Episode 7 - An Honest Mistake

Summary

Hymns for the Road

Episode 7: An Honest Mistake
Release Date: October 19, 2024
Host/Author: Hodgepodge Audio

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Overview

In Episode 7, titled "An Honest Mistake," the survivors—Copper, Silver, Amber, and Glass—face unforeseen challenges during their journey through the post-apocalyptic fantasy landscape of America. This episode delves into themes of responsibility, conflict resolution, and the unpredictability of the transformed world they navigate. The narrative unfolds with heightened tensions, unexpected magical encounters, and pivotal character developments that test the group's cohesion and survival instincts.

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Key Plot Points

1. Tensions Arise Over Movement and Rest

   • Timestamp 01:05: Anna McGuire introduces the podcast, setting the stage for the listeners.
   • Timestamp 01:05 - 10:00: The group debates whether to wake Glass, discuss the need to stretch their legs, and explore their surroundings. Amber expresses a desire to see what's beyond a hill, leading to a decision to explore the area around their vehicle.

2. Discovery of the Cairn and Subsequent Conflict

   • Timestamp 03:21: Amber and the group notice the approaching Halloween season, adding a seasonal backdrop to their travels.
   • Timestamp 03:35 - 04:24: Copper accidentally kicks over a cairn—a meticulously arranged pile of rocks—causing distress among the group. Silver responds with confusion, asking, "What in the sam hell's a cairn?" (04:11), highlighting the group's unfamiliarity with certain remnants of the old world.

3. Magical Transformation and Encounters

   • Timestamp 04:42 - 07:20: Following the disturbance of the cairn, the group experiences a sudden magical transformation. Copper feels disoriented, leading to the revelation that Amber and Silver have been transported into a miniature form.
   • Timestamp 11:23 - 14:43: The group encounters a giant magical cat that poses a threat. Copper finds himself in hiding within a tin can as the cat investigates. Amber and Silver are eventually captured and placed inside a glass bottle, escalating the group's predicament.

4. Attempts at Resolution and Reconciliation

   • Timestamp 14:59 - 17:43: After being rescued by Glass, Amber and Silver reconcile their differences. They attempt to restore the cairn to reverse the magical mishap. The tension between Amber and Silver is palpable, but they work together to mitigate the consequences of their actions.

5. Final Confrontation and Lessons Learned

   • Timestamp 16:12 - 17:43: The group interacts with the magical cat, leading to a humorous yet tense moment where Copper pets the cat, showcasing his optimistic outlook. Silver emphasizes the importance of caution, stating, "We can't keep her" (16:21), reinforcing the necessity of maintaining focus on their survival.

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Notable Quotes

• Silver on the Cairn Incident:
  "What in the sam hell's a cairn?" — Silver (04:11)
  This highlights Silver's confusion and lack of knowledge about certain survival artifacts.

• Amber's Frustration:
  "You got us into this, didn't you?" — Amber (07:33)
  Amber confronts Silver, expressing her frustration over the unintended consequences of their actions.

• Copper's Optimism:
  "But fighting isn't gonna get us anywhere." — Copper (11:08)
  Copper emphasizes the futility of internal conflict amidst external threats.

• Silver's Resignation:
  "I'm doing my best." — Silver (11:06)
  Silver acknowledges his efforts to rectify the situation, despite the ongoing challenges.

• Amber's Reflection on Memory:
  "Why is that one of the things that I remember from before?" — Amber (09:06)
  Amber questions the significance of certain memories, hinting at deeper emotional layers.

• Final Hymn Recitation:
  "The Lord said Go down, Moses Way down To Egypt land hello, Pharaoh." — Copper (18:08)
  The episode concludes with a creative rendition of "Go Down Moses," blending biblical references with the episode's events.

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Character Dynamics and Development

• Amber and Silver:
  Their interaction underscores underlying tensions and differing approaches to survival. Amber's impulsiveness contrasts with Silver's cautious nature, leading to conflicts that drive much of the episode's tension.

• Copper:
  Serves as the group's mediator, often trying to keep peace and maintain optimism, even in dire situations.

• Glass:
  Acts as the problem-solver, attempting to fix the magical disturbances caused by the group's actions. Glass's role becomes crucial in resolving the crisis with the magical cat.

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Themes and Insights

1. Responsibility and Consequences:
   The accidental disturbance of the cairn serves as a catalyst for exploring the impact of the group's actions on their environment and each other. It emphasizes the importance of being mindful of one's actions, especially in a fragile post-apocalyptic world.

2. Conflict Resolution:
   The episode delves into the dynamics of group conflict and the necessity of reconciliation for survival. Amber and Silver's confrontation and eventual cooperation illustrate the challenges and importance of maintaining unity.

3. Adaptation to a Transformed World:
   The magical elements introduced, such as the shrunken characters and the giant cat, highlight the unpredictable and ever-changing nature of the apocalypse-ravaged landscape. The group's ability to adapt is tested repeatedly.

4. Hope and Optimism vs. Caution:
   Copper's optimistic outlook often clashes with Silver's cautionary stance, representing the broader spectrum of human responses to catastrophe.

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Conclusions

"An Honest Mistake" underscores the delicate balance the survivors must maintain between exploration and caution. The accidental disruption of the cairn symbolizes the unintended consequences that can arise from even the smallest actions. Through heightened tensions and magical challenges, the episode reinforces the necessity of unity, responsibility, and adaptability in the face of an unpredictable world. The resolution, marked by the group's ability to restore the cairn and reconcile, offers a hopeful message about overcoming internal conflicts for the greater good.

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Final Notes

The episode concludes with Anna McGuire's credits and the recitation of a hymn, blending the narrative's themes with a reflective musical piece. This seamless integration of story and hymn serves to underscore the episode's emotional and thematic resolutions.

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For more episodes and updates, subscribe to Hodgepodge Audio's newsletter or support the podcast on Patreon.

Transcript

[Ryan Seacrest]

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[Glass]

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[Copper]

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[Narrator]

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[Copper]

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[Amber]

Purchase necessary, void or prohibited by law. See terms and conditions 18.

[Anna McGuire]

Hymns for the road is a fiction podcast that often takes place inside a moving vehicle. Listener discretion is advised while driving. General content warnings are listed in the show notes.

[Copper]

Should I wake Glass up?

[Silver]

No, let them sleep. They drove a long time last year.

[Amber]

Move, Copper. I have to stretch my legs or I'll die going.

[Copper]

Why do you sit in the middle anyway?

[Amber]

I don't know. Too much stuff on the other side. Oh, it feels so good to be out of that car.

[Silver]

It absolutely does.

[Copper]

It's kind of nice here.

[Amber]

Sure is. Hilly and grassy.

[Silver]

Lot of trash, though.

[Copper]

You're ignoring the hilly and grassy, though. Look on the bright side, M. Let's walk around.

[Amber]

I want to see what's on the other side of that hill.

[Silver]

Probably not a good idea to go all the way over, Amber.

[Amber]

Fine, then we'll go around it.

[Copper]

We won't even be out of sight from the car. Silver, It'll be okay.

[Silver]

Oh, I'm going to. I need a walk just as bad as you do.

[Amber]

Now.

[Copper]

When Israel was in Egypt land Let.

[Silver]

My people go.

[Copper]

Oppressed so hard they could not stand Let my people go. So the Lord said, go down, go down, Moses. Way down to Egypt land Tell old.

[Amber]

Pharaoh to let my people.

[Copper]

The colors were turning that day. All different colors. Reds, oranges, violets. Bright vivid blues. Everything turned rainbow in the fall. Not the same rainbow as in the spring. Certainly not like the colors in the summer. What little of them I can remember. The wind smelled of cobwebs and rust. It's starting to get cold out.

[Silver]

Course it is. It's getting right up on Halloween.

[Amber]

Yes, please. Halloween.

[Copper]

Halloween. No.

[Silver]

Oh, hush. Last one wasn't so bad. We found it real quick.

[Copper]

They almost saw Glass.

[Silver]

I think they learned their lesson not to talk too much.

[Amber]

I wouldn't count on it.

[Silver]

It'll be all right, Copper. We get better at it every year.

[Amber]

Maybe this year they'll give us candy with people inside.

[Silver]

Stop, Amber. You need to be more careful with what you say you know, they could be listening.

[Amber]

What did you just step on?

[Silver]

I don't know.

[Copper]

Under Silver's foot was a small pile of smooth round stones. A few of them still stacked on top of each other. A few of them scattered into the drying blue and violet grass. Silver, I think you kicked over a cairn.

[Silver]

What in the sam hell's a cairn?

[Copper]

A bunch of rocks piled on top of each other.

[Amber]

Kicking over a pile of rocks isn't a big deal.

[Copper]

It's a pile of rocks that somebody made.

[Amber]

Look around, there's tons of them.

[Silver]

Uh oh.

[Copper]

A sick feeling bubbled into my stomach. A ripple of vertigo through my body, as for a moment, I couldn't place where or how I was. I smelled something pungent and vaguely sweet. Like the scent of the car's heating turning on at the end of summer. Guys? Guys?

[Silver]

Copper?

[Amber]

Silver?

[Copper]

The first thing to do was always to check if there was anything wrong with any of us physically. A cursory glance didn't find anything. Except for the blood drained look on Silver's face, I had become familiar with.

[Silver]

There you are.

[Copper]

Where are we? What happened? Amber and Silver looked around at the strange plants that now surrounded us. Black dirt, coarse under our feet. Flat leaved plant shoots jutting out of the ground and nearly reaching our waists. A nearby tree hunched above us. More branches and wide round leaves than I had ever seen. The rest of the world was hidden by the slopes of our little valley. I couldn't see over the mountains, where indeed.

[Amber]

Hell, I finally got one.

[Copper]

God. One of what?

[Amber]

You know, sometimes people get zapped into weird little other worlds the folk make.

[Copper]

Yes, it's terrible.

[Amber]

I've never been to one. They always forget me. I'll take everything as Giant World, though.

[Silver]

I wouldn't be so excited if I was you, Copper.

[Amber]

Check it out. I got a giant flower.

[Copper]

Very nice big flower.

[Amber]

Stop. Get your own. Fight me, sword. Fight me.

[Copper]

All the other ones don't have petals, y'all.

[Silver]

I think we should be taking this more serious.

[Amber]

Don't worry, I found you a hat.

[Copper]

Ew. What is that?

[Amber]

Part of a bug, I think.

[Silver]

If there are bugs that big here, maybe we should start thinking about finding a way out.

[Amber]

Yeah, you do that.

[Silver]

You do that.

[Amber]

You got us into this, didn't you?

[Silver]

Well, yeah, but.

[Amber]

Oh, Copper, if we find any food here, we're gonna be rich.

[Copper]

What, like a giant strawberry or something?

[Amber]

Yeah, we'll be eating like kings for days.

[Copper]

Do you think they have vending machines in this one?

[Amber]

How would we even use a Vending machine.

[Copper]

It could be our mission. We could spend a week planning it.

[Amber]

We could fit inside. Maybe.

[Silver]

Don't give them ideas, please.

[Amber]

Come on, Silver. Do you have to ruin this right now?

[Silver]

I'm thinking about our survival, Amber.

[Amber]

We can worry about surviving in a second, all right?

[Copper]

Hey, it's okay. We're gonna find a way out. We just need to figure out who we offended.

[Amber]

Who's Silver offended.

[Copper]

Who'S Silver offended, and trade something to get put back in our normal sized world, right?

[Amber]

Don't look at me. I'm not pulling the weight on this one.

[Silver]

Why is that?

[Amber]

Because you're always yelling at me not to get us into trouble. And this time it was you. That's why.

[Silver]

Von. I'm going over this hill. Follow me or keep goofing off. I'm going to try and fix this.

[Amber]

Good, because you're the one who messed it up in the first place.

[Copper]

You didn't have to be so mean, you know.

[Amber]

I'm not being mean. They're just taking it too seriously.

[Copper]

You sound like Glass.

[Amber]

Glass has a point sometimes. Besides, you guys always come out of these things. Okay? Anyways, we have to work really hard.

[Copper]

Boo.

[Amber]

Who must be so hard to be the useful members of the group?

[Copper]

Amber turned away from me and pulled a leaf off of the squat, bristling tree and began tearing it apart bit by bit. It smelled sharp and green. When they tore into the inside, the casual mask on their face didn't do an adequate job of disguising the tension in their hands as they ripped at the leaf's edges. I don't know how to respond to that.

[Amber]

Then don't.

[Copper]

We shouldn't be letting Silver go off by themselves.

[Amber]

Yeah, you're right. Let's go. Kind of makes you feel like you're in Tom and Jerry, huh?

[Copper]

What?

[Amber]

Everything's so big. I feel like a cartoon mouse.

[Copper]

Oh, I guess I don't have much of a frame of reference for that.

[Amber]

Why is that one of the things I remember from before? Seems like a waste of memory space, to be honest.

[Copper]

Maybe you sold all the other ones.

[Amber]

Maybe I did sell all the other ones. Oh, well, they must not have been all that great then.

[Copper]

Silver.

[Silver]

We got a problem, y'all.

[Copper]

Well, yeah.

[Amber]

Look.

[Copper]

As we crested the hill, the rest of the landscape came into view. A large pile of round, smooth stones. And far beyond it, blotting out the sun like the impossibly large structures we passed in the remains of the cities, was our car. Pieces of trash dotted the landscape between us, and it plastic and aluminum ruins in the grass.

[Silver]

Damn it, Amber.

[Amber]

I really thought this was an other world.

[Silver]

Well, it ain't. And if you're done cursing and trying to get every folk in a hundred miles on us, we should start walking.

[Amber]

Lead the way, O Cairn kicker.

[Silver]

Knock it off.

[Amber]

You know, of all the things that could have happened, this is probably not the worst. At least rations will last longer.

[Silver]

Don't give them any ideas, Anna.

[Amber]

Not giving them ideas.

[Copper]

I'm just saying it's gonna take us a while to get all the way over there.

[Amber]

I mean, aside from how we're not going to be able to get back into the car anymore. And it's going to be a lot harder for me to work on the engine. Or easier.

[Silver]

Maybe we'll fix this. Glass will help us set the Karen back up. And we'll be all right.

[Amber]

If they don't step on us first.

[Silver]

I said knock it off.

[Amber]

I can't believe it was. Out of all of us, who's the one who gets us in trouble? Who's the one who knocks over?

[Silver]

That's enough.

[Amber]

Just saying. Maybe you should stop acting like it's all of us who are going to mess things up. Careful or not, they can take advantage of you just as easy.

[Silver]

It was an accident. They'll understand that. An honest mistake.

[Amber]

Break the rules. Break the rules. Intentions don't seem to matter here, do they?

[Silver]

I'm doing my best.

[Copper]

Stop. Fighting isn't gonna get us anywhere.

[Amber]

Can't you just let me enjoy this, Copper?

[Copper]

Enjoy what? Being shrunken?

[Amber]

Silver? Being wrong for once.

[Silver]

I'm not wrong. It was an accident.

[Amber]

Still shrunk, though. No way. Is that what I think it is?

[Copper]

What?

[Amber]

Where it is.

[Silver]

What? Amber.

[Amber]

It's a giant animal turd.

[Silver]

No.

[Amber]

It's magnificent.

[Silver]

Yo.

[Copper]

What was that?

[Silver]

Hide in the trash.

[Copper]

Silver.

[Silver]

I'm okay. It can't get me in here.

[Copper]

What do I do? What do I do? It's gonna grab me. I pressed my back against the grimy end of the tin can I was hiding in as the enormous cat batted one giant paw toward me until it pulled back with a sudden shriek.

[Amber]

Copper. Over here while it's distracted.

[Silver]

What happened? Why'd it leave?

[Amber]

It cut itself on that can. Aww.

[Copper]

Not aw.

[Amber]

It's trying to eat us.

[Silver]

We're getting closer to the car. Blast might see us if we run.

[Copper]

I could see them in the window.

[Amber]

Can they see us?

[Copper]

They look like they're still asleep.

[Silver]

Copper, do you think you could run for it?

[Copper]

I think so.

[Silver]

Throw a rock at the Window.

[Copper]

These are just pebbles. They'll never hear it.

[Silver]

We have to try something.

[Copper]

I don't want to leave you here.

[Amber]

We're open to suggestions, bud.

[Copper]

Fine. I'll do it.

[Silver]

On my mark, Copper.

[Copper]

Ready?

[Silver]

Three, two, one. Go. Go.

[Amber]

Hurry. We'll distract it.

[Copper]

Here, kitty. Glass. Hey. Come on. Come on. Don't hurt it.

[Silver]

Amber, get in the bottle.

[Amber]

I'm working on it.

[Copper]

I got you.

[Silver]

You're all right. I got you.

[Copper]

I look back toward Amber and Silver behind me, both of them square, squatting inside of the glass bottle as the cat potted them. It would get bored of them soon, once it figured out it couldn't get them out. Glass. Here. Help.

[Glass]

What? Guys. Whoa. Hey. Scram. Shoo. Shoo. What's going on down here? What happened? Why are you guys so small?

[Copper]

Pick me up.

[Glass]

This is so weird.

[Copper]

Silver knocked over a cairn, and I think we made somebody mad.

[Glass]

It's really hard to understand what you're saying right now.

[Copper]

Up the rocks.

[Glass]

What rocks? Oh. Is that Amber and Silver in that bottle?

[Copper]

Wait. Put me down. Glass lowered me to the ground, and I felt my heart lurch into my throat as they sent me onto the dirt. The distance felt immense. But even after the cat had run off into the bushes, Silver and Amber didn't climb out of the bottle. I watched them sit behind the dark green glass. Even through the warped, dusty surface, I could see the tension between them, like a physical object, like heat waves rising off of pavement.

[Silver]

Sorry, y'all.

[Amber]

We had a talk.

[Copper]

Was it a good talk?

[Amber]

Yeah, it was all right.

[Silver]

It was all right. So, can I put these rocks back?

[Copper]

Yeah. What if it doesn't work?

[Amber]

It'll work.

[Copper]

How do you know?

[Amber]

Silver has a good feeling about it.

[Silver]

There. All done.

[Amber]

Well, we're not going to be able to ride in the car anymore, so if it's all the same to you guys, I'm going to go build a house inside a hollow mushroom or something.

[Copper]

Do you think if we're going to unshrink, we should be standing farther apart?

[Silver]

See?

[Copper]

I told you.

[Amber]

You told me half a second before we unshrank. What's your head made out of?

[Narrator]

Bricks.

[Silver]

Everybody move away from the cairns.

[Glass]

Huh? All swelled and end swelling.

[Amber]

There's the cat.

[Copper]

Aw, she's cute.

[Amber]

She is cute. I can't believe we were afraid of her.

[Copper]

She looks skinny. We should keep her.

[Silver]

We can't keep her. Copper.

[Glass]

Wait. Silver. Are you holding a grudge against the cat?

[Silver]

No. Just don't like cats all that much.

[Amber]

You're out of your mind. Cats are great.

[Silver]

I'm just a dog person, that's all.

[Copper]

She loves me.

[Silver]

You gotta leave her here, y'all.

[Copper]

I know. Silver. Can I just pet her for a second?

[Silver]

Fine. You do that. I'll get something ready. An apology.

[Amber]

I'll go warm up the car. It's not to lure the cat in.

[Glass]

I'm going with COVID to pet the cat.

[Amber]

All done petting the cat.

[Copper]

She ran away, but she was very nice.

[Silver]

All done. We should be all set.

[Amber]

You're all good?

[Silver]

Always.

[Amber]

I'm feeling all right for being attacked by a magic cat a few minutes ago.

[Silver]

I think they're the only animal that didn't get affected by the change.

[Amber]

How do you know that?

[Silver]

I don't know. I think someone told me.

[Copper]

I'm glad you're okay.

[Amber]

Are you?

[Copper]

Yeah. I pet a cat. I feel very good.

[Silver]

I'm ready to get out of here.

[Glass]

Shall we?

[Amber]

Turning over.

[Glass]

So Moses went to Egypt land Let.

[Silver]

My people go oh, he made old.

[Glass]

Pharaoh understand that my people go Yesterday.

[Copper]

The Lord said Go down, Moses Way down To Egypt land hello, Pharaoh.

[Amber]

To let my people go.

[Anna McGuire]

Hymns for the Road is a podcast written and Produced by Anna McGuire, starring Maurice Thomas as Silver, Pau Pungeniebon as Glass, Grizz Siebenek as Amber, and Tabitha Bardal as Copper. Original music by Joshua David Mitchell. This episode's hymn is Go Down Moses in the style of Louis Armstrong. Sign up for our [e-mail] or support our work on patreon.com findasalive thank you for listening.

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