The Great Californian Adventure That Could Have Been So Much Better Than It Was

Summary

Podcast Summary: Story Pirates – “The Great Californian Adventure That Could Have Been So Much Better Than It Was”

Date: February 19, 2026
Hosts: Lee Overtree, Peter McNerney, the Story Pirates crew
Main Theme:
This playful episode of the Story Pirates Podcast features a zany, collaborative story written by over a hundred kids in the Creator Club. The adventure centers on Ruffle the Anime Beaver, Honks the Car, Cucumbre the Chickpea, a mystical volcano, and the Greek god Pan, as they embark on an unexpected road trip from the arctic to California, with hilarious diversions to Iowa and Mount Everest. The hosts later read and riff on three more imaginative stories from young listeners.

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Episode Highlights

1. Introduction and Set-Up (00:07–03:27)

• Lee Overtree introduces the special Creator Club story, mentioning this episode’s massive collaborative writing process (over 100 contributors).
• The story’s heroes: Ruffle the Anime Beaver, Honks (a fast car with a rivalry), Cucumbre the Chickpea, Pan the God, and a cameo by the people of Iowa.

Quote [02:08]:
Ruffle the Anime Beaver: “I'm the champion. The Story Pirates.”

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2. The Collaborative Kid Story: “The Great Californian Adventure That Could Have Been So Much Better Than It Was” (03:28–12:10)

a. The Frosty Dealership (03:28–05:44)

• Ruffle’s struggle: An anime beaver hoping (for once) to sell a car in the arctic freeze.
• Meeting Cucumbre the three-eyed chickpea, a bold customer with wanderlust, and the re-introduction of Ruffle’s nemesis, Honks the Car.
• Ruffle finally “sells” Honks and sets off for California.

Quote [03:48]: Car Sales Boss: “...It may be ice cold outside because we live in arctic temperatures, but today in here, our sales are going to be hot, hot, hot.”

Quote [04:49]: Honks the Car: “Honks is the name. Going fast is my game. Well, that and not liking this... beaver.”

b. Gas Station Detour & Mysterious Bunker (05:45–07:38)

• The adventurers stop at a gas station but realize no one brought money.
• Discover a hidden bunker and meet a century-old coconut offering “canned hot dogs.”
• They receive directions through a secret tunnel to... Iowa.

Quote [06:59]: Narrator/Coconut: “They are only 100 years old.”

c. Iowa & The Volcano Catastrophe (07:39–09:14)

• Emerge in Iowa where nothing weird usually happens—except for Pan, the Greek god, who erupts a volcano due to werewolves kidnapping his talking mushroom, Pile.
• Ruffle, Cucumbre, and Honks are begged by Iowans to help.

Quote [08:38]: Pan Flute (Greek God): “I’m a God. I don’t have to make sense. Pan Flute.”

Quote [08:53]: Cucumbre: “You didn’t know me when we started this journey. Why are they any different?”

d. Rescue at Mount Everest (09:15–10:03)

• The team follows the wild plot to Mount Everest, defeating the werewolves and rescuing Pile.
• Classic “fungi” pun delivered by Honks.

Quote [09:50]: Honks the Car: “Because we heard that you were a fungi.”

e. A Magical Solution & Friendship (10:04–12:10)

• Return to Iowa; Pan (initially assuming their failure) is convinced of their success and offers directions ("Just drive west").
• But the President of Iowa grants them “Iowa Magic,” transporting them instantly to California—with new muscles and a batch of fresh friendships.
• Pan pops up in California, because, why not?

Quote [11:01]: Ruffle the Anime Beaver: “Me too. Honks, Can I tell you something? I honestly can't remember why we're enemies.”

Quote [11:29]: President of Iowa: “We spent most of it [Iowa Magic] on the Iowa State Fair. If you haven't been, it is spectacular.”

Quote [11:59]: Honks the Car: “And look, we're all best friends.”

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3. Story Love: Featuring Original Kid Stories & Host Commentary (15:23–24:28)

a. Story 1: “The Dirty Floor” by Eli, age 8 (15:29–17:18)

• Marshmallow spills hot cocoa, uses dirt to clean, which turns into a farm—then a business—ending with more cocoa, apple cider, and friendship.
• Hosts riff on the “invention of agriculture” and the entrepreneurial spirit.

Quote [16:42]: Lee Overtree: “Ooh, right. Maybe this is how it actually happened first.”

b. Story 2: “Percy the Penguin” by Yatri, age 10 (17:20–20:02)

• Percy, tired of Antarctic cold, moves to Florida.
• The crew humorously discusses the meaning of “Antarctica” versus “Arctic,” American geography, and their own odd pronunciations of “Florida.”

Quote [17:36]: Peter McNerney: “Sometimes this story is like a haiku where it makes you think about every single word.”

Quote [19:20]: Lee Overtree: “You say Florida.”

c. Story 3: “The Gardening Competition” by Leo, age 6 (20:05–24:28)

• In a strange world, a baby named Goo Goo Gaga twice defends its tree from rampaging bulls (with a Nerf gun!), beats Sharky Barky the farmer, and wins the rights to a mysteriously ownerless aquarium. The farmer gets dunked in an ice pool and becomes an ice block.
• The hosts adore Sharky Barky’s odd backstory, riff on animal roles, and reflect on the logistics of endless aquarium cleaning.

Quote [22:41]: Lee Overtree: “So that tells me, watch out for whales.”

Quote [23:29]: Guest/Child Reader: “There's no such thing as a free aquarium.”

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4. Notable Moments & Quotes

• Ruffle and Honks’ Heartfelt Truce (11:01):
  Ruffle: “I honestly can't remember why we're enemies.”
  Honks: “Oh man, I'm so glad you said it. I feel like I've committed to it for so long now, I was afraid to ask.”
• President of Iowa on “Iowa Magic” (11:41):
  “We spent most of it on the Iowa State Fair. If you haven't been, it is spectacular.”

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Engaging Observations & Takeaways

• Unpredictable, Kid-Driven Imagination:
  The unscripted nature of kids collaborating gives the story wild turns: volcanoes in Iowa, mythical creatures, unexplained rivalries, and a willingness to swap logic for wonder.
• Comedic Chemistry:
  Lee, Peter, and guest voices create a seamless improv that bridges the kids’ wild plot points with frequent meta-commentary and running gags.
• Underlying Message:
  Friendship and openness—Ruffle, Honks, and Cucumbre’s journey is more about becoming friends (“And look, we’re all best friends”—Honks, 11:59) than their destination.
• Metafictional Humor:
  As always, the hosts poke fun at their own storytelling, highlight contradictions, and often echo the kind of jokes kids appreciate ("You are a fungi!").

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Timestamps for Major Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |---------------------------------------------------|-----------| | Introduction & Set-Up | 00:07–03:27| | Collaborative Kid Story (Adventure begins) | 03:28–12:10| | —Car dealership cold open | 03:28–05:44| | —Gas station/bunker/coconut detour | 05:45–07:38| | —Iowa, Pan's volcano, & the rescue | 07:39–10:03| | —Magical ending: California & friendship | 10:04–12:10| | Story Love: Kid Stories & Commentary | 15:23–24:28| | —The Dirty Floor (Eli, 8) | 15:29–17:18| | —Percy the Penguin (Yatri, 10) | 17:20–20:02| | —The Gardening Competition (Leo, 6) | 20:05–24:28|

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Final Notes

• Overall Tone: Whimsical, inclusive, and filled with improv-style humor—staying true to both original kid-created narratives and the hosts’ giddy energy.
• Memorable Quotes:
  • “I’m a God. I don’t have to make sense.” — Pan Flute, 08:38
  • “There's no such thing as a free aquarium.” — Guest/Child Reader, 23:34
  • “And look, we're all best friends.” — Honks the Car, 11:59

For the full experience, listen in to catch the sound effects, musical cues, and joyous bursts of improvisation that distinguish the Story Pirates Podcast!

Transcript

[Narrator/Various Characters]

Foreign.

[Lee Overtree]

Hey, Story Pirates Podcast listeners. Lee here. Today we have a very special bonus episode for you featuring another new story written by not one, not two, but over a hundred different kids in our Creator club. This time, an anime beaver leads a cross country road trip to California with side trips to Iowa, Mount Everest and a bunker below a gas station. And oh, don't forget the Story Pirates just announced live shows for the spring. Tickets are on sale right [e-mail] live. A brand new Creator Club story and Story love with Lee and Peter. Coming up right after a few words for the grown ups. Hey, grown ups. Lee here see Story Pirates live. Our amazing touring cast, including Eric, will be visiting some east coast cities this spring to perform some of your favorite songs from the podcast. And they'll take suggestions from kids in the audience to create a brand new story that will only be seen once. Best of all, all of our upcoming shows are on weekends, so no need to worry about school nights or bedtime routines. We'll see you soon in Munhall, Pennsylvania, just outside of Pittsburgh. Cincinnati, Ohio, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Medford, Massachusetts, just outside of Boston and Ridgefield, Connecticut. Tickets to all the shows are on sale [e-mail] live.

[Narrator/Various Characters]

I love Story Pirates.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

It just filled me up with joy.

[Peter McNerney]

My mom loves the jokes.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

Yo, yo, mic check. It made me very proud about my sighting. Yeah, we're just getting like really deep into like, I want to say, philosophy.

[Lee Overtree]

I definitely think I can be more creative now.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

I'm the champion. The Story Pirates.

[Lee Overtree]

Okay, everybody, here's what's up. As you may know, every once in a while we invite all our Creator Club members to join me and Peter on a Zoom to write a story together. This time, over a hundred different kids from all over the world showed up and together we wrote an incredible story about an anime beave, a car named Honks, a chickpea named Cucumbre, and a volcano, the God Pan, and the wonderful people of the state of Iowa. And yes, the God Pan is played by Peter, which you are not going

[Guest/Child Reader]

to want to miss.

[Lee Overtree]

And P.S. grown ups, we're doing this whole thing again on Zoom with me and Peter in April. And it's not too late to get your kids involved. We're going to write a brand new story together and then adapt it for the podcast just like in today's episode. So information on how to join us is in the episode description for today's episode. So grown ups, check it out and please join us. And now, without further ado, we present to you A Story by the Story Pirates Creator Club. The Great Californian Adventure that could have been so much better than it was.

[Car Sales Boss]

All right, car salespeople.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

Salespeople.

[Peter McNerney]

Right.

[Car Sales Boss]

Sorry, Ruffle. Salespeople and sales. Anime beavers.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

Thank you.

[Car Sales Boss]

As you all know, today is our biggest car sales event of the year.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

Don't worry, boss. I know I've literally never sold a single car, but today's the day.

[Car Sales Boss]

Anyway, team, it may be ice cold outside because we live in arctic temperatures, but today in here, our sales are going to be hot, hot, hot.

[Pan Flute (Greek God)]

Yeah, I'm motivated.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

Okay, Ruffle, you got this.

[Car Sales Boss]

Open the doors.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

Excuse me, do you. Oh, you're walking away.

[Narrator/Various Characters]

Okay.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

Excuse me, sir.

[Narrator/Various Characters]

Hello there.

[Peter McNerney]

Ma', am.

[Narrator/Various Characters]

Are you.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

None of these customers are noticing me.

[Cucumbre the Chickpea]

I noticed you. Sorry, are you a three eyed chickpea looking to buy a car? Hi, my name is Cucumbre.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

The name's Ruffle.

[Cucumbre the Chickpea]

You got any cars?

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

Let me just look around and see what we have left.

[Lee Overtree]

Oh, no.

[Cucumbre the Chickpea]

Did you just look around and notice that there's only one car left, but when you saw which one it was, you pretended like it wasn't there because there's some sort of personal tension between you and that specific car.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

Good read.

[Cucumbre the Chickpea]

Show me the car.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

All right, follow me.

[Honks the Car]

Well, well, well. Look who it is. Ruffle the anime beaver.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

Hello, Honks the car.

[Cucumbre the Chickpea]

Wow. I've never seen a car with such long, curly hair.

[Honks the Car]

Honks is the name. Going fast is my game. Well, that and not liking this.

[Peter McNerney]

Beaver.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

What did I ever do to you?

[Pan Flute (Greek God)]

You know what you did.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

No, I don't.

[Narrator/Various Characters]

Huh?

[Cucumbre the Chickpea]

I didn't come here to watch you bicker. You know how hard it is being a chickpea in these temperatures? So I'm getting out of here. I'm hitting the road and moving to the land of sunshine, California.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

I also feel trapped here at this car dealership where no one respects me.

[Cucumbre the Chickpea]

Do you want to come with me?

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

A million times, yes.

[Honks the Car]

I'm in too. But this doesn't mean we're friends, Beaver.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

Understood.

[Honks the Car]

Hop on in.

[Car Sales Boss]

Ruffle. What are you doing inside, Honks with that chickpea?

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

I'm selling my first car, boss. And my last.

[Cucumbre the Chickpea]

Wow, it was really cool the way you flipped down those sunglasses.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

Hit it, Honks.

[Cucumbre the Chickpea]

You didn't pay for that. California, here we come.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

We've been driving for so long, Honks, you need a break.

[Honks the Car]

You think I can't handle a cross country drive?

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

Why do you take everything I say as an insult?

[Peter McNerney]

Oh boy.

[Car Sales Boss]

We are rivals.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

Oh, yes.

[Cucumbre the Chickpea]

We give it a Rest. I think we're all hungry. Oh, a gas station. Let's stop for some snacks.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

Hey, I just thought of something. Did any of us bring any money?

[Cucumbre the Chickpea]

That's a major oversight.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

Hey, look over there behind the gas station. It's a hatch.

[Narrator/Various Characters]

Why?

[Cucumbre the Chickpea]

You think there's food down there?

[Honks the Car]

Only one way to find out.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

That's a big hatch.

[Peter McNerney]

Let's go.

[Lee Overtree]

My wheels.

[Cucumbre the Chickpea]

Look at the bottom. There's a bunker door. Honks. You think you're strong enough to.

[Narrator/Various Characters]

You did it. Look, it's. It's a coconut in a bunker.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

Oh, hi there. We were just hoping that.

[Narrator/Various Characters]

But. What? There would be free food down here?

[Peter McNerney]

Yeah.

[Cucumbre the Chickpea]

Actually, you're in black.

[Narrator/Various Characters]

Wanna try some of my canned hot dogs?

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

Oh, great.

[Narrator/Various Characters]

Okay.

[Cucumbre the Chickpea]

Thanks.

[Narrator/Various Characters]

They are only 100 years old.

[Peter McNerney]

Wow.

[Cucumbre the Chickpea]

You can really taste all 100 years.

[Narrator/Various Characters]

Thank you. Now, you're probably trying to get to California. Yeah.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

How did you know?

[Narrator/Various Characters]

I just did. Okay. Sheesh. Sorry. Well, you might as well take this tunnel.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

It's a shortcut to California.

[Narrator/Various Characters]

To Iowa?

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

Well, that is the right direction. Come on, let's get driving.

[Cucumbre the Chickpea]

Thanks for all your help, Coconut. Say, you didn't tell us your name.

[Narrator/Various Characters]

I sure didn't.

[Peter McNerney]

Bye.

[Cucumbre the Chickpea]

California, here we come.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

And that's when I said, I may be an Anime Beaver with 65 siblings, but at least I'm not rude.

[Peter McNerney]

Wow.

[Cucumbre the Chickpea]

Did you really say that?

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

No.

[Honks the Car]

Hey, we're coming out of the tunnel to Iowa.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

So this is Iowa, huh? I've heard good things. That the people are very nice and nothing weird ever happens. Is that Pan, the Greek God of the wild, laughing maniacally on top of a mega volcano?

[Pan Flute (Greek God)]

It sure is, Pan Flute.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

Pan, did you raise this volcano here in the middle of Iowa?

[Pan Flute (Greek God)]

I sure did, Pan Flute.

[Narrator/Various Characters]

Why?

[Pan Flute (Greek God)]

I'll tell you why. Because werewolves kidnapped Pile, my pet talking mushroom, and I'm taking it out on Iowa.

[Peter McNerney]

Pan Flute.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

But that doesn't make any sense.

[Pan Flute (Greek God)]

I'm a God. I don't have to make sense. Pan Flute.

[Honks the Car]

Come on, fellas. This problem doesn't concern us.

[Narrator/Various Characters]

Wait. Please help us. Iron, we need you.

[Cucumbre the Chickpea]

We can't abandon these people.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

We don't even know them.

[Cucumbre the Chickpea]

You didn't know me when we started this journey. Why are they any different?

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

By golly, you're right, Pan. We'll do it.

[Narrator/Various Characters]

Yay.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

Where have the werewolves taken Pile the Mushroom?

[Pan Flute (Greek God)]

To their secret hideout on top of Mount Everest. Which is currently floating inside another giant volcano.

[Narrator/Various Characters]

What?

[Pan Flute (Greek God)]

Goodbye, Pan Flute.

[Lee Overtree]

Oh, thank you.

[Narrator/Various Characters]

Thank you.

[Pan Flute (Greek God)]

That was nice.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

All right. To Mount Everest. Yow. Us Werewolves have been defeated.

[Lee Overtree]

Curse you, Anime Beaver.

[Narrator/Various Characters]

And don't come back.

[Honks the Car]

Wow, Ruffle. Those were some sick moves.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

You weren't too bad yourself.

[Narrator/Various Characters]

You saved me.

[Cucumbre the Chickpea]

Of course we did, Pile.

[Narrator/Various Characters]

Why would you bother saving a talking mushroom like me?

[Honks the Car]

Because we heard that you were a fungi.

[Narrator/Various Characters]

Funny.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

Wow, that was good. Let's get back to Iowa.

[Narrator/Various Characters]

Pan.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

We have returned from Mount Everest.

[Pan Flute (Greek God)]

So you have failed in your quest. I see. As I knew you would. Pan Flew.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

Not so fast.

[Peter McNerney]

Huh?

[Narrator/Various Characters]

They didn't fail, Pile.

[Pan Flute (Greek God)]

They saved you. Pan Flute. I guess Iowa is saved. Volcano, be gone.

[Narrator/Various Characters]

Yes.

[Pan Flute (Greek God)]

Yes. Yes, yes, yes.

[Narrator/Various Characters]

Ha ha.

[Pan Flute (Greek God)]

Now, before I go, is there anything I can do to help you in your quest?

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

Can you help us get to California?

[Pan Flute (Greek God)]

I'm a God. I can help you get there using directions.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

Oh, well, we sort of already know

[Pan Flute (Greek God)]

which way to just drive west. Say goodbye, Pile.

[Narrator/Various Characters]

Goodbye, Pile.

[Pan Flute (Greek God)]

You are such a fun guy, Magic.

[Cucumbre the Chickpea]

I guess we have no choice but to keep driving.

[Honks the Car]

You know what? That's okay with me. I have to admit, I've enjoyed the journey with you, Cucumbre. And with you, Ruffle.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

Me too. Honks, Can I tell you something?

[Peter McNerney]

Sure.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

I honestly can't remember why we're enemies.

[Peter McNerney]

Me too.

[Honks the Car]

Oh man, I'm so glad you said it. I feel like I've committed to it for so long now, I was afraid to ask.

[Guest/Child Reader]

Friends.

[Peter McNerney]

Friends?

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

Who's that?

[President of Iowa]

Not only have you saved all of Iowa, but you've also saved yourselves.

[Guest/Child Reader]

Are you.

[President of Iowa]

Yes, the President of Iowa.

[Peter McNerney]

Wow.

[President of Iowa]

We owe you much. Please name your reward and we will use our small amount of remaining Iowa magic to grant your wish.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

You have Iowa Magic? Just a little bit.

[President of Iowa]

We spent most of it on the Iowa State Fair. If you haven't been, it is spectacular.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

The only thing we really wanted was to get to California.

[President of Iowa]

Your wish is granted. Enjoy California with Iowa Magic.

[Peter McNerney]

Whoa.

[Cucumbre the Chickpea]

Look, we're in California.

[Ruffle the Anime Beaver]

And look, we all have big muscles now.

[Honks the Car]

And look, we're all best friends.

[Pan Flute (Greek God)]

And look, I'm here too.

[Narrator/Various Characters]

Pan.

[Pan Flute (Greek God)]

California. Pan Flute.

[Narrator/Various Characters]

Ah. The end.

[Pan Flute (Greek God)]

Oh, bio.

[Peter McNerney]

We'll be right back after a few

[Lee Overtree]

words for the grownups. People keep asking me about my 2026 resolutions. Sure, I've got the usual goals. You know. Hang out more with my friends, make more phone calls to family members. Get a back massage every once in a while. But this year, there is a new one at the top of my list. Get comfy. That's where Bombas comes in. They're bringing serious comfort to all my everyday go tos. This year I'm planning to do a lot of walking because I like to walk. And these all new Bomba sports socks. They are perfect for long walks. They're engineered with sport specific comfort for running, golf, hiking, skiing, snowboarding and all sport or walking like me because they're cushioned where I need it most, sweat wicking and loaded with other tech features to keep me comfy and locked in. And for those everyday around the house resolutions, Bombas also has got you covered with the comfiest footwear imaginable. And when I'm chasing a small child around the house there is only one slip on shoe that I want to wear. The new squishy Saturday suede slip on shoe. It's got comfort on the go and underneath it all the softest base layers that will have you rethinking your whole wardrobe. Bombas underwear and T shirts are flexible, breathable and buttery smooth premium everyday go tos that won't leave the house without me inside of them. And here's the best part. For every item that you purchase, an essential clothing item is donated to someone facing housing insecurity. One purchased one donated with over 150 million donations and counting. Head over to bombas.com family26 and use the code family26 for 20% off your first purchase. That's B O M B- dot com family26 code family26 at checkout. Hey grown ups. Lee Here see Story Pirates live. Our amazing touring cast, including Eric, will be visiting some east coast cities this spring to perform some of your favorite songs from the podcast. And they'll take suggestions from kids in the audience to create a brand new story that will only be seen once. Best of all, all of our upcoming shows are on weekends, so no need to worry about school nights or bedtime routines. We'll see you soon in Munhall, Pennsylvania just outside of Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Ohio, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Medford, Massachusetts just outside of Boston and Ridgefield, Connecticut. Tickets to all the shows are on sale [e-mail] live. Welcome back to StoryLove, where we read stories written by kids and we talk about them. Hello Peter.

[Peter McNerney]

Hi Lee.

[Lee Overtree]

Would you like to read the first story for today?

[Peter McNerney]

There's nothing I would love to do more.

[Pan Flute (Greek God)]

I'm so excited.

[Peter McNerney]

Wow. Oh, sorry. Here we go. This first story, Lee, comes to us from an 8 year old from Missouri named Eli. And Eli's story is called the Dirty Floor. Mmm. Once upon a time there was a marshmallow in a cabin with hot cocoa and then he accidentally spilled his hot cocoa and he didn't have any rags or anything. So we went to the store to get some dirt. Okay. And then he laid it out. And then he said, ah, now my floor is dirty. So then he went to the store to get some grass to clean it up. And then he said, ah, now my floor looks like a field. And then he went back to the store again and buy some apple seeds. And then he said, ah, no, it's more of a farm. And then he started his own business and he got a lot of money and he used that money to buy some more hot cocoa and some apple cider and then share it with a friend. The end.

[Guest/Child Reader]

And that man was Johnny Appleseed.

[Lee Overtree]

It all started with a dirty floor. No, seriously though, I feel like this

[Guest/Child Reader]

story is sort of showing a key point in evolution, which is the development of agriculture.

[Lee Overtree]

Ooh, right. Maybe this is how it actually happened first.

[Peter McNerney]

So, you know, it's like way back there was a hunter gatherer who's like, this cave is a mess.

[Lee Overtree]

That's right.

[Guest/Child Reader]

I'm going to put dirt on it.

[Peter McNerney]

Yeah, get some dirt because that's. That's dirt dirty. That was a bad idea.

[Guest/Child Reader]

Yeah, let's get some grass now.

[Peter McNerney]

Yeah. Oh, that's cozier.

[Pan Flute (Greek God)]

Oh, it looks like outside.

[Lee Overtree]

Yeah.

[Guest/Child Reader]

And then apple seeds in the dark cave grew into apple trees.

[Peter McNerney]

And then people started to go like, oh, you know what? I could really use an apple. Oh, you know where there's apple Grug. That caveman over there. Yeah, that weird guy. He's got apples in there.

[Guest/Child Reader]

Yeah.

[Peter McNerney]

Entrepreneur.

[Guest/Child Reader]

Entrepreneur.

[Lee Overtree]

Eli. Amazing story, my friend.

[Guest/Child Reader]

Let's head on to the next one.

[Lee Overtree]

This is called Percy the Penguin by Yatri, a 10 year old in Canada. Percy the Penguin lived in Antarctica. He was cold, so he moved to Florida. The end to the.

[Peter McNerney]

You know, sometimes. Sometimes this story is like a haiku where it makes you think about every single word.

[Guest/Child Reader]

Can you. Can you show me some words that stood out to you in that way?

[Peter McNerney]

Yes. Antarctica. Cold.

[Lee Overtree]

What was that?

[Peter McNerney]

Ant. Ant. Arctica.

[Lee Overtree]

Thank you. That's a hard C in there.

[Guest/Child Reader]

Antarctica.

[Peter McNerney]

Antarctica.

[Guest/Child Reader]

Antarctica.

[Peter McNerney]

You know, it took me a long time to realize that Antarctica Arctica.

[Guest/Child Reader]

Arctica.

[Peter McNerney]

Arctic was the opposite of the Arctic.

[Guest/Child Reader]

Arctic. Antarctica.

[Peter McNerney]

Anti. Arctic.

[Guest/Child Reader]

The Arctic is the North Pole. Antarctica is the South Pole.

[Peter McNerney]

Correct. Right. They're opposites.

[Guest/Child Reader]

Anyway, I interrupted you.

[Peter McNerney]

What else? That was the first big word.

[Guest/Child Reader]

Okay.

[Peter McNerney]

Cold.

[Guest/Child Reader]

He was cold.

[Peter McNerney]

Yeah.

[Guest/Child Reader]

Yeah. If you really think about cold, that word is cold.

[Peter McNerney]

And the final word. Florida.

[Lee Overtree]

Yeah, I thought a lot about Florida

[Guest/Child Reader]

with this because there are so many advantages to Florida. This is why so many people go there, right? You are warm year round.

[Lee Overtree]

There's a lot of beaches on both sides, right? Most places only have a beach on one side.

[Pan Flute (Greek God)]

It's a peninsula.

[Guest/Child Reader]

That's right.

[Peter McNerney]

Now, I was recently made fun of for how I say the name of this state. I just said it in the way I don't naturally say Florida. No, I say I have somebody pointing this out to me. I say it only two syllables.

[Guest/Child Reader]

Florida.

[Peter McNerney]

Florida.

[Lee Overtree]

Florida.

[Peter McNerney]

Florida.

[Narrator/Various Characters]

Florida.

[Peter McNerney]

Florida.

[Guest/Child Reader]

You really say like that, though?

[Peter McNerney]

That's if I'm like, oh, let's go to Florida.

[Guest/Child Reader]

You don't really say it like that.

[Peter McNerney]

I say Florida. Florida. I say forest. Florida. Horrible.

[Guest/Child Reader]

If you were orange on camera, how do you say it though?

[Peter McNerney]

I'd say Florida.

[Lee Overtree]

You say Florida.

[Peter McNerney]

I don't know how to say it because I'd. Do I be actively working against the way I say it?

[Guest/Child Reader]

I think probably people in Florida say Florida.

[Peter McNerney]

Florida.

[Guest/Child Reader]

Florida.

[Lee Overtree]

It's like, what's another east coast?

[Peter McNerney]

They say Florida. They say forest. Horrible. Florida.

[Guest/Child Reader]

That is.

[Lee Overtree]

The winner was horrible. I went to Florida.

[Peter McNerney]

Yeah, exactly right. And I say it was cold. I wanted to get some orange juice in Florida.

[Guest/Child Reader]

It's cold. I want to get some orange juice in Florida.

[Peter McNerney]

I say it with no vowels at all.

[Narrator/Various Characters]

Florida.

[Peter McNerney]

Florida. Wow.

[Guest/Child Reader]

Yeah. It's getting weirder as you say that.

[Lee Overtree]

I feel like there might be another

[Guest/Child Reader]

physical condition going on here besides orange.

[Peter McNerney]

I don't eat enough oranges.

[Lee Overtree]

Do you feel okay right now?

[Guest/Child Reader]

Okay, just checking.

[Lee Overtree]

Yatri, incredible story.

[Guest/Child Reader]

Thank you so much for sending it in. I want to go to Florida now.

[Peter McNerney]

Yeah, let's go. You know, let's go right now to Florida. We have one more story. This one comes to us from a 6 year old from New York named Leo. And Leo's story is called the Gardening Competition. Nobody owned the aquarium, so they had a competition to see who would get to own it. They had a competition to see who could grow the biggest tree and the fastest. It was between a farmer and a baby. The baby's name was Goo Goo Gaga and the farmer's name was Sharky Barky. Because one time he was in a boat and he saw a shark who helped him because whales were trying to eat him. So multiple sharks attacked the whales.

[Lee Overtree]

Henceforth, he was named Sharky Baki.

[Pan Flute (Greek God)]

Sharky Baki.

[Peter McNerney]

They both went at the same time. They each had a shovel, a bucket of seeds, and two buckets of dirt. There were 500 judges.

[Guest/Child Reader]

Okay, that just feels like it's gonna be really hard.

[Peter McNerney]

It's like The Academy Awards.

[Guest/Child Reader]

Maybe it's just up, down, in which case it's fine.

[Lee Overtree]

500 is great.

[Peter McNerney]

They started when the 500th judge, a special judge, the President of the United States, told them to start. They planted all the seeds at once. They made a hole, dropped in the seed, covered it with dirt, watered it, and moved on to the next one. It only took 15 seconds to plant all the seeds and for them to grow.

[Guest/Child Reader]

Interesting.

[Peter McNerney]

But there were bulls on the farm who came to eat the leaves. The baby had a nerf gun that he used to shoot at the bulls. They ran away from the trees, but charged at the baby. Uh oh, the baby ran away and was a good digger, so he dug a hole and went in. The bulls dug with their horns, but they couldn't catch the baby. The baby ran away and the bulls ran home. The farmer lost the competition and got dunked in an ice pool. He said it was refreshing, but when he got out, he was an ice block and they had to nail him out. The baby won and got to own the aquarium. The baby was very smart. The end.

[Guest/Child Reader]

Fantastic story, Leo.

[Lee Overtree]

I love the backstory for the farmer.

[Guest/Child Reader]

I'm obsessed with his name, Sharky, Barky, and this, this anecdote from his past about the whales and attacking him and multiple sharks attack the whales. So good.

[Peter McNerney]

I feel like we're used to the whales being friendly.

[Guest/Child Reader]

Right.

[Peter McNerney]

And we gotta be protected from the sharks.

[Lee Overtree]

Last I checked, there's no shark with killer in its name.

[Peter McNerney]

Yes, exactly.

[Lee Overtree]

But whale, there's a killer one.

[Peter McNerney]

Uh huh.

[Lee Overtree]

So that tells me, watch out for whales.

[Peter McNerney]

Absolutely. My favorite part of this story is the first four words. Yeah, nobody owned the aquarium. What's the story on that?

[Pan Flute (Greek God)]

Who built it?

[Lee Overtree]

So good though.

[Guest/Child Reader]

I mean, are they saying it was

[Lee Overtree]

built by the city or the state

[Guest/Child Reader]

or it was abandoned or is abandoned? I think it just sort of exists, you know, like you show up in the aquarium and you're like, who owns this place? You're like, nobody.

[Peter McNerney]

Actually, we. Weirdly, we don't know.

[Guest/Child Reader]

We don't know.

[Peter McNerney]

We. We lost all the records in a marshed. With all the files burned up.

[Guest/Child Reader]

I mean, maybe it's a fundraising vehicle, this thing, because, you know, be careful what you wish to own.

[Peter McNerney]

Yeah.

[Guest/Child Reader]

Once you own an aquarium, do you know how often you have to clean those things?

[Peter McNerney]

Like every day.

[Lee Overtree]

Every single day.

[Guest/Child Reader]

Frequently.

[Lee Overtree]

If you've ever had a fish tank.

[Guest/Child Reader]

You know, aquariums, they're even worse.

[Peter McNerney]

There's no such thing as a free aquarium.

[Guest/Child Reader]

That's true.

[Lee Overtree]

I love. So I said I love the backstory of the farmer, but we don't know much about the baby. I guess babies, by definition don't have much backstory.

[Peter McNerney]

Yeah, there's not a ton of backstory

[Lee Overtree]

except the hospital they were born in.

[Peter McNerney]

Yeah, well, maybe some. Some babies were born in cars.

[Guest/Child Reader]

That's true. I've heard that.

[Lee Overtree]

Also, I like that the ice dunk was refreshing.

[Peter McNerney]

Yeah.

[Lee Overtree]

Do you think that he's just saying it was refreshing so it doesn't feel as much as, like, a punishment?

[Narrator/Various Characters]

Oh.

[Peter McNerney]

Oh, he said it was refreshing.

[Lee Overtree]

He said it's refreshing. Oh, this is refreshing.

[Peter McNerney]

Well, he said it also while he was in an ice block.

[Lee Overtree]

Not yet.

[Narrator/Various Characters]

Oh.

[Guest/Child Reader]

When he comes out, they put him

[Lee Overtree]

in and he's like, I actually love this.

[Peter McNerney]

Yeah.

[Lee Overtree]

You guys thought this would be bad, but I love it.

[Pan Flute (Greek God)]

You thought I lost to a baby.

[Car Sales Boss]

I'm doing great.

[Lee Overtree]

Actually. Loving it here.

[Peter McNerney]

I'm the winner here. The baby was very smart.

[Guest/Child Reader]

Incredible.

[Lee Overtree]

Amazing story, Leo. Thank you so much for sending it in. To read all of today's Story love stories, just head to storypirates.com and grown ups.

[Peter McNerney]

Guess what?

[Lee Overtree]

You can find an even longer version of today's story love on YouTube and

[Guest/Child Reader]

see our beautiful faces.

[Lee Overtree]

We drop a new video every week, and here's something. Did you know that YouTube will show it to more people and help Story Pirates grow if we get more views right away? It's weird.

[Guest/Child Reader]

It's true.

[Lee Overtree]

So by watching these videos as soon as you can, you're not only hearing the hilarious stories from kids, but you're helping each kid's story be celebrated by more people. And you're contributing to our channel's growth, which means we can create more videos and help fund our podcast. You've heard us talking about how severely impacted free forms of educational media like us have been, and this is one free step you can take to help. So find the link to today's video in the show notes. And while you're there, subscribe to our channel and make sure to watch the new videos each 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 Story Love, our digital creative writing program, StoryQuest, and our nonprofit arms story pirates, Changemakers. Check out the show notes for links. That's it for today's episode, Grown Ups. Don't forget to check out the show notes to find out how your kids can join us for the next Create a Story session. In April, we'll be back next week with another new episode. Until then, stay creative and stay kind.

[Narrator/Various Characters]

Bye.

[Lee Overtree]

The Story Pirates podcast is a production of Story Pirates Studios, executive produced by Lee Overtree and Benjamin Salka. This episode was produced by 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 Tubin Theme song by Bobby Lord. Musical scoring by Jack Mitchell. Our head writer is Peter McNerney. Staff writers are Megan O' Neil and Alexis Simpson. The Great Californian Adventure that Could have Been so Much Better Than It Was was Adapted by Peter McNerney. Episode artwork by Camilla Franklin. This episode features performances by max spank, christina gross beach, tara halpern, sebastian martinez, peter mcnerney, megan o', neil, and chris simpson.

[Pan Flute (Greek God)]

California pen flute.