nick Williams, Gabe Greenspan, Dylan McCullum, Garrett Bear, Nora Garrett,
Duncan Kladein, Victoria Foyt, Max Georgie, Mariah Bess, and Max Jacoby.
Edited by Chris Childs, with sound design and theme music
(30:53):
by Chris Child's adapted from the book The Company She
Keeps by Georgia Duranty. Wheel Woman Can Fessions of a
Getaway Driver is an I heart Radio production. For more
podcasts from I heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
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
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.