September 5, 2025 • 15 mins
Dive into an unforgettable conversation with Thomas Laidler, author of Pumpkin Surprise Poems, as we explore the power of unity and friendship in the face of darkness. From Navy service to poetic storytelling, Thomas shares the real-life inspirations behind his riveting Halloween tale. Discover how bonds forged through difference become the ultimate weapon against evil—and why this book belongs on your shelf. Hit play and experience a story where hope, courage, and connection light the way!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Hey is Benji col Son of Alcohol from CBS Radio
and host of the syndicated talk show People of Distinction.
The talk gives you an in depth view of some
of the most dynamic, intelligent, and successful people on the planet.
Run to our website Alcohol Enterprises dot com for more info.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Email me through Benji.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
At Alcohol Enterprises dot com if you'd like to get
involved with what we have going and as always.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Please continue to like and follow our broadcasts.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
People of Distinction is internationally syndicated solely due to the
love and support that you all continue to give. We're
available across all major distributors and as long as you
keep following, we're going to continue to put out the content. Now,
sit back and strap in because on the line with
us today we have the impressive Thomas L.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Ladler, and we're gonna be discussing Thomas's incredible book, Pumpkin
Surprise Poems. It's Amazon, it's Barnes and Noble Man, It's
a lot of other places. Simply type it into a
search bar and be greeted with all of them. And
by the time we've concluded today's discussion, I'm telling you
you're gonna do just that and listen. It is an
(01:13):
absolute pleasure to have Thomas here on the line. People.
What happens when the lights go out, the masks come on,
and the things that go bump in the night are
very real. Our guest today Thomas laidlor See. He's lived
a life of service from the US Navy, to the
(01:36):
USPS to the pulpit, and he's channeled that experience into
a riveting poetic tale Pumpkin Surprise. This isn't just the
Halloween story, man, It is a profound, a profound battle
between light and darkness, exploring if the bonds of friendship
are the ultimate weapon against the forces of e will
(02:00):
sit back, strap in, and get ready. This is one
you're gonna want to add to your shelf. Thomas, First
and foremost, welcome to People of Distinction, and thank you
very much for being a guest. How are you doing today, Sarah, Hello, Michicole.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
I'm doing very good. I think. Thank you for hurning
me to be a part of your broadcast.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
I appreciate it. Thomas listening, the honor is all ours.
I tell you, we don't have a network without guests
like you, and your book is something impactful. Man, It's
something that is going to be remarkably entertaining but also
carries a fantastic message underneath, so I know my listening
audience is looking forward to it. First and foremost, Thomas,
start off by telling us a little bit more about
(02:40):
yourself and your background.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
I'm from Orlando, floridaa directly out of high school. I
went into the Navy. From there, I was stationed up
into Detroit, Michigan, where I moved on. I got married,
have two two children, worked at the post office that
have now just retired.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Listen, congratulations on that retirement, man, and well deserves a
lot of hopefully a lot of care free and just
beautiful days ahead of you.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Man.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
That's fantastic, and thank you also for your service. Thomas.
You mentioned your background a in the Navy, but also
in the postal service, and really is something that I
think connects to an underlying theme in your book, and
that's where I want to go next. Maybe because listen,
as again, as a naval officer, as a trainer for
(03:31):
combat readiness, there's a fundamental aspect of unit cohesion, right
and just that unwavering loyalty that needs to come in
with regards to any military background, but that's you're relying
heavily on your brothers and sisters in arms that are
(03:53):
around you well with you. The characters in the book,
we also experience this building of this band of brothers
and sisters directly with them. So I'm curious to know
how did the bond between the three friends come into
play when you were creating this and how does it
(04:14):
work within the stories facing down Halloween's evils if I'm.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
Using my background with the Navy, like I said, our
main goal in the Navy when I worked was, like
you said, depending on one another. You cannot afford to
do anything that would come between communication and understanding and
working together, be there together with ultimate you have to
(04:43):
Your life depends on whether you're comraded next to you,
is on the same page or not. You had to
have that going for you to.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Make it through, Thomas listen Man without further ado, I
have a lot of other questions that I want to ask,
but let's jump into the book itself. Pumpkins Surprise, tell
us more about it, all right, pump and Surprise.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
I took that from actually from my high school when
I went to high school and I was make this
short but I was a signed a group with a
group that we had to come up with a short
story during Halloween. And what I was amazed about was
(05:25):
this was being my first time being integrated at that
time at school, and my classmates were different. Each one
of us was a different race, but because we worked
so well together, and it was amazing to me how
they're being so different, but you're having the same goals,
you can make a big accomplishment. And that weighed on
(05:48):
me always because I never forgot that experience with something
unique in my life, and that even when I went
on in life, that carried on with me. And having
that kind of the law of the despite differences that
people may have, to me, that sparks the light. It's
amazing how that we look at each other and see
the differences of each other and not their commonality. And
(06:12):
that's something I've always wanted to be able to get
victory over you. I do not like to be dismissed
because I'm different or needles. Do I like to dismiss
anyone else because they's difference, Because there's strength and unity
regardless of what the differences make the strength of being
one unit and that using that as a platform. I
(06:36):
built my book or my story along those lines. How
we can come together and defeat a common enemy despite
our differences.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
I want to now transition to inspiration, but it's going
to be a multi part question right now. First and foremost,
let's start here with what inspired this book's creation. I
know you're talking about your background, going back to school
and where the writing presented itself. But this particular book,
where did it originate from and what inspired you to
(07:10):
publish it for the world.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
The inspiration was just that it was unity of knowing
that I had someone to be that would be with
me to detick in sand when I first wrote. When
I first wrote the book, it was about two pages long,
maybe three pages long, isn't a class And I put
(07:35):
it together working with the idea that we should be people,
should work together, act together, be together, and that should
be harmony, love and continuity. The book the idea when
I as I went through life, it never left me.
I sat on it for a while, but as I
went through life, I begin to cultivated into more and
(07:59):
I begin to think of saying, we go through problems
and go through situations, but we can't get through everything
by ourselves. We need help, we need support, And as
I began to think along those lines, I begin to
think along that pumpkin surprise. The reason that stands out
for me is because when we say Halloween automatically it
(08:19):
got twofold meetings Halloween, we think of festivity, whichween happy, joyful,
and so forth. But then there's another side of Halloween
where we look at the governins, the demons, witches and everything.
So now you've got ports of evil and good, and
you got them both in combined and mixed up together.
(08:39):
But you want to be able to you stand as
a light in the midst of any kind of controversy
or obstacle, tragedy, and in order to do that you
have to have help. Some of the old saying say
that no man is an island. I don't care how good,
how great, how storm you are, you need help in
(09:00):
order to succeed. Man were made to be by himself.
So with that concept I was able to come together
and pull these characters together, who are different all around
in every aspect. But the one thing they did have
in coming not coming, was the fact that they really
(09:21):
loved each other. They understood each other, and they was
always there for each other. Their differences always stay there,
but their connection never was lost. And I built on that,
bringing in elements of Halloween the Dark Side, which represent
to me the chrials of life, the things that we
go through, disappointment, being betrayed, being hurt, being let down,
(09:45):
all but these are I'm presenting them in a form
that we can see you like monsters, which is in
see But these are depictions of the things of life
that we go through. And with these kids going through
these things, they have to they can't get through it
without each other. And that's what the basis. I began
(10:08):
to think and pull different things together and different situations
in the book. That's the way my mind formed everything
and just feel a little bit by a little bit.
So I did that as I went through you know,
life and everything. It was a gradual process.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
What I find remarkable and really something very unique is
you chose to tell this epic battle in the form
of a poem, and I think that is is that's different.
I want to ask why was verse the right medium
for this story. Did you find that the rhythm in
the poetic verse helped build the tension, or depict action,
(10:51):
or even convey particular emotions in a way that regular
prose couldn't.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
I'm glad that's the question you asked. That's something I
always liked in the mirror. Like I said, when I
grew up, I love poetry. One of my favorite art
poems that was by an author author called Samy Taylor Cooleridge.
He was an English sport but I loved his poem
the Three Grades, and that one always. I never forgot it.
But like you said, I like the rhythm of it
(11:18):
because it give motion to what you're saying. One thing
I think about poems, I think they are very unique
because a lot of time they can underscore what you
can't get reading on a straight level. Well, I mean
that poetry to me activates a lot of senses and
thought processes. It gets a rhythm. It gives you a rhythm. Also,
(11:39):
it helps you to flow evenly and easier. To me,
it's to me, I actually listen. It's actually therapeutic too
when you do rhymes, and it also helps memory. It
helps you to recall things normally wouldn't recall under normal circumstances.
(11:59):
So that's why I wanted to write it that way,
with the rhythm, with the attributes of what poetry does.
Sometime poetry unlocks what we just normally can't convey, and
it's another step, another level of being able to reach
what reached people or the audience that you normally wouldn't read,
wouldn't read what you have to say.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
What's next for you? Brother? This is a fantastic book.
I'm hoping there's more on the horizon. What's upcoming?
Speaker 3 (12:27):
Really, I do have, like I said, I love poetry.
I got writings or poems that I've already written, I
got to collect. But I am working on another, a
major this time of actual book, and it's more or
less it's almost the same thing. But it's, like I
says written on as I would call it a Saints ardity. Basically,
(12:49):
it's the same thing in the sense that you are
confronted with odds against evil, against good, and we have
to always see that we stand up for what's right
and what's good. It might not seem like it, but
you'll always succeed. And that's the moral of what I
always want to tell people, that no matter what they face,
what they're going through, that there's always hope. Never give
(13:13):
up on yourself. You are your biggest as all cliche.
You your biggest enemy or you're your biggest hero. And
I believe that if you stand fear, fear always be there,
but fear shouldn't be in control. And the next endeavor
is to bring out the spiritual truth and moral attributes
(13:34):
along that line. In this particular book, it's a long
soldier that have to go through a lot of things
that will make you wonder how much we can take
and what can we do and how do we make it?
Speaker 2 (13:47):
But it's exciting to me, listen, exciting to you, and
excited for me and my listening audience as well. I'm
sure of it. People, Listen, you got to head on
over to Amazon, Barnes and Noble. Remember the book is
entitled Pumpkin Support Rise Poem is by the impressive Thomas L.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
Laidler.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
You gotta pick up copies today. This is a remarkably
entertaining book with so much value underneath that it's going
to be able to offer. Listen, Thomas, thank you for
writing the book man, because listen, what you've given us
here is really this is a powerful allegory for our time.
It reminds us that cliche, cliche but true magic isn't
(14:27):
found in a spell, but in the unbreakable bond of
true friendship. For everyone that's listening in right now. If
you're looking for a story that proves the power of unity,
the power of what we have when we stand together, listen, man,
you need to read this book. This is a powerful
(14:47):
reminder that against any force, our greatest power is and
always has been each other. And I think that's a
great message, especially for what we see happening right now.
We are more divided than ever before this book. As
I mentioned, it's entertaining and sure got that in spades.
(15:08):
But when you really stop reading between the lines, look
where we are as a country, but also in the world.
We are so divided and because of that we're weak.
When we come together, we are truly our strongest selves.
It starts with this book, man, but I promise you
(15:28):
there's so much more to be had, and like you mentioned,
is more on the horizon, so make sure you're checking
back in frequently. Thomas, this has been an absolute pleasure, man,
I really do mean that. Thank you once again for
being a guest on People of Distinction.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
Thank you as well, from my heart
Hey is Benji col Son of Alcohol from CBS Radio
and host of the syndicated talk show People of Distinction.
The talk gives you an in depth view of some
of the most dynamic, intelligent, and successful people on the planet.
Run to our website Alcohol Enterprises dot com for more info.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Email me through Benji.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
At Alcohol Enterprises dot com if you'd like to get
involved with what we have going and as always.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Please continue to like and follow our broadcasts.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
People of Distinction is internationally syndicated solely due to the
love and support that you all continue to give. We're
available across all major distributors and as long as you
keep following, we're going to continue to put out the content. Now,
sit back and strap in because on the line with
us today we have the impressive Thomas L.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Ladler, and we're gonna be discussing Thomas's incredible book, Pumpkin
Surprise Poems. It's Amazon, it's Barnes and Noble Man, It's
a lot of other places. Simply type it into a
search bar and be greeted with all of them. And
by the time we've concluded today's discussion, I'm telling you
you're gonna do just that and listen. It is an
(01:13):
absolute pleasure to have Thomas here on the line. People.
What happens when the lights go out, the masks come on,
and the things that go bump in the night are
very real. Our guest today Thomas laidlor See. He's lived
a life of service from the US Navy, to the
(01:36):
USPS to the pulpit, and he's channeled that experience into
a riveting poetic tale Pumpkin Surprise. This isn't just the
Halloween story, man, It is a profound, a profound battle
between light and darkness, exploring if the bonds of friendship
are the ultimate weapon against the forces of e will
(02:00):
sit back, strap in, and get ready. This is one
you're gonna want to add to your shelf. Thomas, First
and foremost, welcome to People of Distinction, and thank you
very much for being a guest. How are you doing today, Sarah, Hello, Michicole.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
I'm doing very good. I think. Thank you for hurning
me to be a part of your broadcast.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
I appreciate it. Thomas listening, the honor is all ours.
I tell you, we don't have a network without guests
like you, and your book is something impactful. Man, It's
something that is going to be remarkably entertaining but also
carries a fantastic message underneath, so I know my listening
audience is looking forward to it. First and foremost, Thomas,
start off by telling us a little bit more about
(02:40):
yourself and your background.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
I'm from Orlando, floridaa directly out of high school. I
went into the Navy. From there, I was stationed up
into Detroit, Michigan, where I moved on. I got married,
have two two children, worked at the post office that
have now just retired.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Listen, congratulations on that retirement, man, and well deserves a
lot of hopefully a lot of care free and just
beautiful days ahead of you.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Man.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
That's fantastic, and thank you also for your service. Thomas.
You mentioned your background a in the Navy, but also
in the postal service, and really is something that I
think connects to an underlying theme in your book, and
that's where I want to go next. Maybe because listen,
as again, as a naval officer, as a trainer for
(03:31):
combat readiness, there's a fundamental aspect of unit cohesion, right
and just that unwavering loyalty that needs to come in
with regards to any military background, but that's you're relying
heavily on your brothers and sisters in arms that are
(03:53):
around you well with you. The characters in the book,
we also experience this building of this band of brothers
and sisters directly with them. So I'm curious to know
how did the bond between the three friends come into
play when you were creating this and how does it
(04:14):
work within the stories facing down Halloween's evils if I'm.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
Using my background with the Navy, like I said, our
main goal in the Navy when I worked was, like
you said, depending on one another. You cannot afford to
do anything that would come between communication and understanding and
working together, be there together with ultimate you have to
(04:43):
Your life depends on whether you're comraded next to you,
is on the same page or not. You had to
have that going for you to.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Make it through, Thomas listen Man without further ado, I
have a lot of other questions that I want to ask,
but let's jump into the book itself. Pumpkins Surprise, tell
us more about it, all right, pump and Surprise.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
I took that from actually from my high school when
I went to high school and I was make this
short but I was a signed a group with a
group that we had to come up with a short
story during Halloween. And what I was amazed about was
(05:25):
this was being my first time being integrated at that
time at school, and my classmates were different. Each one
of us was a different race, but because we worked
so well together, and it was amazing to me how
they're being so different, but you're having the same goals,
you can make a big accomplishment. And that weighed on
(05:48):
me always because I never forgot that experience with something
unique in my life, and that even when I went
on in life, that carried on with me. And having
that kind of the law of the despite differences that
people may have, to me, that sparks the light. It's
amazing how that we look at each other and see
the differences of each other and not their commonality. And
(06:12):
that's something I've always wanted to be able to get
victory over you. I do not like to be dismissed
because I'm different or needles. Do I like to dismiss
anyone else because they's difference, Because there's strength and unity
regardless of what the differences make the strength of being
one unit and that using that as a platform. I
(06:36):
built my book or my story along those lines. How
we can come together and defeat a common enemy despite
our differences.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
I want to now transition to inspiration, but it's going
to be a multi part question right now. First and foremost,
let's start here with what inspired this book's creation. I
know you're talking about your background, going back to school
and where the writing presented itself. But this particular book,
where did it originate from and what inspired you to
(07:10):
publish it for the world.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
The inspiration was just that it was unity of knowing
that I had someone to be that would be with
me to detick in sand when I first wrote. When
I first wrote the book, it was about two pages long,
maybe three pages long, isn't a class And I put
(07:35):
it together working with the idea that we should be people,
should work together, act together, be together, and that should
be harmony, love and continuity. The book the idea when
I as I went through life, it never left me.
I sat on it for a while, but as I
went through life, I begin to cultivated into more and
(07:59):
I begin to think of saying, we go through problems
and go through situations, but we can't get through everything
by ourselves. We need help, we need support, And as
I began to think along those lines, I begin to
think along that pumpkin surprise. The reason that stands out
for me is because when we say Halloween automatically it
(08:19):
got twofold meetings Halloween, we think of festivity, whichween happy, joyful,
and so forth. But then there's another side of Halloween
where we look at the governins, the demons, witches and everything.
So now you've got ports of evil and good, and
you got them both in combined and mixed up together.
(08:39):
But you want to be able to you stand as
a light in the midst of any kind of controversy
or obstacle, tragedy, and in order to do that you
have to have help. Some of the old saying say
that no man is an island. I don't care how good,
how great, how storm you are, you need help in
(09:00):
order to succeed. Man were made to be by himself.
So with that concept I was able to come together
and pull these characters together, who are different all around
in every aspect. But the one thing they did have
in coming not coming, was the fact that they really
(09:21):
loved each other. They understood each other, and they was
always there for each other. Their differences always stay there,
but their connection never was lost. And I built on that,
bringing in elements of Halloween the Dark Side, which represent
to me the chrials of life, the things that we
go through, disappointment, being betrayed, being hurt, being let down,
(09:45):
all but these are I'm presenting them in a form
that we can see you like monsters, which is in
see But these are depictions of the things of life
that we go through. And with these kids going through
these things, they have to they can't get through it
without each other. And that's what the basis. I began
(10:08):
to think and pull different things together and different situations
in the book. That's the way my mind formed everything
and just feel a little bit by a little bit.
So I did that as I went through you know,
life and everything. It was a gradual process.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
What I find remarkable and really something very unique is
you chose to tell this epic battle in the form
of a poem, and I think that is is that's different.
I want to ask why was verse the right medium
for this story. Did you find that the rhythm in
the poetic verse helped build the tension, or depict action,
(10:51):
or even convey particular emotions in a way that regular
prose couldn't.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
I'm glad that's the question you asked. That's something I
always liked in the mirror. Like I said, when I
grew up, I love poetry. One of my favorite art
poems that was by an author author called Samy Taylor Cooleridge.
He was an English sport but I loved his poem
the Three Grades, and that one always. I never forgot it.
But like you said, I like the rhythm of it
(11:18):
because it give motion to what you're saying. One thing
I think about poems, I think they are very unique
because a lot of time they can underscore what you
can't get reading on a straight level. Well, I mean
that poetry to me activates a lot of senses and
thought processes. It gets a rhythm. It gives you a rhythm. Also,
(11:39):
it helps you to flow evenly and easier. To me,
it's to me, I actually listen. It's actually therapeutic too
when you do rhymes, and it also helps memory. It
helps you to recall things normally wouldn't recall under normal circumstances.
(11:59):
So that's why I wanted to write it that way,
with the rhythm, with the attributes of what poetry does.
Sometime poetry unlocks what we just normally can't convey, and
it's another step, another level of being able to reach
what reached people or the audience that you normally wouldn't read,
wouldn't read what you have to say.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
What's next for you? Brother? This is a fantastic book.
I'm hoping there's more on the horizon. What's upcoming?
Speaker 3 (12:27):
Really, I do have, like I said, I love poetry.
I got writings or poems that I've already written, I
got to collect. But I am working on another, a
major this time of actual book, and it's more or
less it's almost the same thing. But it's, like I
says written on as I would call it a Saints ardity. Basically,
(12:49):
it's the same thing in the sense that you are
confronted with odds against evil, against good, and we have
to always see that we stand up for what's right
and what's good. It might not seem like it, but
you'll always succeed. And that's the moral of what I
always want to tell people, that no matter what they face,
what they're going through, that there's always hope. Never give
(13:13):
up on yourself. You are your biggest as all cliche.
You your biggest enemy or you're your biggest hero. And
I believe that if you stand fear, fear always be there,
but fear shouldn't be in control. And the next endeavor
is to bring out the spiritual truth and moral attributes
(13:34):
along that line. In this particular book, it's a long
soldier that have to go through a lot of things
that will make you wonder how much we can take
and what can we do and how do we make it?
Speaker 2 (13:47):
But it's exciting to me, listen, exciting to you, and
excited for me and my listening audience as well. I'm
sure of it. People, Listen, you got to head on
over to Amazon, Barnes and Noble. Remember the book is
entitled Pumpkin Support Rise Poem is by the impressive Thomas L.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
Laidler.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
You gotta pick up copies today. This is a remarkably
entertaining book with so much value underneath that it's going
to be able to offer. Listen, Thomas, thank you for
writing the book man, because listen, what you've given us
here is really this is a powerful allegory for our time.
It reminds us that cliche, cliche but true magic isn't
(14:27):
found in a spell, but in the unbreakable bond of
true friendship. For everyone that's listening in right now. If
you're looking for a story that proves the power of unity,
the power of what we have when we stand together, listen, man,
you need to read this book. This is a powerful
(14:47):
reminder that against any force, our greatest power is and
always has been each other. And I think that's a
great message, especially for what we see happening right now.
We are more divided than ever before this book. As
I mentioned, it's entertaining and sure got that in spades.
(15:08):
But when you really stop reading between the lines, look
where we are as a country, but also in the world.
We are so divided and because of that we're weak.
When we come together, we are truly our strongest selves.
It starts with this book, man, but I promise you
(15:28):
there's so much more to be had, and like you mentioned,
is more on the horizon, so make sure you're checking
back in frequently. Thomas, this has been an absolute pleasure, man,
I really do mean that. Thank you once again for
being a guest on People of Distinction.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
Thank you as well, from my heart
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Gregg Rosenthal and a rotating crew of elite NFL Media co-hosts, including Patrick Claybon, Colleen Wolfe, Steve Wyche, Nick Shook and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic get you caught up daily on all the NFL news and analysis you need to be smarter and funnier than your friends.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com