Escape Pod Episode 1038: “Meet the Mets” by Ace Tilton Radcliffe
Release Date: March 26, 2026
Narrator: Jordan Karella
Host: Earl Afferty

Episode Overview

This episode of Escape Pod presents “Meet the Mets,” an original science fiction story by Ace Tilton Radcliffe. Set during the debut season of New York’s Shea Stadium in 1964, the story follows Bobby, a trans man working as a stadium concessionaire, whose turbulent day takes an extraordinary turn when he discovers that Mr. Met, the team’s mascot, is hiding a genuine alien beneath the oversized papier-mâché head. Through Bobby’s journey—marked by violence, alien encounter, and ultimate camaraderie—the episode explores themes of exclusion, found family, identity, the pain and hopefulness intrinsic to being an outsider, and the enduring appeal of baseball as a symbol of perseverance and joy.

Key Discussion Points & Story Breakdown

Introducing the Author and Narrator

[01:52]–[02:50]

• Host Earl Afferty introduces “Meet the Mets,” highlighting Ace Tilton Radcliffe’s background as a genderqueer and disabled artist and author, and narrator Jordan Karella, a trans and disabled author with a Nebula nomination.
• Sets the tone for a story rich in lived experience, gender identity, and baseball lore.

Bobby’s Struggles and the World of 1964 Shea Stadium

[02:50]–[06:45]

• Bobby’s Tough Beginnings (02:50): Opens mid-violence, Bobby thrown out by family for being trans, quickly learning to fight as survival.
  • “It was the last time he’d seen his family growing up. … He hated that name [Roberta], especially once he realized his dad hated him…”
• At Work in the Ballpark (04:40):
  • Finds solace in his stadium job and among the misfit Mets—“This was the only thing better than a new copy of Worlds of If or a lazy afternoon tucked into the cozy warmth of a library…”
  • Notes the team as perennial underdogs and outcasts: “Nobody expected them to win. Which is why, exactly, Bobby and the rest of the Queens adored them.”

Encounter with Mr. Met – The Alien Reveal

[06:50]–[13:00]

• Bathroom Encounter (06:50): Bobby discovers the real Mr. Met is an alien covered in tentacles and a massive eye.
  • “A human form, chest emblazoned with a Mets logo…but then instead of a head, there were long blue tentacles circled around a shorter yellow ones clustered like flower petals around an iridescent eye…”
• Bobby’s Reaction (08:30): Fears for the crowd, believing an alien invasion is imminent, and tries to alert the press.
• Consequence (10:25): In a panic, Bobby accidentally strikes his manager; he's swiftly fired and arrested.
  • “Bobby shrank back from Mr. Richardson, whose face was a carbon copy of his dad’s during that last conversation, shame twisted his guts.”

Locked Away—Camaraderie Forms

[14:54]–[28:00]

• Locked in an Office (14:54): Bobby is handcuffed and abandoned in a stadium admin office, but begins resourceful attempts to free himself and weighs his responsibility:
  • “He looked like a defeated mirror of his bag now, leaning listlessly out in the hallway…”
• Communication with the Alien (17:14):
  • Mr. Met tries to communicate through the door; both struggle with language, trust, and vulnerability.
  • “If someone is in there, can someone please help open the door?” – Mr. Met [21:40]
• Trust and Actions (24:20):
  • They negotiate: Bobby retrieves his lockpick from his bag (with the alien’s awkward help), unlocks his cuffs, and considers what to do.

Alien Truths: Baseball and Differences

[28:01]–[37:30]

• Why is Mr. Met Here? (28:10):
  • Bobby asks, “What are you doing here, anyways? On earth, I mean.”
  • Mr. Met explains an abiding love for baseball, first discovered via radio broadcasts in space: “Someones just wants to watch baseball.” [32:40]
  • The alien’s history with the game covers meeting Commissioner Landis, learning about league integration, and feeling connected to outsiders like Jackie Robinson.
• Recognition of Outsiderness (34:56):
  • Mr. Met notes Bobby’s difference with empathy: “Someone’s is worried, that is not normal for your someone, is it?”
  • Bobby responds: “I’m different, too. I don’t fit in everywhere. Sometimes people are angry at me about it.” [36:10]
  • They bond over mutual outsider status, understanding, and the ways baseball has made space for others.
• Mrs. Payson’s Inclusion
  • Mr. Met credits Mets owner Joan Whitney Payson for inviting him to experience baseball in-person:
  • “Mrs. Joan Whitney Payson knows what it means to be left out… she invented Mr. Met, then fought so someone’s could be on the field in costume to watch perfect baseball…”

Hope, Community, and Facing the World

[37:31]–[40:16]

• Bobby’s Fears and Aspirations:
  • Though fired and on the run, Bobby lets himself hope—maybe as an underdog, he’ll find a place too:
  • “Mrs. Payson loves an underdog,” Mr. Met assures him. [39:55]
• Companionship and Resolution:
  • The closing finds Bobby and Mr. Met walking together towards the ballpark, imagining a world with more inclusive mascots and more welcoming teams:
  • “Together they headed up towards first base, into that luminous expanse of wide open sky that promised the perfect day for spring baseball.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Being Different & Belonging:
  • “I’m different, too. I don’t fit in everywhere. Sometimes people are angry at me about it.” – Bobby [36:10]
  • “Baseball is perfect, yes, but Earth does not like someones who are different. And someones are very different.” – Mr. Met [33:06]
• Alien’s Love for Baseball:
  • “Someones fell in love with baseball after first experiencing it…Baseball is perfect.” – Mr. Met [32:25]
• On Inclusion:
  • “Mrs. Joan Whitney Payson knows what it means to be left out.” – Mr. Met [39:19]
  • “Mrs. Payson loves an underdog.” – Mr. Met [39:55]
• Bittersweet Humor:
  • “Anything to not cheer for the Yankees and the Dodgers are California bums.” – Bobby [12:59]

Author’s Note & Meta-Reflections

[40:16]–[41:59]

• Ace Tilton Radcliffe discusses their own journey into baseball fandom, highlighting how being trans affects one’s relationship with sports and the longing for belonging in a world—and a sport—with rigid boundaries.
  • “As a trans person, it’s nearly impossible to love professional sports without being very aware of the way sports discriminate against us.”
• Discusses minor league baseball, mascot lore, and the persistent theme of loving the game despite hardship and exclusion.

Contextual & Historical Notes

[41:59]–[44:33]

• Commentary on Joan Whitney Payson’s role in Mets history as a real-life figure who broke barriers and championed the underdog.
• Friendly parallel drawn between baseball mascots and the plausibility of “aliens in the suit.”
• Suggestion for listeners who enjoy mascot antics to try the board game “Hot Streak” (not sponsored).

Key Segment Timestamps

• [01:52] Host/Episode Introduction & Author Info
• [02:50] Story Proper Begins – Bobby’s past and place in the Mets’ world
• [06:50] Bobby encounters alien Mr. Met in the bathroom
• [10:25] Bobby is fired, wrestles with manager, arrested
• [14:54] Bobby locked in stadium office, contemplates next move
• [21:40] First attempts at communication with Mr. Met
• [28:10] Bobby’s confrontation with Mr. Met reveals alien backstory
• [36:10] Discussion of outsider status and empathy between Bobby and Mr. Met
• [39:19] Tribute to Joan Whitney Payson’s legacy of inclusion
• [40:16] Author’s Afterword

Tone & Style

• Gentle wryness, heartfelt vulnerability, and thematic resonance underscore the narrative.
• The language mixes nostalgic baseball Americana (“crackerjack boxes,” “bullpen dirt,” “the left arm of God”) with the sharpness of outsider experience and the surreal humor of a literal alien in a mascot suit.
• Narration and dialogue imitate the period’s soundscape but embrace modern themes of chosen family and radical hope.

Summary

“Meet the Mets” masterfully entwines mid-century baseball nostalgia with the gutting realities—and glimmers of hope—of finding belonging as an outsider. Through Bobby’s interactions with both humans and an endearingly awkward alien, the narrative affirms the power of community, kinship, and shared love of the game. The episode concludes on a note of inclusion and possibility, suggesting that even the most excluded among us can—and should—find a seat at the ballpark.

Memorable Quote to Close:
"It’s not what you achieve. It’s what you overcome. That’s what defines your career." – Carlton Fisk [44:03, as quoted by the host]