Behind the Scenes Minis: Altina and Saving Babies

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Behind the Scenes Minis: Altina and Saving Babies"

Stuff You Missed in History Class
Hosts: Holly Fry and Tracy B. Wilson
Episode Title: Behind the Scenes Minis: Altina and Saving Babies
Release Date: May 9, 2025

---

Introduction

In this episode, Holly Fry and Tracy B. Wilson delve into the intriguing life of Altina Shinasi, exploring her multifaceted personality, complex relationships, and significant contributions to society. The hosts also examine the history of the Boston Floating Hospital, highlighting notable historical exchanges and events.

---

Altina Shinasi: A Complex Legacy

[02:09]
Host 1: "We talked about Altina Shinasi this week. I highly recommend that documentary to anybody who is interested in more about her."

Discussion Highlights:

• Documentary Insights:
  Holly and Tracy discuss the documentary "Altina," emphasizing that it was created by family members who provide intimate perspectives while omitting universally known facts. This approach allows for a deeper exploration of Altina's character beyond public perceptions.

  [02:51]
  Host 1: "Both her ex-husband Charlie and her husband at the time of her death, Tino, are interviewed in it for long periods of time. They both speak so lovingly about her."

• Relationships and Personal Life:
  The hosts examine Altina's marriages, particularly noting the affection her ex-husband and final husband had for her despite her complex personal life, including affairs. They discuss how her privileged status may have influenced her behavior and the perception others had of her.

  [05:23]
  Host 1: "Altina is the outlier who is like, no, I'd like to get a job and do some stuff. I know I'm fine."

• Activism and Political Involvement:
  Altina's activism is highlighted, showcasing her bold political stances, such as signing affidavits to help people escape Europe and posting an ad in The New York Times against war. Her commitment to her convictions is portrayed as both admirable and complex.

  [10:00]
  Host 1: "She did a lot of very risky stuff politically, throughout her life."

• Final Reflections:
  The hosts express fascination with Altina's personality, balancing admiration with critique of her personal choices. They ponder how her actions, supported by her privilege, shaped her legacy.

  [15:05]
  Host 1: "She was confident in her convictions, which I have to admire, even if she wasn't maybe always great about treating other people with respect."

---

The Boston Floating Hospital: Historical Perspectives

[20:41]
Holly Fry: "We talked about the Boston Floating Hospital this week."

Discussion Highlights:

• Plaque and Location:
  Holly shares her experience visiting the Boston Molasses Flood plaque, noting the changes in the area and the challenges in locating historical markers.

  [20:46]
  Holly Fry: "It's a pretty area to walk around right there by the water."

• Historical Correspondence:
  The hosts recount a 1911 exchange in the American Journal of Nursing between Nurse Mary I. Hall and Sarah A. Egan, RN, Superintendent of Nurses, regarding uniform policies at the Boston Floating Hospital. Holly finds the exchange "catty and hilarious," highlighting early 20th-century professional standards and conflicts.

  [22:53]
  Holly Fry: "I found that whole exchange so catty and hilarious."

• Charity and Challenges:
  They discuss the hospital's role in pediatric medicine and a notable incident in 1895 where funds raised for the hospital through a Cinderella play were stolen, underscoring challenges faced by charitable organizations.

  [32:56]
  Holly Fry: "Some people apparently came to the hospital and they suggested staging a production of Cinderella to benefit the hospital. They did do the play, but then they absconded with the money and did not actually give it to the hospital."

---

Concluding Remarks

[35:35]
Holly Fry: "So that is my periodic installment of a Save Some Baby story, as every single day brings multiple new alarming, upsetting things."

Summary:

Holly and Tracy wrap up the episode by reflecting on the importance of focusing on positive historical narratives, such as the Boston Floating Hospital's efforts to save babies, amidst a backdrop of contemporary challenges. They encourage listeners to find comfort and inspiration in stories of resilience and compassion.

[35:54]
Host 1: "Whatever you have in your life right now, I hope you have some comfort in this moment."

---

Notable Quotes

• Host 1 on Altina’s Documentary Approach:
  [02:51] "Because she lived a life of extraordinary privilege. It was risky, but it wasn't the same level of risky as it would be for other people."

• Host 1 on Altina’s Relationships:
  [12:37] "If she had lived in a time with different mores around sex and relationships, but at the same time, she lived through the 70s."

• Holly Fry on Historical Correspondence:
  [22:53] "I found that whole exchange so catty and hilarious."

---

Conclusion

This episode of Stuff You Missed in History Class offers a deep dive into the life of Altina Shinasi, juxtaposed with historical insights into the Boston Floating Hospital. Holly and Tracy provide a nuanced exploration of personal legacy, societal contributions, and the complexities inherent in historical narratives. Through engaging discussions and thoughtful analysis, listeners gain a comprehensive understanding of these historical figures and institutions.

---

For more episodes and historical insights, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or your preferred podcast platform.

Transcript

[Host 1]

You're listening to an iHeart podcast.

[Host 2]

Breaking news T Mobile Network outperforms expectations in all sectors because T Mobile helps keep you connected from the heart of Portland to right where you are on America's largest 5G network. Switch now keep your phone and T Mobile will pay it off at the $800 per line via prepaid card. Visit your local T Mobile location or learn more@t mobile.com keepandswitch up to 4 lines of your virtual prepaid card. Allow 15 days qualifying unlock device, credit service report in 90 plus days device and eligible carrier and timely redemption. Required card has no cash access and expires in six.

[Dutch Ad]

Time is precious and so are our pets. So time with our pets is extra precious. That's why we started Dutch. Dutch provides 247 access to licensed vets with unlimited virtual visits and follow ups for up to five pets. You can message a vet at any time and schedule a video visit the same day. Our vets can even prescribe medication for many ailments and shipping is always free. With Dutch, you'll get more time with your pets and year round peace of mind when it comes to their vet care.

[Caller 1]

My husband has a secret son from a past partner.

[Caller 2]

Hold up, Sam. How do we know? Have we done the DNA test?

[Caller 1]

Well, John, luckily its mother may have a DNA test week on the OK Storytime podcast, so we'll find out soon. And this wife writes My husband received a Facebook message from a woman saying that he is the father of a five year old.

[Caller 3]

Whoa.

[Caller 1]

At first he didn't remember her, but then he realized they had a one night stand right before we started dating.

[Caller 2]

Wait, but do we have proof he's a dad?

[Caller 1]

To hear the explosive finale, listen to the OK Storytime podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[Therapy Gecko]

I found out that was related to the guy that I was dating.

[Caller 3]

I don't feel emotions correctly.

[Host 1]

I collect my roommate's toenails and fingernails.

[Therapy Gecko]

Those were some callers from my call in Podcast Therapy Gecko. It's a show where I take phone calls from anonymous strangers as a fake gecko therapist and try to learn a little bit about their lives. I know that's a weird concept, but I promise it's very interesting. Check it out for yourself by searching for Therapy Therapy gecko on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Host 1]

Welcome to Stuff youf Missed in History Class, a production of iHeartradio. Hello and happy Friday.

[Holly Fry]

I'm Holly Fry and I'm Tracy B. Wilson.

[Host 1]

We talked about Altina Shinasi this week.

[Holly Fry]

We sure did.

[Host 1]

I highly recommend that documentary to anybody who is interested in more about her. It's called Altina. Here's what's really interesting about it to me. I got it kind of late in the game for a behind the scenes. I was feeling a little under the weather this earlier this week and I didn't finish the episode in time for our regular recording, which worked out great because it gave it time for this documentary to finally get to me.

[Holly Fry]

Nice.

[Host 1]

And so I had extra stuff, which was great. But the thing that's really interesting about it is that I think because it was made by members of her family who knew her, they skip over a lot of key moments in her life just because I think they think everybody knows that or like that seems like, you know, of course everybody knows that she's doing this at this time, but then it means that the whole thing is fleshed out with a lot of other stuff that you don't get in other places, which is great. I will say this too. Both her ex husband Charlie and her husband at the time of her death, Tino, are interviewed in it for long periods of time. And, you know, they, they both speak so lovingly about her. And I, I feel like she is a person that it might have been easy when we look at the facts of. Of her relationships and how she, you know, transferred from one person to another after having an affair, et cetera, and think negatively about her. These people did not like her ex husband, Charlie talked about her with such love and reverence and never any bitterness about it, which is really interesting. And I don't know if that's testament to who she was that you just. If you loved her, you knew she had a free spirit element to her and that was part of the deal. But it was really quite a sweet thing to see. Her sisters. Yeah, we don't know much about them.

[Holly Fry]

No.

[Host 1]

Because she didn't seem to like them all that much. Like she actually kind of says something really mean about one of her sisters. Like, basically they were more interested in continuing the sort of life they were raised in. They sure they wanted to marry well and be society wives and like, okay, that's fine. Although she kind of suggests that one really turned into quite a piece of work. But they're like left out. I don't know if they were no contact or low contact or what, but they don't seem to be involved in any of that.

[Holly Fry]

I can imagine that if your life involved A mansion, and then it involved an entire floor of a hotel. It might be really hard to imagine a different life than that being satisfying.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Holly Fry]

Not to excuse any kind of behavior. I just, like, I. Yeah, I think.

[Host 1]

You just have a different. A different point of view on how the world works. And.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah.

[Host 1]

I mean, Altina is the outlier who is like, no, I'd like to get a job and do some stuff. I know. I'm fine. It's also interesting in a situation like that documentary where you get different perspectives, to hear how differently people perceived her as a mother. A lot of people are like, I don't know why she ever had kids. She didn't seem. That didn't seem to fit with her life. She didn't really seem to want kids, although others are like, she adored those boys. They were her everything. It's a very weird, you know, the way that anybody, especially if you have, like, in any kind of conflicted relationship with a parent. You know, I know I've had that. Like, I often feel like my dad is not very enthusiastic about me, but then I'll talk to one of his friends, and they're like, no, he sings your praises. And I'm like, are you being nice to me? Or do we just have a very different. You know? So I think that's part of it. I will say she. Her first husband, Maurice Sanders, who died pretty young. It sounds as though he really had to grapple with alcoholism. But she does speak of him, even though she says he was a terrible husband to her. She is very quick to point out that he was actually a very good father and that, you know, once they were living separately, he would call the kids every single night and read them their bedtime story over the phone, which is sort of sweet. I promised that I would talk about a story involving the mob.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah. And it sounded like a fun story involving the mob.

[Host 1]

It's funny.

[Holly Fry]

Okay, okay.

[Host 1]

So when she had her sunglasses factory in Los Angeles, she tells the story in the documentary. And it's really funny that this guy. These two guys came by one day, and they were kind of like. They were basically doing the mob shakedown. They were like, this is a nice little place you got here. It'd be a shame if something happened to it. We could protect you. She did not understand what was going on at all. She was like, I don't. No, I'm good. I think we're fine. Like, she just was not.

[Holly Fry]

Didn't.

[Host 1]

It wasn't that. She was like, I'm not playing your game. She did not understand that the game was being played.

[Holly Fry]

I love that.

[Host 1]

And that it wasn't until later that she realized what had happened. And that was probably a factor in the shutting down of the factory. Like, she already hated it, but it was like. And if I got to deal with this, this is just one more thing not going to happen I don't want to handle. So that is a very interesting thing. Her husband Charlie, who was working on the MLK documentary with her, was so clearly committed to that cause. And he talks about them. I think they were in Alabama. They went to church services that Dr. King was giving as a guest pastor. And they spent time with him and his family and, like, their circle. And he was like, I didn't know how they were gonna perceive us. Like, oh, sure. Here is, you know, my wife, a rich Jewish artist, and me, a political scientist, who is the whitest of white guys coming in and saying, we wanna help tell your story. And we. How we were gonna be greeted. And he said that that community was more welcoming to them than many of the white social circles that they ran in. And he was so touched by it, which was lovely. It was just a sweet story. He seems like the sweetest human on the planet, truthfully. Her fourth husband, Celestino Tino, clearly adored her and admired her. But he gave this quote that was really, really fascinating to me. He said, I always remained her employee. I was married to her, but I wasn't her husband. I was her employee, companion and guardian. And, like, it's. I think part of it is. And I want to keep in mind, too, he is a Spanish speaker, so everything we're getting on that is through subtitles. So I don't know if there's a translation thing, because my Spanish is not in any way to a point where I could pick that out. It seems like it's an issue of reverence for him. There was such a big age gap. And he also noted that he never used the informal, oh, yeah. Address of her in Spanish. Always the formal. Even when they had been together for years and years and years. It's very interesting to me. She commanded a lot of respect.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah.

[Host 1]

And she seems super interesting. I am floored by, again, the casual way. She would just be like, well, I just really wanted to have a lot of sex. And I needed to. I needed to have that affair.

[Holly Fry]

I was gonna have to have an affair.

[Host 1]

Now, what I will admit, right, this is a thing that. I don't wanna sound judgy, but that's, like, a thing that, like, gets my Hackles up. I'm like, no cheaters, no. But I couldn't even find myself disliking her. She seemed to see it all so clearly.

[Holly Fry]

Right.

[Host 1]

She fascinates me utterly, utterly. I didn't. I mean, I never knew about all of her activism because it doesn't come up in the little. Like, she invented the cat eye glasses. It makes her sound like a cool, artsy little kind of, you know, a chick on the art scene in the 30s of New York. Like, oh, how quaint. And it's like, no, she did a lot of very risky stuff politically, throughout her life. Like the fact that she signed 13 affidavits for people and was basically like, if they do something wrong, that's on me. And that's fine. We gotta get them out of Europe. Very, very bold, the New York Times ad saying that the war was wrong. Very bold. You know, as we discussed in those episodes and in that behind the scenes, that was a divisive time in the country where people really were tooth and nail over the issue of the war. Yeah. So for her and her husband to take such a strong stance on it in writing was a lot. Yeah. She just seemed very. She was confident in her convictions, which I have to admire, even if she wasn't maybe always great about treating other people with respect when it came to who she wanted to have an affair with.

[Holly Fry]

Right.

[Host 1]

I, of course, cannot imagine having a prolonged affair with my best friend's spouse. I mean, I can't imagine having a prolonged affair, full stop. But I really cannot imagine having a prolonged affair and then having social outings with that person's spouse as though everything was fine.

[Holly Fry]

Right.

[Host 1]

And I have to wonder, like, did the wife. Surely she must have picked up that.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah. I kind of. Part of me is like, you know, if she had lived in a time with different mores around sex and relationships, but at the same time, she lived through the 70s.

[Host 1]

Right.

[Holly Fry]

You know, we're not talking about someone who lived at a time when things. I mean, part of her life more restrained than maybe now, but like, I can imagine world in which she was just like openly polyamorous and.

[Therapy Gecko]

Yeah.

[Host 1]

It. And.

[Holly Fry]

And it did not feel like a series of affairs that then ended marriages and started new ones. Yeah.

[Host 1]

I mean, here's what becomes really intriguing to me. Right. I. All of this behavior and all of the risky things she did were definitely possible because she lived a life of extraordinary privilege. Right. For sure. If everybody turned on her because of her political opinion, I don't think she would have cared. She Would have been fine. She's like, great. I got money. I'm gonna hang out in my house and make art. Cool. So that's part of it. It was risky, but it wasn't the same level of risky as it would be for other people. But I also think that offers her this odd sense of remove when it came to having affairs and whatnot. It would be like, well, yes, socially, this will blow up, but my life will be fine. I can still go about my. I think it may have given her subconsciously. I don't think she would have been conscious of it, but I think it gave her, like, a remove from concern about the morality of it. Because it's like, well, I have money. I'm fine. I'm good. I can just keep. Keep making art. I'm gonna paint. I would lose a friend, but it's okay. It's wild to me. It's very wild to me on many levels. But she is an intriguing, intriguing person. It is also funny, I will say, how many of the people interviewed in that documentary talk about these aspects of her personality that were maybe not the easiest, but they still talk about her with so much love and adoration that she seems like she must have been a truly wonderful human who, just like other humans, is flawed in variety of ways. And that one is a particularly problematic flaw for a lot of people. I'm not trying to brush it under the rug, but that they just all loved her so much. It was like, well, that's Altina.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Host 1]

We mentioned, too, that she went by Tina a lot of the time.

[Holly Fry]

Right.

[Host 1]

I found myself having a hard time calling her that, which I had written into the outline in some places. And then I just stopped doing it. And then when I saw that documentary and her husband Tino, talking about how he never addressed her at the informal, I was like, I think I understand this a little bit. Sure. It doesn't feel right to be so familiar with her for some reason. And apparently even the people closest to her felt that way. It's very cute. One of her neighbors from Santa Fe talks about they had. She and Tino had their house, and then down the hill, a couple houses away, they had bought another house that they made their art studio. And how every morning they would walk down the hill, hand in hand together to go to work. And how charming everyone found it, because they were obviously very, very de. Deeply devoted to one another, which I. I find really interesting, because that's the one marriage that all of her social circle was like, what are you doing this doesn't make any sense. Like this isn't. Do you just want a younger man for the stamina? Like what's going on here? But they clearly were emotionally completely connected, which is really lovely. Listen, you gotta try several times sometimes to get it right, I guess. Um, she, she did in the end. Her last marriage seems like it was very good. And her second marriage, I think, was very, very good. Had he not died, I'm sure they would have been together for the rest of their lives.

[Holly Fry]

Right?

[Host 1]

Yeah. Anyway, Altina Shenazi, you intrigue and fascinate me, and I can't help but admire you even as I make kind of cringy faces about some of the things you did.

[Host 2]

Breaking News T Mobile Network outperforms expectations in all sectors because T Mobile helps keep you connected from the heart of Portland to right where you are on America's largest 5G network. Switch now keep your phone and T Mobile will pay it off at the $800 per line via prepaid card. Visit your local T Mobile location or learn more@t mobile.com keepandswitch up to 4 lines via virtual prepaid card will have 15 days qualified and unlocked device credit service port in 90 plus days device and eligible carrier and timely redemption required card is no cash access. It expires in six months.

[MITI Health Ad]

It's true that some things change as we get older. But if you're a woman over 40 and you're dealing with insomnia, brain fog, moodiness and weight gain, you don't have to accept it as just another part of aging. And with MITI Health, you can get help and stop pushing through it alone. The experts at MITI understand that all these symptoms can be connected to the hormonal changes that happen around menopause. And MIDI can help you feel more like yourself again. Many healthcare providers aren't trained to treat or even recognize menopause symptoms. MIDI clinicians are menopause experts. They're dedicated to providing safe, effective, FDA approved solutions for dozens of hormonal symptoms, not just hot flashes. Most importantly, they're covered by insurance. 91% of MITI patients get relief from symptoms within just two months. You deserve to feel great. Book your virtual visit [e-mail] that's join M I D I.com I found out.

[Therapy Gecko]

That was related to the guy that I was dating.

[Caller 3]

I don't feel emotions correctly.

[Host 1]

I am talking to a felon right now and I cannot decide if I like him or not.

[Therapy Gecko]

Those were some callers from my call in podcast therapy Gecko. It's a show where I take real phone calls from anonymous strangers all over the world as a phone call fake gecko therapist and try to dig into their brains and learn a little bit about their lives. I know that's a weird concept, but I promise it's pretty interesting if you give it a shot. Matter of fact, here's a few more examples of the kinds of calls we get on this show.

[Host 1]

I live with my boyfriend and I found his piss jar in our apartment.

[Host 2]

I collect my roommate's toenails and fingernails.

[Caller 3]

I have very overbearing parents.

[Host 1]

Even at the age of 29, they.

[Caller 3]

Don'T let me move out of their house.

[Therapy Gecko]

So if you want an excuse to get out of your own head and see what's going on in someone else's head, search for therapy gecko on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. It's the one with the green guy on it.

[Caller 1]

My husband has a secret son from a past partner.

[Caller 2]

Hold up, Sam. How do we know? Have we done the DNA test?

[Caller 1]

Well, John, luckily its mother may have a DNA test week on the okay. Storytime podcast, so we'll find out soon. And this wife writes. My husband received a Facebook message from a woman saying that he is the father of a five year old.

[Caller 3]

Whoa.

[Caller 1]

At first he didn't remember her, but then realized they had a one night stand right before we started dating.

[Caller 2]

Wait, but do we have proof he's a dad?

[Caller 1]

Well, the author says there's no confirmation the kid is even his son, but the woman from Facebook has a meeting with her lawyer soon. I think she's going after our money. If the kid is actually my husband's, she would be entitled to it, too.

[Caller 2]

So what's the husband got to say about this?

[Caller 1]

This could be his kid. Well, apparently he broke down in the middle of the living room apologizing, but this is what scared me. His first instinct, if the kid is his son, is to pay the child support but not be an active father in the kid's life because he only wants a family with me, his wife.

[Caller 3]

Oh, this is a mess.

[Caller 1]

To hear the explosive finale, follow okay, StoryTime in the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Holly Fry]

We talked about the Boston Floating Hospital this week.

[Host 1]

We did.

[Holly Fry]

So, my little trip to just look at the Boston molasses flood plaque. I don't remember if I've told this story on the show before, but it. It's. There's two plaques now. The initial one was not A very big plaque. It is a small green plaque that used to be affixed to a stone wall that was in kind of a green space area. That space has been redone. There's, I think, a baseball field there. There's bocce courts there. Now, that sign, it's still on the block from the stone wall, but the wall is gone. So instead of it being. It was a low wall, so it was kind of like calf height before. And now it's like just the one block from the wall down at ground level. So I walked around for a period of time, like I had the spot marked on. On Google Maps or whatever. But I was like, where is it, though? And when I finally found it, I was like, I see why this was so difficult for me to find. The other sign is a newer sign and it is one of a series of signs that has been put up by the Friends of the Boston Harbor Walk. And the Friends of the Boston Harbor Walk sign about the floating hospital is what inspired this. That is also where I read the quote about where they went and stopping by the lighthouse for the lighthouse keeper to play the foghorn at them.

[Host 1]

So sweet.

[Holly Fry]

It was very sweet. So I was very glad that I just, you know, I don't remember exactly what I was doing, but I had a little time that I didn't want to just sit there in North Station doing nothing. It was a pretty date. This is a pretty area to walk around right there by the water. Something I found in the research.

[Host 1]

Yes.

[Holly Fry]

That I just found. So funny that I'm now going to share with all of you is a dispute from the pages of the American Journal of nursing, circa 1911. So the first letter to the editor, or. Yes, the letter to the editor from the American Journal of Nursing. It's titled Boston Floating Hospital. Dear Editor, in the June number of the Journal, I read an advertisement of the Boston Floating Hospital and went there this last summer to take a postgraduate course. There was one thing which I was surprised to find and that was that the nurses were expected to go from the hotel where they had their rooms down on the streetcar to the dock in their uniforms. It did seem to me that after so much has been written in our journals and so much has been said in our county and state associations about the nurse appearing on the street in the sick room uniform, that this state of things should not be allowed. A great many of the nurses did object. It was very hot and often too hot to wear coats. But some of us did swelter and wore our long coats. I wondered after I got there if the Journal knew of the state of affairs, if it would advertise such a hospital. Of course, conditions differ in different parts of the country. I know that in our state we are very careful in admitting graduates of hospitals to our state association where nurses are allowed to go on the street in uniform. Mary I. Hall so that was followed by a note from the editor published just below it, which said, while we disapprove on general principles of the wearing of of the uniform on the street, we should hardly consider this a vital question in considering the practical value of the graduate experience to be gained from the course as advertised. We have yet to hear of a hospital or training school anywhere in the world where everything is above criticism, but it would seem a simple matter and an improvement to set apart a stateroom where street costumes could be exchanged for uniforms. Editor so a couple months later the following ran in the American Journal of Nursing titled A Reply from the Boston Floating Hospital. I was very much surprised to read Ms. Hall's letter published in the January Journal. In the first place, it is not compulsory for the nurses to wear their uniforms on the streetcars, but it is allowed so that their hours will not be any longer than possible, as conditions are such that it is necessary for us to travel over a good part of the city to get a place where the nurse can live comfortably. Personally, I object very much to a uniform being worn on the street, and so have former superintendents. The rules for uniforms on on the wards are skirts must be at least three inches from the floor, sleeves turned back to the elbows, and an over apron covering the entire dress and never worn outside of the wards. Ms. Hall failed to mention these things, which surely looks as though she was trying to misrepresent a hospital which granted her a diploma which she seemed quite anxious to secure. Very truly yours, Sarah A. Egan, RN Superintendent of Nurses. I found that whole exchange so catty and hilarious.

[Host 1]

I love it. I love it.

[Holly Fry]

I took pictures of it with my phone on the screen of my computer and put it in my group chat.

[Host 1]

Yeah, it's a good one.

[Host 2]

Breaking News T Mobile Network outperforms expectations in all sectors because T Mobile helps keep you connected from the heart of Portland to right where you are on America's largest 5G network switch. Now keep your phone and T Mobile will pay it off up to $800 per line via prepaid card. Visit your local T Mobile location or learn more@t mobile.com keepandswitch up to 4 lines via virtual prepaid card will have 15 days qualified unlock device credit service port in 90 plus days device and eligible carrier and timely redemption required card is no cash access and expires in six months.

[Caller 3]

This podcast is sponsored by Talkspace. May is Mental Health Awareness Month and Talkspace, the leading virtual therapy provider, is telling everyone let's face it in therapy by talking or texting with a supportive licensed therapist at Talkspace, you can face whatever is holding you back, whether it's mental health symptoms, relationship drama, past trauma, bad habits, or another challenge that you need support to work through. It's easy to sign up. Just go to talkspace.com and you'll be paired with a provider, typically within 48 hours. And because you'll meet your therapist online, you don't have to take time off work or arrange childcare. You'll meet on your schedule. Plus, Talkspace is in network with most major insurers and most insured members have a $0 copay. Make your mental health a priority and start today. If you're not covered by insurance, get $80 off your first month with Talkspace when you go to talkspace.com and enter promo code SPACE80. That's S P A CE80 to match with a licensed therapist today, go to talkspace.com and Enter promo code SPACE80.

[Therapy Gecko]

I found out I was related to the guy that I was dating.

[Caller 3]

I don't feel emotions correctly.

[Host 1]

I am talking to a felon right now and I decide if I like him or not.

[Therapy Gecko]

Those were some callers from my call in Podcast Therapy Gecko. It's a show where I take real phone calls from anonymous strangers all over the world as a fake Gecko therapist and try to dig into their brains and learn a little bit about their lives. I know that's a weird concept, but I promise it's pretty interesting if you give it a shot. Matter of fact, here's a few more examples of the kinds of calls we get on this show.

[Host 1]

I live with my boyfriend and I found his piss jar in our apartment. I collect my roommate toenails and fingernails.

[Caller 3]

I have very overbearing parents. Even at the age of 29, they won't let me move out of their house.

[Therapy Gecko]

So if you want an excuse to get out of your own head and see what's going on in someone else's head, search for Therapy gecko on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. It's the one with the green guy on it.

[Caller 1]

My husband has a secret son from a past partner.

[Caller 2]

Hold up, Sam. How do we know, have we done the DNA test?

[Caller 1]

Well, John, luckily its mother may have a DNA test week on the okay. Storytime podcast, so we'll find out soon. And this wife writes, my husband received a Facebook message from a woman saying that he is the father of a five year old.

[Caller 3]

Whoa.

[Caller 1]

At first he didn't remember her, but then he realized they had a one night stand right before we started dating.

[Caller 2]

Wait, but do we have proof he's a dad?

[Caller 1]

Well, the author says there's no confirmation the kid is even his son, but the woman from Facebook has a meeting with her lawyer soon. I think she's going after our money. If the kid is actually my husband's, she would be entitled to it too.

[Caller 2]

So what's the husband got to say about this?

[Caller 1]

This could be his kid. Well, apparently he broke down in the middle of the living room apologizing, but this is what scared me. His first instinct, if the kid is his son, is to pay the child support but not be an active father in the kid's life because he only wants a family with me, his wife.

[Caller 3]

Oh, this is a mess.

[Caller 1]

To hear the explosive finale, follow OK, storytime in the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Host 1]

I have so many thoughts.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah. Are you gonna. Are you gonna share them? Are they inside thoughts?

[Host 1]

Some of them are inside thoughts just because they're not suitable for this podcast because they have. Sure, swearing. But I also, like, we know these people.

[Holly Fry]

Oh, sure. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Host 1]

Who will. And I never listen. I don't know what goes on in someone else's head. The older I get, the more I realize that I feel like my perception of the world is often very different from the people around me. So I won. I never know if this is a case where someone purposefully is omitting something or if they got some idea in their head that was wrong and never sought any more information to see if that was accurate or not. But it does. I mean, we know those people that just want to be upset about a thing, and so they will run with whatever variation of the facts supports their state of upsetness and just kind of put the pedal to the metal on that. And like, that is the situation. The end, closed case. And I just. And then the response makes me think maybe she was kind of a pill while she was there in her program. And they were like, ugh, this chick again.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah, I found it all hilarious. There is a book about the Boston Floating Hospital. It is called the Boston Floating Hospital. How a Boston Harbor Barge Changed the Course of pediatric medicine. It's a little more than 10 years old now, I think, living in the Boston area, I was able to go check a copy of it out from the library. And it is a nice little book. It's not particularly long. It has lots of detail that we really didn't get into here. Some of it was just, like, we didn't need a bunch of specific details about specific seasons of the different years that the ship went out. A couple of things, or one thing in particular kind of struck me that I thought about talking about and I didn't. And that is that we said that this was a very popular charity, understandably, a hospital that's helping save sick babies.

[Host 1]

Yeah. Who doesn't want to donate to that?

[Holly Fry]

Very charming. But in 1895, so early in the history of the Boston Floating Hospital, some people apparently came to the hospital and they suggested staging a production of Cinderella to benefit the hospital. They did do the play, but then they absconded with the money and did not actually give it to the hospital. Yeah. What jerks.

[Host 1]

Listen, I'm not necessarily an afterlife believer, but if there is one, I hope they went to the worst version. They literally stole from a children's chair. A sick children's charity.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Host 1]

Ghastly.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah. I also. The book was sort of the last thing that I looked at in many things, of looking at for this episode. And so there are some things where I'm sure, like, I was not being the absolute most attentive. And I am not fully clear on when exactly Rufus Toby was no longer part of the hospital because, like, his. He was listed in reports from the hospital with titles like chairman or Chairman of the Board and things like that for a period of years. And then he's not listed anymore. But as far as I know, he was still living. And I don't really know what the story is there and whether there is a story, whether it was, you know, just sort of the natural progression of going from a ship where they were doing medical care, but also a big focus was we're getting into the fresh air and away from the heat and the pollution to being a hospital with, you know, pathology labs and a pharmacy and a medical staff and research going on, and, like, whether having a minister with obviously, heart in the right place but no medical experience, like, didn't make sense to be in that role anymore. And I don't really know. And I.

[Host 1]

He just got to retirement age.

[Holly Fry]

I mean, maybe so. And I got to the point where I said, we should record this episode now. And stopped trying to dig up the answer.

[Host 1]

Sometimes you have to do that. You often get my outlines in the dead of night because there's always part of me that's like, I gotta look up that other thing and I gotta find that other. That one last. I just want to make sure that, ooh, I still can't find it. And eventually I have to be like, I'm going to bed.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah. Yeah. So that is my periodic installment of a Save Some Baby story, as every single day brings multiple new alarming, upsetting things, some of which just make me want to throw up.

[Host 1]

Yep.

[Holly Fry]

So spending some time about babies on a boat a little bit of a comfort in this moment. Whatever is happening on your weekend, I hope you have some comfort in this moment. Whatever is your version of a story about saving babies. I hope you have some of that in your life right now. We will be back with a Saturday classic tomorrow and something brand new on Monday. Stuff youf Missed in History Class is a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

[Caller 3]

This podcast is sponsored by Talkspace. May is mental health Awareness Month, and Talkspace, the leading virtual therapy provider, is telling everyone let's face it in therapy, by talking or texting with a supportive licensed therapist at Talkspace, you can face whatever is holding you back. Whether it's mental health symptoms, relationship drama, past trauma, bad habits, or another challenge that you need support to work through, it's easy to sign up. Just go to talkspace.com and you'll be paired with a provider, typically within 48 hours. And because you'll meet your therapist online, you don't have to take time off work or arrange childcare. You'll meet on your schedule. Plus, talkspace is in network with most major insurers and most insured members have a $0 copay. Make your mental health a priority and start today. If you're not covered by insurance, get $80 off your first month with Talkspace when you go to talkspace.com and enter promo code SPACE80. That's Spa CE80. To match with a licensed therapist today, go to talkspace.com and Enter promo code SPACE80.

[Caller 1]

My husband has a secret son from a past partner.

[Caller 2]

Hold up, Sam. How do we know? Have we done the DNA test?

[Caller 1]

Well, John, luckily its mother may have a DN week on the okay Storytime podcast, so we'll find out soon. And this wife writes. My husband received a Facebook message from A woman saying that he is the father of a five year old.

[Caller 3]

Whoa.

[Caller 1]

At first he didn't remember her, but then he realized they had a one night stand right before we started dating.

[Caller 2]

Wait, but do we have proof he's the dad?

[Caller 1]

To hear the explosive finale, listen to the OK Storytime podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Chelsea Handler]

This week on Dear Chelsea with me, Chelsea Handler. Connie Britton is here. I think you should encourage your friends friend to go ahead and not be holding out for any man to have her babies. She could be waiting another 10 years before she finds the right guy. Connie didn't meet her right guy until you were what, 50, Connie?

[Holly Fry]

52. 52.

[Host 2]

52.

[Holly Fry]

I kept thinking, oh, I'm gonna meet the guy. I'm gonna meet the guy. I'm gonna meet the guy. I finally was like, what am I waiting for? And I did it. And I'm just so glad that I did.

[Chelsea Handler]

Listen to Dear Chelsea on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Podcasts.

[Caller 3]

Hey, I'm Jay Shetty and I'm the host of the On Purpose podcast. And I'm excited for my next episode with Khloe Kardashian.

[Holly Fry]

God, I've been through so many things that at this point I would rather not feel than feel, because feeling is too much for me to handle. I am Khloe Kardashian.

[Caller 1]

Khloe Kardashian, everybody.

[Host 1]

Khloe Kardashian.

[Holly Fry]

No one understands how it's. I'm not just a TV show.

[Caller 3]

Listen to On Purpose with Jay Shetty on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Host 1]

You're listening to an iHeart podcast.