Narrator: The following series addresses sensitive topics
including self harm and suicide. Listener discretion is advised.
Sherry: I want to be the sweet thought that crosses your mind
and remains there, but I am not wanted. I want to be a bird in
formation with a soaring echelon, but I am not wanted. I
want to set fire to this mediocre world just to see what
awaits me in the next one, But I am not wanted. I am not wanted.
I am not wanted.
Luisa: Come on. I'm gonna be so late. What the hell is a holdup?
Oh my god.
Hi.
Patti: How's my Lulu?
Luisa: Oh, you know, stressed, tired, anxious, all the good
things.
Patti: The big meeting is today?
Luisa: Yeah. I'm on my way there now, and I hope to get there on
time or, I don't know, sometime this century. God.
Patti: Okay. Stay calm. Everything will be fine. Which
book are they interested in?
Luisa: They read my manuscript about Frederic Hsieh so here's
hoping.
Patti: This is exciting. My little girl is going to publish
her first book.
Luisa: Well, nothing is set in stone, so it's a miracle that I
even got this meeting.
Patti: I have a good feeling, Luisa.
Luisa: I hope you're right. If I can just finally write stories I
want to write.
Patti: It will happen.
Luisa: Oh, is this my
exit? Oh, yes. This is my exit. Oh my god. I think I'm gonna
make it on time.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Stop. No.
Patti: What? What what happened?
Luisa: You're freaking shitting me right now.
What, Lu?
Oh my god. Okay. I'm fine. Sorry.
I'm fine. Someone just
Patti: You need me to I I can close the shop. I can come over
right now.
Luisa: No. No.
No. Don't sorry. No. Don't worry about it. It's fine.
It sounds like it was just a fender bender. Listen. I'm
pulling over. Let me call you back. Okay?
Patti: Call me back.
Luisa: I will. I will. I will.
Patti: Make sure you get the information.
Luisa: I will. Thank you. Thank you. Love you. Bye.
Patti: Okay. Bye.
Debra: Oh my goodness. Oh, god. I am
so sorry. I cannot believe. I just are you okay?
Luisa: Yeah. I I'm I'm fine.
Are you okay?
Debra: Yeah. Yeah. I'm okay. I, just shaken. Okay.
Luisa: Well, let's let's have a look. Oh, okay. This is fine.
Looks like, you know, a few scratches. It it could be worse.
Listen. I'm so sorry. I'm in a huge rush. Can we just exchange
info? I'm honestly
Debra: Yeah.
Luisa: Not Yeah. Yes. Concerned about this.
Debra: Okay. Of course. Okay. Let me grab my my insurance
card. Yeah.
Yeah.
Luisa: Oh, god. Me too. Okay. Again, I am so sorry.
Debra: I looked down for one second, and then bam. I'm on
your bumper.
Luisa: Yeah. No. I get it.
Debra: I get it. Can't even remember the last time I was in
an accident. '92? Oh. I'm I'm normally a very defensive
driver, very defensive.
Luisa: Oh, yeah.
Debra: You have to be in this town. You know?
Luisa: Uh-huh.
Debra: Drivers here, they are maniacs.
Luisa: Uh-huh.
Debra: Yep. Yep. Yep. '99 '92. Yes.
I I remember because Clinton had just got elected, the other
driver had a Bush bumper on a Bush sticker on his bumper. Oh.
In fact, that accident was also a fender bender, but in that
case, I was you. I think that he ran into the back of me.
Luisa: Yeah. Cool. Hey. Sorry. I really am
in rush. Yeah. Sorry.
Debra: No. My my card is in here somewhere.
Insurance. Insure oh, Bed and Bath... I think you know what?
These are getting very precious. Do you want this?
20%. Okay.
Luisa: No. I I am
good. Yeah.
Debra: Insure oh. Blockbuster, I don't need that anymore.
Luisa: Oh, wow.
Oh. It's
a relic right there.
Debra: Oh, here it is. Mind the cereal crumbs.
Luisa: Oh, yeah. Okay. Great.
Do you
mind if I take
a photo?
Debra: Oh, no. No.
No. Yeah. Go right ahead.
Luisa: And got it. Here's mine. Sorry. I don't have a paper
copy.
I just
keep it on my phone.
Debra: That's fine. That's fine. Okay. Great. Could you could you
zoom in a bit?
Oh. I don't have my readers on.
Yeah.
Luisa: Yeah. Of course. Of course. Here.
Debra: Okay. Stately Insurance. Luisa Zhang Hillman. Oh, Luisa
Zhang. Wow.
Luisa: You're, like, the first person who's ever pronounced my
last name right.
Debra: Yeah. I mean, I I know someone. I mean, I knew someone
with that name.
Luisa: Yeah. There's, a billion of us, so that's no surprise.
Debra: No. I mean, I knew someone with your exact name a
long time ago. I'm sorry, but is your mother's name Sherry?
Luisa: Yeah.
Debra: And did she did she pass away...
Luisa: ...from suicide?
Debra: Wow. I can't believe. I this is wow. I know you'd never
believe this, and you're never gonna remember this. But I used
to see you all the time when you were very little.
I mean, very little. I I was very close to your mom. Oh.
Luisa: Oh, damn.
Debra: It's so good to know that after all these years that you
were
okay. After your mom your mom's passing, it was hard to to to
keep in touch, but I have always wondered. I'm Debra, by the way.
Luisa: Luisa, obviously. I know.
Debra: This is bizarre. Right?
Luisa: No. No. I I I'm just I never met anyone who knew my mom
except my family. You know?
Debra: Right. Right. Oh, listen. I know I know you said you're in
a rush, but are you maybe free later on? I wanna give you
something.
It belonged to your mom.
Simone: Luisa, I'm not gonna lie. I'm really glad that Shane
connected us. Otherwise, I don't think your manuscript would have
ever made it to my desk, and that would have been so sad.
Luisa: Listen. I so appreciate you taking a meeting with me,
Simone. I know I'm an unknown, and I don't have representation
and all that good stuff.
Simone: Oh, hey.
We all have to start somewhere. Right?
Luisa: Right.
Simone: Yeah. So, yeah, this story, I'm ashamed to admit that
I grew up here, and I have never heard of Frederic Hsieh, which
is crazy. So I'd love to know how you came across his story.
Luisa: Well, honestly, I wish I had a more inspiring story than
what I'm about to say. But as you know, I'm Asian... On my
mom's side, and I grew up in the San Gabriel Valley surrounded by
all the Asians. And a few years ago, I was meeting up with some
friends for lunch, and, of course, I suggested my favorite
Chinese dumpling place in San Gabriel. And one of my friends
pointed out all the Asians.
And it wasn't until that moment that I really asked myself, why
is this the case? Like, why are all the Asians in San Gabriel
Valley?
Simone: Mhmm.
Luisa: So I went home, did some preliminary research, aka
Google, and I came across an obituary in the New York Times
for Fredrik Shea. And it laid out the highlights of his life,
and my jaw dropped.
Here's this Chinese immigrant who comes here in the sixties,
and he forever changes the course of history for this part
of Southern California, and no one knows him. So I just felt
compelled. I I felt compelled to learn everything I could about
him. One thing led to another. I started making calls.
Calls turned into interviews. Interviews turned into chapters.
And before I knew it, I had a story coming together.
Simone: Oh, an incredible story, and you tell it beautifully.
Luisa: That means so much to me.
Simone: Oh, I just love how you paint this part of the world.
It's so vivid. Oh, to me, your manuscript has similar notes to
The Warmth of Other Suns.
Luisa: Wow. Wow.
Simone: Yeah. And the whole white flight history. I mean,
damn. I shouldn't be surprised, but I was.
Oh, and the way
you just lay it all out, you schooled me. I guess what I'm
trying to say is that I feel enlightened, enlightened and
shitty.
Luisa: Yeah. I I mean, sometimes those two things go hand in
hand. Right?
Simone: Mhmm. Mhmm.
Luisa: The truth is hard sometimes. And, it it's very
shitty that these white people were so uncomfortable with
Chinese people becoming their neighbors that they up and left.
But what I appreciate about this story is that it actually has a
decent outcome for the people that those white folks were
looking to spite.
Simone: Oh, white spite. That's your title right there.
Luisa: Yeah.
Simone: I'm sorry. I'm kidding. Go ahead. Go ahead.
Luisa: Yeah. Maybe. Look, sadly, a lot of stories of white flight
don't end well for the people left behind. So to me, this
story is both heartbreaking and uplifting. On one hand, it's
about displaced and often disenfranchised people trying to
find their place in the world, a home, a chance at a better life.
On the other hand, it's about a Chinese immigrant who saw an
opportunity and just seized it. And of course, there's all the
history of LA County that led to this long before Frederic Hsieh.
Right? The erased history of the native Indigenous tribes, the
Spanish missions, the Chinese massacre of eighteen seventy
one, which we're only just really talking about now.
Centuries of horrific events molded and shaped San Gabriel
Valley into what she is today, so I really wanted this
manuscript to honor as much of it as possible.
Simone: Yeah. I mean, yes. I think you do just that. Wow.
Look.
I don't wanna beat around the bush here. I think you have
something, and I think you could be one of the next great voices
in nonfiction.
Luisa: Yeah. I Wow.
Simone: I I mean that.
And,
well, I
have some good news and some bad news.
Luisa: Oh, okay.
Simone: The bad news. Here at Hunter, we are hesitant to take
a chance on a brand new author like yourself.
Luisa: Oh.
Simone: I know. I know.
It's like, what? How do I get credit if I have no credit?
Right? Makes no sense. But the good news is that I have a way
around it.
Luisa: Oh.
Simone: Yeah. See, with new authors, what I've done in the
past is assign them to another project, someone else's IP to
develop on their behalf.
Luisa: Ghost writing?
Simone: Yes.
Luisa: Okay.
Simone: I know. I know. It's not ideal, but hear me out. Okay.
There are a lot of benefits.
Okay? So first, I only take on great stories, meaning you would
help bring to the world a great story, much like the one you
wanna tell about Frederic Hsieh.
Luisa: Mhmm.
Simone: Second, I'm not gonna lie. Our ghostwriting
assignments pay well. And on top of that, I can negotiate a hefty
advance for you. Wow. And third, if this project hits, which I
know it will because like I said before, I only take on great
stories, I can easily make a case for you and your work.
And can I be totally honest?
Luisa: Sure.
Simone: Selfishly, I wanna be the one that helps bring Fred's
story out into the world. I really, really do. And I know we
can get there.
We just gotta jump through a few hoops first. So what do you
think?
Narrator: Holy shit. That is so exciting, Lu.
Luisa: Is it really?
Narrator: Yes. Cheers to that.
Okay. That was the weakest glass clink ever. Lu, you have a major
publishing house interested in your work and you. So now we
raise our glasses and cheers.
Luisa: Cheers.
Narrator: Okay. That was still weak, but okay.
Luisa: Sorry. I'm just not thrilled about the idea of doing
all the work and getting no credit.
Narrator: It's a stepping stone,
a well paid stepping stone.
Luisa: You know, that whole week leading up to the meeting, I
fantasized that I was gonna go in, and they were gonna make me
an offer to publish my book. And it was finally gonna happen for
me. You should have heard her, Rei. She literally said to me, I
think you're one of the next great voices in nonfiction.
Narrator: Lu, that is amazing. Remember that part. Okay? You
should be very proud of yourself.
Luisa: Mhmm.
Narrator: That doesn't sound like pride. Alright. So what's
the ghostwriting gig?
Luisa: I have no idea.
Narrator: They didn't tell you?
Luisa: I didn't ask.
Narrator: What do you mean?
Luisa: I didn't ask because I'm not interested.
Narrator: Lu.
Luisa: What? I'm not interested in ghostwriting, Reina.
Narrator: Are you serious right now?
Luisa: Yeah.
Narrator: You're not even going to entertain the idea?
Luisa: Look. I'd rather spend that time working on my next
manuscript. Do know the one that would actually have my name on
it?
Narrator: No. You'd rather spend your time feeling sorry for
yourself and writing clickbait articles for some shitty blog
like disasterfeminist.com. 10 ways to know that you're a bad
feminist.
Luisa: Okay. That was a very successful article, by the way.
And, yeah, I do that to pay my bills. Okay?
Narrator: Yeah. Lu, you could pay your bills with that sweet
ghostwriting money. You know I'm right.
Bartender: Ladies, another round?
Luisa: Definitely.
Narrator: Yeah.
Bartender: You got it.
Narrator: Before you go, could I ask you a quick question?
Bartender: Oh, okay.
Narrator: My friend over here got a job offer. Not a dream
job. Pays very well.
Luisa: What are you doing?
Narrator: I'm getting a second opinion is
Well, what I'm I will tip him more. Okay. So not the dream
job, but a good job. No.
Luisa: It's not a good job.
Narrator: Route to the dream. And so what I'd like to know is
if you had a good solid job that would pay you very well
Luisa: Are you
Narrator: and still isn't the dream, would you still
take it?
Don't apologize for me. I'm accessing my voice.
Bartender: Maybe we should get you a bottle to celebrate.
Narrator: I like that idea.
Luisa: How about we start with those drinks
we just ordered?
Bartender: Of course.
Luisa: Of course.
Narrator: Thank you so much.
Thank you. Your opinion counts.
Luisa: I'm gonna kill you.
Narrator: Well, not if I kill you first.
Luisa: Look. I got this meeting. I can get more.
Hell, I might even try my hand at self publishing. Who knows?
Narrator: Okay. Who's to say
that this ghostwriting gig isn't a good opportunity for
Luisa: I know
it's a good opportunity.
Patti: Let me finish.
Okay.
Who's to
Narrator: say that this ghostwriting gig is a good
opportunity to get your foot in the door with Hunter? You slide
in, you prove yourself with this whole thing, and then
afterwards, you hit him up with your book like, oh, what's this?
Oh my god. It's a whole another novel that I wrote that's also
wonderful. Yes, please.
I'd love you to publish it, Hunter House. Thank you so much.
Luisa: You done?
Narrator: For now.
Luisa: I'm not gonna lie. That's pretty much
the argument Simone made.
Narrator: Oh my god. Great minds think alike . So what's the
problem here?
Luisa: I know. I know. I'm not trying to sound ungrateful. I
just I feel like I'm getting closer to something. It's it's
hard to explain, but I wanna take a bet on this feeling on
myself.
Narrator: Who was the one who predicted in eighth grade in
miss Thomas' class that you would grow up to be a writer?
Luisa: Oh my god. How many times are you gonna bring this up?
Narrator: It was me. So, yeah, I'm always betting on you.
Always.
Luisa: I know. Thank you. Look. When I decide to write
something, something for me, not some shitty article, I put my
entire being into it because the story needs that. I know it
sounds cheesy, but it's true.
It's a lot of hours, a lot of research, a lot of notes, a lot
of edits, a lot of sleepless nights, everything. Everything.
I put my everything into it. Do I wanna give my everything to a
story I may not be passionate about? I don't know.
Narrator: You got me there.
Bartender: Your glass of rose and your gimlet.
Narrator: Thank you.
Luisa: Thank you.
Narrator: Okay. Cheers to betting on you.
Luisa: To betting on me.
Narrator: And to me eventually being right.
Luisa: Cheers to that.
Narrator: Now that's a clink.
Debra: Hey, Luisa.
Luisa: Hey, Debra.
Debra: Please come in.
Luisa: Thanks.
Debra: I appreciate you coming over. I I realize how strange
all of this must be.
Luisa: I don't mind strange.
Debra: Yeah. Me
neither. Would you like some tea or coffee? I have the kettle on.
Luisa: If you're having tea, I'll have tea.
Debra: Oh, tea for two then. Please make yourself at home.
Luisa: Thank you. My god. Your home is beautiful. I love all
these little vintage trinkets.
Debra: Mhmm.
Luisa: Like this. What is this?
Debra: It's an old coin bank. See, you put a coin in here
Mhmm. And it keeps a running total.
Luisa: Oh, that's cool.
Debra: Mhmm.
I think so too. I'm a bit sentimental for old things.
Luisa: I get that.
Debra: Ah,
I'll fetch our tea.
Luisa: Oh, wow. Look all these books.
Debra: Yes. I am a total bookworm.
Luisa: Oh, me too. You've Mhmm. Got quite the collection here.
Stephen King, of course, Agatha Christie. Classic.
Debra: Yeah. Classic, of course.
Luisa: Gillian Flynn.
Debra: Oh, yeah. A
Luisa: ton of true crime novels. I'm starting
to see a pattern here.
Debra: Oh, yeah. Anything to do with mysteries, murder,
suspense.
Sign me up. You?
Luisa: No. No. No.
No. No. No. No. Not my genre.
I I love a great story as long as it doesn't keep me up at
night because I am a total weenie.
Debra: Oh, yeah?
Luisa: Oh, yeah. My best friend made me watch one episode of
that Unsolved Mysteries reboot, and I swear I didn't sleep
properly for the next three nights. The theme music alone is
terrifying. So, yeah, I'm total
weenie.
Debra: Understandable. It's not for everyone.
Luisa: Yeah.
But everyone seems to
love it, don't they? It's like true crime is the new porn.
Debra: Yeah. I see what you mean.
Luisa: Yeah. I don't know. I personally don't understand
everyone's obsession with death.
Debra: Yeah.
Luisa: No offense.
Debra: No. No. None taken. Milk?
Sugar?
Luisa: Both, please. Thank you.
Debra: So, Luisa, what do you do for work?
Luisa: I'm actually a writer.
Debra: Oh, you are? What kind?
Luisa: Yeah. Well, I pay my bills writing articles for blogs
and stuff like that, but I love nonfiction.
I have a few novels I'm working on.
Debra: Oh, fantastic. Anything I can read?
Luisa: If
you don't mind reading a manuscript.
Debra: Oh, no. I wouldn't mind that
at all.
Luisa: Okay. Because I haven't yet been published, but I had a
very exciting meeting with Hunter House. So
Debra: That's so
wonderful.
Luisa: Yeah.
Debra: I know Sherry would be so proud of you.
Luisa: Thank you. So, how did you know
my mom?
Debra: Community college. Pasadena City College. We met in
psychology class.
Luisa: Wow.
Psychology,
Debra: Yeah. She wanted to know what made us tick, what made us
do the things we do, feel the things we feel. I asked to
borrow a pencil, and we instantly became friends. We
were both single moms, and we both wanted to work in therapy.
Luisa: Is that what you ended up doing?
Debra: Yes, actually.
Sherry would have been a remarkable therapist.
Luisa: Yeah?
Debra: Oh, yeah. She was empathetic and thoughtful and
never, never judgmental. You know?
She could see between the lines. And she was the best student in
the class. Every single time we got our grades back, she always
beat me. Always. But she never bragged.
Whip smart that mother of yours, and humble. But you've probably
heard all
this already.
Luisa: No, actually.
Debra: Oh.
Luisa: After my mom died, my aunt Patti and my uncle Jim took
me in and raised me. And I know it was hard on them, so I I
tried not to make it harder
Mhmm.
Debra: By asking questions.
Luisa: Yeah.
Debra: I understand.
Luisa: I didn't even know that it was suicide until I was,
like, 10 years old. I overheard my cousins talking about it at a
family barbecue.
Debra: Oh, I am so sorry.
Luisa: Yeah.
Debra: Hey, does anyone still call you Babalu?
Luisa: No.
Debra: No.
You know that song from I Love Lucy, the one that Little Ricky
sang? Babalu...
Luisa: Baa baa-luuu...
Yes. I'm very familiar. I love I love Lucy.
Debra: Like mother, like daughter.
Luisa: Yeah? Mhmm.
Debra: Your mom, she used to call you Babalu.
Luisa: Wow.
Debra: Yeah. It fit. You looked like a Babalu.
Luisa: God.
I still do, I suppose. This is very cool, learning all of this
about her.
Debra: Yeah. Yeah. Listen. That box on the side table, that is
what I wanted to give you.
Luisa: Oh,
let's see. Cassette player and a bunch of tapes.
Debra: Yep. They were your mom's.
Luisa: How cool. Is this like her favorite music and stuff?
None of
these tapes
are labeled-
Debra: No. Your mom, when we were in psych class, she became
fascinated by the idea of journaling her thoughts and
feelings.
Luisa: Makes sense.
Debra: Right. So she started a journal, an audio journal. These
tapes, they are your mother in her own words.
Luisa: Oh. Oh, wow.
Debra: Yeah. I know. This is probably not what you were
expecting.
Luisa: Yeah. No.
Debra: Luisa, after Sherry passed, I helped your aunt Patti
clean out her apartment.
Luisa: You met my aunt Patti?
Debra: Yes.
A few times. While we were packing up, I came across the
recorder and the tapes, and I don't know what came over me,
but I made a snap decision, and I hid them from your aunt. And
then I took them with me.
Luisa: Why?
Debra: I think at the time, I wanted to protect Sherry, and I
knew what could be on those tapes.
Luisa: Have you listened to them?
Debra: No. They're not meant
for me.
Luisa: You think they're meant for me?
Debra: Yes. I don't think I knew this at the time, but when I
took those tapes, I think I took them because I knew that one day
you should have them. Luisa, my memory isn't so great these
days, but I still remember so much about your mom. She had
this laugh that was more like a a cackle, and she always wanted
cream, no sugar in her coffee. And and she would she would
randomly hum, just out of the blue.
I don't even think she was conscious of it. And it didn't
matter where we were. I remember one time, we're in the middle of
a test, and she just starts humming, Girl, You Know it's
True.
Luisa: Milli Vanilli?
Debra: Yes.
Luisa: No.
Debra: Yes. I swear.
Luisa: No. Oh my god. She had great taste.
Debra: It went on for, like, ten minutes. And then finally,
the professor pulled her aside and told her to stop.
Luisa: You're absolutely kidding.
Debra: True. I promise you. Oh my god. She was really special,
Luisa.
I'm heartbroken that you didn't get to experience any of this.
Luisa: Yeah. But that's what she chose.
Debra: Luisa, I don't know why she chose that path. I really
don't. There was so much more to your mom than the way she died.
Maybe these tapes can show you that.
Luisa: Yeah. Maybe. I gotta be honest. This is this is all
kinda surreal.
Debra: Yeah.
Luisa: I've always wanted to know her, but I don't know if
this is the way to go about it. You know?
Debra: When I came across the tapes and the recorder, they
weren't hidden or even tucked away. They were right there out
on the kitchen table. Why? If she knew she was gonna why did
she leave them out?
Luisa: I don't know. She forgot. I think one could argue that she
wasn't exactly in the best state
of mind.
Debra: Then why did she bring you to your aunt Patti's the
night before? You didn't know that? Sherry was purposeful. She
and I were the only people who knew what those tapes were, and
I think that's why she left them out.
Look. I'm not here to tell you what you should or shouldn't do.
I really hope I'm not coming across that way. I just I just
want you to know that I think Sherry would have wanted you to
have them. I truly believe this.
Luisa: Well, I I appreciate you holding on to these all these
years. I I really do. Thank you.
Debra: Of
course. Listen. Whatever you decide to do, I hope that it
gives you perspective.
Patti: Welcome. I'll be right out.
Luisa: It's me, auntie.
Patti: My Lulu finally comes to visit.
Luisa: I saw you, like, last week.
Patti: Yeah. That's a long time.
Luisa: Do I smell sweet pea?
Patti: Yes. Sweet pea. Now come here. My sweet pea.
Luisa: Oh, I always forget how magical these smell.
Patti: I'm putting them into centerpieces. Big wedding this
weekend.
Luisa: Oh, look at you. Where is
uncle Jim?
Patti: He's out delivering flowers.
Luisa: Can't you get some kid to do that? He should be taking it
easy. Both of you should be taking it easy.
Patti: I know, but he loves being out and about. I can't get
him to stop. You know how he is.
Luisa: This is true.
Patti: So are you here to tell me something?
Luisa: Tell you something?
Patti: About the publisher. Oh. Are you gonna take the ghost
typing job?
Luisa: Ghost writing.
Patti: You know
what I mean.
Luisa: I'm thinking about it.
Patti: Okay...
Luisa: Okay.
Patti: I don't know what you're thinking about,
but okay.
Luisa: I'm giving it some thought.
Patti: That's all. I thought you wanted an opportunity, Lu.
Luisa: I do. The right one. I haven't turned it down.
I really am thinking about it. Okay?
Patti: Okay.
How's the bumper?
Luisa: Oh, not bad. Just a few scratches.
Patti: Make sure to file claims soon. Who knows that other
driver will do to avoid paying. LA drivers, you can't trust
them.
Luisa: Yeah. This driver, she didn't seem so bad.
In fact, this is wild, but you know her from a long time ago.
Patti: I do? Who?
Luisa: Do you remember one of mom's old friends, Debra
McNamara?
Patti: It doesn't ring a bell.
Luisa: Oh, a tall white lady, brown hair. They went to PCC
together. You and her met a few times?
Patti: I don't remember.
Luisa: Oh,
well, I guess her and mom hung out a lot. She told me about how
they met in psychology class and how mom wanted to be a
therapist, which is pretty cool.
Patti: Your mom didn't want to be a therapist. Your mom wanted
to be in finance, banking, that kind of job.
Luisa: Oh, okay. Well, regardless, Debra seems cool. It
might be nice for you two to reconnect. She remembers you.
And it sounds like she knew mom well, so maybe you'd like to
hear her stories about her.
Patti: No one knew your mom like I knew her.
Luisa: Auntie, I'm not I'm not saying that.
Patti: What are you saying?
Luisa: I just wish you would tell me more about her. What you
remember, things you did together, I I know it's hard.
But you just said it yourself.
No one knew her like you did. So why don't you ever talk about
her?
Patti: Oh, welcome.
Customer: Thanks.
Luisa: Auntie,
are you okay?
Patti: I'll call you later. Okay?
Luisa: Okay.
Patti: Sir, how can I help you?
Customer: Do you have calla lilies?
Patti: Yes. I just got some fresh today. Here, let me show
you.
Luisa: Bye, auntie.
Patti: Okay.
Luisa: Okay. When was the last time I
used one of these things? Oh, no. B side, A side.
Okay.
Here we go.
Sherry: Well, hello, Babalu...
Credits Narrator: Babalu was created, written, and produced
by me, Kimberly Truong. Directed by Katherine Chen Lerner. Sound
design, editing, and mixing by Charles Moody. With performances
by Christine Liao, Lee Chen, Varda Appleton, Chriselle
Almeida, Ruby Marez, Eric Chad Ho, Cruz Flores, and Kimberly
Truong. Original theme music by Edith Mudge, with additional
music by PB and Peter Lam. Artwork by Gabi Hawkins.
Logo by Alex Bruno. Special thanks
to Marco Beltran, Vince Elra, Mari Meyer, Amanda Salvatore,
and Ruby Marez. Babalu is a production of Uneasy Tiger. For
more info or to support this series, follow at Uneasy Tiger
on Instagram or TikTok or visit uneasytiger.com. If you or
someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, please
dial 988 or visit 988lifeline.org for resources
and support.