Now You See Him, Now You Don’t

Selected Shorts – "Now You See Him, Now You Don’t"

Date: November 27, 2025
Host: Meg Wolitzer
Main Theme: Disappearances—playful, absurd, and deeply mysterious stories about people vanishing, exploring the emotional aftermath and the lingering mysteries for those left behind.

Episode Overview

This episode of Selected Shorts is dedicated to the phenomenon of disappearance—not as sheer tragedy, but as a force of chaos, comedy, or surreal transformation in fiction. Host Meg Wolitzer guides us through three very different stories: a kidnapped teenager whose abductors quickly regret their choice, the angst of being Waldo’s overlooked child, and the haunting presence of a lodger who simply will not (and perhaps cannot) leave. Each tale explores not just physical absence, but the emotional and psychological reverberations disappearances leave behind.

Key Discussions and Stories

1. Humorous Kidnapping Gone Wrong

Story: We Have Your Son by Ben Cronengold and Rebecca Shaw
Performed by: Jill Eikenberry and Michael Tucker
Timestamps: [04:07]-[15:12]

Synopsis & Discussion Points:

The story unfolds through a series of deadpan ransom emails between a pair of hapless kidnappers and the unbothered mother of their teenage captive, Harrison.
What starts as a threatening ransom demand quickly devolves into an exasperated co-parenting arrangement as the mother proves more than ready to let Harrison stay with his abductors.
The escalating tone of the kidnappers’ desperation, matched by the mother’s indifference and practical parenting tips, lampoons both the genre of ransom drama and the modern challenges of raising a teen.

Memorable Quotes:

Kidnapper E-mail:
“If the ransom is not paid in 24 hours, we will begin to cut off Harrison's fingers, starting with the ones he says he needs for piano lessons. There is no other way.” — Kidnapper/Anonymous Sender [07:45]
Mother’s Deadpan Reply:
“Tell him he plateaued in piano years ago. Also, there is no other way. THEIR PSATs. Worried for you guys.” — Alison Thatcher Hargrave [08:03]
Kidnapper’s Breaking Point:
“Your child is broken. Please write back soon with plans to take him back. Half a mil would suffice.” — Kidnapper/Anonymous Sender [11:41]
Mother’s Final Word:
“We love our son, but honestly, we don't half a mil love him, if that makes sense.” — Alison Thatcher Hargrave [12:25]

Notable Moments:

The biting, hilarious back-and-forth ultimately results in the kidnappers bonding with Harrison and even considering paying the parents to take him back.
The story ends with the “kidnappers” and Harrison having become friends:
“We do vibe checks once a week now... Today was a grumpy day, but that's okay because we're giving each other space to decompress.” — Kidnapper/Anonymous Sender [13:20]

2. Life as Waldo’s Kid

Story: Where’s Dad? by Claire Friedkin
Performed by: Emily Skeggs
Timestamps: [16:39]-[24:53]

Synopsis & Discussion Points:

Narrated by Waldo’s child (“Nepo baby”), this piece is a tongue-in-cheek exploration of absentee parents wrapped in the trappings of the “Where’s Waldo?” cultural phenomenon.
The narrator grapples with the inheritance of fame, the volatile nature of their father’s presence, and the peculiarity of growing up with a family figure constantly vanishing into crowds.
The story is suffused with melancholy and absurdity, twining earnest feelings about parental absence with the winking meta-joke of literally never being able to find your dad.

Memorable Quotes:

On Resemblance:
“Worst of all, I had his eyes, those black, beady eyes that seemed to scream ‘Find me,’ even when I was trying to hide.” — Narrator [16:39]
On Parental Absence:
“If only they knew that finding him was the easy part. Keeping him around was the real challenge.” — Narrator [17:18]
On Waldo’s Tragic End:
“He had a heart attack at Coachella. It would have been easy enough to treat, but the paramedics couldn't locate him in time.” — Narrator [22:37]

Notable Moments:

The gentle, hilarious reframing of Waldo’s perpetual absence as typical “dad out for cigarettes” drama, but with stripes and global notoriety.
Wolitzer’s trivia postscript:
“Did you know that in the UK, Ireland and Australia, Waldo is called Wally?... Even the name of this character is slippery as he traverses the globe.” — Meg Wolitzer [24:53]

3. The Unbudging Lodger and Spooky Absence

Story: A Minor Disturbance by Anita Felicelli
Performed by: Jill Eikenberry
Timestamps: [28:23]-[56:17]

Synopsis & Discussion Points:

Jacy, alone in her mountain home with her children, discovers a mysterious lodger has moved into the spare room—no event marked his arrival, and he leaves only unsettling traces.
Attempts to confront, evict, or even meet him are met with silence; meanwhile, the house undergoes slow transformation until it’s wholly unfamiliar.
The parallel disappearance of Jacy’s husband (lost on an expedition) sharpens the story’s focus on the anguish and lack of control accompanying absences that defy explanation or closure.

Memorable Quotes:

On the Mysterious Presence:
“He could be anybody. He could be someone off the street. Somehow, in the mystery that surrounded him, he'd acquired an odd power over her, over the house.” — Story Narrator [31:00]
On Powerlessness:
"She couldn't help her tone, pugilistic, forbidding. 'You there?' ... The doorknob was cold to the touch." [38:53]
On the Uncanny Stall:
“All the pictures were different. Yet again he'd taken away the silk flowers altogether. He replaced the utensils. He replaced her mother's china. Time rolled on, and soon none of the original furnishings remained in the house.” — Story Narrator [53:30]
On Ultimate Futility:
“...she lit a match in the kitchen... The grease fire spread... She was determined to see the lodger once and for all, now that he destroyed everything she could remember of her home. But as the last wall came down, the lodger never emerged.” — Story Narrator [56:05]

Notable Moments:

The sense of claustrophobia and surreal dread as Jacy fails, over years, to reclaim her home from the unseen lodger.
The parallel between the physical invasion of the lodger and the emotional void left by her husband’s loss—neither disappearance nor presence is ever resolved.

Host’s Takeaway:

Wolitzer reflects on how the story refuses straightforward resolution, drawing listeners into a state of “shifting, unsettling, and muted reality.”
“Silence and stillness in works of art and life often feel eerie, in part because the absence of sound, of response denies us the confirmation that all humans desire, denies us the answers to the questions we seek. Am I alone? Is someone there?” — Meg Wolitzer [56:17]

Additional Insights & Tone

Wolitzer’s opening remarks set the tone for playful mystery and a touch of melancholy:
“When someone vanishes ... there's a quality of mystery ... We might find ourselves asking all kinds of questions: Where did this person go? When did they go? Are they coming back?” [01:08]
Across all stories, the act of vanishing is a catalyst for humor, tension, and the wrestling with the unknowable—reminding us that fiction is most satisfying not when it answers questions, but when it compels us to live with them.

Key Timestamps for Story Segments

| Segment | Start | End | |-----------------------------------------------------------|------------|------------| | Wolitzer’s Introduction & Theme | 01:08 | 04:07 | | Story 1: "We Have Your Son" (Kidnapping Satire) | 04:07 | 15:12 | | Wolitzer’s Reflection on Epistolary Form | 15:12 | 16:39 | | Story 2: "Where’s Dad?" (Waldo Parody) | 16:39 | 24:53 | | Wolitzer’s Trivia and Transition | 24:53 | 26:59 | | Story 3: "A Minor Disturbance" (Unsettling Lodger) | 28:23 | 56:17 | | Wolitzer’s Final Reflection | 56:17 | 58:48 |

Notable Quotes Highlight Reel

“Tell him he plateaued in piano years ago.” — Alison Thatcher Hargrave [08:03]
“If only they knew that finding him was the easy part. Keeping him around was the real challenge.” — Waldo’s Child [17:18]
“You can't just live here rent free, you know.” — Jacy [39:00]
“It irritated her to think of him believing he’d pulled a fast one on her, that because she was alone, a widow, she made herself think she wouldn’t have the gumption to get rid of him.” — Story Narrator [54:10]

Conclusion: Episode Resonance

"Now You See Him, Now You Don’t" is a showcase of clever, surprising, and poignant spins on the theme of disappearance. With humor, emotional acuity, and a touch of the supernatural, the episode examines what it means to lose—or fail to hold—what we assume to be ours: children, parents, homes, and the certainty of presence itself. Through pitch-perfect performances and masterful storytelling, the episode is an invitation not just to witness others' vanishing acts, but to reflect on the unfinished mysteries in our own lives.

For more episodes: Selected Shorts Podcast

Selected Shorts – "Now You See Him, Now You Don’t"

Episode Overview

Key Discussions and Stories

1. Humorous Kidnapping Gone Wrong

Story: We Have Your Son by Ben Cronengold and Rebecca Shaw
Performed by: Jill Eikenberry and Michael Tucker
Timestamps: [04:07]-[15:12]

Synopsis & Discussion Points:

The story unfolds through a series of deadpan ransom emails between a pair of hapless kidnappers and the unbothered mother of their teenage captive, Harrison.
What starts as a threatening ransom demand quickly devolves into an exasperated co-parenting arrangement as the mother proves more than ready to let Harrison stay with his abductors.
The escalating tone of the kidnappers’ desperation, matched by the mother’s indifference and practical parenting tips, lampoons both the genre of ransom drama and the modern challenges of raising a teen.

Memorable Quotes:

Kidnapper E-mail:
“If the ransom is not paid in 24 hours, we will begin to cut off Harrison's fingers, starting with the ones he says he needs for piano lessons. There is no other way.” — Kidnapper/Anonymous Sender [07:45]
Mother’s Deadpan Reply:
“Tell him he plateaued in piano years ago. Also, there is no other way. THEIR PSATs. Worried for you guys.” — Alison Thatcher Hargrave [08:03]
Kidnapper’s Breaking Point:
“Your child is broken. Please write back soon with plans to take him back. Half a mil would suffice.” — Kidnapper/Anonymous Sender [11:41]
Mother’s Final Word:
“We love our son, but honestly, we don't half a mil love him, if that makes sense.” — Alison Thatcher Hargrave [12:25]

Notable Moments:

The biting, hilarious back-and-forth ultimately results in the kidnappers bonding with Harrison and even considering paying the parents to take him back.
The story ends with the “kidnappers” and Harrison having become friends:
“We do vibe checks once a week now... Today was a grumpy day, but that's okay because we're giving each other space to decompress.” — Kidnapper/Anonymous Sender [13:20]

2. Life as Waldo’s Kid

Story: Where’s Dad? by Claire Friedkin
Performed by: Emily Skeggs
Timestamps: [16:39]-[24:53]

Synopsis & Discussion Points:

Narrated by Waldo’s child (“Nepo baby”), this piece is a tongue-in-cheek exploration of absentee parents wrapped in the trappings of the “Where’s Waldo?” cultural phenomenon.
The narrator grapples with the inheritance of fame, the volatile nature of their father’s presence, and the peculiarity of growing up with a family figure constantly vanishing into crowds.
The story is suffused with melancholy and absurdity, twining earnest feelings about parental absence with the winking meta-joke of literally never being able to find your dad.

Memorable Quotes:

On Resemblance:
“Worst of all, I had his eyes, those black, beady eyes that seemed to scream ‘Find me,’ even when I was trying to hide.” — Narrator [16:39]
On Parental Absence:
“If only they knew that finding him was the easy part. Keeping him around was the real challenge.” — Narrator [17:18]
On Waldo’s Tragic End:
“He had a heart attack at Coachella. It would have been easy enough to treat, but the paramedics couldn't locate him in time.” — Narrator [22:37]

Notable Moments:

The gentle, hilarious reframing of Waldo’s perpetual absence as typical “dad out for cigarettes” drama, but with stripes and global notoriety.
Wolitzer’s trivia postscript:
“Did you know that in the UK, Ireland and Australia, Waldo is called Wally?... Even the name of this character is slippery as he traverses the globe.” — Meg Wolitzer [24:53]

3. The Unbudging Lodger and Spooky Absence

Story: A Minor Disturbance by Anita Felicelli
Performed by: Jill Eikenberry
Timestamps: [28:23]-[56:17]

Synopsis & Discussion Points:

Jacy, alone in her mountain home with her children, discovers a mysterious lodger has moved into the spare room—no event marked his arrival, and he leaves only unsettling traces.
Attempts to confront, evict, or even meet him are met with silence; meanwhile, the house undergoes slow transformation until it’s wholly unfamiliar.
The parallel disappearance of Jacy’s husband (lost on an expedition) sharpens the story’s focus on the anguish and lack of control accompanying absences that defy explanation or closure.

Memorable Quotes:

On the Mysterious Presence:
“He could be anybody. He could be someone off the street. Somehow, in the mystery that surrounded him, he'd acquired an odd power over her, over the house.” — Story Narrator [31:00]
On Powerlessness:
"She couldn't help her tone, pugilistic, forbidding. 'You there?' ... The doorknob was cold to the touch." [38:53]
On the Uncanny Stall:
“All the pictures were different. Yet again he'd taken away the silk flowers altogether. He replaced the utensils. He replaced her mother's china. Time rolled on, and soon none of the original furnishings remained in the house.” — Story Narrator [53:30]
On Ultimate Futility:
“...she lit a match in the kitchen... The grease fire spread... She was determined to see the lodger once and for all, now that he destroyed everything she could remember of her home. But as the last wall came down, the lodger never emerged.” — Story Narrator [56:05]

Notable Moments:

The sense of claustrophobia and surreal dread as Jacy fails, over years, to reclaim her home from the unseen lodger.
The parallel between the physical invasion of the lodger and the emotional void left by her husband’s loss—neither disappearance nor presence is ever resolved.

Host’s Takeaway:

Wolitzer reflects on how the story refuses straightforward resolution, drawing listeners into a state of “shifting, unsettling, and muted reality.”
“Silence and stillness in works of art and life often feel eerie, in part because the absence of sound, of response denies us the confirmation that all humans desire, denies us the answers to the questions we seek. Am I alone? Is someone there?” — Meg Wolitzer [56:17]

Additional Insights & Tone

Wolitzer’s opening remarks set the tone for playful mystery and a touch of melancholy:
“When someone vanishes ... there's a quality of mystery ... We might find ourselves asking all kinds of questions: Where did this person go? When did they go? Are they coming back?” [01:08]
Across all stories, the act of vanishing is a catalyst for humor, tension, and the wrestling with the unknowable—reminding us that fiction is most satisfying not when it answers questions, but when it compels us to live with them.

Key Timestamps for Story Segments

Notable Quotes Highlight Reel

“Tell him he plateaued in piano years ago.” — Alison Thatcher Hargrave [08:03]
“If only they knew that finding him was the easy part. Keeping him around was the real challenge.” — Waldo’s Child [17:18]
“You can't just live here rent free, you know.” — Jacy [39:00]
“It irritated her to think of him believing he’d pulled a fast one on her, that because she was alone, a widow, she made herself think she wouldn’t have the gumption to get rid of him.” — Story Narrator [54:10]

Conclusion: Episode Resonance

For more episodes: Selected Shorts Podcast

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Summary

Selected Shorts – "Now You See Him, Now You Don’t"

Episode Overview

Key Discussions and Stories

1. Humorous Kidnapping Gone Wrong

Synopsis & Discussion Points:

Memorable Quotes:

Notable Moments:

2. Life as Waldo’s Kid

Synopsis & Discussion Points:

Memorable Quotes:

Notable Moments:

3. The Unbudging Lodger and Spooky Absence

Synopsis & Discussion Points:

Memorable Quotes:

Notable Moments:

Host’s Takeaway:

Additional Insights & Tone

Key Timestamps for Story Segments

Notable Quotes Highlight Reel

Conclusion: Episode Resonance

Summary

Selected Shorts – "Now You See Him, Now You Don’t"

Episode Overview

Key Discussions and Stories

1. Humorous Kidnapping Gone Wrong

Synopsis & Discussion Points:

Memorable Quotes:

Notable Moments:

2. Life as Waldo’s Kid

Synopsis & Discussion Points:

Memorable Quotes:

Notable Moments:

3. The Unbudging Lodger and Spooky Absence

Synopsis & Discussion Points:

Memorable Quotes:

Notable Moments:

Host’s Takeaway:

Additional Insights & Tone

Key Timestamps for Story Segments

Notable Quotes Highlight Reel

Conclusion: Episode Resonance