Welcome to Story Time With Darcie!
In every episode, with the help of a few guests, I read a piece of my own short fiction. I’m an eclectic writer, so you may be surprised by the genres and situations, but what these stories have in common is their exploration of big ideas.
The world has changed this past month. The story originally scheduled to run today no longer feels like the best choice. Instead, I think the world will appreciate a touch of levity.
I admit, I don’t think I’m funny. (My mother thinks I’m hysterical, but her opinion might be biased.) Heedless, last year I took a stab at writing comedy, and if it doesn’t make you laugh out loud, I hope Three’s a Crowd at least gives you a giggle.
If you’ve read this story before, either on my facebook page or in my book Musings, this version is a bit different. A re-edited, re-mastered, re-worked 2.0 version.
I want to extend special thanks to today’s many guest voices. As the story is about family, and Covid-19 has separated me from mine, I’m delighted to have Hilke (my mom), Ron (my dad), Annissa and Pamela (my sisters), and Lyra (my niece) join in on the fun! I love you all! I’m so happy we were able to work on this project together from our own corners of the world!
As a special gift to my listeners this month, I’ve made a ringtone of Hank’s Laugh Line.
I don’t want to ruin any joy this story has brought you, but I can’t bring myself to sign off without a few final words…
My heart goes out to you in this time of uncertainty. No matter where you are, know that you are not alone. If you’re in a position to help, please reach out to those who can not. A loaned book, a can of soup, or a phone call can make a huge difference. If you are lonely, reach out to friends and family. They love you and, even if you can’t hug, you can phone, video call, or write emails and letters. If you are scared, hurting, or mourning, give yourself the time and compassion to heal.
Stay safe and smile when you can. Our global mental health is taking just as much of a beating as our global physical health. We can come through this stronger. The planet will have taken a cleansing breath. Our hearts will be open. It’s just a matter of time.
Well, that’s it for another episode of Story Time with Darcie. Special thanks to Hilke, Ron, Annissa, Pamela, and Lyra, for sharing your voices this month.
If YOU would like to become a voice on Story Time with Darcie, please, reach out! My eclectic stories need a variety of voices, and yours will be a welcome addition!
Thank you for listening. To read more of my stories and perhaps inspire my next one, join me on facebook. I mentioned at the top of the show that you can also read this story in my book, Musings. I still have a few copies of the second edition of that collection of short stories available. Give me a shout if you’d like to buy a copy. And of course, subscribe here for future episodes of Story Time With Darcie.
Direct Link to text version of original (not 2.0 version) of Three's A Crowd.
Direct Link to Hank's Laugh Line ring tone.
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
The Burden
The Burden is a documentary series that takes listeners into the hidden places where justice is done (and undone). It dives deep into the lives of heroes and villains. And it focuses a spotlight on those who triumph even when the odds are against them. Season 5 - The Burden: Death & Deceit in Alliance On April Fools Day 1999, 26-year-old Yvonne Layne was found murdered in her Alliance, Ohio home. David Thorne, her ex-boyfriend and father of one of her children, was instantly a suspect. Another young man admitted to the murder, and David breathed a sigh of relief, until the confessed murderer fingered David; “He paid me to do it.” David was sentenced to life without parole. Two decades later, Pulitzer winner and podcast host, Maggie Freleng (Bone Valley Season 3: Graves County, Wrongful Conviction, Suave) launched a “live” investigation into David's conviction alongside Jason Baldwin (himself wrongfully convicted as a member of the West Memphis Three). Maggie had come to believe that the entire investigation of David was botched by the tiny local police department, or worse, covered up the real killer. Was Maggie correct? Was David’s claim of innocence credible? In Death and Deceit in Alliance, Maggie recounts the case that launched her career, and ultimately, “broke” her.” The results will shock the listener and reduce Maggie to tears and self-doubt. This is not your typical wrongful conviction story. In fact, it turns the genre on its head. It asks the question: What if our champions are foolish? Season 4 - The Burden: Get the Money and Run “Trying to murder my father, this was the thing that put me on the path.” That’s Joe Loya and that path was bank robbery. Bank, bank, bank, bank, bank. In season 4 of The Burden: Get the Money and Run, we hear from Joe who was once the most prolific bank robber in Southern California, and beyond. He used disguises, body doubles, proxies. He leaped over counters, grabbed the money and ran. Even as the FBI was closing in. It was a showdown between a daring bank robber, and a patient FBI agent. Joe was no ordinary bank robber. He was bright, articulate, charismatic, and driven by a dark rage that he summoned up at will. In seven episodes, Joe tells all: the what, the how… and the why. Including why he tried to murder his father. Season 3 - The Burden: Avenger Miriam Lewin is one of Argentina’s leading journalists today. At 19 years old, she was kidnapped off the streets of Buenos Aires for her political activism and thrown into a concentration camp. Thousands of her fellow inmates were executed, tossed alive from a cargo plane into the ocean. Miriam, along with a handful of others, will survive the camp. Then as a journalist, she will wage a decades long campaign to bring her tormentors to justice. Avenger is about one woman’s triumphant battle against unbelievable odds to survive torture, claim justice for the crimes done against her and others like her, and change the future of her country. Season 2 - The Burden: Empire on Blood Empire on Blood is set in the Bronx, NY, in the early 90s, when two young drug dealers ruled an intersection known as “The Corner on Blood.” The boss, Calvin Buari, lived large. He and a protege swore they would build an empire on blood. Then the relationship frayed and the protege accused Calvin of a double homicide which he claimed he didn’t do. But did he? Award-winning journalist Steve Fishman spent seven years to answer that question. This is the story of one man’s last chance to overturn his life sentence. He may prevail, but someone’s gotta pay. The Burden: Empire on Blood is the director’s cut of the true crime classic which reached #1 on the charts when it was first released half a dozen years ago. Season 1 - The Burden In the 1990s, Detective Louis N. Scarcella was legendary. In a city overrun by violent crime, he cracked the toughest cases and put away the worst criminals. “The Hulk” was his nickname. Then the story changed. Scarcella ran into a group of convicted murderers who all say they are innocent. They turned themselves into jailhouse-lawyers and in prison founded a lway firm. When they realized Scarcella helped put many of them away, they set their sights on taking him down. And with the help of a NY Times reporter they have a chance. For years, Scarcella insisted he did nothing wrong. But that’s all he’d say. Until we tracked Scarcella to a sauna in a Russian bathhouse, where he started to talk..and talk and talk. “The guilty have gone free,” he whispered. And then agreed to take us into the belly of the beast. Welcome to The Burden.