November 18, 2025 • 16 mins
I’m launching a new series called The Women Before Me and I’m looking for women with a story to tell.
This is a generational storytelling project designed to celebrate the powerful women who shaped us.
Each episode invites a guest to bring forward a woman from their lineage biological or chosen and share who she was, what she taught, the impact she made.
These are the stories often told in kitchens, car rides, and the type of stories that rarely make it onto a microphone but leave a lasting impact.
This series bridges generations, honors passed down wisdom, and inspires the women to come.
It’s not about Not your story…
but her story.
The mother, grandmother, aunt, mentor, or soul-sister who shaped you.
The woman whose courage, lessons, or love still ECHOS in your life today.
If there’s a woman you wish the world knew,
If there’s a story you’ve carried but never shared,
I want to honor her with you.
This is your invitation to be a guest on the show
To highlight her name, Share her impact,
And inspire the next generation of women who are still becoming.
Each episode brings you one woman’s story
told by the person whose life she touched.
Not celebrities.
Not icons.
Just the real heroes: The Women
To be clear you don’t have to be a woman to nominate, sons, grandsons and men are also encouraged to share about the women who shaped you, and she can still be in your life or passed on. The purpose is to highlight that ONE woman who made the greatest impact in your life. I want to know how, what did she do that stood out, that left a lasting impact.
TO NOMINATE A WOMAN IN YOUR go to my instagram sveta_popov and send this DM “The Women”
If you do not have instagram go to the description portion of this podcast episode and scroll to the bottom until you see.
A like that says “send us a text” click on that and type in “The Women” and tell me why she deserved to be nominated, what I am looking for is
- What was she like in three words?
- What lesson from her became part of your DNA?
- What do you want the world to know about her, and why was she so special to you?
- Tell me a short story, don’t just say she was a hard worker and taught me to work hard. No show me, take me into the scene of when it happened, how did she teach you to work hard? Captivate me with her character. So that the listeners can be impacted too..
- Whats one think she did that you thought was dumb, but now you see value as an adult..
THIS IS YOUR SHOT TO SHOUT ABOUT HER FROM THE ROOFTOPS!
Roday, I want to highlight THE WOMEN who made me: My mother
One unusual thing my mom did which ended up saving my life on more than one occasion.
This is actually a chapter I wrote for my book, that may or may not make it into the final manuscript, and my agent may or may not be upset for giving you an early preview.
So bear with me as I do the unusual thing and read to you a story that took place in the former Soviet Union.
-Links-
https://www.svetkapopov.com/
https://www.instagram.com/svetka_popov/
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
Welcome to the Ones of Dear Podcast.
I'm your host, Sebca, and I amso thrilled to announce a new
podcast series that I'mlaunching called The Woman
Before Me.
And this is unique because thisis where you actually get to be
a possible participant because Iam looking for woman with a
(00:20):
story to tell.
This is a generationalstorytelling project designed to
celebrate the powerful woman whoshaped us.
Each episode invites a guest tobring forward a woman from the
lineage, biological or chosen,and share who she was, what she
taught, and the impact that shemade.
These are the stories that areoften told in kitchens, car
(00:43):
rides, and the type of storiesthat rarely make it into the
microphone, but they leave alasting impact.
This series bridges generations,honors past down wisdom, and
inspires the woman to come.
This is not about your story,but her story.
The mother, the grandmother, theaunt, mentor, soul sister who
shaped you.
(01:03):
The woman whose courage,lessons, and love still echoes
in your life today.
If there's a woman you wish theworld knew, if there's a story
you carried but never shared, Iwant to honor her with you.
This is your invitation to be aguest on the show to highlight
her name, share her impact, andinspire the next generation of
(01:25):
women who are still becoming.
Each episode brings you onewoman's story told by the person
whose life she touched.
Not celebrities, not icons, justthe real heroes.
The woman.
To be clear, you don't have tobe a woman to nominate.
Sons, grandsons, and men arealso welcome to share about the
(01:48):
woman who shaped them.
And also she can still be activeand alive in your life, or she
may have passed on.
The purpose is to highlight onewoman who made the greatest
impact in your life.
I want to know how.
What did she do that stood out?
What was the lasting impact thatshe left in your life?
(02:09):
I'm about to share with you guysan unusual story, one that I
have not shared on here aboutthe woman who impacted me.
But before I do that, I want togive you instructions on how you
can nominate the woman in yourlife.
Go to my Instagram account,which is Svetka, that's
S-V-E-T-K-A underscoreP-O-P-O-V, and send me this DM,
(02:36):
the woman, and tell me why sheshould be chosen as someone to
highlight.
And if you don't have Instagram,go to description portion of
this podcast episode and scrolldown to the bottom of the page
where all you'll see send us atext link.
And then there type the womanand tell me why she deserves to
(02:58):
be nominated.
What I'm looking for is what wasshe like in three words?
What lessons from her becamepart of your DNA?
What do you want the world toknow about her and why was she
so special to you?
Tell me a short story.
Don't just say she was a hardworker and taught me how to work
hard.
No, show me, take me into ascene of what happened.
(03:21):
How did she teach you how towork hard?
Captivate me with her characterso that the listeners can be
captivated as well.
What's one thing she did thatyou possibly thought was really
dumb, but now you see the valuein that?
Don't we all have thatsometimes?
So this is your shot to shoutabout her from the rooftops.
(03:44):
I'm giving you an opportunity tohighlight the women in your life
and tell us about the impactthat they made.
And guess what?
By you sharing on the lessonsthat they taught us, we can also
learn together.
And so back to the woman whoimpacted my life.
Of course, like most guestswho'll be on here, I could speak
(04:08):
of all the women from mygrandmother who taught me
unwavering faith by example, bystaying true to her convictions
in the Soviet Union when it wasillegal, which landed her in
prison.
And there she even shared herfaith.
I can also tell you about myaunts who taught me how to have
fun and not take life tooseriously by sharing silly
stories or taking me on rollercoaster rides, etc.
(04:31):
But today I want to highlightthe woman who made me my mother.
Now I know that some of youlistening may not have had good
relationships with your mother,and I'm truly sorry for that.
I hope it only encourages you tobe the woman you wished you had
in your life, whether it's toyour girlfriends, your own kids,
or your friends' kids.
(04:51):
While my mom was one of thehardest working people I know,
she was a Wonder Woman in herown right.
She raised 10 kids practicallyas a single parent.
She has started out as aseamstress and sewed clothes for
us when we slept and for herclients, and she measured her
clientele by day.
She made fruit lathers on thesun from the fruit trees in her
backyard.
(05:11):
She took on any job opportunityshe saw come her way, from
opening a daycare in her home toselling products that her
friends or other people promisedan income.
And it ranged from anywhere fromthe rainbow vacuum.
I don't know if you guysremember the rainbow vacuum that
was this magic vacuum cleanerthat was way overpriced, that
promised to be the only vacuumon the planet to get rid of bed
(05:32):
bugs that you apparentlyswallowed in your sleep.
She also sold German knives andwhey, and the list goes on and
on and on.
She also opened up her ownbusiness selling imported
European food.
And later in life, she drove asan Uber driver.
That's right.
And she made friends with allthe strangers in her broken
English.
(05:53):
And I love that about my mom.
She was so hospitable and no onewas a stranger after talking to
her.
But this is not the unusualstory I want to share with you
today.
The unusual thing my mom did,which ended up saving my life on
more than one occasion.
And I don't know if this iscommon in other families, but
(06:13):
you tell me.
If any of your parents or momsdid this, our nighttime ritual
was one that she would gather usaround the living room at night
and share stories.
Sometimes she read books, hasmany lessons about life,
character, they'd be devotionalswith all sorts of insights.
But then she would also sharesome really scary stories about
(06:36):
psychokillers who are real, whokidnapped kids.
And she would also go into somedetails that were a little
terrifying as a kid about howthose bodies were found of these
kids in the woods.
And she would share thedifferent techniques these
predators use to entice kids tocome to them by offering them
something like candy or toys orsomething that appealed to a
(06:57):
kid's heart.
She told us to never talk tostrangers or ever stop when an
adult asked you for directionsfrom their car.
These stories haunted us butleft us pretty vigilant for any
potential threat to our safety.
Because she shared this with us,it prevented me from being
kidnapped on a train stationonce when I was five years old.
(07:19):
But the story I want tohighlight with you is one of the
earliest memories I had with mymom and how one particular
bedtime story equipped me toproperly spawn to a situation
that would have gone reallywrong.
This is actually a chapter inthe book that I wrote that may
or may not have ever made into abook.
(07:39):
And my agent may or may not bereally upset for giving you an
early preview, so bear with meas I do the unusual thing and
read you a story that took placein the former Soviet Union.
Okay, to set the story up, thistook place in the early 1900s as
Gorbachev's Petistroika reformsbroke down the Soviet command
(08:03):
economy and legalized smallprivate trade.
Everyday people began sellingimported goods out of trucks and
parking lots, creating the firstchaotic but vibrant markets of
the post-Soviet era.
And my mom got word of importedshoes that were coming to a
train station just a few milesfrom her home.
M6.
Rushing through the streets ofKrematorsk, Ukraine, the former
(08:26):
Soviet Union, determined to keepup with my mom's hurried steps.
My legs grow tired as we passthe liquor store where a man is
passed up by the entrance.
But I don't let it worry me.
As the oldest daughter, I savorevery second of the girls'
shopping trip with mom.
That's why I don't complain,even as my feet grow sore from
the long walk through the cold,winter wind.
(08:48):
Eventually we turn the corner tofind a mob of women near the
grocery store where mom usuallywaits in a long line to buy
bread.
Today, there is no line, justchaos.
She tightens her grip on my handas the crowd rush around us in
the parking lot.
As usual, my mother stands outfrom the others, showing her
true fashion sense even here inthe Soviet Union.
(09:10):
She wears a mink ferberate, capslanded to the side in her stark
contrast to her tailor woolcoat.
She has tucked her black hairbeneath the rim, letting only a
few strands hang gently to herwell-defined cheekbones.
A look that compliments her darkeyes and thick brows.
It's no secret that people thinkmy mom is beautiful.
(09:32):
Even now, as the frenzy mountsaround us, people turn their
heads as if they are struck byher captivating features.
Of course, it's not just herbeauty that sets her apart.
She's widely known as a giftedseamstress, sewing dresses for
clients each day to help supporther family.
Her love for fashion is whatbrought us here, pushing our way
through the crowd of anxiouswomen who, like mom, seem to
(09:53):
want more than a stores here inthe Soviet Union offer us.
In time we reach the unmarkedbox truck, the size of an
average U-Haul.
About fifty shoppers swarm thevehicle, eagerly anticipating
the opening of the big backdoor.
A large man steps out of thetruck and pulls out a thick pair
of black gloves.
Speaking in Russian, he orderseveryone to get out of the way.
(10:14):
Ateiditi.
With force, he moves to thecargo area where the women are
already waving their hands inthe air.
As soon as he opens the latch,they push and shove in
competition to reach theagitated dealer.
Don't let go of me, Svet, momsays sternly.
I grip her hand like my lifedepends on it, determined not to
be separated in the mayhem.
(10:35):
Just as I began to fear for mysafety, I spot a strange sight.
Because I only come up to mymom's waist, I can see what
other women can't.
This is how I spot a strange manwalking through the crowd
holding a sharp blade extendedbeyond his dirty fingers.
My eyes go wide as he slashesinto a woman's bag, carving an
(10:57):
opening large enough to reach inand steal her money.
My breath quickens as I rememberthe story mom recently told us
during one of our nightly familygatherings.
She gathered my siblings and mearound her lap as we do each
evening.
But this particular night, sheplayed a cassette about a blind
girl who lost her eyes when anevil man had cut them with his
(11:20):
razor.
Not your typical bad time story,but in a place like this, my mom
needs her children to be awareof the ever-present dangers.
Story has become her way ofteaching us the life lessons
that will equip us to stay safein the world.
Little does she know that I'vebeen haunted for weeks by the
thoughts of the girl who losther eyes to a man's razor blade.
(11:42):
Now here I am standing eye levelwith the actual bad guy with a
razor blade.
The fear grips me tight.
As the razor wielding thiefmoves closer towards us, I know
better than to cause a scene.
Even at such a tender age, Iknow not to anger a dangerous
man.
He could be capable of anything,and I don't want to end up like
(12:02):
the blind girl in the story.
Careful not to draw this man'sattention, I tug my mom's coat
sleeve as the robber continuesslashing back through the crowd.
She leans down to me and Iwhisper, There's a guy with a
razor and he's stealing people'smoney.
Some parents might ignore theirchild in a moment like this,
remaining too singularly focusedon the mad scramble for black
(12:23):
market shoes, or others may feelirritated by the call for
attention or doubt my claims.
But mom doesn't question me.
Instead, she follows my gaze tothe man, and together we watch
him nonchalantly shift fromwoman to woman.
No one else seems to notice hisscam, and we're not about to
point him out.
(12:43):
That would likely put our livesin danger as well as anyone
within proximity of his razor.
Nothing is worth that risk.
Mom gives me a quick nod andpulls me towards the opposite
side of the crowd.
Only when the man can no longerbe seen do we come to a stop.
Relieved to be standing a safedistance from the blade, I
(13:06):
exhale and figure that I get tokeep my eyes today.
But as we move closer to thetruck, I'm not sure Mom will be
keeping her money.
Even if the robber doesn't getit, the guy with the black
market goods is sure to have hisshare.
We're almost there, shereassures me as we finally make
our way to the front of theline.
When her turn comes, she stepstowards the rusted tailgate,
(13:28):
eyes the remaining shoe box, andquestions a scuffy dealer.
Are you sure they're reallytallying leather?
Da, he says, reassuring her,they are the finest quality.
Do you want them or not?
He impatiently looks at the nextcustomer.
Mom hesitates just for a second,but then she hands the gloved
man her hard-earned cash,counting out each ruble in
(13:50):
exchange for a beautiful pair ofblue high heels.
With her stylish shoes in hand,we rush out of the hectic crowd
in anticipation for her to trythem on at home.
Along the way, Mom beams,displaying her joy right out in
the open.
Can you believe this?
Real Italian leather.
She nearly skips her step as ifshe's won the prize of a
(14:11):
lifetime.
Several miles later, we finallyreach her house where I plop
onto the living room sofa torest my tired legs.
Mom sits too, but only becauseshe can't wait to try her new
shoes.
My siblings crowd around us asshe hurries to open the box.
Aren't they wonderful?
She raves again about thespecial color and how they came
(14:31):
straight from Italy.
Then she pulls one shoe on herleft foot and the other on her
right foot.
But something's not adding up.
Her brows furrow as my brothersand sister can't stop touching
the expensive loot.
We're all taken back when mom'sface turns red.
He tricked me, she says, kickingher shoes off in disappointment.
(14:54):
Sure enough, she's been sold twoshoes for the left foot.
The right shoe doesn't fit.
So this is the story of Mom andI, and how her scary stories has
really prevented me from beingin a situation that could have
gone really wrong.
(15:15):
And I possibly could have lostmy eyes that day.
So again, if you want tonominate the woman in your life,
go to my Instagram account.
That's S-V-E-T-K-A underscoreP-O-P-O-V.
Svecka underscore popov.
And send this DM, the woman.
(15:37):
Again, if you do not haveInstagram, go to the description
portion of the podcast episodeand scroll down to the very
bottom until you see a link thatsays send us a text.
Click on that link and type thewoman and let me know why she
deserves to be nominated.
Thank you so much for listeningto my story, and I can't wait to
(15:59):
see how this series will impactmany people.
Thank you for listening to theOne So Here Podcast.
It is an honor to share theseencouraging stories with you.
If you enjoy the show, I wouldlove for you to tell your
friends, leave us a reviewerrating, and subscribe to
wherever you listen to podcastsbecause this helps others
discover the show.
(16:19):
You can find me on my website,speccapop.com.
Welcome to the Ones of Dear Podcast.
I'm your host, Sebca, and I amso thrilled to announce a new
podcast series that I'mlaunching called The Woman
Before Me.
And this is unique because thisis where you actually get to be
a possible participant because Iam looking for woman with a
(00:20):
story to tell.
This is a generationalstorytelling project designed to
celebrate the powerful woman whoshaped us.
Each episode invites a guest tobring forward a woman from the
lineage, biological or chosen,and share who she was, what she
taught, and the impact that shemade.
These are the stories that areoften told in kitchens, car
(00:43):
rides, and the type of storiesthat rarely make it into the
microphone, but they leave alasting impact.
This series bridges generations,honors past down wisdom, and
inspires the woman to come.
This is not about your story,but her story.
The mother, the grandmother, theaunt, mentor, soul sister who
shaped you.
(01:03):
The woman whose courage,lessons, and love still echoes
in your life today.
If there's a woman you wish theworld knew, if there's a story
you carried but never shared, Iwant to honor her with you.
This is your invitation to be aguest on the show to highlight
her name, share her impact, andinspire the next generation of
(01:25):
women who are still becoming.
Each episode brings you onewoman's story told by the person
whose life she touched.
Not celebrities, not icons, justthe real heroes.
The woman.
To be clear, you don't have tobe a woman to nominate.
Sons, grandsons, and men arealso welcome to share about the
(01:48):
woman who shaped them.
And also she can still be activeand alive in your life, or she
may have passed on.
The purpose is to highlight onewoman who made the greatest
impact in your life.
I want to know how.
What did she do that stood out?
What was the lasting impact thatshe left in your life?
(02:09):
I'm about to share with you guysan unusual story, one that I
have not shared on here aboutthe woman who impacted me.
But before I do that, I want togive you instructions on how you
can nominate the woman in yourlife.
Go to my Instagram account,which is Svetka, that's
S-V-E-T-K-A underscoreP-O-P-O-V, and send me this DM,
(02:36):
the woman, and tell me why sheshould be chosen as someone to
highlight.
And if you don't have Instagram,go to description portion of
this podcast episode and scrolldown to the bottom of the page
where all you'll see send us atext link.
And then there type the womanand tell me why she deserves to
(02:58):
be nominated.
What I'm looking for is what wasshe like in three words?
What lessons from her becamepart of your DNA?
What do you want the world toknow about her and why was she
so special to you?
Tell me a short story.
Don't just say she was a hardworker and taught me how to work
hard.
No, show me, take me into ascene of what happened.
(03:21):
How did she teach you how towork hard?
Captivate me with her characterso that the listeners can be
captivated as well.
What's one thing she did thatyou possibly thought was really
dumb, but now you see the valuein that?
Don't we all have thatsometimes?
So this is your shot to shoutabout her from the rooftops.
(03:44):
I'm giving you an opportunity tohighlight the women in your life
and tell us about the impactthat they made.
And guess what?
By you sharing on the lessonsthat they taught us, we can also
learn together.
And so back to the woman whoimpacted my life.
Of course, like most guestswho'll be on here, I could speak
(04:08):
of all the women from mygrandmother who taught me
unwavering faith by example, bystaying true to her convictions
in the Soviet Union when it wasillegal, which landed her in
prison.
And there she even shared herfaith.
I can also tell you about myaunts who taught me how to have
fun and not take life tooseriously by sharing silly
stories or taking me on rollercoaster rides, etc.
(04:31):
But today I want to highlightthe woman who made me my mother.
Now I know that some of youlistening may not have had good
relationships with your mother,and I'm truly sorry for that.
I hope it only encourages you tobe the woman you wished you had
in your life, whether it's toyour girlfriends, your own kids,
or your friends' kids.
(04:51):
While my mom was one of thehardest working people I know,
she was a Wonder Woman in herown right.
She raised 10 kids practicallyas a single parent.
She has started out as aseamstress and sewed clothes for
us when we slept and for herclients, and she measured her
clientele by day.
She made fruit lathers on thesun from the fruit trees in her
backyard.
(05:11):
She took on any job opportunityshe saw come her way, from
opening a daycare in her home toselling products that her
friends or other people promisedan income.
And it ranged from anywhere fromthe rainbow vacuum.
I don't know if you guysremember the rainbow vacuum that
was this magic vacuum cleanerthat was way overpriced, that
promised to be the only vacuumon the planet to get rid of bed
(05:32):
bugs that you apparentlyswallowed in your sleep.
She also sold German knives andwhey, and the list goes on and
on and on.
She also opened up her ownbusiness selling imported
European food.
And later in life, she drove asan Uber driver.
That's right.
And she made friends with allthe strangers in her broken
English.
(05:53):
And I love that about my mom.
She was so hospitable and no onewas a stranger after talking to
her.
But this is not the unusualstory I want to share with you
today.
The unusual thing my mom did,which ended up saving my life on
more than one occasion.
And I don't know if this iscommon in other families, but
(06:13):
you tell me.
If any of your parents or momsdid this, our nighttime ritual
was one that she would gather usaround the living room at night
and share stories.
Sometimes she read books, hasmany lessons about life,
character, they'd be devotionalswith all sorts of insights.
But then she would also sharesome really scary stories about
(06:36):
psychokillers who are real, whokidnapped kids.
And she would also go into somedetails that were a little
terrifying as a kid about howthose bodies were found of these
kids in the woods.
And she would share thedifferent techniques these
predators use to entice kids tocome to them by offering them
something like candy or toys orsomething that appealed to a
(06:57):
kid's heart.
She told us to never talk tostrangers or ever stop when an
adult asked you for directionsfrom their car.
These stories haunted us butleft us pretty vigilant for any
potential threat to our safety.
Because she shared this with us,it prevented me from being
kidnapped on a train stationonce when I was five years old.
(07:19):
But the story I want tohighlight with you is one of the
earliest memories I had with mymom and how one particular
bedtime story equipped me toproperly spawn to a situation
that would have gone reallywrong.
This is actually a chapter inthe book that I wrote that may
or may not have ever made into abook.
(07:39):
And my agent may or may not bereally upset for giving you an
early preview, so bear with meas I do the unusual thing and
read you a story that took placein the former Soviet Union.
Okay, to set the story up, thistook place in the early 1900s as
Gorbachev's Petistroika reformsbroke down the Soviet command
(08:03):
economy and legalized smallprivate trade.
Everyday people began sellingimported goods out of trucks and
parking lots, creating the firstchaotic but vibrant markets of
the post-Soviet era.
And my mom got word of importedshoes that were coming to a
train station just a few milesfrom her home.
M6.
Rushing through the streets ofKrematorsk, Ukraine, the former
(08:26):
Soviet Union, determined to keepup with my mom's hurried steps.
My legs grow tired as we passthe liquor store where a man is
passed up by the entrance.
But I don't let it worry me.
As the oldest daughter, I savorevery second of the girls'
shopping trip with mom.
That's why I don't complain,even as my feet grow sore from
the long walk through the cold,winter wind.
(08:48):
Eventually we turn the corner tofind a mob of women near the
grocery store where mom usuallywaits in a long line to buy
bread.
Today, there is no line, justchaos.
She tightens her grip on my handas the crowd rush around us in
the parking lot.
As usual, my mother stands outfrom the others, showing her
true fashion sense even here inthe Soviet Union.
(09:10):
She wears a mink ferberate, capslanded to the side in her stark
contrast to her tailor woolcoat.
She has tucked her black hairbeneath the rim, letting only a
few strands hang gently to herwell-defined cheekbones.
A look that compliments her darkeyes and thick brows.
It's no secret that people thinkmy mom is beautiful.
(09:32):
Even now, as the frenzy mountsaround us, people turn their
heads as if they are struck byher captivating features.
Of course, it's not just herbeauty that sets her apart.
She's widely known as a giftedseamstress, sewing dresses for
clients each day to help supporther family.
Her love for fashion is whatbrought us here, pushing our way
through the crowd of anxiouswomen who, like mom, seem to
(09:53):
want more than a stores here inthe Soviet Union offer us.
In time we reach the unmarkedbox truck, the size of an
average U-Haul.
About fifty shoppers swarm thevehicle, eagerly anticipating
the opening of the big backdoor.
A large man steps out of thetruck and pulls out a thick pair
of black gloves.
Speaking in Russian, he orderseveryone to get out of the way.
(10:14):
Ateiditi.
With force, he moves to thecargo area where the women are
already waving their hands inthe air.
As soon as he opens the latch,they push and shove in
competition to reach theagitated dealer.
Don't let go of me, Svet, momsays sternly.
I grip her hand like my lifedepends on it, determined not to
be separated in the mayhem.
(10:35):
Just as I began to fear for mysafety, I spot a strange sight.
Because I only come up to mymom's waist, I can see what
other women can't.
This is how I spot a strange manwalking through the crowd
holding a sharp blade extendedbeyond his dirty fingers.
My eyes go wide as he slashesinto a woman's bag, carving an
(10:57):
opening large enough to reach inand steal her money.
My breath quickens as I rememberthe story mom recently told us
during one of our nightly familygatherings.
She gathered my siblings and mearound her lap as we do each
evening.
But this particular night, sheplayed a cassette about a blind
girl who lost her eyes when anevil man had cut them with his
(11:20):
razor.
Not your typical bad time story,but in a place like this, my mom
needs her children to be awareof the ever-present dangers.
Story has become her way ofteaching us the life lessons
that will equip us to stay safein the world.
Little does she know that I'vebeen haunted for weeks by the
thoughts of the girl who losther eyes to a man's razor blade.
(11:42):
Now here I am standing eye levelwith the actual bad guy with a
razor blade.
The fear grips me tight.
As the razor wielding thiefmoves closer towards us, I know
better than to cause a scene.
Even at such a tender age, Iknow not to anger a dangerous
man.
He could be capable of anything,and I don't want to end up like
(12:02):
the blind girl in the story.
Careful not to draw this man'sattention, I tug my mom's coat
sleeve as the robber continuesslashing back through the crowd.
She leans down to me and Iwhisper, There's a guy with a
razor and he's stealing people'smoney.
Some parents might ignore theirchild in a moment like this,
remaining too singularly focusedon the mad scramble for black
(12:23):
market shoes, or others may feelirritated by the call for
attention or doubt my claims.
But mom doesn't question me.
Instead, she follows my gaze tothe man, and together we watch
him nonchalantly shift fromwoman to woman.
No one else seems to notice hisscam, and we're not about to
point him out.
(12:43):
That would likely put our livesin danger as well as anyone
within proximity of his razor.
Nothing is worth that risk.
Mom gives me a quick nod andpulls me towards the opposite
side of the crowd.
Only when the man can no longerbe seen do we come to a stop.
Relieved to be standing a safedistance from the blade, I
(13:06):
exhale and figure that I get tokeep my eyes today.
But as we move closer to thetruck, I'm not sure Mom will be
keeping her money.
Even if the robber doesn't getit, the guy with the black
market goods is sure to have hisshare.
We're almost there, shereassures me as we finally make
our way to the front of theline.
When her turn comes, she stepstowards the rusted tailgate,
(13:28):
eyes the remaining shoe box, andquestions a scuffy dealer.
Are you sure they're reallytallying leather?
Da, he says, reassuring her,they are the finest quality.
Do you want them or not?
He impatiently looks at the nextcustomer.
Mom hesitates just for a second,but then she hands the gloved
man her hard-earned cash,counting out each ruble in
(13:50):
exchange for a beautiful pair ofblue high heels.
With her stylish shoes in hand,we rush out of the hectic crowd
in anticipation for her to trythem on at home.
Along the way, Mom beams,displaying her joy right out in
the open.
Can you believe this?
Real Italian leather.
She nearly skips her step as ifshe's won the prize of a
(14:11):
lifetime.
Several miles later, we finallyreach her house where I plop
onto the living room sofa torest my tired legs.
Mom sits too, but only becauseshe can't wait to try her new
shoes.
My siblings crowd around us asshe hurries to open the box.
Aren't they wonderful?
She raves again about thespecial color and how they came
(14:31):
straight from Italy.
Then she pulls one shoe on herleft foot and the other on her
right foot.
But something's not adding up.
Her brows furrow as my brothersand sister can't stop touching
the expensive loot.
We're all taken back when mom'sface turns red.
He tricked me, she says, kickingher shoes off in disappointment.
(14:54):
Sure enough, she's been sold twoshoes for the left foot.
The right shoe doesn't fit.
So this is the story of Mom andI, and how her scary stories has
really prevented me from beingin a situation that could have
gone really wrong.
(15:15):
And I possibly could have lostmy eyes that day.
So again, if you want tonominate the woman in your life,
go to my Instagram account.
That's S-V-E-T-K-A underscoreP-O-P-O-V.
Svecka underscore popov.
And send this DM, the woman.
(15:37):
Again, if you do not haveInstagram, go to the description
portion of the podcast episodeand scroll down to the very
bottom until you see a link thatsays send us a text.
Click on that link and type thewoman and let me know why she
deserves to be nominated.
Thank you so much for listeningto my story, and I can't wait to
(15:59):
see how this series will impactmany people.
Thank you for listening to theOne So Here Podcast.
It is an honor to share theseencouraging stories with you.
If you enjoy the show, I wouldlove for you to tell your
friends, leave us a reviewerrating, and subscribe to
wherever you listen to podcastsbecause this helps others
discover the show.
(16:19):
You can find me on my website,speccapop.com.
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