
The Story Pirates visit a roadside cherry stand with a strange proprietor (Hari Kondabolu).
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Nimini
Lemonada.
Lee
Hey, story Pirates podcast listeners. Lee here. On today's episode, the Story Pirates road trip continues with a visit to a delightful roadside cherry orchard. And another visit to a delightful roadside cherry orchard. And finally, a visit to a delightful roadside cherry orchard. Plus we have a fantastic special guest, the hilarious comedian Hari Kondabolu. And of course, we have two brand new stories written by kids and more story love with Lee and Peter. And it's all coming up after a few words for the grown ups. Okay, story Pirates, time to wrap up our pit stop Cherry pit stop that is here at Stone Fruit's world famous roadside cherry stand, right in the heart of cherry country.
Nimini
Oh, just one last look at these beautiful cherries. Oh, are these cavaliers.
Peter
I don't know about these cherries, Nimini, but I'm certainly going to be cavalier about eating them.
Nimini
Eater. I meant the famous cherry variety. But you do you. Oh, look at the time. We better get back on the highway. Can you hand me the map? Sure.
Peter
But first, let me wipe this cherry pie filling off my chin with this paper covered in drawings of roads and landmarks Here.
Dewey Cadell
No.
Peter
Ah, that was the map, wasn't it?
Nimini
You got cherry pie filling all over it. I can't navigate us back to the highway with a messed up map. Can you navigate, Rachel?
Rachel Winitsky
Who, me? I would love to, but I can't. No, I'm not afraid. I'll be bad at it. I'm sure I'll be very good. It's just that I'm on a deadline. I'm writing a book that's the true story of an armoire. It's called Memoir Moire. And I can't navigate, um, because I have to memorize the entire works of Anton Chekov right now for reasons.
Peter
And I can't navigate because I'm holding all these cherry pies.
Lee
Uh,
Eric Austin
I shall do it. Aye, Eric, world renowned treasure hunter and explorer shall navigate us without a map. Wow.
Rachel Winitsky
Okay.
Lee
Thanks, Teresa. Thank you so much.
Eric Austin
And I won't tell anyone that I'm using my gps.
Rachel Winitsky
What was that?
Eric Austin
Nothing. Megan. I certainly didn't say anything about relying on technology.
Rachel Winitsky
Oh, okay. But it would be fine if you did. We all use technology to help sometimes.
Eric Austin
Not me.
Lee
Okay, well, we are all going to go pay for our various cherry items while you go and start the ship.
Rachel Winitsky
Oh, yeah, I'll take.
Peter
I'm getting hundred.
Eric Austin
Phew, that was close. Now to boot up my always reliable GPS error.
Cash Register Bot 5000
No signal.
Fritz
GPS unreliable.
Eric Austin
Oh, no. My GPS isn't working. We're doomed.
Nimini
Eric, did you just say we Were doomed.
Eric Austin
Nope. I said we're broomed. I. I swept up the ship earlier, so everything is nice and clean for me to better navigate my natural born navigational skills.
Kelsey
Great.
Peter
You want us to grab you a jar of cherry jam? Please.
Eric Austin
All right, Eric, you're lost somewhere in cherry growing country. Your GPS is broken. You have to do the one thing you thought you'd never do. Ask for directions.
Peter
Wow.
Nimini
I love Story Pirates. It just filled me up with joy.
Fancy Accent Guy
My mom loves the jokes.
Nimini
Yo, yo, my.
Eric Austin
Yes.
Rachel Winitsky
It made me very proud about my sightings.
Nimini
Hey, wait. I'm gonna come out of this pit. I definitely think I can be more creative now. I'm the champion.
Lee
The Story Pirates. Welcome back to the Story Pirates podcast,
Nimini
where we take stories written by kids
Peter
and turn them into sketch comedy and songs.
Rachel Winitsky
Eric, are you about ready to navigate us back to the highway?
Eric Austin
Absolutely. Just one more minute.
Rachel Winitsky
Not to rush you, Eric, but we do need to get moving. Even though I mentioned my book deadline earlier as an excuse not to navigate, the deadline is real.
Nimini
Oof.
Rachel Winitsky
I can't wait to read memoir Moire. French furniture pieces lead the most interesting lives. Wait until you read the sequel. Don't go. Chaise Longing waterfalls.
Peter
That's right.
Rachel Winitsky
I did the French pronunciation, but I'm keeping the pun.
Nimini
Ooh.
Peter
Ah.
Eric Austin
I need a distraction. Hey, everyone, should we do a story right now?
Lee
Yeah.
Scientist 1
Yeah.
Lee
There's always time for a story.
Eric Austin
Awesome. And here to introduce it is the author.
Nimini
Hi, I'm AMIVA and I'm 12 years old. And I'm June. And I'm 10 years old. We live in California.
Fancy Accent Guy
This is our story.
Nimini
Hair Hospital.
June
Hair Hospital. People who care if you are injured and need awesome hair. We'll fix your crisis at rock bottom prices here at Hair Hospital. We really love you a lot. Has this ever happened to you?
Nimini
Oh, no. I have a broken leg and a hair crisis. I can't drive to the hair salon because of my foot.
June
It's part of her leg.
Nimini
And I can't go to the hospital because of my hair. Her hair. Oh, my poor foot. And my leg and my hair. What am I gonna do? They're taking and frayed and in need of repair. What am I gonna do?
June
Well, you should come down to the. Yes, you should come down to the.
Nimini
The what?
June
You should come down to the.
Nimini
I'm waiting.
Rachel Winitsky
Um.
Nimini
What is it?
June
Just give me two minutes to check my email.
Peter
Three hours later.
Dieselman Stone Fruit
Oh, here it is.
June
You should come down to the hair hospital. If you need aid, we'll do some blood work and Give you a fade.
Nimini
Are we still on that?
June
Yes, we're still on that. Sorry, it took me three hours to find it in my email. Hair Hospital Heard on the job. We'll pat you up and then you'll get a bob replacing your hips while we're frosting your tips. Come to Hair Hospital. Also, the coffee is fine. Hair Hospital punch in the toilet. We'll do a CAT scan and throw in a mullet, exiling germs and styling your perms here at Hare Hospital. For more info and the liability waiver, dial this number. 555-and-85555. 55. One more time. 555 and a 555555. Actually, let's do it again. 5, 55 and a 5555.
Peter
Fleas, bird poop, short staff and mad scientists.
June
We really love you a lot at the Hair high speed.
Lee
Oh yeah.
Eric Austin
55. That was an incredible story and the perfect distraction. Now I can ask the owner of this cherry stand for directions without anyone knowing. I'm lost without my gps. Excuse me, sir.
Dieselman Stone Fruit
Hello there.
Eric Austin
Are you the owner of this fruit stand?
Dieselman Stone Fruit
Why yes I am. Name's Dieselman. Stone Fruit. Put her there, partner.
Eric Austin
Okay, I'll shake your hand.
Rachel Winitsky
Ow.
Eric Austin
Strong grip.
Dieselman Stone Fruit
It's from pitting the fruit I own, operate and do the taxes of Stone Fruit's world famous roadside cherry stand.
Rachel Winitsky
Neat.
Dieselman Stone Fruit
So that's this very cherry stand we're standing at right now.
Peter
Yeah.
Eric Austin
Anyway, my friends and I are lost.
Dieselman Stone Fruit
Oh my goodness. Is this a cherry stand or a pickle stand? Because you've got yourself in a real dilly of a pickle.
Eric Austin
Yeah. So here's the thing. I can't let my friends know I'm lost. Can you please give us directions back to the highway, but quietly?
Dieselman Stone Fruit
I see your secret safe with me. Wink.
Nimini
Thanks.
Eric Austin
Though when you say wink, instead of just winking, it draws more attention to this whole conversation.
Dieselman Stone Fruit
Ah, my bad. Anyway, you take east river on down towards Fife Lake. Go on down past the cherry trees, keep going down, turn left, take another left and you'll be on your way before you know it.
Eric Austin
Thank you so much, Mr. Stone Fruit.
Dieselman Stone Fruit
Call me Dieselman. It's my name.
Dewey Cadell
Buh.
Dieselman Stone Fruit
Bye now.
Eric Austin
Alright pirates, let's board our ship and be on our way.
Peter
I'm so full of pie.
Lee
I'm so full of concern that we're falling behind schedule. It's a good thing we have a world renowned treasure hunter navigating us back on course.
Eric Austin
Yep, that's me. No devices, no map, just pure Eric know How? And I know how to get us back to the highway. Take east river down toward Fife Lake. Go down past the cherry trees, keep going down, turn left, take another left. It's that easy.
Nimini
All right, let's go. Hey, while we're driving, anyone have suggestions on how to pass the time? How about you, baby with a mustache?
Cash Register Bot 5000
Oh, of course I do.
Nimini
Watch this.
Cash Register Bot 5000
Mama's little baby loves Shortland. Shortland. Mama's little baby loves Shortland bread. Mama's little baby loves Shortland. Shortland. Mama's little baby loves Shortland bread. Yeah,
Nimini
pretty good.
Fancy Accent Guy
Topical.
Eric Austin
Great job, baby with a mustache. You really made time fly by now to take that second left.
Dewey Cadell
And
Eric Austin
that's weird. We're at another cherry stand.
Peter
Hey, I mean, we might as well get off the ship and check it out.
Lee
This looks familiar. Is this the same cherry stand?
Eric Austin
Nah, couldn't be. This is cherry country. Lee, there's gotta be a hundred cherry stands just like the one we stopped at. There's no way this one is owned by.
Dieselman Stone Fruit
Well, hello there, Dieselman Stone Fruit.
Eric Austin
What are you doing popping up from behind that rack of 100% pure tart
Dieselman Stone Fruit
cherry juice made from the freshest cherries? Who wants to try some?
Peter
Me.
Rachel Winitsky
Eric, did you accidentally navigate us back to the same cherry stand? That is really good.
Eric Austin
Of course I didn't accidentally navigate us back to the fruit stand. You think that I, a world renowned treasure hunter, would get us lost?
Rachel Winitsky
Yeah, that wouldn't make sense. This juice is incredible. Are these Bings?
Dieselman Stone Fruit
Actually, they're Montmorency's.
Eric Austin
I navigated back here totally on purpose. Because. Because I forgot to buy sour cherry candy for my cherry charcuterie board.
Nimini
Well, you can't do cherry charcuterie without sour candy. The flavor profile is all wrong.
Rachel Winitsky
Cherry charcuterie? You didn't shorten it to charcuterie?
Nimini
No, because then I'd get it confused with Rachel's book chair. Cutery. A History of Cute Chairs.
Rachel Winitsky
A book so nice they discontinued it twice.
Eric Austin
While I talk to Dieselman here about cherries and nothing else, why don't the rest of you look at more cherry
Peter
products
Eric Austin
now that you're distracted? Hey, I got a bone to pick with you, Dieselman.
Dieselman Stone Fruit
A bone to pick, eh? Not a cherry to pick. Because if there's one pick I'd pick, it's cherry picking. Hey, wanna try some cherry nut mix?
Eric Austin
No. Well, actually, yes. Oh, delicious. But you gave me bad directions.
Dieselman Stone Fruit
Oh, gosh, did I? Awful sorry about that. Here, take some chocolate covered cherries and cherry salsa as my way of saying sorry about that.
Eric Austin
Thanks, but.
Dieselman Stone Fruit
And I'll set you up with new directions, get you right as rain. You take east river away from Fife Lake, go down past the cherry trees, keep going down, turn right, another right, and you'll be on your way. You know it.
Eric Austin
I guess I have no choice but to follow these directions. Okay, pirates all aboard.
Nimini
Ooh, look at Eric's cherry haul. I can't wait to try that cherry charcuterie board.
Eric Austin
Here, you take them.
Peter
Oh, how
Lee
are you?
Eric Austin
Now back to the highway, guided by me, navigator and explorer extraordinaire. Baby with a mustache. Take it away.
Nimini
Ha ha.
Cash Register Bot 5000
Mama's little baby loves Shortland. Shortland. Mama's little baby loves Shortland.
Nimini
Bread.
Cash Register Bot 5000
Mama's little baby loves Shortland. Shortland. Mama's little baby loves Shortland.
Nimini
Proud. Woo hoo.
Lee
Yeah.
Eric Austin
Somehow even better the second time around. And now we're.
Nimini
Whoa.
Eric Austin
Back at the cherry stand.
Dieselman Stone Fruit
Hello there.
Eric Austin
Oh no.
Fritz
We'll be right back after a few words for the grown ups.
Lee
Hey, grown ups. Today's episode is sponsored by Quince. You know, lately I have been a little more serious about what I wear every day. I've been leaning into pieces that feel effortless, comfortable, and still put together. You know, it just makes getting dressed simpler and I look better. And Quince has been my go to. The fabrics feel elevated, the fits are flattering, and everything just works without me overthinking it, you know? Quints makes it easy to refresh your everyday this spring with pieces that feel as good as they look. They use premium materials like 100% European linen, organic cotton, and ultra soft denim. Their lightweight linen pants, dresses and tops start at $30 and are effortless, breathable, and easy to wear on repeat. Everything at quince is priced 50 to 80% less than similar brands. They work directly with ethical factories and cut out the middleman. So you're paying for quality and craftsmanship, not brand markup. You know, in one of our recent Story Love videos, I wore this really nice white quint sweater that I have, and I gotta say, it really upped my look. For once, I was not dressed like a teen headed off to summer camp. And instead I looked like a professional kids and family podcaster, right? And then I wore the same sweater home. And my family was like, hey, do you have something fancy today? And I was like, no. And they just stared at me. They didn't say anything for like a full minute. You see, it's just confusing to see me wearing something so nice and flattering. Thanks, Quince. Refresh your Everyday with luxury you actually use. Head to quints.com storypirates for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. That's Q-U-I-N C E.com storypirates for free Shipping and 365 day returns. Quints.com storypirates.
Rachel Winitsky
Eric, is everything okay?
Eric Austin
Absolutely. You all wait on the ship while I deal with something.
Lee
Something. Did you want to be more specific?
Eric Austin
Nope.
Dieselman Stone Fruit
Welcome back. Life without cherries gave you the scaries. Made you quite wary. Your fears stem from no cherries.
Eric Austin
Enough. Okay, Mr. Stronefruit, you gave me bad directions again. Oh, gosh.
Dieselman Stone Fruit
That wasn't very neighborly of me. Let me make it up to you with some of our famous cherry summer sausage.
Eric Austin
Just the directions, please.
Dieselman Stone Fruit
Of course. You take Fife river away from East Lake. Go on up before the cherry trees start. Keep going up. Turn left. Turn right. Turn right. Turn right. Turn right. Turn left. Turn right. Turn right. Stay straight. Turn straight and you'll be on your way before you know it.
Eric Austin
Thank you. And I will take that cherry summer sausage and see you again. Never.
Rachel Winitsky
Everything okay, Eric?
Eric Austin
Fine. We're fine. And nobody ask any follow ups. Okay, we're back on the road. Baby with the mustache starts singing the
Cash Register Bot 5000
role I was born to play. Mama's little baby.
Nimini
Whoa.
Eric Austin
What in tarnation?
Nimini
Eric, we all love the cherry stand, but did we need to come back a fourth time?
Eric Austin
There's a very good reason I did this, Nemeni. I just need to go find out what it is. You there with the mustache.
Dieselman Stone Fruit
Hello there.
Eric Austin
Where is Dieselman Stone Fruit?
June
Who?
Dieselman Stone Fruit
Oh, you must have this cherry stand confused with another roadside cherry stand. I'm Sneaselman Clone Fruit, owner of Clone Fruit's world famous roadside Cherry Stand. You can clearly see I'm not the guy who gave you bad directions on account of the mustache.
Eric Austin
That does make sense. But let me just see something. A fake mustache. You are Dieselman Stone Fruit.
Dieselman Stone Fruit
All right, you got me.
Peter
It's true.
Eric Austin
What's with the bad directions, Dieselman?
Dieselman Stone Fruit
Well, look, I'm lonely, okay? It's the end of cherry season and I'm not getting a lot of business. It's boring. I don't have anyone to talk to. Excuse me. Except for cash register bot 5000.
Cash Register Bot 5000
Welcome to Stone Fruit's world famous roadside Cherry Stand.
Dieselman Stone Fruit
All it ever asks me is whether I'm paying cash or credit. I'm not paying, robot. I own the cherry stand. I thought if you kept coming back, we might become friends. Maybe even hang out like two Cherries in a pod?
Eric Austin
Cherries don't grow in pods.
Dieselman Stone Fruit
Not the ones you know about.
Nimini
Are you paying cash or credit?
Dieselman Stone Fruit
I said not now. Cash Register Bot 5000.
Eric Austin
So Cash Register Bot 5000 helps you?
Dieselman Stone Fruit
Yeah. Couldn't run the Cherry Stand without it.
Eric Austin
And you're not embarrassed to tell people that?
Dieselman Stone Fruit
Why would I? In fact, I think having help makes me even better at what I do.
Rachel Winitsky
Huh.
Eric Austin
You know, Dieselman, I think you might have just blown my mind. Will you come aboard the ship with me? I've got something I want to tell the rest of the story. Pirates.
Dieselman Stone Fruit
Nothing would make me happier.
Lee
Hey, Eric. And hey, Cherry stand owner guy.
Dieselman Stone Fruit
Call me Dieselman. It's my name.
Eric Austin
I brought Dieselman here on board the ship because.
Nimini
Well, why the hesitation, Eric? It's almost as if you have something embarrassing to admit to everyone on board the ship.
Eric Austin
The thing is, I don't know where we're going.
Nimini
Gasp.
Eric Austin
I'm not a natural born navigator, okay? When you all found me in my one man submarine, I had been lost underwater for weeks. I relied on my gps, but I couldn't get a signal down there. And I was too embarrassed to admit I could navigate without it.
Rachel Winitsky
There's nothing to be embarrassed about, Eric. Everyone needs help sometimes, even for the stuff that we're good at. Like how Nimini is helping me with editing memoir moir. Or how Lee is helping me memorize my checkoff lines.
Peter
Or how I help myself to all these pies.
Eric Austin
Or how Dieselman here is going to help me navigate as my new friend.
Dieselman Stone Fruit
Friend?
Lee
Really? You mean it?
Eric Austin
Absolutely. You've been so generous with all your cherry wares, and you helped me realize it's okay that I need a little help navigating.
Dieselman Stone Fruit
Oh, gosh, look at me blush like a cherry. Well, it's easy to get back to Route Zero. It's literally right behind you.
Eric Austin
That's embarrassing.
Dieselman Stone Fruit
And that's okay.
Eric Austin
Thank you so much, friend. But I feel bad leaving you here, Dieselman. You know, without a friend to hang out with.
Dieselman Stone Fruit
Well, well, well, if it isn't my old frenemy, Dieselman. Stone Fruit Sneaselman Clone Fruit, as I live and breathe.
Eric Austin
Wait, Sneaselman Clone Fruit is real?
Dieselman Stone Fruit
I'm gonna need a ride back to my cherry stand, Sneaselman. You got it, Dieselman.
Eric Austin
I guess a frenemy is a kind of friendship. Should we do another story?
Nimini
Yeah.
Eric Austin
And here to introduce it is the author.
Fritz
My name is Fritz. I'm 11 years old and I live in Germany. This is my story. The real reason why dinosaurs went Extinct.
Fancy Accent Guy
Since the dawn of time, humanity has wanted to answer the biggest questions. Where do we come from? What is out there in this great big world of ours? Why is bedtime always so early? Welcome to science. I'm your host, Fancy Accent Guy. Today we will be discussing the real reason dinosaurs went extinct. And as always, if I don't like the answer my guests provide, I'll what?
Lee
Throw them into a pit full of spicy stuff, which is mighty, mighty spicy.
Fancy Accent Guy
Now, please welcome our first guest, Scientist1.
Scientist 1
I'm sorry, I heard something about a very deep pit full of spicy stuff.
Fancy Accent Guy
No, you didn't. Now, Scientist one, tell us, what is the real reason the dinosaurs went extinct?
Scientist 1
Well, Guy, fossil records and other DNA evidence we've uncovered shows it might have gone something like this.
Dewey Cadell
Just kidding. Good morning, Stegosaurus.
Scientist 1
Good morning, T. Rex. Hey, what should we get up to today?
Dewey Cadell
I just feel like there's nothing to do on Earth.
Scientist 1
I know. It's all hunt and roar and hunt and roar and hunt and roar. And then sometimes go to a birthday party for a dinosaur you're not even really that close with.
Dewey Cadell
Well, I know what we could do.
Scientist 1
Let's say it together, okay? 1, 2, 3.
Dewey Cadell
Get in a spaceship and go to space. Because there's so much more to do out there for a dinosaur with a
Scientist 1
dream in their heart and a lot of free time since they learned that it's pretty easy to survive as an apex predator. And away we go. Whee. And so you see, the dinosaurs never returned to Earth.
Fancy Accent Guy
Wrong.
Lee
What do you mean, wrong?
Fancy Accent Guy
Your answer is wrong, which I know, as I have a fancy accent and that means I know science. Now you get dunked in the spicy stuff pit.
Peter
I don't understand.
Lee
Where am I?
Nimini
What is this place?
Dieselman Stone Fruit
Mmm.
Lee
Hot and spicy.
Peter
Queso yum.
Lee
Wow.
Fancy Accent Guy
We're two minutes into science, and we still don't know the real reason dinosaurs went extinct. But I know my viewers trust me to get the answers. That's why we have our next guest. It's Scientist 2.
Nimini
Pleasure to be here.
Fancy Accent Guy
Come sit over here by this trapdoor. I mean, front door. I mean, chair.
Nimini
Okay, I do love chairs.
Fancy Accent Guy
Now, scientists, too, tell us, what is the real reason dinosaurs went extinct?
Nimini
I think the most likely event was something like this.
Lee
Whoa.
Dewey Cadell
Check it out, Stegosaurus. We made it all the way to space.
Scientist 1
There are so many cool things we can do in space. Explore new planets. See whether there's life on them. Watch a star twinkle from just a few feet away. So many things. What do you think we should do?
Dewey Cadell
I Think we should stick magnets on the whole spaceship.
Scientist 1
But why?
Dewey Cadell
Why go even further into space when we could bring space closer to us?
Scientist 1
Is that how magnets work?
Eric Austin
Yes.
Dewey Cadell
Look at this magnet I brought. That looks like a rhinosaurus.
Lee
Whoa. Cool.
Dewey Cadell
Let's stick on the magnets. Done. Now our spaceship is covered in magnets and more attractive than ever before.
Nimini
I guess.
Scientist 1
I don't really know what that does for us though.
Rachel Winitsky
But.
Dewey Cadell
Wait, what's that in the distance?
Scientist 1
I think it's a tennis ball.
Dewey Cadell
No, it's bigger than that. A basketball.
Scientist 1
Medicine ball.
Dewey Cadell
Hundred foot marble.
Scientist 1
A giant boulder that's moving very quickly towards us.
Dewey Cadell
A marble the size of a skyscraper.
Lee
A meteorite.
Dewey Cadell
It's attracted to the ship and I'm
Lee
in love with it.
Nimini
And in the end, it did end
Lee
up hitting the dinosaurs, causing them to go extinct.
Fancy Accent Guy
So your scientific conclusion is as somebody stuck some magnetic stuff onto the dinosaur spaceship, causing the meteorite to be attracted to it and fall in love with the ship?
Nimini
Yes.
Eric Austin
I see.
Nimini
Wrong.
Peter
What?
Fancy Accent Guy
You get dunked in the spicy stuff pit and need to eat it?
Nimini
My answer was pure review. Hello, can anyone hear me? Yeah, I'm right here in the spicy stuff pit. It's actually pretty nice. Wish I had some chips. Hey, can you send down some chips? Pita chips would be great.
Fancy Accent Guy
Well, audience, we still don't know the real reason dinosaurs went extinct, but I assure you, I will interview as many scientists as it takes because this is science. Please welcome our next guest. They are someone I met outside the studio who knew what a beaker was. Please welcome scientist three.
Rachel Winitsky
Uh, hello.
Fancy Accent Guy
Tell us, what is the real reason dinosaurs went extinct?
Rachel Winitsky
Um, the thing is, now that I've seen the trap, I kind of don't
Nimini
want to say my answer anymore.
Fancy Accent Guy
So I'm sorry, you have no choice.
Rachel Winitsky
But it feels like there's no way for me to be right. So wrong. I actually think it was an ice agent sometime.
Nimini
Oh, hey, what's up, doc? Did you bring chips?
Fancy Accent Guy
Not to worry, dear science viewers, I will not let you down. If it takes me all day, all night and a full montage, I will find the real reason the dinosaurs went extra extinct. Here we go, scientist number 100. Tell me, why did the dinosaurs go extinct?
Peter
They all went into the sea and became walruses.
Fancy Accent Guy
Wrong, scientist number 200.
Nimini
They couldn't find enough food because the saber toothed tigers got to it first.
Fancy Accent Guy
Wrong scientist number 300.
Rachel Winitsky
They decided to all leave at once so they could seem mysterious and cool.
Peter
3 billion spicy stuff pit dunks later
Fancy Accent Guy
and now introducing, literally the last person who knows anything, literally anything at all about science on this earth. Scientist 300 septillion 2.
Nimini
No, I won't do it. This is ridiculous. If the smartest scientists in the world couldn't figure this out, how could I? Buddy? I don't know anything about dinosaurs. Certainly don't know why they went extinct. I'm not your guy. I'm scientist 300 septillion, too.
Fancy Accent Guy
That's correct.
Nimini
What? All I said was, I'm scientist 300
Fancy Accent Guy
septillion', too, which is the correct answer to the question, what's the real reason dinosaurs went extinct? I'd never thought about it like that before, but it makes. Makes perfect scientific sense.
Nimini
Oh, I don't get it. But okay, what do I win?
Fancy Accent Guy
You get 300 septillion. €2.
Nimini
I love euros. Really?
Fancy Accent Guy
Nope. Oh, earlier, when I said that the correct answer was your name, I lied. It actually isn't the answer.
Nimini
Into the pit.
Fancy Accent Guy
If you insist.
Nimini
No, that's not what I. Hey, there's enough of us to have a conference.
Fancy Accent Guy
You see, the truth about the real reason the dinosaurs went extinct is that they are not. Dinosaurs are coming for you. Just kidding. Or am I? Thanks for watching Science. I've been Fancy Accent Guy. Oh, excuse me. The end.
Peter
And now Lee speaks with the author.
Lee
Okay, Fritz, so first thing I need to know is about Fancy Accent Guy. Is he, like, on a TV show, or what's the context that you imagined for what you wrote?
Fritz
I kind of imagine it more like a club.
Lee
Kind of. And the club just happens to have a pit of spicy stuff that everyone potentially can fall in.
Fritz
Yeah.
Lee
So tell me more about fancy, Fancy Accent Guy. What gives him the power to do this to all the different people who have ideas?
Fritz
It was the small print for joining the club. They needed to sign something, and there was a small print. Fancy Accent Guy has the right to throw you all in the spicy stuff pit.
Lee
That is a good lesson. Always read the small print when you are signing up for clubs.
Fritz
Yep.
Lee
What exactly is in the spicy stuff pit? Like, what are the ingredients in there?
Fritz
Well, for that part, my dad always eats, like, this spicy, crunchy red pepper flakes. He puts it on, like, food and then. Yeah, that's how I thought of it.
Lee
So do you know why dinosaurs went extinct? And I promise, if you don't, I won't put you into a spicy stuff pit.
Cash Register Bot 5000
No, I don't.
Kelsey
Really?
Fritz
No. Well, no.
Lee
Well, sorry to say I lied when I said I wasn't gonna put you in the spicy stuff pit.
Fritz
Oh, Now I'm scared.
Lee
Here we go.
Fritz
How did you open this back door in the ground?
Lee
Oh, I just pressed this button right here.
Nimini
Where did you even get the money
Fritz
for all of this?
Lee
I've been saving up. Is there anything that you want to share to convince me to let you out of this pit before we go?
Fritz
Story Pirates is my favorite podcast.
Lee
Oh, all right. You can get out.
Nimini
Yeah.
Fritz
Um, how exactly?
Lee
And that's all we have time for today. Thank you so much for joining us, Fritz, and thanks for letting us perform your story.
Nimini
Hey, wait. I want to come out of this bit.
Lee
Bye.
Nimini
Bye. We'll be right back after a few words for the grown ups.
Lee
Welcome back to StoryLove, where we take stories written by kids and we read them. My name is Lee. My name is Peter, and together we are Peter and Lee. So the Story Pirates, we get tens of thousands of stories a year and we respond to every single one. Some of them we get to put on our podcast and some of them we talk about in this segment. Story Love.
Peter
This is all true.
Lee
Peter, I'm going to read our first story, if that's okay with you.
Peter
It is very okay.
Lee
Okay. From a six year old named Ethan in Canada. This is called Robot Haircut.
Peter
Ooh.
Lee
And first of all, this is probably the most incredible drawing I've ever seen.
Peter
It is wild.
Lee
There's so much going on here. First of all, obviously the centerpiece is this seven faced monster. I love this guy at the very bottom, right?
Peter
Yes.
Lee
With the multiple eyes.
Peter
A lot of eyes.
Lee
Lots of arms and legs.
Peter
Yes. Just maybe tentacle hair.
Lee
Ethan, if this was the only thing you submitted to us, it would still be one of the best things I've ever seen. All right, here's the story, though. Once upon a time, there was three monsters that destroyed a yeti and people. And then they get to the city and they took everyone's money to buy paper and rocks and scissors, and by accident, they all gave each other a haircut.
Peter
The end. Now, you know what my first reaction to this story was, which is this is an origin story for the game Rock, Paper Scissors.
Lee
Oh, how so?
Peter
Well, it used. This is a story we used to. Everyone used to tell each other about the time that all the monsters came and they destroyed the yeti. They went to the city and people kept telling the story over and over, and then it turned into a game and it just kept getting simplified. And today all we remember is Rock, Paper, scissors, but we don't remember the tragic events that led to its creation.
Lee
Wow, that's a really interesting theory. Here's my interpretation.
Peter
Yes.
Lee
The monsters were in their monster dimension, wherever it is, and they looked over into our dimension just as two kids were playing rock, paper, scissors.
June
Oh.
Lee
And they were like, that's the most valuable thing. This is how they do battle. This is, you know, what the currency is. And so when they came, they were
Dieselman Stone Fruit
like, give us all your rock, paper, scissors.
Peter
And jokes on them that they stole all that money to buy rocks.
Lee
Right.
Peter
Rocks are free. That's true.
Lee
But how do you give an accidental haircut? That's what I want to know.
Peter
That's a good. That's a good point. And by accident, they gave each other haircuts. I know why. Because they were like, give us your money. We're going to buy all that paper and all those rocks and all these scissors.
Nimini
Whoa.
Lee
Right, Right. I think you explained it very well. Yeah. Ethan. Absolute genius, my friend. Thank you so much for sending this in.
Peter
Lee, I'm going to read this next story, if that's okay with you.
Lee
Please do.
Peter
This story was written by a 12 year old from California named Quinn. And Quinn's story is called the Soggy Sandwich.
Lee
Mmm.
Peter
The Soggy Sandwich. Are you hungry? Are you thirsty? Get the soggy sandwich. The Soggy sandwich package comes with one, a sandwich, two, a bag of water and three instructions. Step one, take out the sandwich. Step two, dunk the sandwich in the water. Step three, leave it in there for eight hours. Step four, after eight hours go by, take the sandwich out. Step five, eat and drink your newly completed soggy sandwich. The Soggy sandwich comes in PB&J BLT, turkey and cheese and grilled cheese. Disclaimer. The soggy sandwich may be hazardous to your health.
Nimini
The end.
Lee
Wow, that was unbelievable. So much there. I have to take a little bit of issue with your reading of it.
Peter
I know what you're gonna say, and it's also what I wanted to talk about.
Lee
The first three line are, all caps are colon, you hungry. All caps are colon you thirsty. All caps get colon, the soggy sandwich. So to me, that reads, are you hungry? Are you thirsty? Get the soggy sandwich.
Peter
All right. Can I try it?
Lee
Yeah, please.
Peter
Okay. R you hungry. R you thirsty? Get the soggy sandwich.
Lee
Which is genius. I mean, it's like Pinteresque the way that punctuation is being used here to convey meaning.
Peter
I will say the first time I read it, because it said all caps are colon. I thought that was the character's name.
Lee
Yeah, I didn't.
Peter
R is speaking. Otherwise, that would be you hungry? You thirsty? The soggy sandwich. That's the character known as git. And let's be frank, get sounds like that. The soggy sandwich package comes with one, a sandwich, two. A bag of water and three instructions. Nothing to be done but eat a soggy sandwich.
Lee
Unbelievable story. I am not gonna eat a soggy sandwich. I also did love the way you read the disclaimer. That was the correct way to read it. Like fine print. The soggy sandwich maybe hazardous to your health. How fast can you read that?
Peter
The soggy sandwich may be hazardous to your health.
June
The end.
Lee
Hazardous was a little muddy.
Peter
I know. The soggy sandwich may be hazardous to your health.
Lee
The soggy sandwich may be. The soggy sandwich may be hazardous to your health.
Peter
Pretty good.
Lee
Really hard to say. Grownups and kids send us videos of you saying that as fast as you can.
Peter
The stocky sandwich.
Lee
Everyone do it.
Peter
Everyone do it right now.
Lee
We'll take a break right now.
Dieselman Stone Fruit
One.
Peter
Okay, remembered. The soggy sandwich, baby. Hazardous to your health. 1, 2, 3, go. Did you feel that?
Lee
Really good.
Fritz
Yeah.
Lee
Good work everybody.
Peter
The whole world just did it.
Lee
But best work of all goes to Quinn. Quinn, awesome story. You have a future in comedy, my friend.
Peter
Lee, will you read the final story for us, please?
Lee
I would love to. A seven year old named Jasper in Washington sent us this story. It's called the Book that read Itself. One day George walked into his room. He was bored, so he pulled a book out. He started to read. Then the book started reading. Reading itself.
Nimini
Ah.
Lee
He screamed. He told his mom. His mom said he was lying. He said, I'm not. His mom said, geez, you don't have to yell. It's not like I'm a mile away.
Fancy Accent Guy
Ah.
Lee
Screamed George. It's an earthquake.
Nimini
I am a mile away.
Lee
George, that is normal, said mom. Oh, said George. I don't get it.
Nimini
The end.
Lee
No, I wanted to watch tv. Oh, then do that for the real end. Bye.
Peter
I gotta say, as I was reading this, what do you said? His mom said, geez, you don't have to yell. It's not like I'm a mile away.
Lee
I know you thought it.
Peter
I read it. As his mom said, geese, you don't have to yell. It's not like I'm a mile away.
Lee
Right? I knew. Do you know that I knew ahead of time that you would make that mistake? Because I always read the stories before we start filming. And Peter lives in the moment. Baby lives in the moment. Because when I first read that I was like geese. No, it's Geese.
Peter
Actually, you want to know a secret? I did read this before, and I still thought it was geese.
Lee
Oh, really?
Peter
Yeah.
Lee
Wow. It's such a interesting story.
Peter
You know why?
Lee
Why?
Peter
Because I'm a silly geese.
Lee
You silly geese. Okay, so the other thing I love about this is that you have to yell, I'm not like a mile away. And then the earthquake happens, which pulls them a mile away. Did you understand that?
Peter
Yeah, now I do. Yeah.
Lee
And the mom's like, yo, it's totally normal for an earthquake to make you a mile away from me.
Peter
Don't act like this is weird.
Lee
That's right. So don't freak out.
Peter
Come on, George, you silly geese.
Lee
I like a mom who's like, everyone calm down.
Peter
She's like, it's been worse.
Lee
That's right. And George is like, I don't get it. Well, he's never been through an earthquake before.
Peter
Yeah. The first time you're in an earthquake, you know what? It's earth shattering.
Lee
Jasper, Incredible story. That's it for StoryLove. To read all of today's stories, just head to storypirates.com this earthquake may be hazardous to your health. And guess what, Grown Ups? You can find an even longer version of today's story love on YouTube. And while you're there, subscribe to our channel, please. And make sure to watch the new videos every week. And Grown Up Story Love isn't just the name of a segment on our show. It's also the name of our incredible corporate volunteer program to find out more about StoryLove or StoryQuest, our digital creative writing program, or Story Pirates Changemakers, our nonprofit arm. Check out the show notes for links. That's it for today's episode. Thanks to today's authors, Aviva June and Fritz. And guess what? You can still send. Send us your stories and we respond to every single story we receive. Grown Ups. Your link to submit stories is in the show notes for today's episode. We'll be back next week with another brand new episode. Until then, stay creative and stay kind.
Fancy Accent Guy
Bye.
Lee
The Story Pirates podcast is a production of Story Pirates Studios, executive produced by Lee Overtree and Benjamin Salka. Co executive producers are Holly and Rizwan Kasim, Manya, Lissi Murray Sampson, Jack Schaefer and Jacob Vaughn. This episode was produced by Isabel Erricchio, Sam Baer, Peter McNerney, Lee Overtree and Brittany Stahl. Recording sound design and mixing by Sam Baer at the Relic Room in New York City. Additional production by Brett Toobin. Theme song by Bobby Lord. Musical scoring by Eric Gerson and Jack Mitchell. Our head writer is Peter McNerney. Staff writers are Megan O' Neil and Alexis Simpson. Contributing writers are Dylan Fugal and Lee Overtree. Episode artwork by Camilla Franklin. Special guest Hari Kondabolu. This episode features performances by eric austin, colin batten, ben blackman, dewey cadell, sasha diamond, cora halpern, april lavalle, martha marion, mary mcdonnell, peter mcnerney, megan o', neill, lee overtree, dave quinones, rebecca robles, anna rock, rachel winitsky, nimini ware, and brandon zelman. Hair hospital was written and produced by eli boland and mike petrie, with vocal direction by jack mitchell.
Kelsey
Hey, Kelsey's bakery, this is Kelsey.
Lee
Hi. I'd like to make an order for delivery.
Kelsey
What would you like?
Lee
One order of shortland bread, please.
Kelsey
Shortland bread?
Fancy Accent Guy
Yes.
Lee
One order of shortland bread.
Kelsey
Uh, Shortland bread?
Lee
Yes. Bread of the shortland variety.
Kelsey
We don't have any shortland bread.
Lee
Really? You're sold out?
Kelsey
No, we're not sold out. We just never had any shortland bread.
Lee
What, you don't carry shortland bread?
Kelsey
We have shorten in bread shortening nin bread. Yes, bread of the short nin variety.
Lee
But no short lin bread.
Kelsey
Just short nin bread.
Lee
Oh, well, I'm looking for short lin bread. You know, like the kind mama's little baby has. Mama's little baby love short lin short
Kelsey
lin Mama's little baby love short nin bread.
Lee
Short lin bread.
Kelsey
Short nin bread.
Lee
Lin nin lin lin lin lin lin lin lin lin lin lin lin lin lin lin lin lin lin. Lynn. Well, thanks anyway.
Kelsey
Thanks for calling. By.
Episode Date: May 7, 2026
This episode of the Story Pirates Podcast is a lively, comedic celebration of kid creativity, featuring two imaginative stories written by young listeners: "Hair Hospital" and "The Real Reason Dinosaurs Went Extinct." The episode interweaves these kid-generated tales with running gags about a never-ending detour at a cherry stand, musical numbers, and silly sketches. Special guest comedian Hari Kondabolu joins the adventure, and the cast keeps spirits high with meta-humor and enthusiastic performances. The episode also features the much-loved StoryLove segment, in which more kids' stories are read and discussed.
"I shall do it. I, Eric, world renowned treasure hunter and explorer, shall navigate us without a map!" – Eric Austin (01:16)
Memorable moment:
"Are you the owner of this fruit stand?"
"Why yes I am. Name’s Dieselman. Stone Fruit. Put her there, partner." (08:24)
"For more info and the liability waiver, dial this number: 555-and-85555. ... Let's do it again. 5, 55 and a 5555." (06:44)
Notable quote:
"Hair Hospital: Heard on the job. We’ll patch you up and then you’ll get a bob, replacing your hips while we’re frosting your tips." – June (06:44)
"Well, look, I'm lonely, okay? It's the end of cherry season and I'm not getting a lot of business. ... I thought if you kept coming back, we might become friends. Maybe even hang out like two cherries in a pod?" – Dieselman Stone Fruit (18:17)
“I'm not a natural born navigator, okay? ... I relied on my GPS, but I couldn't get a signal. I was too embarrassed to admit I couldn’t navigate without it.” – Eric Austin (19:41)
feat. Hari Kondabolu as “Fancy Accent Guy”
“Your answer is wrong, which I know, as I have a fancy accent and that means I know science. Now you get dunked in the spicy stuff pit.” – Fancy Accent Guy (23:13)
Memorable quote:
“So your scientific conclusion is somebody stuck some magnetic stuff onto the dinosaur spaceship, causing the meteorite to be attracted to it and fall in love with the ship?”
“Yes.”
“Wrong.” – (25:08)
“Well, sorry to say I lied when I said I wasn’t gonna put you in the spicy stuff pit.” – Lee (30:20)
“If this was the only thing you submitted to us, it would still be one of the best things I’ve ever seen.” – Lee (32:13)
“Nothing to be done but eat a soggy sandwich.” – Peter (36:28)
“The first time you’re in an earthquake, you know what? It’s earth-shattering.” – Peter (39:34)
On asking for directions:
"You have to do the one thing you thought you’d never do: ask for directions." – Eric Austin (03:26)
Cherry Stand Loop:
"Eric, did you accidentally navigate us back to the same cherry stand?" – Rachel Winitsky (11:23)
Self-Acceptance:
“Everyone needs help sometimes, even for the stuff that we’re good at.” – Rachel Winitsky (19:55)
Absurd Science TV:
"We still don’t know the real reason dinosaurs went extinct, but I assure you, I will interview as many scientists as it takes because this is… science.” – Fancy Accent Guy (25:41)
The episode is playful, fast-paced, and packed with meta-humor. The cast revels in puns, wordplay, and shameless silliness, always celebrating the wild ideas and confidence of young writers. They punctuate dialogue with songs, false starts, and running gags—especially the never-ending cherry stand and “shortnin’ bread” bit. Even the rare moments of emotion (such as asking for help) are delivered with warmth and comedic self-awareness.
This Story Pirates episode is a joyful blend of sketch comedy, original songs, and the kind of wild stories only kids could write. The cast embraces every opportunity for wordplay and goofiness, looping us through cherry stands and spicy stuff pits, all while highlighting the importance of honesty, creativity, and asking for help.
For more stories and to submit your own, visit storypirates.com.
End of Summary