MFM Minisode 419

Summary

My Favorite Murder Minisode 419 Summary

Podcast Information:

• Title: My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
• Hosts: Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
• Network: Exactly Right Media
• Description: A true crime comedy podcast where Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since its launch in January 2016, the podcast has covered infamous serial killers, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories, and significant historical events.

---

Introduction to the Minisode

In Minisode 419, released on January 20, 2025, Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark dive into a collection of listener-submitted hometown stories, blending true crime insights with their signature humor. The episode opens with a brief discussion about the concept of "minisodes," highlighting their shorter format compared to regular episodes.

---

Listener Stories

1. Classic Hometown POV from My 6-Year-Old Self (Karen’s Story)

Timestamp: [02:03 - 05:20]

Karen shares a poignant memory from her childhood in Poway, San Diego, recounting the tragic murder of Chelsea King, a 16-year-old track star. At six years old, Karen vividly remembers the impact of Chelsea's death on her community and herself.

• Key Points:

  • Chelsea King's Murder: On February 25, 2010, Chelsea King was tragically killed during her regular evening run. Her investigation led to the arrest of John Gardner, a registered sex offender linked to another murder.
  • Personal Impact: Hearing about Chelsea's death through the news left a lasting impression on young Karen, fostering her deep empathy and interest in true crime.
  • Community Response: Chelsea's family established a foundation in her honor, raising over a million dollars to support college scholarships and promote awareness of sexually violent predators.

• Notable Quote:

  • Karen Kilgariff: “Being a 6-year-old girl, I obviously didn’t know all the details of her death, but I was old enough to know that something really bad had happened to her.” [02:38]

2. When I Was a Trash Mom (Georgia’s Story)

Timestamp: [06:36 - 12:34]

Georgia recounts a humorous yet relatable story of a summer evening in 2018 when she and her older sister were left to babysit their younger sister while their parents went out for drinks. The night spiraled into chaos, highlighting the challenges and mishaps of parenting.

• Key Points:

  • Babysitting Misadventures: At 11, Georgia and her sister Carly were tasked with caring for their 5-year-old sister Julia, leading to unexpected drama, including a spider scare that resulted in Julia’s distress.
  • Family Dynamics: The experience underscores the complexities of family responsibilities and the humorous side of parental oversight.
  • Compensation for Chaos: In a light-hearted twist, the brothers compensated Carly and Georgia for the stressful evening, joking about monetizing trauma.

• Notable Quote:

  • Georgia Hardstark: “It's like, you gotta start giving them some, you know, freedom and you gotta... And responsibilities. Yeah, that's scary. But it's okay. It's okay. It's totally okay.” [07:25]

3. Runaway Child (Karen’s Story)

Timestamp: [15:50 - 24:05]

Karen narrates an adventurous yet nerve-wracking incident from her second grade when she decided to sneak into a friend’s car, leading to a brief period of being lost without her parents’ immediate awareness.

• Key Points:

  • Sneaking into a Car: At eight years old, Karen hid in the backseat of her friend Brennan’s car, covered by backpacks and coats, seeking a sense of independence.
  • Unexpected Turn: The plan unraveled when the family did not realize Karen was missing, causing panic and confusion.
  • Resolution: After two hours and realizing the severity of the situation, Karen was safely returned home, though the incident left a lasting impression on her sense of responsibility.

• Notable Quote:

  • Karen Kilgariff: “What’s the one is too many. A thousand isn’t enough. Like, come on.” [08:47]

4. Drunk Kids (Shared Reflections)

Timestamp: [10:50 - 12:34]

Continuing from Georgia’s babysitting story, Karen and Georgia humorously reflect on how their own experiences have influenced their parenting styles and the antics of their children today.

• Key Points:

  • Parental Guilt and Compensation: The episode highlights the playful ways the hosts reconcile their past mishaps, such as compensating their children for stressful moments.
  • Intergenerational Humor: The story bridges past and present, showcasing how childhood experiences shape current parenting approaches.

• Notable Quote:

  • Georgia Hardstark: “Our Carly, who just turned 18, has never let us forget the time mom and dad were only going to be gone an hour and just abandon us.” [11:03]

5. Serendipitous Half Sister (Georgia’s Story)

Timestamp: [30:05 - 35:48]

Georgia shares an inspiring tale about her father reconnecting with a long-lost half-sister through a chance encounter at an AA meeting, emphasizing the role of fate and perseverance in family reunions.

• Key Points:

  • Chance Encounter: Georgia’s father met a Texan at an AA meeting who had previously met Georgia’s father’s long-lost sister, Dorothy.
  • Reconnection: This serendipitous meeting led to immediate communication and eventually a reunion, bridging decades of separation.
  • Family Legacy: The story underscores the enduring bonds of family and the unpredictable nature of life’s connections.

• Notable Quote:

  • Georgia Hardstark: “The stranger took our phone number and told my dad, when I get home, I'll just check and let you know. Well, it was her all right.” [30:21]

---

Discussions and Insights

Impact of Childhood Trauma and Empathy

Karen’s story about witnessing Chelsea King’s murder illustrates how early exposure to tragedy can shape one’s empathy and drive to raise awareness. The hosts discuss the importance of focusing on the perpetrators rather than imposing restrictive measures on potential victims, advocating for better monitoring and sentencing of sexual offenders instead of curfews for young girls.

• Notable Quote:
  • Georgia Hardstark: “It's the sexual assault offenders, that's what should change is the sentencing laws and you know how they're monitored. Not what we're doing. Going for a fucking jog in the afternoon.” [05:12]

Parenting Challenges and Growth

Through Georgia’s “Trash Mom” story and Karen’s runaway incident, the hosts explore the complexities of parenting, the humorous mishaps, and the growth that comes from navigating these challenges. They emphasize the importance of communication, responsibility, and the learning experiences that arise from imperfect moments.

• Notable Quote:
  • Karen Kilgariff: “We taught young women to de center men by centering us.” [02:33]

Serendipity and Family Bonds

Georgia’s recounting of her father’s reunion with his half-sister highlights how serendipitous moments can mend broken family ties. The story celebrates the unexpected joys of reconnecting with lost relatives and the serendipitous nature of life’s relationships.

• Notable Quote:
  • Georgia Hardstark: “This little serendipitous moment remains the story that connects them to me in ways that... that is still so inexplicable.” [31:54]

---

Concluding Remarks

As the episode wraps up, Karen and Georgia address ongoing natural disasters, assuring listeners of their safety and expressing gratitude for the community’s support. They emphasize the importance of staying connected and supporting one another during challenging times.

• Notable Quotes:
  • Karen Kilgariff: “Stay sexy and don’t forget your phone.” [11:53]
  • Georgia Hardstark: “We have to start looking at the people responsible for what is happening and not talking about the reaction to what is happening.” [06:25]

Credits and Closing

The episode concludes with acknowledgments to the production team, including senior producer Alejandra Keck, editor Aristotle Acevedo, and mixer Liana Squillace. Karen and Georgia encourage listeners to email their hometown stories to the podcast’s dedicated email and follow their social media channels for more updates.

---

Final Thoughts: Minisode 419 of My Favorite Murder masterfully blends heartfelt storytelling with humor, offering listeners a glimpse into the hosts’ personal experiences and the profound impact of true crime on their lives. Through shared anecdotes and insightful discussions, Karen and Georgia continue to engage and inspire their audience, reinforcing the podcast’s reputation as both entertaining and educational.

Transcript

[Karen Kilgariff]

This is exactly right.

[Ryan Reynolds]

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[Georgia Hardstark]

Equivalent to $15 per month. New customers on first 3 month plan only and fees extra speed slower above 40gb on unlimited. See mintmobile.com for details.

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[Georgia Hardstark]

Hello and welcome to my favorite murder.

[Karen Kilgariff]

The the minisode.

[Georgia Hardstark]

That's right. It's small. It's an episode. So we named it a minisode.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Do you see the logic that we're using here? Or are you fighting us tooth and nail?

[Georgia Hardstark]

What would you call it? We want to know.

[Karen Kilgariff]

The Maxisode.

[Georgia Hardstark]

The Midisode. Isn't that a. Aren't like dresses midi now too?

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yep, the Midisode, that's also a choice. There's also the Maxi pad, sewed Absolutely.

[Georgia Hardstark]

With wings.

[Karen Kilgariff]

One of our greatest bits of all time. The always maxi bad bit. Here we go.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Okay.

[Karen Kilgariff]

This is a classic hometown. And the subject line is classic hometown POV from my 6 year old self.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Great.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Hi ladies. I've been listening for years. Thanks to my amazing brother who introduced me to your pod. My boyfriend has suffered and that suffereds in quotes through hours of your show. Thanks to me. Thanks to me.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Mine has too.

[Karen Kilgariff]

We taught young women to de center men by centering us.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I love it.

[Karen Kilgariff]

It's pretty intense.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah, I'm holding space for that.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Okay. It literally says okay to this story. I've been wanting to share this story for months and I'm finally getting around to sending it in. My classic hometown story takes place in San Diego, Poway in 2010. I was only six years old at the time, but I remember this story so clearly. And I've always had a weird connection to the girl who died. Chelsea King was a 16 year old track star from Poway High School who left her home on the morning of February 25th to go for her regular run at the Rancho Bernardino Community Park. When she hadn't returned by 5pm that evening, her family grew concerned and went to the park looking for her. The next day, her face was all over the local news and posters were plastered everywhere. A few days into the investigation, her underwear was found at Lake Hodges, 14 miles from where she went on her run. Her DNA as well as DNA from a registered sex offender was found on her underwear. At that point, it was sadly clear that she would not be found alive. John Gardner was arrested on suspicion of first degree murder. And on March 2, 2010, Chelsea's body was found in an isolated area of Lake Hodges. When it came out that her body had been recovered, I can remember the news playing at my house for hours. She lived less than 10 minutes from me. Being a 6 year old girl, I obviously didn't know all the details of her death, but I was old enough to know that something really bad had happened to her. I remember mourning her death. When family members would talk about her, they would always look at me and say the same thing. You look just like her. Ooh, for a little. For a child.

[Georgia Hardstark]

You say that to a child, everyone.

[Karen Kilgariff]

And then it says that I was stuck with me. And as a six year old, all I could see was myself. Ten years later, when she would be on the TV screen in my living room, I remember crying over her death and having so many confusing thoughts. I wanted to write her and her family letters. Obviously those letters were just a confusing rambling of words that didn't make sense because I was a first grader. But for whatever reason, I felt heartbroken over her death. The reason is because you have empathy and it's somebody in your community and it's you learning about bad things happen in the world.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Totally. It's so normal. And actually, you know, it'd be abnormal if you didn't do that. You know what I mean?

[Karen Kilgariff]

Exactly. Her family set up a foundation in her honor and my mom and I participated in a 5K to fund college scholarships. Over a million dollars were raised in her name.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Wow.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Her killer was convicted and was linked to another murder that happened just the year before to a 14 year old girl named Amber Dubois.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I remember this.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah. Her foundation helped raise awareness to the importance of keeping sexually violent predators away from areas with children. I still think about her and her family all these years later. Being told I look just like that girl really did a number on me and is the reason I became the Murderino I am today. Thank you for Everything you guys do. This podcast isn't just entertaining, but it's educational and inspiring. You give voices to those who lost theirs too soon. SSDGM Megan.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Oh, 14, 16. And I like that Megan points out that what it changed isn't that girls shouldn't be out alone. It's that sexual assault offenders, that's what should change is the sentencing laws and you know how they're monitored. Not what we're doing. Going for a fucking jog in the afternoon, you know?

[Karen Kilgariff]

Correct.

[Georgia Hardstark]

It's just absurd.

[Karen Kilgariff]

It's a very slow progress. But that is happening where it is. This is. We have to start looking at the people responsible for what is happening and not talking about the reaction to what is happening.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Totally, totally. Yeah. We don't need the curfew. It's the fucking predators who need the curfew.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah. Thanks, Megan. That was a vulnerable one. So thank you for that.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Totally. Okay, this one's a little more light hearted.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Okay.

[Georgia Hardstark]

This is called When I Was a Trash Mom. Hello to all the fabulous people and pets of MFM from North Carolina in Minisode 408. You asked us to tell the stories of when we were the trash parents. So here's the story of when I was a trash mom. Back in the summer of 2018, my brother and his wife came to visit our family. And our older brother came to see us all too. They wanted to get a beer in the evening after dinner at a local bar restaurant. Our daughters Carly and Julia were 11 and 5 at the time. And we had just started leaving them at home for Carly to babysit for short periods of time during the day. Like a trip to the grocery store. So the 11 year old is babysitting the 5 year old.

[Karen Kilgariff]

It's just roll those dice. Why not?

[Georgia Hardstark]

I mean, it's like you gotta start giving them some, you know, freedom and you gotta. And responsibilities. Yeah, that's scary. But it's okay. It's okay. It's totally okay.

[Karen Kilgariff]

But I mean, it's been done for millennia. But it's the same feeling as like when Nora got her driver's permit. And then my sister was like, wait, now she drives? Like, no way. And I'm like, oh, yes way. I'll do it. Like you have to let her now.

[Georgia Hardstark]

She gets to choose wherever she gets to. Oh, don't do it. Okay. And then it says about the grocery store, always paid, of course, because I was an unpaid babysitter to my half sister when I was young. There you go. Yeah, we were just planning to be gone for an hour or so. Back at home by 8:30 and we were only going a few miles away. Plans to drink never lasts an hour. It's never. You're never.

[Karen Kilgariff]

No, no, no. Unless you're a nun.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah.

[Karen Kilgariff]

And even then, maybe not like the idea. The whole idea of drinking is for more drinking.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Totally. That's what it does.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yes. That's a. That's a very me statement. But it's the truth. It's like, that's the whole deal you break down.

[Georgia Hardstark]

That's why it's addictive. It's the point of it.

[Karen Kilgariff]

The better. The more you have. The more you. The more. The better you get at it.

[Georgia Hardstark]

What's the one is too many. A thousand isn't enough. Like, come on.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Same with donuts.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Okay. We would be home before dark if they needed anything. Carly had a device she could text us from. And we still had a home phone. Everything's fine.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Great.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I'm a rather forgetful person and I'm always leaving things behind, especially my phone. I realized after we got to the restaurant that I had left my phone at home, but my husband had his. So no big deal, right? I mean, at this point, you'd have the husband text the daughter and be like, yo, text me if anything comes up, right?

[Karen Kilgariff]

Oh, that's a good plan.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah. They didn't do that at this point.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I was like, I'm gonna get baked potato skins.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Ah, potato skins. Potato skins. That sounds so good.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I'm just saying there's no parental skills in me whatsoever. Where it's like, wait, here's how we should take care of this problem. Or here's any. Like, any. Here's best practices for children watching children.

[Georgia Hardstark]

It's like, where's my Long island iced tea? I don't care about anything else.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I have one hour to party. Out of my way.

[Georgia Hardstark]

We ordered some munchies, potato skins, and had a couple of rounds of drinks with my husband as designated driver. We were all having fun and of course, completely lost track of time. Just before 10, my husband got a text message from Carly asking when we were coming home. He said we were on our way and we rushed back home. We felt guilty about being gone so long, but it got so much worse when I picked up my phone at home and saw a series of missed calls and texts from her. Like, when are you coming home? Should I put Julia to bed? I put Julia to bed. Are you guys coming home? Of course, she sent all of these to me before she bothered to text or call her dad. Of course. Yeah. Then Carly told us how she and Julia climbed into Carly's bed to read some stories and there was a spider in her bed. That might not sound like much of a problem, but I have unfortunately passed my arachnophobia to my daughters, so that is a big deal. So she had to kill a spider in her own bed. No doubt with five year old Julia screaming the whole time. Needless to say, I felt like the worst mom ever. Actually, we felt so bad that after I overpaid her for babysitting, both of my brothers paid her too. She made over $60 in those three traumatic hours. So it wasn't.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yes girl.

[Georgia Hardstark]

So it wasn't for nothing.

[Karen Kilgariff]

That's right. That's all that matters. If you get a little money for the trauma.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Totally, like, acknowledge my trauma monetarily. That's all we're asking for.

[Karen Kilgariff]

That's how we make up for it.

[Georgia Hardstark]

That's what suing people is. Our Carly, who just turned 18, has never let us forget the time mom and dad were only going to be gone an hour and just abandon us. But both our girls have turned out pretty great. Y'all are the best. I'm a Year one listener and really loving the MFM rewind episodes. I was a skipper for the first few years, but I'm a Skipper no more. You always make me laugh. Please keep it coming in 2025. We're definitely going to need it. You are not wrong. Did you see the thing that was like. I had my seven day free trial of 2025 and I'd like my money back, please. And I'd like to cancel my subscription, please.

[Karen Kilgariff]

For real?

[Georgia Hardstark]

God. Stay sexy and don't forget your phone. Lori, she her. P.S. i got an Elvis do youo Wanna Cookie tote bag for Christmas that I love. Picked out by Carly. My third MFM tote bag. Aw, maybe I have a problem. No, you do not. I have.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Oh, the plate. Yeah, exactly. They rule and we care a lot about them. Yeah, but also I love that that story comes full circle by the two children in the story 20 years later or whatever buying merch.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Totally. It's like a merch plug at the end of this. But it is good. Cause I'm always like, do we have to. Do we want. I'm always like, do people want more totes? Yes, everyone wants totes.

[Karen Kilgariff]

You never don't need it.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I have like 14 and how.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Sorry, but how long were they gone? I missed it.

[Georgia Hardstark]

It seems like three hours maybe.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Oh, that's fucking nothing. Are you kidding me?

[Georgia Hardstark]

How dare you 11 these days is like young though. We were smoking fucking cloves already.

[Karen Kilgariff]

But these days, yeah, it's so young. And it's so not at home by yourself with little kids.

[Georgia Hardstark]

No.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Also it is that thing where it's like whether it's a spider in your bed or just the idea that suddenly you look into the kitchen and everything looks kind of sinister and sharp. It's just like it's such a young. It's the first time to be like, oh, and if something goes down, it's on me.

[Georgia Hardstark]

And it's so quiet the first time you're like home alone. So quiet.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Especially when you hear the scratching in the attic. Right. Oof. I was home by myself, but I was like 21 or 2 and I heard something in the attic and I had a cat that was just staring at the attic where I was like, it was probably a possum.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah.

[Karen Kilgariff]

But then when I was like. So I went into my parents, like, it's gonna sound super fancy, but they have a walk in closet that's the most low key walking closet of all time.

[Georgia Hardstark]

It's like you can step inside.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah, it's very like 1987 version. But I went to try the door and it felt like someone was pressing back against the door. And I ran. I just ran. Got into my car and drove out to my old neighbor's house. And I was like, it was like almost midnight. I was like, he's like, what are you doing? And I'm like, you have to come back with me. I think someone's at my parents house. And I made him come and like check the entire house.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Good for you. I would have been like, I'm pretending that didn't happen. And because the cat, the cat was.

[Karen Kilgariff]

The cat was like basically pointing to the door.

[Georgia Hardstark]

The cats will alert you.

[Karen Kilgariff]

They will alert you and freak you the fuck out.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Right?

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[Karen Kilgariff]

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[Karen Kilgariff]

The subject line of this email is Runaway Child Hi lovely ladies. Longtime listener, fourth or fifth time writer. I've lost count. When I was in second grade they just go right into it.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I love it.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Just a little bit of a passive aggressive hint hint and then here we go. When I was in second grade, my mom took a leave of absence from work to stay home with my youngest brother who had just been born the year before. During this time she also watched two family friends after school to earn some extra cash. I can only assume she was being compensated.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Oh God.

[Karen Kilgariff]

That was in parentheses. Brennan was my best friend at the time and one day we decided that I was gonna go home with her. While our moms were inside talking, I snuck into the backseat. This is my jam. This is KK all the way age 9. I just loved this shit. I loved doing this shit. Okay, this was just a normal four door car, not an SUV with a hatchback. So I laid on the floor behind her driver's seat and Brennan and her little sister covered me with their backpacks and coats. And then in parentheses for some reason I remember foil. But that seems like an absurd thing for 8 year olds to have on hand.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Maybe one of those like runners post run foil jackets or like blankets.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Some kind of a camping leftover camping equipment or someone did a 10k. How many ks is it? 5k?

[Georgia Hardstark]

It's 10 5k. 10k. I don't think you need one for a 5k. Or maybe not even a 10k.

[Karen Kilgariff]

How long was the last one you ran?

[Georgia Hardstark]

Honestly, I rent. I used to run 5 and 10ks when I was like in elementary school with my Mom.

[Karen Kilgariff]

What?

[Georgia Hardstark]

I know I loved running as a kid. What? I know, it's weird.

[Karen Kilgariff]

It's still fresh, Georgia. There's still stuff to learn about each other. Look.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Look at us.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Look. Look at us. Still discover. We're still in a discovery.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Look at us. It's still taught. You can still. There's still time to go back. I'm like, no there fucking isn't.

[Karen Kilgariff]

No, no. Oh, please don't. You'll immediately both your hips will fall off. Her mom got in the car and started driving. I held my breath and tried to steady my breathing. We made it to Brennan. They all got out of the car. This is where the plan faltered as we didn't actually think I'd make it to her house. Brendan was able to sneak back into the garage and get me to the basement. At this point, we had no idea what to do. Would my mom freak out and call wondering where I was? No. Would Brennan's mom find me? No. After an hour or so, we both went upstairs and told Brennan's mom what had happened. She was none too thrilled and called my mom to let her know. I assumed at this point there'd be a search happening as we were going on two hours of an eight year old missing from home. But alas, neither my mom or dad knew I was gone. What the.

[Georgia Hardstark]

She went to pick her up at school and came home without her. Where is the. Like there's no. How do you miss that?

[Karen Kilgariff]

She just. Cause she was kind of chatting and just like she got distracted. I'm sure my 6 year old and 1 year old brothers were keeping them occupied. That's what it is. They had intense baby brain. Anyway, I don't know how I got back home, but after that day, Brennan's mom always checked the vaccine.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Thanks for all you do to make the world a better place. And for giving shout outs to teachers when talking about Karen's sister. It can be rough out there. Stay sexy and are you a runaway if no one notices? Bailey. Oh, tough.

[Georgia Hardstark]

It's not fair.

[Karen Kilgariff]

It's not fair.

[Georgia Hardstark]

That's hilarious.

[Karen Kilgariff]

It's like they pay attention to you when you don't want them to pay attention to you. And then no one pays attention when you're trying to do a show.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Oh, you see fucking everything When I'm trying to be sneaky and then I'm trying to do a show. Yeah. I'm not going to tell you the title of this one, but you'll probably get it.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Okay.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Hi everyone. That it just goes into somewhere in the Midwest during the 80s, my younger sister and I were dragged to my grandpa's house so the family could go out back and play cards. Like, what would you give to fucking be there right now?

[Karen Kilgariff]

Right? In the 60s, you said 80s.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Even in the Midwest, playing cards in.

[Karen Kilgariff]

The backyard, like, I mean, just, you know, there was cafe lights hung from a tree to the back porch roof.

[Georgia Hardstark]

And speaking of Miller High Life stuck in every. There's just like bottles popping, right?

[Karen Kilgariff]

And if you're gonna talk about cafe lights, you better be talking about Miller High Life. Girl. That's our song. That's our country song we're about to write. Get ready.

[Georgia Hardstark]

When we first arrived, everyone ate dinner. And then the kids were promptly shoved into the spare room to, quote, play. This bedroom was circa 1960 with shag carpet, rock hard bed. My grandma had this fucking room. Everything smelled musty. And it had a small TV with a VCR in the bottom to play Lassie for the hundredth time. Like, I am there. Yeah, you know, it was kid prison, which is one word. I'm about seven and the oldest. Between all the kids, there are five of us, bored out of our minds, so naturally we need to do something about that. Earlier during dinner, I remembered seeing this massive jar in the fridge filled with red stuff. And before being shoved into kid prison, I got a sneak peek. Now to the master plan. I convinced my cousin to go with me to get the jar because it's a two man job. Plus, I had another cousin being lookout. We were sophisticated criminals. Then we managed to slowly carry this massive jar of cherries to the kid prison, where we all stood around and admired its glory. There's nothing better in life when you're a child than maraschino cherries.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I'm sorry to keep on talking about Nora, but she, to this day, anytime we go out to eat lunch or dinner, she's like, can I get a Shirley Temple? And it's like, you're 18 years old, but it's that vibe. It's that it is magical. It'll never not be magical.

[Georgia Hardstark]

No. I was seven and I still remember the waiter at the restaurant overhearing me say I did a million Marian cherries if I could, and he brought me a, like, shot glass full of them. I still. It was like one of the best days of my life.

[Karen Kilgariff]

That's called customer service right there.

[Georgia Hardstark]

That's right. I'm sure my dad tipped like, okay, Marty. Okay, glory. We finally cracked it open, all grabbed a cherry and popped it in our mouth at the same time. Almost as quick we instantly spit it out. Ew, gross. These cherries don't taste right. And then we decided we don't care and we went full in. I had a pink arm up to my bicep from grabbing cherries. We were in heaven. And then. So the. The title of this one's called Drunk kids because it says fast forward to drunk parents finding drunk kids passed out everywhere with a cherryless jar. Everyone was freaking out. Kids were stumbling, my little sister puking. It's hilarious to hear the stories because I only remember the first part of that night. To this day, my aunts and uncles can't agree what the cherries were soaking in. Some say moonshine, some say gin, others say moonshine.

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[Karen Kilgariff]

Yes.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Stay sexy and don't put your boozy fruit on the bottom shelf.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Suze. Suze. Okay, wait. It was her brothers and sisters. And then like, cousins.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Cousins.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah, Fuck that. There's something really joyous. There was a moment post trying the like. Cause it's so little kid to be like, these taste terrible. Well, we're just gonna keep eating them.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I want them.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah, I want them and I have to have them. But there must have been this glory moment between like the last little kid eating their maraschino cherry and some sort of let's run on the couch, let's chase each other but on the couch type of thing. Like some older sister came up with a rad game for a bunch of moonshine drunk kids that it probably only could be sustained for about four minutes. And then it was mayhem.

[Georgia Hardstark]

For the moment, there was glory and it was.

[Karen Kilgariff]

There was true. All kids, you know, the floor is lava style game joy. Oh, to go back.

[Georgia Hardstark]

And you've been searching for it ever.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Since and you'll never find it.

[Georgia Hardstark]

You'll never find it.

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[Karen Kilgariff]

What was that.

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[Georgia Hardstark]

What's wrong, daddy?

[Karen Kilgariff]

She got infected.

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And Blum House, producers of the Black Phone.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Something's happening to. Can you hear me? I can't understand you.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Mommy, he's changing. Wait. Daddy fed you.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Wolf man.

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[Karen Kilgariff]

My last email is a classic trash dad. And in parentheses, that's what the subject line is. And then it says four minute read, so it says I've been listening since 2018. And I started with the episode where you covered the serial killer in Hawaii, followed by Coincidence island.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Nice.

[Karen Kilgariff]

The rest is history. You are truly the best slash my favorite. Thank you. My parents divorced when I was in elementary school and my dad moved out to the Pacific Northwest from the Midwest to basically start over. That meant for two weeks over Christmas and two months every summer my sister and I to fly out and visit. We did lots of fun activities in Washington and my dad enjoyed the outdoors and encouraged us to do the same. Sometimes his eagerness for us to have fun bordered on dangerous. These are my favorite.

[Georgia Hardstark]

These are my favorite single dads. So much fun.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Single dads riffin activities. Yep.

[Georgia Hardstark]

How do I do this?

[Karen Kilgariff]

What's. What's. What do I think is fun? They'll be fine is usually the mentality. One summer when I was about 14, my dad thought it would be very fun for me and my 15 year old sister and 12 year old stepbrother to go on a canoe voyage. He had a small canoe that we would utilize in small ponds mostly to putter around and go fishing. The plan? Drop the three of us children off at a boat dock on the Columbia river in this section of the river. It was a few hundred feet wide, very swift and very deep, and a canoe in a canoe. And the Columbia River's fucking serious. Shit.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Is it okay? Shit.

[Karen Kilgariff]

The first thing I thought of was like, I'm pretty sure we've done stories that involve the Columbia River.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Somewhere in my filing cabinet of my life. But then also they have their own clothing line. So, you know, it's not just like a low key river trickle.

[Georgia Hardstark]

There's no trickle for a clothing line.

[Karen Kilgariff]

There's gotta be like some rapids and shit. Okay. Could be wrong though. Okay. We were armed with three paddles, three life jackets, a safe, and then it says in parentheses, a safe, trash dad and a cooler of water and snacks. My sister had a small primitive cell phone circa 2010 that we put in a plastic bag in the cooler. Smart, smart. I kid you not. He dropped us off and casually said, I'll pick you up in a few hours downriver.

[Georgia Hardstark]

No, no, I'll pick you up in.

[Karen Kilgariff]

A few hours downriver. Just make sure you don't go past the dock I need to get you at. And thus our adventure began. Like, holy shit. Okay. We did not realize how massive the river Was until it was just us on our tiny canoe. We stayed close to the edge so we wouldn't get out to water that was too deep. We stopped for a lovely picnic lunch on a small sandbar. Our chests puffed up at our false senses of accomplishment. At Lewis and Clarking our way down this river, we were almost to our pickup point when we snagged a low hanging branch and tipped the canoe. I'm proud to say that I saved the snack cooler. And after getting the canoe to the bank and putting it back upright, we journeyed on. And even found the oar we lost in the capsizing, floating down the river slightly ahead of us. That's pretty cool. All in all, a great experience, minus getting eaten alive by mosquitoes and tipping the canoe. My dad was proud of us for doing it by ourselves. I see now that plopping three children in a massive river alone was not his best idea. He died when I was 18 after a short and brutal cancer fight. That is one of the saddest sentences you can write.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Totally.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I wish he were here to teach my kids, the grandkids he never got to meet, how to do all the amazing things he taught me to do. I like to think that he sees me now and is proud. Stay sexy and hug your dad, Mallory.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Aw, Mallory. Yeah. Like, once they got back, I was like, like safely. I was like, he really gave them courage. And that was. Maybe the point is, like, you can make it here and back. Fucking do it.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah. And maybe he was like secretly driving along somewhere watching them. Although it doesn't feel like it.

[Georgia Hardstark]

No, but.

[Karen Kilgariff]

No, it is that kind of. Somebody was talking about that, I'm sure on TikTok. But it's that thing of like, we really did this older generation that really was like, we were. We had play based learning. We were outside all the time. We had to deal with. We would create issues and we had to solve those issues, like all that kind of stuff.

[Georgia Hardstark]

My childhood mantra that my mom always said was fend for yourself. And yeah, we fucking did it.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Okay, My last one. This is called Serendipitous Half Sister. It says approximately 3 minute 45 second read at Georgia speed. What does that mean?

[Karen Kilgariff]

Are you fast or slow?

[Georgia Hardstark]

I don't know. I've got to be fast. According to my mom. Okay.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Isn't it weird every once in a while you just get that thing of, like, how we are being perceived? Like we are being perceived in the wildest fucking weirdest ways that, like, have nothing to do with who I know myself to Be.

[Georgia Hardstark]

No, but I think after nine years, it's gotta be pretty accurate. You know what I mean?

[Karen Kilgariff]

I know. I just don't like it. It's not up to them, it's up to me.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Okay, well, I read fast, so here we go.

[Karen Kilgariff]

And this is all prove it right now.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Happy New Year, y'all. A little late, but I partied a bit too hard to say it on. You asked for crazy coincidence stories in your last hometown episode. So this is the story of my father's long lost half sister and how a random drunk guy from Texas got sober and reconnected the two of them. It seemed like every vacation my family took, even states away, my father would run into someone he knew from long ago. Be it a pool, campground, cracker barrel, or many times at AA meetings. Dad was like a magnet for that sort of thing. Maybe it had to do with the fact that AA is often astonishingly full of people you used to know.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah, that's right.

[Georgia Hardstark]

He was a masterful storyteller. Dad never grew tired of sharing stories about running wild with mischief as a little boy in the streets of New York City during the Great Depression. And then it says in parentheses, 1930s. As if I also don't fucking know when the. I'm like a little. That's what you're talking about. I get it.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I hear you. That hurts. That hurts.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I know when that is.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Sorry. Just for future writers in. If you have a dad that grew up on the fucking literal streets of New York City during the Depression and you're gonna brag and you don't share one synopsized version with us, a quickie before you get to your main. Come on.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I know, I know. It's already long, so they probably are like, how am I gonna get this?

[Karen Kilgariff]

Please write back in.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Please write back in. We spent rainy days binge watching VHS tapes of Oliver and Hardy, the Three Stooges and Little Rascals, while imagining his childhood as a soot covered scoundrel playing in black and white.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Oliver and Hardy? Is that what's written there? Oliver and Hardy? Yeah, it's Laurel and Hardy.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I know, right? But I think maybe it's a. I.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Think one of their last names was Oliver. It was like Stan, Laurel and somebody. Oliver.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Probably Anne, maybe Oliver Hardy. Yeah.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Well, well, well, hate to correct you can't go back and also not know the truth. But that's kind of. That's how I really am.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I'm keeping it.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Okay.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Now that I understand what nostalgia looks like, I can see it in memories of My father's face as he recounted the details of his juvenes. Juvenile adolescents like that made up a word. There was always a moment dad would recall his half sister, Dorothy, who had left home as a teenager. I suppose she could not get along with my grandmother, who may have had a heavy hand. Dad prayed to find her someday. She was the only one who might still remain. Having eventually moved away from New York, my family ended up in South Carolina. I was about 11 years old when, after an AA meeting, my father spoke with a visiting Texan about his long lost sister Dorothy. The man's face twisted into amazement. He himself had met a woman years before who had gone on in the same fashion about her long lost brother. The strange Texan had met her on a separate trip to New York years before becoming sober and apparently shared this very intimate conversation with her and stayed in Christmas card contact. Her name Dottie, shorthand for Dorothy. The stranger took our phone number and told my dad, when I get home, I'll just check and let you know. Well, it was her all right. What the.

[Karen Kilgariff]

That's crazy.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I know. It happened quickly, and the two were soon hollering on the phone. A few weeks later, dad was on a flight to meet her. He came back with new photos of my grandfather and even of himself. Many he had never seen before, none of which I had seen until then. Dad had only one remaining photo of his father. They all only exist in photos now, and I recount the past by these limited images I have. But this little serendipitous moment remains the story that connects them to me in ways that. That is still so inexplicable. I'm Irish blooded and long winded, so I'm afraid of sending too long of an email. There you go. But some other someday I'll tell you about my mother, who, after spending 14 years as a nun, fell in love with my same magical trash dad who was under indictment at the time.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yes. What? Yes, this is it.

[Georgia Hardstark]

It says SSGDM and it's signed Boop with an exclamation mark and a fucking emoji smiley thing. Boop. Boop.

[Karen Kilgariff]

That's the person's name.

[Georgia Hardstark]

That's how they signed it. Boop. Boop. Like what you do?

[Karen Kilgariff]

They just are like, I'm out. Yeah, I'm out.

[Georgia Hardstark]

We're anonymous. Basically. Boop. Boop.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Oh my God. That was delightful. Yeah, but I feel like people need to understand the important parts of stories. You don't have to hear the whole story about the nun and the guy under indictment. Just like the moments that their hand first touched. Like, just give us a little bit of that. What was the pre. To the breakthrough to the. I am gonna break up with Jesus and get with you. A straight up criminal.

[Georgia Hardstark]

It had to be hot as fuck to be like, that powerful, right? Praise the Lord. Yeah.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Praise that Lord.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Send us your stories. Yes.

[Karen Kilgariff]

We are none.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Oh, my God. I want nun stories.

[Karen Kilgariff]

The nuns need to start writing in. Why did you accept the calling? Why did you leave the calling behind?

[Georgia Hardstark]

Right. Why did you change your name and get a new fake Social Security number and become a nun? My favorite murder at Gmail.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I think this is the first episode that's not an old record since the fires.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Oh, yeah. Oh, this is the first. Yeah.

[Karen Kilgariff]

And we are. I guess I was just gonna point out we're still in the middle of a natural disaster, so we don't really, like, please forgive everyone. I think everyone is getting this on social media where, like, no one knows what the hell's going on and no one. Everyone's afraid to say anything or. We're all holding our breath and waiting for these next 48 hours to pass. And it's really nice that people checked in on us and we're very happy to have been able to tell you that. That we're okay and. Yeah. That everyone is okay here.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah. Thank you guys for checking in so much. We appreciate it.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Very nice. And, you know, until next time, stay.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Sexy and don't get murdered. Goodbye, Elvis. Do you want a cookie?

[Karen Kilgariff]

This has been an exactly right production.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Our senior producer is Alejandra Keck.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Our editor is Aristotle Acevedo.

[Georgia Hardstark]

This episode was mixed by Liana Squillace.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Email your hometowns to my favorite murder.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Gmail.Com and follow the show on Instagram and Facebook at my favorite murder. Goodbye, everybody. These are violent criminals, so they're not.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Going to go down easy.

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ABC Tuesdays.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Let's get this done.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Do it.

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The rookie is back.

[Georgia Hardstark]

We have two new rookies starting today.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Howdy. Being a cop is stressful.

[Georgia Hardstark]

24.

[Karen Kilgariff]

7.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Every year on the job is different.

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And training day.

[Georgia Hardstark]

We have a serial killer at large.

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Never ends.

[Karen Kilgariff]

We need an ambulance.

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The rookie. All new Tuesdays on ABC and stream on Hulu.