Cement City: Episode 10 | A Thousand Pairs of Untied Shoes

Summary

Family Lore: Cement City – Episode 10 | “A Thousand Pairs of Untied Shoes”

Podcast: Family Lore
Host: Jean Marie Laskas
Date: November 6, 2024
Series: Cement City (Episode 10)

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Episode Overview

This poignant season finale finds host Jean Marie Laskas and producer Erin reflecting on their year in Donora, Pennsylvania—a town once legendary for steel and environmental disaster, now navigating small-town change and uncertainty. Through everyday moments, generational transitions, and public rituals, the episode delicately captures the passing of leadership, the resonance of community ties, and the nostalgia and hope embedded in small-town America. As new leaders step in and old ones say goodbye, “A Thousand Pairs of Untied Shoes” is both a farewell and a promise: the story, much like life in Donora, is unfinished and always being retied.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Closing a Year in Donora: Reflections and Preemptive Nostalgia

• Return to the Streets: Jean Marie and Erin roam McCain Avenue, reflecting on business closures, shifting storefronts, and the reality that “nothing looks all that different… But it feels different. …it’s a weird little tug of nostalgia. Like preemptive nostalgia. Like I’m already imagining myself on the other side of this thing.” (05:05)
• Community Connections: The intimacy of Donora is underscored, with everyone knowing everyone—never more than “three degrees” apart.

2. Generational Bonds: Kitty & Kiara, The Pretzel Gang, and Growing Up

• Kitty & Kiara’s Mischief: Seventh-graders Kitty and Kiara bond through harmless defiance, smashing found light bulbs in the alley. Their friendship is mischievous and supportive.
  • Quote (Kiara, 07:32): “We’re bad kids when we’re with each other.”
  • Quote (Kitty, 09:49): “I mean, no one cares. …They’d probably say, go do that somewhere else.”
  • This segment radiates the bittersweet realization that these “kids aren’t kids anymore”—their cynicism, loyalty, and play summarized in the refrain: “Who cares? It’s Donora. Who even cares?”
• Freedom and Responsibility: As Jean Marie and Erin watch, they feel both complicit in and nostalgic for the freedom of small-town adolescence. The adult guilt and wistful amusement captures the tender complexity of community oversight.

3. Civic Transitions: Farewells and New Leaders

Donnie Pavalco's Farewell

• Emotional Goodbye: Outgoing mayor Donnie reflects on nearly two decades of service in a moving, unscripted farewell at the council meeting.
  • Quote (Donnie, 29:39): “There’s going to be times when you want to help somebody out so bad, you can feel it in your bones. But there is absolutely nothing you could do for them. It’s heartbreaking sometimes, the decisions you have to make.”
  • He thanks the town, his colleagues, and says, “my feeling for Donora is Donora’s family. It’s always been that way. …I hope…Donnie did good for Donora.” (32:22)
• Intergenerational Ties: He recalls being babysat by Mrs. Trazo, still on council, highlighting decades of overlapping lives.

Jim McDonough: Hopeful Incoming Mayor

• Vision and Duty: Jim, amid renovations at his diner, discusses his philosophy of civic duty and the arc of Donora's fortunes.
  • Quote (Jim, 18:26): “That’s what civic responsibility is. …Theodore Roosevelt, the man in the arena. …We’ve shot ourselves in the foot, everything we’ve ever done. And the only way to make things move forward is having a leader.”
  • Quote (19:57): “Because if you tell me yesterday was yesterday, I’ll tell you yesterday is tomorrow unless you acknowledge yesterday.”
  • He’s admired for his steadiness and community presence—“the one consistent thing we hear is, well, you know, we got that new mayor coming in. He seems like a really good guy.” (16:13)
• Reluctant Optimism: Jean Marie expresses both hope and the fear of disappointment: “I mean, I hope it’s all true. I just don’t want to be disappointed because I do feel…if Donora has hope, it’s that guy…I think he’s the real deal.” (21:45)

Ed’s Underdog Victory

• New Council Member: Ed, having just won his seat, is excited for “a new Donora,” planning a financial audit and determined to chase transparency.
• Quote (Ed, 35:02): “I want to look at the real numbers, no matter what. I have to dig into. I’ll do it.”
• Social Outsider: Ed’s position as an outsider—never included in the after-meeting hangouts—does not dampen his commitment.
• Quote (Ed, 38:30): “Why not? [Smile] That’s one of the reasons I ran [for council] …to have a little fun every now and then.”

4. Ritual, Community, and Continuity

Twinkle Bright Night

• Holiday Transformation: The town comes alive for “Twinkle Bright Night,” Donora’s biggest event after Halloween—Santa on a firetruck, raffles, food, sleigh rides, and a live nativity.
  • Quote (Jean Marie, 41:30): “It’s a total transformation. I swear it feels like the whole town’s been packed away in the attic like a Christmas decoration…someone just took it out and plugged it back in again.”
• Every Role Counts: The hosts marvel at how familiar characters slip naturally into festive roles: Cindy polices the bounce house, Deanne distributes mittens, Donnie sells raffle tickets, and Jim and Ange—soon-to-be mayor and wife—play Joseph and Mary with their son as baby Jesus.
• Live Nativity & Symbolism: The closing image is Jim dressed as Joseph, holding his infant Lincoln as Jesus—a bridge between the town’s past, its present, and its hopes for leadership.

The Smog Museum & Souvenirs

• Preserving History: The rarely-open Smog Museum—a shrine to Donora’s infamous environmental legacy—becomes a stop for self-reflection on memory, keepsakes, and why souvenirs matter.
  • Quote (Jean Marie, 49:03): “It’s like you had this great experience, and it was precious. So precious. You want to hold onto it…a kind of reminder that it ever happened at all.”

5. What Binds a Community?

• Why Stay in Donora? All year, Jean Marie asked why people stay in a town hit so hard by loss. Only now does she understand:
  • Quote (Jean Marie, 50:00): “It’s this feeling, this feeling that you’re part of something that needs you…gives your life purpose. It’s like you matter. It’s up to you to keep this thing alive.”
• The Tape on the Cracks: The episode’s core metaphor: community is the tape holding the cracked windows together—not perfect, but cared for, piece by piece, by those still invested.

6. “A Thousand Untied Shoes” — The Metaphor of Unfinished Community

• The New Mayor’s Analogy:
  • Quote (Jim, 53:31): “It feels like I’m looking at a thousand untied shoes.”
  • Jean Marie echoes: “There are so many stories…so many people we’ve met whose stories are ongoing and unfinished. There are just so many untied shoes.”
• Story Continues: Despite notions of an ending, Erin and Jean Marie realize they are far from done—the town’s story persists, as does their own.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Civic Duty:
  • Jim McDonough (18:26): “That’s what civic responsibility is. …The only way to make things move forward is having a leader. I don’t know if I’m that leader, but I’m gonna try.”
• On Change and Hope:
  • Jean Marie Laskas (21:45): “I really meant…if Donora has hope, it’s that guy…I think he’s the real deal.”
• On Community Feeling:
  • Donnie Pavalco (32:22): “My feeling for Donora is Donora’s family. …I hope that the new council members and new mayor keep this philosophy alive.”
• On Belonging and Leaving:
  • Jean Marie Laskas (50:00): “It’s like you matter…it’s up to you to keep this thing alive.”
• On Moving Forward:
  • Jim McDonough (53:31): “It feels like I’m looking at a thousand untied shoes.”

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Important Timestamps

• Preemptive Nostalgia (05:05): Reflections on departing the town, noticing closure and loss.
• Kitty & Kiara’s Mischief (06:15 – 10:35): Kids, rebellion, and humor.
• Donnie’s Farewell Speech (29:39 – 33:00): Emotional, community-minded transition.
• Discussion with Jim McDonough (15:00 – 21:45): Vision for Donora and meaning of civic duty.
• Ed on Winning Council Seat (35:02 – 36:54): Plans, modesty, outsider status.
• Twinkle Bright Night (40:39 – 43:41): Small-town magic, live nativity.
• Smog Museum & Souvenir Scene (46:36 – 49:58): Memory, pride, and the meaning of keepsakes.
• Untied Shoes Metaphor (53:31 – 54:25): Capturing Donora’s present and future.
• Reflecting on Community’s Fragile Strength (50:00 – 51:21): The tape on the cracks in the windows.

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Final Thoughts & Tone

Throughout the episode, the language is gentle, a blend of reportage and personal memoir. Speakers—whether adults bidding farewell, kids testing boundaries, or community stalwarts—are earnest, sometimes funny, always grounded in the realities of small-town life. Jean Marie, as host and narrator, balances affection with an outsider’s curiosity and humility, leaving listeners with a sense that the story (like Donora itself) is never truly finished—just waiting for someone to retie the shoes and keep moving forward.

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Summary By: [Podcast Summarizer AI]
For those who haven’t listened: This episode is a love letter to small-town rituals, generational change, and the hope and heartbreak of community, told through conversations that are as ordinary as they are profound. The “thousand untied shoes” speak to the work, hope, and togetherness required of every community to keep moving—never perfect, but always in motion.

Transcript

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[Community Member]

Now have you guys heard anything more? Any more updates on the community college stuff?

No, I haven't heard anything.

That's the best kept secret in dinar. Well, I think it all comes down to money.

And did you read the Valley Today about Amazon locating here in the western Pennsylvania area?

Yeah, I know that. I've been following that in the paper. They got over 90 different locations in western Pennsylvania, you know and there's, it's

going to create something like 55,000 jobs.

And you know, it's, it's all coming down to what Amazon wants and what they're willing to do.

The nora's got their name in there too. I mean we got, hey, we got river travel, you got railroad travel. We got good, good roads going in and out, we got good sewerage got everything's here and we got the land for them to. Based on how large they're going to be. Now you know how many square foot. It did quote square footage because they're going to need a lot of square footage for warehouse space when they make a decision should it locate in the north. This would be a boom town. I mean just.

That would be a big deal.

Oh yeah, yeah. Well, it's getting near lunchtime or munch at time.

Oh yeah, I want to get going. Yeah, I got my cell phone on and waiting for my son to call

one eat out night tonight or what?

Yeah, they're taking me out.

Is it your birthday or what?

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Yeah, pretty close.

[Community Member]

I'm going to a luncheon tomorrow afternoon and then on Sunday To a party at my niece's house. Though by Sunday I'll be. I. I don't quite feel 88 years old yet. I'm getting there.

Well, happy birthday.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

I'm jean marie laskas, and this is cement city. Chapter 10. A thousand pairs of untied shoes.

[Community Member]

All our friends here. We haven't been there in so long.

[Cindy]

Oh, man.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Where did we park?

[Community Member]

We're by Andy's.

[Kitty]

Oh, that's okay.

[Community Member]

Oh, that taxidermy place. Wait, is Andy's here or there?

[Jean Marie Laskas]

What's that?

[Community Member]

Oh, it's up here. Yeah. Okay, that. Just that taxidermy place I'm curious about. Is it operating?

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Still hydro dipping. Remember that lady who got her dog frozen?

[Community Member]

Freeze dried.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Aaron and I are closing in on the end of our year in Donora. From the beginning. We plan to stay a year. We're down on McCain Avenue, where we landed when we first got here. We're looking for my car. I guess I parked in front of Andy's TV repair. And by the way, he still has my tv. He told me he could fix it and took my deposit, but that's the last I've heard. I've been meaning to look into that.

[Community Member]

Sad that formality is closed.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

I know it looks like the tuxedo rental shop's closed since we were last down here. Did they move or something? So is the portrait studio that's attached

[Community Member]

to it building for sale?

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Aside from that, it's a big one. Nothing looks all that different than it did when we first drove into town back in February. That is sad. But it feels different. It's sad when you knew it. When it was. I remember the first time we walked

[Community Member]

down this street when it wasn't that long ago.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Looking in these windows at the dusty shoes and the bra boxes and the hairdos on the ladies on the bra boxes. It just seemed like there was Nothing here. After 50 years at our business, we have decided to call it a day. But now all I can think about is all the stuff we're going to miss. And I'm feeling this weird little tug of nostalgia. Like preemptive nostalgia. Like I'm already imagining myself on the other side of this thing. They have a motto and everything, and it's sad. The friendship of those we serve is the foundation of our success. It's going to be hard to leave. Oh, Dinora. Oh. Oh. This is pretty much where my head is. Just as we turn the corner and spot a couple of our friends heading up the block. It's Kitty from the pretzel Gang in her sweatpants. She's with Kiara. The emo kid with a hoodie. The one who plays the mountain dulcimer. Cameron's sister. Cameron with a tooth.

[Community Member]

Hey, guys.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

We haven't seen them in a while. Neither of them.

[Community Member]

How are you?

[Jean Marie Laskas]

What are you guys up to?

[Kitty]

Big, long light bulbs and went in the alley and broke them.

[Community Member]

What?

[Kiara]

We found giant light bulbs and we, like, broke them in the alley.

[Kitty]

Like, I put it on the ground. It just went.

[Kiara]

No, I swung my light bulb around and it smashed into hers. The end of hers broke.

[Kitty]

And then we went in the alley and I talked.

[Kiara]

We were gonna smash him in the alley. And then, like, she dropped it. We heard someone say, the basement door is unlocked. And then we ran. I dropped mine. It didn't. She dropped hers and it shattered

[Jean Marie Laskas]

light bulbs. Is that what you said?

[Kitty]

Yeah, light bulbs, like the big ones that you put in the ceiling.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Where'd you find them?

[Kitty]

It's a woman in a garbage.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

What were you gonna do?

[Kitty]

Break them?

[Kiara]

Smash them in the alley?

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Where are they now?

[Kiara]

In the alley.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

I had no idea these two were friends. And they're clearly friends. The kind of friends who smash light bulbs together and complete each other's sentences. I love this about Tonora. The whole six degrees of Kevin Bacon thing. Except here it's never more than 3 degrees max. Everyone's connected to everyone else. It's just a matter of how. And I guess these two are both seventh graders. They probably ride the bus together up to the middle school. I've heard a lot about that bus.

[Kiara]

We're bad kids when we're with each other.

[Kitty]

Yeah, we are.

[Kiara]

Like, I'm so.

[Kitty]

We can't even sit next to each other in school. That's how bad it is. We'd go upstairs and just start screaming. We're not allowed by each other in school anymore. Like in the hallway, at lunch, in class. We're not by each other anymore.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

We've gotten to know Kitty pretty well by now. But we haven't spent much time with Kiara. We've seen her at the skating rink. She goes there a lot. And up at Ken Griffey Field for her brother's Little League games. Her dad's the coach. Kiara helps with the concession stand. We've seen her there behind the counter in her braces. She's always wearing that hoodie. It's the kind of hoodie kids like her basically live in. Are you bad when you're by yourself or with other kids?

[Kiara]

I am, dude. I'm innocent as squirrels.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Crap.

[Kiara]

If you couldn't already tell. But when I'm with her, I do whatever I want.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

And what about you?

[Kitty]

I get in trouble. Normally.

[Kiara]

A lot.

[Kitty]

On a daily basis.

[Cindy]

Wait.

[Kiara]

We gotta do the emo dance.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Kitty and Kiara are suddenly out in the middle of the street. Gyrating their hips, flailing their arms around in the air. I guess this is the emo dance. I can kind of see why these two aren't allowed to sit together in school. I had a friend like this when I was their age. Like a partner in crime. I was definitely the Kitty. What have you guys been up to? Besides smashing light bulbs? Nothing. Really.

[Kitty]

Nothing?

[Kiara]

We were just up there talking to your brother.

[Kitty]

Yeah.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Hello, ladies.

[Donnie Pavalco]

How are you?

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Good to see you.

[Jim McDonough]

You're going over to Duke's?

[Jean Marie Laskas]

We weren't planning on going to Duke's, but what's going on at Duke's?

[Jim McDonough]

Well, we're going to go eat. That's be the big thing.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Stop it. Yeah, maybe we will.

[Jim McDonough]

Hello, ladies.

[Donnie Pavalco]

How are you?

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Hi. I was a little over enthusiastic with that hello. It's just that we don't usually run into Jim McDonough out in the wild. We mostly see him up on a ladder at his diner. And it's particularly weird seeing him in the same frame as these kids. It's like a colliding of worlds or something. Kitty and Kiara probably have no idea who this guy even is that he's about to become their new mayor. They're more interested in these light bulbs.

[Kitty]

I'm about to go back down there and break them.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

You want to go do that?

[Kitty]

Yeah, I'm about to wait.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

We'll come with you. I think we have to pretend we're not. We're not with you though.

[Kitty]

Okay.

[Kiara]

Yeah, you can just like wait over here. The alley's right down there.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

This is like a really boring thing I'm about to say. A grown up thing. I'm about that say like, who cares?

[Kitty]

I mean, in the Dinora. Who cares? We're in Dinora.

[Kiara]

Who cares really, Right?

[Kitty]

I mean, no one cares. I mean, we were out there. Like they heard it, but they didn't do nothing about it. They heard like it literally. If someone came outside and was doing it, they wouldn't have stopped us at all. They'd probably say, go do that somewhere else.

[Kiara]

The alley shift's like right here. So you can like wait up there or something. I don't know if you're trying to pretend you're not with us. Oh, we gotta do the emo run.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Kiara's chasing after Kitty. They're running downhill, deeper into the alley. Aaron and I are falling behind them at a safe distance, pretending we're not with them. But of course we are. And I'm suddenly feeling a little guilty. I mean, I am the adult here. I probably should have tried harder to talk them out of this. This criminal activity. Everything's on camera. This breaking of the light bulbs.

[Community Member]

Oh, you guys, that's a.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

We're standing back watching the carnage. They're having so much fun. You can just see it. It's like this is freedom. No, I could see this guy in the distance, yelling in their direction, our direction. He's clearly an eyewitness. And now I feel really bad. Shouldn't have encouraged that. But I would have done that. That's part of the fun.

[Alltrails Announcer]

I'm sorry.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Aaron's laughing and I feel a little better. A little. I mean, if Aaron's laughing it off, it can't be that bad. Although I think I might have started rubbing off on her after all these months. She's loosened up. She's become my partner in crime. The chiara to my kitty. Did you see that guy? No. Oh, there was a guy.

[Kitty]

I don't think he sees us.

[Kiara]

Did he see us?

[Jean Marie Laskas]

He saw. He heard something and he yelled. You know there's cameras up and down this alley, don't you?

[Kitty]

I doubt that.

[Kiara]

Swear if I get.

[Donnie Pavalco]

No.

[Kiara]

My dude. Everybody knows was my dad.

[Kitty]

I did it. It's okay. My dad broke the glass.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

I got you, Mommy.

[Kiara]

Dude, Everybody knows my dad.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

I'm watching Kitty and Kiara try to get their story straight, trying to figure out if they're going to get caught and what's going to happen if they do.

[Kitty]

I don't think they've seen our face.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

And believe me, I've been there.

[Kiara]

There's cameras that can see our face, you know, Watch.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Of course there are cameras all over the place.

[Kitty]

Camera they have. Right?

[Jean Marie Laskas]

We sat with a police chief and watched the feed.

[Kitty]

You said that scare us.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

I don't have it in me to tell them that now. Honestly, I should have thought of it earlier.

[Kitty]

I'll just go home with the mom that came home. So I accidentally dropped this big light bulb. Then I found the garbage.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Accidentally.

[Kitty]

Accident. Okay. I'm about to see Mommy. So we found some light bulbs and just broke them in an alley. And some dude yelled and said, we're

[Kiara]

not bringing me into this. I'd rather not trouble.

[Kitty]

Okay. I'll be like, hey, Mommy.

[Jim McDonough]

I don't.

[Kiara]

I don't want to get Grounded from going to Hot Topic? I love Hot Topic. I literally live there.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Speaking of Hot Topic, it sounds like Kitty's going to take the fall.

[Kiara]

I got to call my dad, and

[Jean Marie Laskas]

her mom won't be happy. Poor Nicole. I could just see her. She'll be furious. Kitty won't be leaving the house for weeks, and I'm sure Kitty knows that. But she's willing to step up anyway to admit she did it. Kitty's loyal like that. She doesn't want her friend to miss out on Hot Topic. As we walk back up the hill, Kitty points to an empty box of Pop Tarts. She bought them at Dollar General the other day and then ate them and then threw the box on the ground. I'm not sure why she wants us to know this, but it's making me think of something else she said a few minutes ago. Her response to my one feeble attempt to talk her out of smashing those light bulbs. The grown up thing. I was about to tell her before she interrupted me and said, who cares? It's Tanora. Who even cares. This is something I'll keep thinking about, because that's not a thing a little kid would say. Just like a little kid wouldn't point out trash on the ground and take credit for it. Kids aren't typically that cynical. And I'm just left with this feeling. It's like I can really feel the passage of time, like we're stepping into a whole new chapter here. These kids aren't kids anymore.

[Kitty]

When I was a young boy, my father took me into the city to see a marching band. He said, son, when you grow up, would you be the savior of the broken, the beaten and the damned? He said, will you defeat them?

[Kiara]

You don't even know this song.

[Kitty]

I don't.

[Kiara]

You're a disgrace to the emo trinity.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Hey.

[Donnie Pavalco]

Hello.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Look how tired you look.

[Jim McDonough]

Oh, I'm just getting my second win.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Oh, come on. What are you doing? Oh, refinishing the table.

[Council President]

Before.

[Donnie Pavalco]

After.

[Community Member]

Wow.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

We're downtown at Jim's Diner. We stopped in at Duke's for dinner, but we just missed him. We figured we'd find him over here.

[Donnie Pavalco]

So.

[Jim McDonough]

It looks different from last time you were here.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Really amazing.

[Jim McDonough]

Already tearing apart.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

I've been wanting to get over here for a peek at the diner. Last we left off, Jim was planning to open this place by the end of the year, but the year's almost over, and it looks like he's still got a ways to go. Man. So you're sanding all that down? Yep.

[Jim McDonough]

Redoing the stainless metal, getting all the pits out of them, reforming them, and then putting them back together, fixing whatever's broken.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Frankly, I'm a little surprised to see the state of things. He's got the whole place torn up. It almost looks worse than it did last time we saw it. There are exposed wires everywhere. The boots are pulled out of the wall and sitting in the middle of the room. I mean, it's clear he's working hard. He's hand sanding the pedestal of every swivel stool. But it's also pretty clear no one's eating pancakes here anytime soon.

[Jim McDonough]

Two hours each.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

I was just gonna say this is a lot of elbow grease.

[Community Member]

Yeah.

[Jim McDonough]

Very satisfying, though.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Is

[Jim McDonough]

sounded good when I said it. Would you guys like a drink? You want a Pepsi or a beer?

[Jean Marie Laskas]

I'm gonna miss being offered a Pepsi. I'm never offered a Pepsi anywhere else in my life. It's only Jim. Every time we see him, we have a Pepsi or a beer, and we sit down at this counter.

[Jim McDonough]

Would you like a beer?

[Jean Marie Laskas]

It's the same counter where we sat and talked to him the first time we met him back in May, the night of the primary.

[Community Member]

Oh, okay.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

I remember thinking, that's our new mayor. In fact, I remember saying it before it was even a done deal. It was just so clear to me that this was the guy. And I have to say this, everyone you run into, and we talk about, what's the future of Dinora. And some people are, you know, gonna be good. We're pulling it out. Some people are like, ugh, it's going down the tubes. You know, you hear it all. But I will tell you this, and I'm not kidding you, the one consistent thing we hear is, well, you know, we got that new mayor coming in. He seems like a really good guy, and that's either any side of this, so you're getting some serious, like, support all over the place.

[Jim McDonough]

I think I summed it up for me the best. And for Ange, too. I told you guys, we lived our lives a certain way, and I've been in this town my whole life, since I was, I think, one or two years old. I've only known Dinora. Never really been in trouble. Just been your typical run of the mill guy. Go to work every day, try to raise my family. And we lived a certain way. And you always wonder, will it matter? Is this the way it feels like

[Jean Marie Laskas]

every time we talk to Jim, this is how it goes. We sit down at the counter, I ask him half a question or maybe it's not even a question. And boom, he's off to the races. It's like all you have to do is hit play. And he's waxing poetic about the heart and soul of his town and the good people who live here and duty and honor and doing the right thing.

[Jim McDonough]

We just have to start doing the right thing constantly.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

I wonder if this is the kind of stuff he thinks about while he's sanding down the tables, redoing the stainless metal, getting all the pits out.

[Jim McDonough]

We take no acclimates and we just proceed to the next problem. That's it. That's all we got.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Whatever else you want to say about him, Jim definitely has a way of putting you at ease, making you feel like the town's in good hands, which is something I feel like I really need right now. I guess it's something we all need. When everything feels uncertain and you don't know what's going to happen next.

[Jim McDonough]

I need to do this, and they expect someone like me to do this, so I should do this. And I guess that's what civic responsibility is. I mean, Theodore Roosevelt, the man in the arena. That's what it is. That's where we're at. I've seen it work in this town for years where we have great plans of grandeur that never happen. We've shot ourselves in the foot, everything we've ever done. And the only way to make things move forward is having a leader and having all the people in place. I don't know if I'm that leader, but I'm gonna try.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

I think you're that leader. I hope you are. I need you to be.

[Jim McDonough]

It's funny, I said, and I still stick by it. And everybody knows it takes more than one person. And I realize that. But I'm a bit of a history buff and I can tell you that it's one person that gets this going and then everything falls into place from there.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Jim's got this far away look in his eyes. He's leaning on the counter, resting his elbows. I can see where the formica's worn from. Years of people resting their elbows. It's gotta feel exciting sitting here in his diner, or his soon to be diner in his hometown, getting ready to become mayor. It must feel like everything's falling into place, like it's destiny or something. I feel like Jim's the kind of guy who believes in destiny. He's the kind of guy who names his kid Lincoln.

[Jim McDonough]

Because if you tell me yesterday was yesterday, I'll tell You yesterday is tomorrow unless you acknowledge yesterday. That's the way that works.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

I'll be honest. Sometimes I just get so lost in Jim's voice, his delivery, the whole vibe that I almost stop listening to what he's even saying. And I have to catch myself and ask, what are we actually talking about?

[Jim McDonough]

And the long term plan is grow, grow, grow, grow. Constantly think to the next solution to the problem you don't even have. That's what we need to do.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Speaking of growing, what do we know about the community college? Anything?

[Jim McDonough]

As far as I know, it's still in the working stages. They're still talking about it, but I haven't seen them come back into town as of late. And this isn't something that I feel we should wait back on our haunches and then try to anticipate what they want from us. It should be pursued constant. Constant. It should be almost a daily call to somebody saying, we are from Donora. We are still here. Our building is doing nothing but getting another day without your presence. How do we make that change? What exactly is going to make this happen? We want a commitment. Make no bones about it. Donora needs ccac. CCAC doesn't need donor. Washington county is big and there's lots of land and lots of old dilapidated buildings and lots of communities that will want them. So we need to make it quite clear to them that they should come here.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

You're going to be such a good mayor. Like, your answers are so good. Like, if we were on TV right now, which we're not. Like, we're not that. But if we were like, that would have been. Would have played that. You know, you're good. We're not on tv, but of course we do have a microphone. And eventually I'll listen back to this tape and to all the other cringy stuff I said that we recorded almost without thinking. Just because Aaron never shut the recorder off. There are definitely times I wish he had shut the recorder off. I mean, I just want it to be true because he's so insightful and so wanting. I mean, at least the rhetoric is he really wants to do the right thing. I mean, I hope it's all true. I don't. I don't see a crack in it. I think it is true. I just don't want to be disappointed because I do feel. I mean, what I was saying in there, I really meant, like, if Dinora has hope, is that guy. I mean, you know how it's another one of those times, like here we are like wanting to believe. Like I'm having one of my really bad, like one of my really big wanting to believe moments. Because this guy, yeah, I get it. It could crash in a second. But I think he's the real deal. I do. I do. I can see any cracks.

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[Jean Marie Laskas]

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[Mark]

There's a guy screaming into his phone.

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[Jean Marie Laskas]

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[Jean Marie Laskas]

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[Donnie Pavalco]

Hey,

[Jean Marie Laskas]

good. We're early for the council meeting so we wanted to stop in.

[Cindy]

Hey, I went down unimport and I put $2 in that poker machine thingy they got and I won 15 and John didn't have enough 5. So I bought a $20 scratch off and Howie Ryder said don't waste your money. Don't waste your money. And you know what? Hundred dollar winner. Thank you. Thank you. Hundred dollars. But I couldn't cash it cause he didn't have enough money in the cash register to give him my money.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Cindy, you are like the luckiest.

[Cindy]

Like I'm not the luckiest, but I have been very fortunate lately.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Erin and I are at the borough building inside the police station, killing time before the council meeting. It's December, the last council meeting of the year. Cindy's here. Unless she's at her deli, she's almost always here. Donnie's here too, leaning against the wall in a button down shirt and tie. I've never seen him all dressed up like this. He's usually wearing camo. So this is your last council meeting?

[Donnie Pavalco]

Last council meeting.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

How are you feeling? Aw, Sad.

[Cindy]

You know what? You're gonna be sorry because you're gonna miss us.

[Donnie Pavalco]

I probably will.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Does it feel weird? I'm not sure why, but it hadn't really fully hit me until right at this moment that Donnie's actually going to be leaving Mayor Piglet Pavelco.

[Donnie Pavalco]

Little tense to see what's going to happen.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

I guess I've just been so excited about Jim coming in, about this new crew taking over that I hadn't really thought about the goodbyes and it's going to be a big change.

[Donnie Pavalco]

I'm not all that good with words, but I plan on rambling a little bit tonight. We'll see what happens.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

It feels like the end of an era. You gonna like give your farewell speech?

[Donnie Pavalco]

Sorta.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Did you write it down?

[Donnie Pavalco]

Nope. Been thinking about it for two weeks. Like I said, I've never been a well spoken person, so I'm gonna ramble.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Did you pick out that tie special for today?

[Donnie Pavalco]

Yeah, I thought about it. I had a Christmas tie and this tie, so I figured I'd wear this tie.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Well, how do you describe that tie?

[Donnie Pavalco]

American. I wonder if it's made in America.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Donnie's got his chin pressed down against his chest searching for the tag on the back of his tie. It's silky and covered in flags.

[Donnie Pavalco]

I can't see where it doesn't have no unpatriotic.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

I like it. And I like the blazer. I think you're looking really good for this.

[Cindy]

Is it got a tag on it?

[Donnie Pavalco]

Yeah, but nothing on it. What's that right there?

[Cindy]

I mean that's all it says is America. What? Probably was made in America. There you go.

[Mark]

He's still trying to never know.

[Cindy]

Oh, what fun.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

There's something so sweet about this moment. Cindy leaning in to inspect Donnie's tie before she straightens it and gives the knot a little tug. It's so simple and tender, a little gesture that tells you everything you need to know about these two. It's the kind of moment that will really stick with me. After we eventually leave this place. There have been so many moments like this. Ange nuzzling into Jim's chest after he got the big news. Kitty standing on the porch, face to face with one of the boys who likes her, trying to decide if she likes him back. Art, the organist, alone in the church, practicing tiptoeing his fingers across the keys of the organ his mom bought. It just makes me realize how much we've become a part of this place. We're not Denorans. We never aspired to be. That's not the point. It's more like we've had a backstage pass. VIP access to people being people in all their rawness and vulnerability. It's a privilege, but it's a delicate one. I don't take it for granted. It's the kind of thing you handle with care.

[Council President]

All right, we'll go to Mrs. Traza. Public safety.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Thank you, Mr. President. Police report for the month of November 2017. There were to 36 total offenses reported and 35 total arrests. And I have no motions.

[Council President]

Thank you, Mr. Trazo. We have announcement. Santa will be delivering treats on a fire truck on Thursday, December 21st, starting at 6pm now we'll head to the marriage report with the mayor, Donnie Pavalco.

[Donnie Pavalco]

Thank you, Mr. President. Well, to put it in the words of former councilperson Thomas Konstalanski, this is going to be my Swan song. So, 18 years and four months has gone by pretty fast, and I think I'm going to ramble for a little bit here. You know, I never called the borough building. I never had a problem, never complained about anything. But when my children, Emily and Katie, were cheerleaders with midget football, I start hearing from people, their concerns. So I decided to run for council. People ask me, why are you running for council? Well, my answer always was, I want to do good for Dinor. I hope I have. I couldn't. I couldn't solve everybody's problems. And you new council people and new mayor. There's going to be times when you want to help somebody out so bad, you can feel it in your bones. But there is absolutely nothing you could do for them. It's heartbreaking sometimes, the decisions you have to make. But I would like to thank the people of Donora for electing me five times, four as council and one is mayor. And I appreciate that. I hope that you can, somewhere along the line, say that Donnie did good for Didora. And I'm very emotional, so you have to excuse me there.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

But I'd like to thank Donnie's misty eyed, staring up at the ceiling, visibly struggling to keep himself from full and crying, maybe wishing he'd written some of this stuff down.

[Donnie Pavalco]

We have a wonderful, wonderful police force.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

He starts stumbling through his many thank yous, praising the police department and Chief Bryce, who deals with every kind of situation you can imagine. Then there's the volunteer fire department and a whole roll call of borough employees and volunteers, the skeleton crew that's keeping this place going. He even gives a special nod to Mrs. Trazo. Mrs. Rails to Trails Trazo. She's stepping down after decades of service. I had no idea she'd been doing this for so long. I had no idea she was even that old. I guess she used to babysit for Donnie. Not for Donnie's kids, for Donnie. And even after all they've been through together, all the disagreements and disappointments that come with being on a small town council, he says he still thinks of her like an ant, a friendly aunt.

[Donnie Pavalco]

So like I said, my feeling for Donora is Donora's family. It's always been that way. And I'm hoping that the new council members and new mayor keep this philosophy alive. With that, I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year. And I hope that the new council will move Donora forward. Thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. President.

[Council President]

Thank you, Mayor. Thank you everybody for serving in your time. Thank you, Mrs. Trazo. Does anybody else have anything else they want to add? We have a motion to adjourn, so move. Mr. President, all in favor?

[Ed]

Aye.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

After the meeting ends, I find myself looking around at the crowd, giving a little nod to my fellow council regulars. Mr. Kevin Davis with his steps and Mr. Subburner with the teeth. And Chantal, the town do gooder with her clean up days. They're all packing up and putting on their winter coats, getting ready to head outside. I notice Beau the college kid's not here, but I guess neither is his friend Jimmy Coulter. This was supposed to be Coulter's last meeting as council vice president, but we haven't seen him since the big police raid on his deli. We went by there to check on him, but the door was locked. I imagine there's going to be a lot coming down the pike for our friend Jimmy with an ie.

[Donnie Pavalco]

Did a good job, man.

[Community Member]

Seriously.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

As for Yancy, he's still pending trial and still coming to these council meetings. I'm watching him shake hands with Donnie and scanned the room for his next handshake. I wonder if he'll still be here next month when this new group comes in. His arraignment's been pushed back three times, but as far as I know, it's scheduled for January, so we'll see what happens.

[Donnie Pavalco]

Hey, what's up, man?

[Kitty]

How you doing?

[Jean Marie Laskas]

The other person I'm really curious about is Ed. What's going to happen with Ed? It's crazy to think how long he's been coming here to these meetings, sitting in the audience, waiting for his chance. And now his moment's arrived. He's gonna be up there in the front of the room, in the seat of power. I wonder what that's gonna be like.

[Community Member]

Hey, congratulations. I haven't seen you since the win.

[Ed]

I've missed you for a while. Can't wait till the 2nd. That's the reorganization meeting.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

The 2nd is when you first meet.

[Ed]

2nd of January, yes. We have a lot of work ahead of us. They won't be, you see, but you have to be brave enough to face it.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

What are you anticipating? Your first, your main work?

[Ed]

I'm hoping to be chair of finance, actually, and if not that, public safety. We need to do a full financial audit to see where the money's going, what's coming in. I want to look at the real numbers, no matter what. I have to dig into. I'll do it.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Tell us a little bit, just for a second, like how it was when. When you found out that you won.

[Ed]

I was very excited, actually. I thought it was going to be much, much closer than it was. Won by over 100 votes. And he actually went down in flames, essentially. But he did it to himself. Okay. He's gone anyway. I'm very pleased that there's still some decency left this town. That was going to come down to just a few votes between us. He ended up with 301, I ended up with 410, plus extra write ins on top of that.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

That's a good win.

[Ed]

I'd say so.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Decisive.

[Ed]

Yeah, no, the truth hurts sometimes.

[Community Member]

Now where. So what were you doing when you got the news? Were you at your house?

[Ed]

I was having dinner, actually. I was having dinner at my grandmother's house, actually.

[Community Member]

What are you guys having for dinner?

[Ed]

Pierogis. Hello, Mrs. Bryce.

[Community Member]

Hi.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

How are you?

[Ed]

I'm good tonight.

[Cindy]

Are you good today?

[Ed]

Yeah.

[Cindy]

Are you ready?

[Ed]

Absolutely. I can't wait.

[Cindy]

I know you're real excited.

[Ed]

I've been waiting for this for 18 months now.

[Cindy]

Okay, well, good for us.

[Ed]

Chairs to the new Dinora.

[Cindy]

Here's the new Donora. I'm Looking forward to it, and I really am. I think we're going to work out fine because all of us are going to get along. We're not. You know, even when we disagree, we're still going to get along. So that's great.

[Jim McDonough]

I can't wait till the second I know it's coming.

[Donnie Pavalco]

Oh, come here real quick.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Jim McDonough's here. This is his last meeting as an ordinary citizen. He gave a little speech earlier and said something to that effect. And also something about chainsaws that I wasn't quite following. He's standing here gossiping with Cindy. He's got her by the elbow. They're laughing. It feels like an inside joke. Meanwhile, Ed's just standing here politely in his thick wool trench coat, waiting for them to finish. Jim's acting almost like Ed isn't even here. I can't say for sure if it's deliberate, but it kind of feels that way. And I feel bad for Ed the way you feel bad for the kid who has no one to sit with in the lunchroom.

[Cindy]

Okay, so we're going to Digs for a drink. Would you like to go up there and get something to eat or have something?

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Yeah, we gotta go up there, too.

[Ed]

Okay. Have a good night.

[Cindy]

Well, we're going up and I'll see you soon.

[Ed]

Okay, see you soon.

[Cindy]

All right. You working tomorrow?

[Ed]

I work every day.

[Cindy]

Me, too.

[Ed]

Every time somebody has a claim, I help them take care of it. Yep.

[Cindy]

Oh, that's great. Okay, I'll see you later.

[Ed]

Good night.

[Cindy]

All right. Good night, Ed.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Cindy and Jim walk out ahead of us. They may as well be arm in arm. They're heading to Duke's and so are Aaron and I. We'll probably be seeing Janie there, too. The parrot lady, and maybe Mike McDowell. They all hang out at Duke's. As far as I know, no one's ever invited Ed.

[Ed]

This little town of ours.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

What do you mean by that?

[Ed]

All the scandal and intrigue.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

You say that with a big smile on your face.

[Ed]

Why not? That's one of the reasons I ran.

[Donnie Pavalco]

What?

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Because of the intrigue?

[Ed]

Oh, absolutely, yes. To have a little fun every now and then.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

This is the moment when I officially stop worrying about it. Because you know what? Ed doesn't give two shits where he sits in the lunchroom.

[Ed]

Have a good night.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

He's got his own thing going on.

[Community Member]

Happy holiday.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Aaron and I watch him walk off into the distance yet again with his briefcase in hand. Ed, the insurance guy, the lone wolf. Where is Daredevil? A minor.

[Jim McDonough]

Don't miss the return of Marvel Television's Daredevil Born Again.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

So what's next?

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I feel liberated.

[Jim McDonough]

We're gonna take this city back. All the madness in an all new season now streaming only on Disney plus.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

They're hunting us.

[Alltrails Announcer]

It's time we started hunting them.

[Jim McDonough]

I can work with them.

[Alltrails Announcer]

This should be tons of fun.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Marvel Television's Daredevil Born Again now streaming only on Disney. Tomorrow morning is knocking. Stock your fridge now. How about a creamy mocha Frappuccino drink? Or a sweet vanilla smooth caramel maybe? Or a white chocolate mocha? Whichever you choose, delicious coffee awaits. Find Starbucks Frappuccino drinks wherever you buy your groceries. What a great day.

[Community Member]

I've been ready.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

We're gonna go out and see. We're gonna go see all the little children at the door.

[Donnie Pavalco]

Oh, little queen. I haven't seen you guys a year.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

You got so much coal over the years.

[Donnie Pavalco]

We call you Console Energy up at the North Pole. Did you see that too? Did you see what she did to me? She put me on a naughty list in the paper. What's up with that?

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Oh, my God. Aaron and I are standing on the corner of 6 and McCain in a sea of children. They're all bundled up and bouncing, pushing past each other to get a better look at the fire truck creeping down the street. Santa's up there, perched up high on the cherry picker, waving down at them, legs dangling. It's Twinkle Bright Night in downtown d'. Norpiens. There's been a lot of build up to Twinkle Bright Night. It's the biggest party of the year, right up there with the Halloween parade. And just as cinematic, there are literal boughs of holly on every iron lamppost and blinking lights everywhere and so many people. It's a total transformation. I swear it feels like the whole town's been packed away in the attic. Like a Christmas decoration gathering dust. And someone just took it out and plugged it back in again.

[Event Announcer]

A couple quick announcements again. We got raffles over by the Santa house. We also have Santa inside the house. You guys want to make your way over? There's also 50, 50 tickets up by the DJ booth at the moment. If anybody wants to buy any, they'll be over by Santa's house. Also, R350 sandwiches. Tom Mangus, he's over there cooking up his chicken sandwich. They're very awesome. As well as the firemen at the barbecue, they also have free hot dogs for all the children. There's sleigh rides. Keep Coming around. Make sure you get on one of those face paintings behind Santa's house. There's a bounce house all the way in the corner behind me. And we also have our live nativity set. We're rocking live here for light up night 2017.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Thank you. I love the holidays, but not as much as I love this dj, DJ Galitha. They say he's the best DJ in the valley. We see him everywhere at every block party, every spaghetti dinner fundraiser. We've heard every playlist. You cannot escape from DJ Khalifa and his playlist. They're totally inseparable from the social life of the town. I'm standing here watching him rock out in his pompadour and his diamond studs, pointing out at the crowd, and honestly, it's tugging at my friggin heartstrings. And I don't know what it is, but something about this night, the whole festive vibe is feeling very much like the season finale, like the Christmas special at the end of Downton Abbey. It feels just like that. It's like everyone's here, the whole cast of characters, and everyone's doing their part just like they always do with these things. They're just wearing different hats. Deanne's over at the Santa house dressed as an elf. She's passing out mittens to the kids. Donnie's at the ticket table, selling chances for half the take. Chief Bryce is stationed down by the barricades, waving through the horse drawn carriage. And then, of course, there's Cindy.

[Cindy]

All right, that's it, you two, come on out.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

She's doing crowd control at the bouncing house.

[Cindy]

Come on out, you two, right here. Come on out. Nobody.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

You in the middle.

[Cindy]

I'm on out. You have to come on out or I'll shut it down.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

There's always Cindy.

[Cindy]

Don't touch each other.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Then there's all the other people we know, the minor characters in our story. Kitty's brother Cameron with his skateboard, and Keith the cop. And Kenny, who lives in the attic of the old mil boss house. The guy Aaron chained to his beast, he's here with his flip phone trying to snap pictures of his kids on Santa's lap. It feels like we know everyone here. A dog? You want a dog? We even know the guy in the Santa costume. Dogs are a lot of work, but we've been sworn to secrecy.

[Community Member]

I don't know.

[Ed]

We'll see.

[Community Member]

Back to list.

[Donnie Pavalco]

You'd be good.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Looking around, it occurs to me that pretty much the only person we haven't seen yet is Jim McDonough. I thought we would have run into him by now, passing out free hot dogs to the kids or something. We walked by his diner on the way in and looked in the window. I half expected to see him up on that ladder. I look in that window every time we walk by. It's almost like the diner has become a symbol for me. Or like a barometer for what Mayor Jim McDonough is going to do for this town. What he can accomplish. I cannot wait for that diner to open. I really hope he pulls it off.

[Community Member]

So what's your light up night experience? Yeah, would you like to comment?

[Donnie Pavalco]

It's really. It makes me.

[Jim McDonough]

Makes my heart big and I want to return the gifts I stole.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

That's my husband, Alex. He tagged along from the who's. I invited him in Whoville. I mean, it's Christmas and you can't miss Twinkle Bright Night. We've been dragging him around all night and it's fun having him here. At least Aaron and I are having fun.

[Community Member]

There are free hot dogs over there is all I'm saying. For kids.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

We're not making it till 8 o'.

[Mark]

Clock.

[Jim McDonough]

I'm telling you that right now.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

At least I'm not. Alex has been a great sport through all this, by the way. I remember that day we first walked in the door at 113 Ida Avenue. How adamant he was. He really didn't want to buy a house or mow the lawn or get the ductwork cleaned out. He didn't want any of it. And to his credit, he's not yet bringing up the inevitable question of when we're going to get rid of the house. That's something I haven't really thought about yet. I guess I don't want to think about it. Keep standing in line for maybe something and then we move.

[Community Member]

This is a real thing.

[Kiara]

This is.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

We're standing in line for the horse drawn carriage rides. At least I think we are. We've been standing in a lot of lines, but we never seem to get to the front. These lines are ridiculous and I'm impatient. So we keep bouncing around. I'm the same way at Disneyland. I'll only wait so long. Eventually we give up and take a walk up McCain Avenue, thinking we might head to the gazebo where the live Nativity is supposed to be. On the way we pass by Trish's thrift store and the pharmacy that used to be a bank. And of course the old Chinese restaurant on the corner with a sign above that says Donora Smog Museum and The lights are on. It looks like it's open. The Smog Museum's almost never open. I run back to find my kids. They're here, too. I brought the whole family. I really wanted them to see this place. I've been spending so much time here, it's kind of all I talk about at this point. I'm sure they're getting sick of it.

[Community Member]

You want to come in?

[Donnie Pavalco]

You have to pay to go in?

[Community Member]

Nope, it's free. You haven't been in here yet, have you?

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Oh, it's good. There are so many things in this town that are really hard to explain, like, you kind of have to be there, and this MOG Museum is definitely one of them.

[Mark]

How's it going out there?

[Jean Marie Laskas]

It's great.

[Donnie Pavalco]

Hi.

[Community Member]

This is Jean Marie's husband, Alex.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

What's your name?

[Mark]

Mark.

[Donnie Pavalco]

Mark, nice to meet you.

[Mark]

Nice to meet you. Pretty. Pretty lively out there.

[Donnie Pavalco]

It is, yeah.

[Community Member]

Big party. I'm impressed.

Right.

[Mark]

I haven't been down here, and we haven't opened up in probably three years or so. When we've opened in the past, we usually didn't get much of a crowd, so we decided to open up this year because we have new T shirts and.

[Cindy]

Hey there.

[Ed]

Hello.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

I didn't know you were open this whole time. I finally catch back up with Aaron and Alex, and I find them standing alone in an empty museum with Mark, the business guy. Mark with his cash box. Oh, my gosh.

[Community Member]

There's a tote bag. I need to get one of those tote bags. I'm gonna. You're gonna, like, sell out of your stuff here.

[Mark]

I'm like, well, that tote bag's old.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Oh, really?

[Mark]

That's the only one left.

[Community Member]

Oh, can I get it?

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Sure. It hadn't occurred to me to go shopping. I came for the gas masks. I'm showing them to my daughter, but Aaron's over there, deep into it. I didn't know this about Erin. She's acting like it's the last day of vacation and she can't leave without all the souvenirs.

[Community Member]

I'm getting that last tote bag.

[Mark]

We just got those.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Oh, look at the. Is that a new dinora forged in 1901?

[Mark]

That is a new shirt. We. You know, it's a thing where we. There's a lot of different dragons portrayed a lot of different ways. And, you know, we cater to the old generation, and so we have to make the transition to the newer generations. And, you know, we're finding that young people have a lot of pride in the fact that they come from the north. And so we. Yeah, we have a limited quantity, but we're trying to see how these go, and we'll probably sell them at the library and. But yeah, that's. Those are our new T shirts.

[Community Member]

Very cool. Okay. What are all the things I can buy from you? Like, I want. Can I get a mug?

[Mark]

Well, yeah, that is the last. The very last mug.

[Community Member]

Is it for sale?

[Jim McDonough]

It is.

[Community Member]

Oh, I'm desperate for that mug. Okay. Amazing.

[Mark]

This is the last one.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

I'm standing off to the side watching Aaron on her shopping spree, and it's freaking me out a little. It's like this whole role reversal, because this is more my thing. This is what I do. I always want the T shirt, the very last mug. I've never questioned this before. Souvenirs or why I want them. I just want them. But there is something interesting about the impulse to take stuff home. Keychains and refrigerator magnets and those weird little spoons. All this stuff that just ends up in your junk drawer. What's that even about? It's like you had this great experience, and it was precious. So precious. You want to hold onto it. You want to take a piece of it with you. A kind of reminder that it ever happened at all. Oh, wow, you're going hog wild, girl.

[Community Member]

It's Christmas.

[Mark]

It is Christmas.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Can we.

[Kitty]

Okay.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

We have to go.

[Community Member]

Yeah. Okay.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

All right. See you.

[Community Member]

Have a good night.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Walking out of the Smog Museum, I feel weirdly happy. Everything's still here. Everything's in its place. I turn to look at the windows. They're still cracked, still held together with tape. And I think to myself, somebody had to put that up there. Somebody just keeps adding another layer of tape. I remember back when we first got here, I couldn't get past this question of why people chose to stay in Donora. After everything that happened. The smog, the steel mill pulling out, and nothing coming in to take its place. I wanted to understand why people still stay here. Even now. And all these months later, I'm starting to feel like I get it in a way I didn't expect. And it's not just the sense of community, which is real and which I'm discovering I probably don't get enough of these days. It's something else. It's hard to describe. It's this feeling, this feeling that you're part of something that needs you. It really needs you. It's something you have to care for and that gives your life purpose. It's like you matter it's up to you to keep this thing alive. And maybe that's just how communities work, all communities. Maybe that's just what holds it all together. It's just that here it feels so urgent. It's so easy to see. If I come away with nothing else for my year in Donora, I guess that's it. It's the tape on the cracks in the windows.

[Kiara]

It really just gave me a.

[Community Member]

This is great. What a, like, big production this is. I'm, like, really impressed.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Yeah, we.

[Cindy]

We pull off a little bit here, but, I mean, you know, the manger scene and then the horse. The horse drum. You know, the horse wagon and face painting and Santa at the end of

[Jean Marie Laskas]

the night, we finally make it to the. The live Nativity. And when they say live nativity, they mean live.

[Community Member]

And so is their job just to sit there, or is their job just to sit there?

[Cindy]

Well, they just got over there about half an hour ago, so they'll put another half hour in and then quit.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

We're all standing around this plywood stable stuffed with straw and crawling with livestock.

[Cindy]

Really had three goats, three sheep, a donkey, and a yak.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

And then there he is, Jim McDonough, sitting on a hay bale, dressed as Joseph with his wife Ange as Mary, cradling their baby Lincoln, Baby Jesus, the son of God. Now that I see it, I wouldn't have expected anything different.

[Donnie Pavalco]

The new mayor, now he knows what he got himself into.

[Kiara]

Now I just really like food.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

What that animal is.

[Community Member]

It's a yak.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

It is really a yak. Excuse me.

[Community Member]

What kind of animal is that one over?

[Jean Marie Laskas]

That's a miniature cattle.

[Cindy]

She's a cow.

[Community Member]

Really?

[Cindy]

Miniature brahma.

[Community Member]

It's a miniature cow. Miniature little pickles.

[Kiara]

Yeah.

[Alltrails Announcer]

Wow.

[Community Member]

I've never seen one before. I've never seen one like that before. Very cool.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

That's the door. I'm gonna look it up. I've never seen it.

[Kiara]

I just.

[Community Member]

I want to get some cows down.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

So how's it feel? Like upcoming mayorhood. How's it feel?

[Jim McDonough]

Well, I. We can't do it like that.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

That's not gonna work now.

[Community Member]

What did you say, though?

[Jim McDonough]

I said it feels like I'm looking at a thousand untied shoes. It's not the same, is it? See, I told you.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

I'll just. Let me redo it. I'll replay it, because he didn't do it very well. Feels like looking at a thousand untied shoes.

[Community Member]

Now you try.

[Jim McDonough]

No. I knew you're gonna coach me. It feels. Let's Try to relive the moment. It feels like I'm looking at a thousand pairs of untied shoes.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

I think he stuck pears in there and it ruined the rhythm. He said a thousand untied shoes.

[Jim McDonough]

It feels like I'm looking at a thousand untied shoes.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

It's really good.

[Jim McDonough]

That's what I need to do. Can we do that from now on? If I ever have to give, like, a mayoral speech of some sorts. If you could just be like, yeah,

[Jean Marie Laskas]

yeah, yeah, and I'll just. And again, go, yeah. Dannor is the kind of town you pass by on the highway on your way to someplace else. You've never heard of it. You have no reason to go there. These towns are everywhere, all over the country. They're just exit signs. It's like they don't even exist except for that second while you're passing them, and then they're gone. But what if one day you took the exit and went in, and what if you stayed for a while? That was our big idea, which really isn't that big at all. It's pretty simple. At least that's what we thought. When Aaron and I first set foot in Donora, we had no story. All we had was a town and the people living in it. But of course, now there are so many stories, so. So many people we've met whose stories are ongoing and unfinished. There are just so many untied shoes. And I don't know exactly when it happened. If I'm honest with myself. I've had this feeling for a while, and I think Aaron has, too. But at some point, it started to become clear that our story isn't over. We're not ready to let this town go. We're not going anywhere.

[Community Member]

So

[Jean Marie Laskas]

today is the 2nd of January, right in the new year, and it's 14 degrees out, and we're driving down McCain, and this is the first time I'm seeing how it looks so different because something is missing. Holy crap. There are no trees.

[Community Member]

Oh, my God. Look.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

They're all gone. Look at it. Keeps going and going. Were every one of these were trees? Are all they all trees? All those planters? Every single one.

[Community Member]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Oh, God. Holy crap. They're all gone. And I bet this is going to be the thing that keeps me and the mayor gonna get a divorce. Look at that stump. That's a stump. Look at that.

[Jim McDonough]

Right?

[Jean Marie Laskas]

See it?

[Community Member]

Yeah.

[Jean Marie Laskas]

Cement City was written and produced by Erin Anderson and me, Jean Marie Laskas, for Odyssey with Cement City Productions. Our story editor is Michael Benoit. Sound design and engineering for Cement City is by Mike Woolley. Production assistants by Kyra Witkin Research and fact checking by Tim Maddox Additional production for the series by Kaitlyn Roberts and Sindhu Nanasamadhan. Additional research and production support by Susan Scott Peterson, Tyler McCloskey, Julian Sato Parker and Rachel Wilkinson. Legal services by Lawyers for Reporters Original music for the series by Danny Bracken, Lo Lumens and Tyler Morissette Additional music courtesy of apm. Our credits music is by Dinora Cement City Is an Odyssey Original podcast from executive producers Jenna Weiss Berman, Leah Rees Dennis and Maddy Sprung Keyser. The series was developed with support from the writing Program at the University of Pittsburgh. Special thanks to photographer Dana Singer for the photographs we used in our show art. You can check out more of Dana's photos and learn more about our series on our websitementcity.org or follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Ximentcity Productions. We'd also like to thank the many friends of the project who've helped us along the way, including Annie Brown, Ian Fox, Max Linsky, Matthew Scher and Lisa Tobin. Thanks also to our families for all their support, especially Danny Bracken, Nancy Jennings and Peter and Carol Benoit. And to our friends Kid Ayers, Barbara Klein and Lenka Clayton and our studio dog Honey Puddles. And of course to the people of Donora for trusting us with their stories and putting up with us for all these years. You made us feel like part of the family. Cement City is dedicated to the Victims of the 1948 Denora smog disaster and to the memory of Alex Levy, who really didn't want to buy that house, but he went along with it anyway. I don't know what happens now. Stop. I guess we live the rest I don't know what happens now I guess we live the rest I don't know what happens next we live, we live the rest.

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[Jean Marie Laskas]

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[Gone South Podcast Announcer]

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[Donnie Pavalco]

Well, how you people standing up? I mean, geez, who he is? What's so important that you just keep

[Jean Marie Laskas]

hanging around the door for it?

[Community Member]

What's so important? Well, it's a nice bench to sit on right now.