November 21, 2024 • 23 mins
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Picture this: You’re navigating the aftermath of an intense election cycle, seeking a sense of unity and empowerment amidst the chaos and, above all else, you're sick of spending too much time listening to the news. We've got just the thing to help you find your new footing—a collection of concise news podcasts like Reuters' "Your World in 10 Minutes" and NPR's "Up First" designed to keep you informed without the barrage of opinions. Plus, I am excited to introduce my new venture, "Skirting Danger," where I focus on women's empowerment and safety with insights from experts like Dr. Jan Canty, who reminds us of the critical importance of trusting our instincts and being prepared for any situation.
Then this week's episode gets personal with "Truth Be Told Presents: She Has a Name." Listen in as we unravel a family secret alongside journalist Tanya Mosley, whose story of discovery echoes my own experience of uncovering hidden family ties. We also explore the fascinating world of modern-day hobos through "City of the Rails," where a mother's quest to reconnect with her daughter reveals the vibrant but dangerous hobo culture who ride the rails. This episode is a tapestry of heartfelt narratives and intriguing subcultures, making it a perfect companion as we usher in a season of gratitude and reflection. Don't forget to follow us as we prepare for more captivating stories come December!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Welcome to One Good Thing Media, your official
podcast review channel.
Welcome to One Good Thing Media, your official podcast review
channel.
We search the vast digitallandscape on a daily basis to
discover the best shows thatpodcasters have to offer.
Are you ready to discover newfavorites to add to your
(00:32):
playbook?
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Stay tuned and listen to host Gerald Spears' latest
podcast reviews.
Hello loves, welcome to OneGood Thing Media, a show that's
devoted to reviewing andrecommending a variety of
top-notch podcasts for oureclectic listeners.
If you love true crime butstill crave a variety of other
genres, you're in the right spot.
My name is Gerald Spear and Iam the host and creator of our
show.
Today, we're celebrating theend of the election cycle here
(01:19):
in America.
Man, oh man.
I didn't realize just how muchtension was in the air until it
was finally over.
I want to add that, while halfthe country is celebrating and
the other half is very unhappywith the election results,
however you voted, I hope thatwe can all band together, be one
(01:42):
as Americans and keep a sharpeye on what's happening in
Washington DC.
Before we get going, let's heara word from our sponsor, who
Gives a Crap, the one companythat helps us keep the lights on
.
Did you know that you cansupport us by supporting who
(02:03):
Gives a Crap, a company thatreally does give a crap?
We've been a loyal customer ofWGAC for five years.
They produce the greenesttoilet paper and paper towels on
the planet, have a microcarbonfootprint and donate 50% of
their profits to helpunderdeveloped countries safely
(02:23):
manage human waste.
Fyi I recommend the bambootoilet paper.
It's three-ply soft and becausebamboo is a grass, you're
helping to preserve our forests.
Please give a crap by clickingon the sponsor's link in our
show notes and go even greener,starting today.
(02:44):
Link in our show notes and goeven greener, starting today.
And now it's time for some newsand highlights that you won't
want to miss.
I must start my new segment withan apology.
I had intended to find somegreat podcasts that covered
(03:04):
post-election in such a way thatit was positive or empowering
or comforting.
I came up empty.
I'm hoping that it was just alittle early for me to actually
start my search because,honestly, I had to wade through
so many podcasts filled podcastfilled with these powerful
emotions and I totally gottriggered.
(03:29):
Even though we may be burned outwith politics and I'm sure that
describes most of us if you'relike me, you still want to keep
up with the news.
I mean, are we going to be in awar today?
What's going on in WashingtonDC?
Are we safe?
There's so many questions thatwe need to find out the answers
to by listening to the news.
Fortunately, there is a waythat you can get your news
(03:52):
without having to spend too muchtime listening to op-eds and
opinion pieces, etc.
For those who want to spendtheir time not listening to the
news, there are three 10-minutenews podcasts that I recommend
you check out.
One of them is by Reuters,that's R-E-U-T-E-R-S your World
(04:15):
in 10 Minutes.
There's also Up First from NPR,and then there is a more
centric podcast that's named theNewsworthy and it also shares
the news in 10 minutes.
On a personal note, I am in suchan amazing place, especially in
(04:39):
my podcasting career.
It's been fueled by a lot ofthings, but chiefly among them
are these two factors.
Number one I've launched asecond podcast called Skirting
Danger that focuses on women'sempowerment and personal safety.
Now, I've always jokingly said,even though I'm only five feet
(05:02):
tall, that I was born withoutthe fear gene.
I say that with a straight face.
If anyone tries to intimidateme, I stand my ground.
I don't care if I have to geton a step stool to look them in
the eye, and even though I'vebeen fortunate enough to never
experience extreme maritalviolence, I've always reminded
(05:25):
the men in my life that, whileI'm no match for them while
they're awake, they have tosleep sometime.
Even so, because I pay attentionto the vibe on the street news
coverage and, of course, onsocial media, my spidey sense
has gone into overdrive and,although I acknowledge that you
(05:48):
know, family members heap anawful lot of violence on each
other, my concerns are mostlyfocused on crimes committed by
violent criminals, cybercriminals, sociopaths and even
narcissists, who have apropensity for ruining our lives
.
Secondly, even though life hasalways been riskier for women,
(06:11):
I've realized that most of usstill aren't as prepared as we
need to be in order toanticipate, avoid and escape
dangerous situations.
If you're strong-willed, like Iam, you might be thinking I can
take care of myself, and that'strue, but only up to a point.
(06:33):
At this moment in our lives,and probably forevermore, just
feeling confident isn't enough.
You need to anticipate dangerfar sooner, never doubt your gut
feelings and proactively takeyourself to a safer space.
And that, my ladies, is whatSkirting Danger is meant to do
(06:55):
for you, for me and all futurelisteners.
I also have a newsletter thatyou can subscribe to.
It's in the show notes andtwice monthly, you will receive
information about how to protectyourself and avoid becoming a
victim of crime.
Here's a clip that wasoriginally designated for
(07:16):
episode one of Skirting Danger,but due to length considerations
for the entire episode, it hadto be cut, and so I'm going to
play it for you.
The voice you hear is Dr JanCanty, who, in this clip,
explains just one of the reasonswhy men are from Mars and women
(07:39):
are from Venus In a world fullof shadows.
Speaker 4 (07:41):
I know how to play.
I see the lines you try tocross, but I'm 10 steps ahead.
You're already lost.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
I've learned to leave the room before I walk in.
With every glance I see whereyou've been.
No fear, no prey.
I own my own lane.
You'll never get close.
I'm stealing clear of your game.
Skirt in danger.
Speaker 5 (08:01):
I'm free and alive.
I'm dodging the traps while Ithrive.
One way to show how differentmen's socialization is in terms
of safety from women's was thisquestion, and it was created by
Gavin DeBecker Wonderful bookGift of Fear, he said, to show
you how different women'ssocialization is from men's, ask
(08:24):
this question of somebody youtrust, whether it's a man or a
woman.
Ask them the question when isthe last time you felt in fear
of your safety or life?
And the answer isn't asimportant as how long it takes
them to answer.
And you're going to find thatwomen don't have to wait,
they're boom, they got an answer.
(08:45):
Men have to scratch their headsand actually give that question
some thought, because they don'ttypically feel in fear of their
safety or life.
So I asked my husband thatquestion When's the last time
you felt your life wasthreatened or you're in danger?
And he hymned and he hawed andhe goes oh, I know it was when
that canoe tipped over, when Iwas in the river, and I'm like
(09:07):
that is so not what I mean.
Women have an answerimmediately oh, it was the other
night when I was in a parkinglot or a parking garage or
whatever it might be, because welive in a state of tension.
We don't even realize it, it'sso automatic.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
So there you have it.
Check out Skirting Danger colon.
Women's safety, gerald.
Oh, no, not you.
Again, what are you listeningto?
Oh, ais, you can't trust them.
But yes, welcome to.
What Are you Listening To?
(09:44):
A segment where I share whatI've binged this week, and it's
a good one.
I binged a gripping humaninterest story this week called
Truth Be Told Presents.
She has a Name, and I want tostart with a question.
What would you do if, as anadult, you found out that you
(10:05):
had a sibling that you neverknew existed?
Now I'm going to tell you.
One of the reasons I wasinitially drawn to this
particular podcast was becausethat happened to me.
My parents had a baby girlbefore I was born.
My parents had a baby girlbefore I was born and, lo and
(10:28):
behold, when I found out aboutit and researched her history to
find out what happened, is shestill alive?
What is going on?
I discovered that they had alsonamed her Gerald.
Was it shocking?
Yeah, but it was more like anemotional earthquake and that's
why, at least initially, I wasdrawn to this podcast.
(10:48):
But as the story unfolded andit didn't take long I was hooked
.
Truth Be Told presents she hasa name by APM Studios and TMI
Productions stars Tanya Mosley,a well-known journalist who does
(11:08):
TV, radio and podcasts.
The revelation that Tanya had asister, she had a nephew and
many other relatives came out ofthe blue after she received a
pivotal phone call.
Speaker 6 (11:33):
When the cops don't listen.
A reporter is the next bestthing.
I learned that very early in mycareer as a journalist.
People come to me for help tosolve all sorts of things to
understand an issue right orwrong, expose a fraud or find a
person who has vanished withouta trace.
And without being overlysentimental, there is so much
(11:56):
power in having your story toldto millions of people on TV or
the radio.
It says what happened to mematters because I matter, which
is why the stories that haunt methe most are the ones about
people who have been begging,sometimes for years, to be heard
, like the families of missingpeople.
(12:17):
The ones we hear about are justa fraction of the thousands who
disappear every single day.
This is where dogs lost Katie'sscent.
As you can see, it's about 100yards away from the Dollar
General.
This is also where authoritiesbelieve Katie's abductor.
That was me in 2004, reportingon the case of a missing girl
from Louisville, kentucky.
I was just a few years out ofcollege and this was one of my
(12:40):
very first TV jobs, but it was aphone call I received the first
week I started.
That would turn out to be oneof the most important stories of
my life.
Speaker 7 (12:51):
I'll tell you in that moment.
I just remember when youanswered the phone.
I just kind of remember yousaying hello.
I was like oh wow, like yourvoice, there was something about
your voice that was so familiarto me.
Speaker 6 (13:06):
He said my name is Antonio and I am your nephew.
Now, this was crazy, because Igrew up with a baby brother and
he couldn't possibly have a sonbecause he was adamant about us
talking.
I barely knew my father Just afew years before this phone call
(13:38):
in 2004,.
He and I had connected for onlythe second time in my life and
I certainly didn't know hisother children.
So as I listened to Antoniospeak, a surge of adrenaline ran
through me.
His mother, I'd learn, was myfather's eldest daughter.
I'd learn, was my father'seldest daughter.
(14:03):
Was it finally happening?
Was I gonna finally get to knowthe mystery that has always
been the other side of my family, the other side of me?
I'd left Detroit a long timeago to embark on a career as a
journalist, but the truth is I'dalso left Detroit because of a
broken heart.
My family chose Motown duringthe Great Migration because of
(14:24):
its promise of middle-classprosperity.
And here I was, decades later,a nomad, believing that dream
could never be fulfilled for meif I stayed.
Antonio dropped the nextrevelation just as my mind began
to spiral.
Not only was his mother mysister, she was also missing and
(14:48):
this call was a plea, one ofmany he'd made over the years
and the search for his motherand the other side of himself.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
Tanya and Antonio embarked on a search for their
missing sister and mothertogether and, unfortunately,
although it took a very longtime, the results of their
search had the same finalitythat I experienced when I
finally uncovered my own familymystery.
Before I move on to our reviews, I have to say I am absolutely
(15:33):
in love with tanya mosley'svoice.
There are a couple otherseasons of truth be told
presents and I look forward tolistening to them and enjoying
Tanya Mosley's narrative style.
And now it's time for our mainattraction.
(16:11):
My first review today is about apodcast called the City of the
Rails.
It is a magical yet gritty truestory about a mother and
journalist named Danelle Mortonand her quest to find her
daughter, who left her flatduring her high school
graduation to skip town, hoptrains and ride the rails across
America.
(16:31):
The story involves sleuthingboth in trying to find her
daughter in the culture she hadbecome part of, daughter in the
culture she had become part of,trying to understand why she did
it and what made the hiddenworld of railroads so alluring
in the first place.
Danelle's guides are the railcops, train engineers and hobos
(16:53):
she meets along the way, each ofthem with their own
extraordinary tales of thebeauty and brutality of the
rails.
There is so much about theculture of riding the rails,
rules of their society, secretmaps and safe spaces where they
can go to winter, how they earntheir money, and much more.
(17:15):
I learned something new everyfive minutes in this podcast,
and you probably will as wellLooking over like kind of like
the east end of the train yard.
Speaker 7 (17:28):
Train yard up on the hill.
Speaker 8 (17:30):
Oh see, there's the other train line.
That's where Amtrak comes in.
Speaker 7 (17:34):
It's a warm night in Northern California and I'm
drinking beers on a hill with ahobo named Mike while he waits
to hop a train to Kansas City.
And I'm drinking beers on ahill with a hobo named Mike
while he waits to hop a train toKansas City.
Speaker 8 (17:42):
This train has been leaving since the 70s and it
hauls mail all the way toChicago and like Kansas City too
.
So this same train leavespretty much every day, like at
like 4 or 5 in the morning.
I've caught it three times, andso here we are again.
We're here pretty early, but wehave nothing else to do.
Speaker 7 (18:04):
Like everyone else in America, I never paid much
attention to the rails untilsomeone I love disappeared into
them, and for the last 14 yearsI've been in train yards with
hobos and talked to hundreds ofpeople like Mike.
But the rails don't give uptheir secrets easily.
You might hear hobo and picturean old bum in a boxcar, but
there's more to train hoppingthan that.
Every night in train yards allover America, people wait in the
(18:26):
shadows, crouched behind bushes, scanning the tracks for
freight cars to take themsomewhere Anywhere.
But here Riders use aliaseslike Jobo the Hobo, long-haired
Donnie and Tuck.
Don't Give a Fuck to makethemselves untraceable and
there's a pretty good chancethey're lying to you when they
tell you where they're going.
So getting to hang out withMike Brody, a guy using his real
(18:49):
name, was a big event.
Speaker 8 (18:53):
We can see it from here Basically.
Yeah, we kind of can see it.
Speaker 7 (18:57):
I appreciate that impulse to escape.
I've thought about it eversince she left, but I'm not
brave enough to do it.
So Mike's agreed to let me tagalong and get a firsthand look
at what it's like to live on therails Tonight.
Mike's getting ready to hop outof town and he's looking for a
very specific kind of train car.
Speaker 8 (19:14):
I want a pig with wings.
It's a bunch of train cars thathave truck chassis on top of
them.
So if you look at trucks on thehighways, you see these big,
long plastic wings, or they'recalled skirts.
Speaker 4 (19:33):
But it's like a modern-day.
Okay, and he came here.
That was Fruit Loop.
Speaker 7 (19:39):
I heard of Fruit Loop .
I've heard that name.
Speaker 4 (19:43):
And there's the three amigos.
Who are they?
Randy Mann, eight Ball andSarge all dead.
Randy Mann, he was murdered.
Eight Ball, he died ofmalnutrition and Sarge, agent
Orange took him.
Speaker 7 (20:00):
So he's a Vietnam vet ?
Yeah, cece Ryder, who spentmore than 20 years riding the
rails, is looking through herphoto albums.
Speaker 4 (20:08):
There's Peter Billy on a gondola, dust in the wind's
dead ghost is dead Oswald.
He just disappeared off theface of the earth.
Speaker 7 (20:21):
I kept asking every train rider I met what it would
take for my daughter, ruby, tosurvive on the rails, and some
of the older hobos told me Ishould find Cece.
She knew more than anyone elsewhat it was like for a woman out
there.
The other shallow pop culturereason I'm excited to meet her
is her name, cece.
Speaker 4 (20:40):
Cece Rider.
See what you done, done reasonI'm excited to meet her is her
name.
Speaker 7 (20:47):
She must have earned it somehow.
So I've traveled out to Haver,montana, with winter coming on,
to learn what I can from Cece.
I met some nice people from therails, but I also knew there
were criminals who rode thetrains and there were railroad
gangs who fought each other forterritory.
What would it take for Ruby tosurvive out there?
What would hobos expect of mydaughter, a newcomer in their
(21:10):
world, and what should she watchout for?
When she threw her sleeping bagdown in the boxcar, who would
be standing nearby?
Speaker 2 (21:47):
To understand hobo life today.
I had to track on and on.
I'm only going over.
There's a really interestingsection that she covers about
New Orleans and it is one of thefavorite places to winter over
and they can do a lot of buskingthere, which, of course, is
performing on the street.
Danelle has a collection ofhobo music.
If you're interested inlistening to some of the songs,
she provides a link in the shownotes on her podcast pages.
(22:09):
We're only doing one in-depthreview today, which of course,
is the City of the Rails, andthe reason for that is it is
(22:36):
Thanksgiving week, everybody'sbusy and we're just grateful
that you could spend at leastsome time with us today.
I hope you have great planswith your family or friends for
Thanksgiving and we will returnthe first week in December.
Until then, don't forget tofollow our podcast and tell a
friend Love you guys.
Talk soon.
Welcome to One Good Thing Media, your official
podcast review channel.
Welcome to One Good Thing Media, your official podcast review
channel.
We search the vast digitallandscape on a daily basis to
discover the best shows thatpodcasters have to offer.
Are you ready to discover newfavorites to add to your
(00:32):
playbook?
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Stay tuned and listen to host Gerald Spears' latest
podcast reviews.
Hello loves, welcome to OneGood Thing Media, a show that's
devoted to reviewing andrecommending a variety of
top-notch podcasts for oureclectic listeners.
If you love true crime butstill crave a variety of other
genres, you're in the right spot.
My name is Gerald Spear and Iam the host and creator of our
show.
Today, we're celebrating theend of the election cycle here
(01:19):
in America.
Man, oh man.
I didn't realize just how muchtension was in the air until it
was finally over.
I want to add that, while halfthe country is celebrating and
the other half is very unhappywith the election results,
however you voted, I hope thatwe can all band together, be one
(01:42):
as Americans and keep a sharpeye on what's happening in
Washington DC.
Before we get going, let's heara word from our sponsor, who
Gives a Crap, the one companythat helps us keep the lights on
.
Did you know that you cansupport us by supporting who
(02:03):
Gives a Crap, a company thatreally does give a crap?
We've been a loyal customer ofWGAC for five years.
They produce the greenesttoilet paper and paper towels on
the planet, have a microcarbonfootprint and donate 50% of
their profits to helpunderdeveloped countries safely
(02:23):
manage human waste.
Fyi I recommend the bambootoilet paper.
It's three-ply soft and becausebamboo is a grass, you're
helping to preserve our forests.
Please give a crap by clickingon the sponsor's link in our
show notes and go even greener,starting today.
(02:44):
Link in our show notes and goeven greener, starting today.
And now it's time for some newsand highlights that you won't
want to miss.
I must start my new segment withan apology.
I had intended to find somegreat podcasts that covered
(03:04):
post-election in such a way thatit was positive or empowering
or comforting.
I came up empty.
I'm hoping that it was just alittle early for me to actually
start my search because,honestly, I had to wade through
so many podcasts filled podcastfilled with these powerful
emotions and I totally gottriggered.
(03:29):
Even though we may be burned outwith politics and I'm sure that
describes most of us if you'relike me, you still want to keep
up with the news.
I mean, are we going to be in awar today?
What's going on in WashingtonDC?
Are we safe?
There's so many questions thatwe need to find out the answers
to by listening to the news.
Fortunately, there is a waythat you can get your news
(03:52):
without having to spend too muchtime listening to op-eds and
opinion pieces, etc.
For those who want to spendtheir time not listening to the
news, there are three 10-minutenews podcasts that I recommend
you check out.
One of them is by Reuters,that's R-E-U-T-E-R-S your World
(04:15):
in 10 Minutes.
There's also Up First from NPR,and then there is a more
centric podcast that's named theNewsworthy and it also shares
the news in 10 minutes.
On a personal note, I am in suchan amazing place, especially in
(04:39):
my podcasting career.
It's been fueled by a lot ofthings, but chiefly among them
are these two factors.
Number one I've launched asecond podcast called Skirting
Danger that focuses on women'sempowerment and personal safety.
Now, I've always jokingly said,even though I'm only five feet
(05:02):
tall, that I was born withoutthe fear gene.
I say that with a straight face.
If anyone tries to intimidateme, I stand my ground.
I don't care if I have to geton a step stool to look them in
the eye, and even though I'vebeen fortunate enough to never
experience extreme maritalviolence, I've always reminded
(05:25):
the men in my life that, whileI'm no match for them while
they're awake, they have tosleep sometime.
Even so, because I pay attentionto the vibe on the street news
coverage and, of course, onsocial media, my spidey sense
has gone into overdrive and,although I acknowledge that you
(05:48):
know, family members heap anawful lot of violence on each
other, my concerns are mostlyfocused on crimes committed by
violent criminals, cybercriminals, sociopaths and even
narcissists, who have apropensity for ruining our lives
.
Secondly, even though life hasalways been riskier for women,
(06:11):
I've realized that most of usstill aren't as prepared as we
need to be in order toanticipate, avoid and escape
dangerous situations.
If you're strong-willed, like Iam, you might be thinking I can
take care of myself, and that'strue, but only up to a point.
(06:33):
At this moment in our lives,and probably forevermore, just
feeling confident isn't enough.
You need to anticipate dangerfar sooner, never doubt your gut
feelings and proactively takeyourself to a safer space.
And that, my ladies, is whatSkirting Danger is meant to do
(06:55):
for you, for me and all futurelisteners.
I also have a newsletter thatyou can subscribe to.
It's in the show notes andtwice monthly, you will receive
information about how to protectyourself and avoid becoming a
victim of crime.
Here's a clip that wasoriginally designated for
(07:16):
episode one of Skirting Danger,but due to length considerations
for the entire episode, it hadto be cut, and so I'm going to
play it for you.
The voice you hear is Dr JanCanty, who, in this clip,
explains just one of the reasonswhy men are from Mars and women
(07:39):
are from Venus In a world fullof shadows.
Speaker 4 (07:41):
I know how to play.
I see the lines you try tocross, but I'm 10 steps ahead.
You're already lost.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
I've learned to leave the room before I walk in.
With every glance I see whereyou've been.
No fear, no prey.
I own my own lane.
You'll never get close.
I'm stealing clear of your game.
Skirt in danger.
Speaker 5 (08:01):
I'm free and alive.
I'm dodging the traps while Ithrive.
One way to show how differentmen's socialization is in terms
of safety from women's was thisquestion, and it was created by
Gavin DeBecker Wonderful bookGift of Fear, he said, to show
you how different women'ssocialization is from men's, ask
(08:24):
this question of somebody youtrust, whether it's a man or a
woman.
Ask them the question when isthe last time you felt in fear
of your safety or life?
And the answer isn't asimportant as how long it takes
them to answer.
And you're going to find thatwomen don't have to wait,
they're boom, they got an answer.
(08:45):
Men have to scratch their headsand actually give that question
some thought, because they don'ttypically feel in fear of their
safety or life.
So I asked my husband thatquestion When's the last time
you felt your life wasthreatened or you're in danger?
And he hymned and he hawed andhe goes oh, I know it was when
that canoe tipped over, when Iwas in the river, and I'm like
(09:07):
that is so not what I mean.
Women have an answerimmediately oh, it was the other
night when I was in a parkinglot or a parking garage or
whatever it might be, because welive in a state of tension.
We don't even realize it, it'sso automatic.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
So there you have it.
Check out Skirting Danger colon.
Women's safety, gerald.
Oh, no, not you.
Again, what are you listeningto?
Oh, ais, you can't trust them.
But yes, welcome to.
What Are you Listening To?
(09:44):
A segment where I share whatI've binged this week, and it's
a good one.
I binged a gripping humaninterest story this week called
Truth Be Told Presents.
She has a Name, and I want tostart with a question.
What would you do if, as anadult, you found out that you
(10:05):
had a sibling that you neverknew existed?
Now I'm going to tell you.
One of the reasons I wasinitially drawn to this
particular podcast was becausethat happened to me.
My parents had a baby girlbefore I was born.
My parents had a baby girlbefore I was born and, lo and
(10:28):
behold, when I found out aboutit and researched her history to
find out what happened, is shestill alive?
What is going on?
I discovered that they had alsonamed her Gerald.
Was it shocking?
Yeah, but it was more like anemotional earthquake and that's
why, at least initially, I wasdrawn to this podcast.
(10:48):
But as the story unfolded andit didn't take long I was hooked
.
Truth Be Told presents she hasa name by APM Studios and TMI
Productions stars Tanya Mosley,a well-known journalist who does
(11:08):
TV, radio and podcasts.
The revelation that Tanya had asister, she had a nephew and
many other relatives came out ofthe blue after she received a
pivotal phone call.
Speaker 6 (11:33):
When the cops don't listen.
A reporter is the next bestthing.
I learned that very early in mycareer as a journalist.
People come to me for help tosolve all sorts of things to
understand an issue right orwrong, expose a fraud or find a
person who has vanished withouta trace.
And without being overlysentimental, there is so much
(11:56):
power in having your story toldto millions of people on TV or
the radio.
It says what happened to mematters because I matter, which
is why the stories that haunt methe most are the ones about
people who have been begging,sometimes for years, to be heard
, like the families of missingpeople.
(12:17):
The ones we hear about are justa fraction of the thousands who
disappear every single day.
This is where dogs lost Katie'sscent.
As you can see, it's about 100yards away from the Dollar
General.
This is also where authoritiesbelieve Katie's abductor.
That was me in 2004, reportingon the case of a missing girl
from Louisville, kentucky.
I was just a few years out ofcollege and this was one of my
(12:40):
very first TV jobs, but it was aphone call I received the first
week I started.
That would turn out to be oneof the most important stories of
my life.
Speaker 7 (12:51):
I'll tell you in that moment.
I just remember when youanswered the phone.
I just kind of remember yousaying hello.
I was like oh wow, like yourvoice, there was something about
your voice that was so familiarto me.
Speaker 6 (13:06):
He said my name is Antonio and I am your nephew.
Now, this was crazy, because Igrew up with a baby brother and
he couldn't possibly have a sonbecause he was adamant about us
talking.
I barely knew my father Just afew years before this phone call
(13:38):
in 2004,.
He and I had connected for onlythe second time in my life and
I certainly didn't know hisother children.
So as I listened to Antoniospeak, a surge of adrenaline ran
through me.
His mother, I'd learn, was myfather's eldest daughter.
I'd learn, was my father'seldest daughter.
(14:03):
Was it finally happening?
Was I gonna finally get to knowthe mystery that has always
been the other side of my family, the other side of me?
I'd left Detroit a long timeago to embark on a career as a
journalist, but the truth is I'dalso left Detroit because of a
broken heart.
My family chose Motown duringthe Great Migration because of
(14:24):
its promise of middle-classprosperity.
And here I was, decades later,a nomad, believing that dream
could never be fulfilled for meif I stayed.
Antonio dropped the nextrevelation just as my mind began
to spiral.
Not only was his mother mysister, she was also missing and
(14:48):
this call was a plea, one ofmany he'd made over the years
and the search for his motherand the other side of himself.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
Tanya and Antonio embarked on a search for their
missing sister and mothertogether and, unfortunately,
although it took a very longtime, the results of their
search had the same finalitythat I experienced when I
finally uncovered my own familymystery.
Before I move on to our reviews, I have to say I am absolutely
(15:33):
in love with tanya mosley'svoice.
There are a couple otherseasons of truth be told
presents and I look forward tolistening to them and enjoying
Tanya Mosley's narrative style.
And now it's time for our mainattraction.
(16:11):
My first review today is about apodcast called the City of the
Rails.
It is a magical yet gritty truestory about a mother and
journalist named Danelle Mortonand her quest to find her
daughter, who left her flatduring her high school
graduation to skip town, hoptrains and ride the rails across
America.
(16:31):
The story involves sleuthingboth in trying to find her
daughter in the culture she hadbecome part of, daughter in the
culture she had become part of,trying to understand why she did
it and what made the hiddenworld of railroads so alluring
in the first place.
Danelle's guides are the railcops, train engineers and hobos
(16:53):
she meets along the way, each ofthem with their own
extraordinary tales of thebeauty and brutality of the
rails.
There is so much about theculture of riding the rails,
rules of their society, secretmaps and safe spaces where they
can go to winter, how they earntheir money, and much more.
(17:15):
I learned something new everyfive minutes in this podcast,
and you probably will as wellLooking over like kind of like
the east end of the train yard.
Speaker 7 (17:28):
Train yard up on the hill.
Speaker 8 (17:30):
Oh see, there's the other train line.
That's where Amtrak comes in.
Speaker 7 (17:34):
It's a warm night in Northern California and I'm
drinking beers on a hill with ahobo named Mike while he waits
to hop a train to Kansas City.
And I'm drinking beers on ahill with a hobo named Mike
while he waits to hop a train toKansas City.
Speaker 8 (17:42):
This train has been leaving since the 70s and it
hauls mail all the way toChicago and like Kansas City too
.
So this same train leavespretty much every day, like at
like 4 or 5 in the morning.
I've caught it three times, andso here we are again.
We're here pretty early, but wehave nothing else to do.
Speaker 7 (18:04):
Like everyone else in America, I never paid much
attention to the rails untilsomeone I love disappeared into
them, and for the last 14 yearsI've been in train yards with
hobos and talked to hundreds ofpeople like Mike.
But the rails don't give uptheir secrets easily.
You might hear hobo and picturean old bum in a boxcar, but
there's more to train hoppingthan that.
Every night in train yards allover America, people wait in the
(18:26):
shadows, crouched behind bushes, scanning the tracks for
freight cars to take themsomewhere Anywhere.
But here Riders use aliaseslike Jobo the Hobo, long-haired
Donnie and Tuck.
Don't Give a Fuck to makethemselves untraceable and
there's a pretty good chancethey're lying to you when they
tell you where they're going.
So getting to hang out withMike Brody, a guy using his real
(18:49):
name, was a big event.
Speaker 8 (18:53):
We can see it from here Basically.
Yeah, we kind of can see it.
Speaker 7 (18:57):
I appreciate that impulse to escape.
I've thought about it eversince she left, but I'm not
brave enough to do it.
So Mike's agreed to let me tagalong and get a firsthand look
at what it's like to live on therails Tonight.
Mike's getting ready to hop outof town and he's looking for a
very specific kind of train car.
Speaker 8 (19:14):
I want a pig with wings.
It's a bunch of train cars thathave truck chassis on top of
them.
So if you look at trucks on thehighways, you see these big,
long plastic wings, or they'recalled skirts.
Speaker 4 (19:33):
But it's like a modern-day.
Okay, and he came here.
That was Fruit Loop.
Speaker 7 (19:39):
I heard of Fruit Loop .
I've heard that name.
Speaker 4 (19:43):
And there's the three amigos.
Who are they?
Randy Mann, eight Ball andSarge all dead.
Randy Mann, he was murdered.
Eight Ball, he died ofmalnutrition and Sarge, agent
Orange took him.
Speaker 7 (20:00):
So he's a Vietnam vet ?
Yeah, cece Ryder, who spentmore than 20 years riding the
rails, is looking through herphoto albums.
Speaker 4 (20:08):
There's Peter Billy on a gondola, dust in the wind's
dead ghost is dead Oswald.
He just disappeared off theface of the earth.
Speaker 7 (20:21):
I kept asking every train rider I met what it would
take for my daughter, ruby, tosurvive on the rails, and some
of the older hobos told me Ishould find Cece.
She knew more than anyone elsewhat it was like for a woman out
there.
The other shallow pop culturereason I'm excited to meet her
is her name, cece.
Speaker 4 (20:40):
Cece Rider.
See what you done, done reasonI'm excited to meet her is her
name.
Speaker 7 (20:47):
She must have earned it somehow.
So I've traveled out to Haver,montana, with winter coming on,
to learn what I can from Cece.
I met some nice people from therails, but I also knew there
were criminals who rode thetrains and there were railroad
gangs who fought each other forterritory.
What would it take for Ruby tosurvive out there?
What would hobos expect of mydaughter, a newcomer in their
(21:10):
world, and what should she watchout for?
When she threw her sleeping bagdown in the boxcar, who would
be standing nearby?
Speaker 2 (21:47):
To understand hobo life today.
I had to track on and on.
I'm only going over.
There's a really interestingsection that she covers about
New Orleans and it is one of thefavorite places to winter over
and they can do a lot of buskingthere, which, of course, is
performing on the street.
Danelle has a collection ofhobo music.
If you're interested inlistening to some of the songs,
she provides a link in the shownotes on her podcast pages.
(22:09):
We're only doing one in-depthreview today, which of course,
is the City of the Rails, andthe reason for that is it is
(22:36):
Thanksgiving week, everybody'sbusy and we're just grateful
that you could spend at leastsome time with us today.
I hope you have great planswith your family or friends for
Thanksgiving and we will returnthe first week in December.
Until then, don't forget tofollow our podcast and tell a
friend Love you guys.
Talk soon.
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