Therapy Gecko – “I OWN OSAMA BIN LADEN’S CAR” (Feb 22, 2026)

Host: Gecko (Lyle)
Guest: Miles (aka Lord Miles)

Episode Overview

This highly unusual Therapy Gecko episode centers around a candid, wide-ranging conversation between Lyle and Miles, a British man whose exploits include buying Osama bin Laden’s car, running business in Afghanistan, befriending the Taliban, being detained in Taliban jail, and more. Miles—also known online as “Lord Miles”—seeks advice on how to relate to “normal people” given his insane lifestyle, expressing both pride and exhaustion about his notoriety and chaotic choices. Lyle approaches the call with both disbelief and compassion, probing deeper into Miles’ emotional world and ultimately encouraging him to seek balance, community, and self-reflection.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Miles' Wild Background and Story

• Miles' Claim: He owns Osama bin Laden’s car, bought in Afghanistan for $8,000, with plans to sell it for much more to an American collector ([04:00]-[05:49]).
• How It Began: Accidentally trapped in Afghanistan during the Taliban takeover, befriended them through unexpected adventures ([06:59]-[08:45]).
  • Helped a tour guide attempt (unsuccessfully) to escape Taliban persecution.
  • Sold Taliban “merch” (uniforms, flags) on eBay, especially to autistic collectors.
• Business Model: Buys rare or dangerous items (tanks, cars, flags) cheap in Afghanistan to resell to Western collectors ([10:55]-[11:43]).
• Multiple Detainments: Spent nearly 8 months in Taliban jail—describes being accused of spying and weapons dealing, but ultimately treated surprisingly well ([15:46]-[17:19]).
• Other Exploits: Faked a press pass to enter Ukraine during the war’s breakout, joined a front-line Ukrainian unit for a few days, and helped ferry aid and refugees ([28:29]-[30:39]).

2. The Social Toll of an Extreme Life

• Isolation: Miles fears he can't relate to “normal people,” worries about scaring new acquaintances with his background ([17:19]-[17:52]).
  • “How do I not scare the hoes?” ([06:27], humorously phrased)
• Relationships: Is dating someone “autistic enough to like it” but dreads meeting her parents or explaining himself at social functions ([03:02], [22:11]-[22:58]).
• Emotional Impact: Expresses loneliness and fatigue: “I'm just tired, man,” and acknowledges struggling to form genuine connections ([43:22]-[45:10]).
• Recognition and Notoriety: Finds that new friends often “fangirl” over him or see him only as a spectacle, not a real person ([19:01]-[20:01]).

3. Self-Image & Motivation

• Adrenaline & Legacy: Admits being an “adrenaline junkie” and wanting to be remembered, possibly for something positive ([38:14]-[39:16]).
  • “I have always wanted to start my own country...” ([38:26]), seriously considered attempting a coup in Haiti.
• Conflict Over Identity: Fears his entire personality is wrapped up in his notorious activities ([23:56]-[24:10]).
• Financial Security vs. Risk: Though he has “enough money,” he keeps chasing riskier deals (“selling tanks to American collectors”) out of habit or compulsion ([54:26]-[56:36]).
• Self-Reflection: Moments of insight, seeing his motivations paralleled to Walter White in Breaking Bad—“I did it for me. I did it because I liked it.” ([61:12]-[62:30]).

4. Friendship and Community

• Social Circle: Tend to be “edgy, 4chan-y, provocateur” types who egg each other on, pushing boundaries without offering much true care ([70:32]-[75:03]).
  • “My friends sent me a coffin...” as a dark joke about his lifestyle ([74:02]-[75:03]).
• Loneliness & Pariah Status: Realizes his social group may be part of the problem; expresses appreciation for his girlfriend and one worried friend as rare supportive figures ([87:23]-[88:06]).
• Family Background: IVF child, absent father, estranged alcoholic mother, difficult childhood that led to early homelessness—possibly relating to attraction to “gangs” or outlaw communities ([75:21]-[79:52]).

5. Lyle’s Role: Compassionate Confrontation

• Validation: Lyle repeatedly affirms that he believes Miles, both factually and emotionally ([13:03], [24:10]).
• Probing Purpose: Asks if Miles truly wants a “normal life” and explores his ambivalence ([18:14]-[19:01], [52:51]-[53:34]).
• Firm Advice: Encourages Miles to disengage from Taliban/war profiteering, seek community, join a church, and build a “grounding” normal life with balance ([80:10]-[85:42]).
  • “Try to enjoy just being a normal f***ing guy. There's a lot to enjoy.” ([83:45])
• Reflections on Chaos:
  • “You're clearly addicted to chaos, which is not inherently a bad thing ... but if all you have is your craziness, you will feel like you are floating through outer space.” ([31:49]-[32:59], [89:57])
• Encouragement: Suggests channeling “grand, insane energy” into meaningful, ethical pursuits (even proposes a podcast interviewing people like General Butt Naked, the Liberian warlord turned Christian) ([64:15]-[66:14]).

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On Owning Osama’s Car:
  • “I own Osama bin Laden’s car.” (Miles, [04:04])
  • "You sent me a message... ‘I own Osama bin Laden’s car.’ And I was like, what the f*** are you talking about?" (Lyle, [04:04])
• On Social Disconnection:
  • “How do I not scare the hoes?” (Miles, [06:27])
  • “There’s really no way that you’re going to be able to have a conversation with a normal person without them getting freaked out.” (Lyle, [17:19])
• On Taliban Jail:
  • “About a month into my imprisonment, they start treating me like royalty.” (Miles, [16:18])
  • “To be honest, it was kind of a lads holiday, you know.” (Miles, [16:41])
• Lyle on Miles’ Choices:
  • “I think working for the Taliban is probably a bad idea.” (Lyle, [32:46])
  • “You have to find some balance, dude.” (Lyle, [84:11])
• On Survival/Death Wish:
  • “Are you afraid of dying, though? ...If you do this, you might get like, killed.” (Lyle, [43:17])
  • “This is gonna sound a little bit messed up. Kind of excited for it, almost.” (Miles, [43:22])
  • “I just want to say to you, because you're calling me...some part within you doesn't want to die.” (Lyle, [45:37])

Important Timestamps

• [04:04] — Where the “Osama bin Laden’s car” story comes from.
• [06:27] — “How do I not scare the hoes?” – The challenge of relating to others.
• [15:46] — The Taliban jail story and how he survived it.
• [28:29] — Adventures in Ukraine, faking a press pass at the war’s start.
• [38:14] — His dream of starting a country by funding a coup in Haiti.
• [43:22] — Discussing the risks and appeal of dying young; exhaustion with hyper-dangerous life.
• [61:12] — Breaking Bad comparison: “I did it for me. I did it because I liked it.”
• [70:32] — Miles’ description of his friends and how they react to his exploits.
• [75:21] — Upbringing: IVF baby, absent and troubled parents.
• [80:10] — Lyle’s core advice: Seek community, be a regular, join a church.

The Final Advice and Reflection

• Lyle to Miles:

  • Find balance: You don't have to abandon all craziness, but build a grounding, “normal” life outside of chaos.
  • Seek real community: Church, local institutions, and “being a regular somewhere” can provide stability and support missing from his current social circle.
  • Consider why he keeps chasing ethical gray zones and danger—financial security is not worth more danger and isolation.
  • Reflect on what kind of legacy and everyday life he honestly wants.

• Miles’ Closing Thoughts:

  • Expresses appreciation for Lyle’s advice, finds it better than that from many friends ([48:13]).
  • Seems to resolve to look for more balance, build a real-life community, and channel his energy into new directions ([86:07]).

Memorable Sign-off

Miles: “Just live. Love. Love… I think I’ve said too much. That’s quite all right… you actually a very good counselor. Very good stuff.” ([89:28])
Lyle: “If all you have is your craziness, you will feel like you are floating through outer space… I hope Miles makes the right decisions, and finds some form of peace for himself.” ([89:57])

Summary for New Listeners

This episode is a wild, sometimes jaw-dropping, sometimes heartfelt journey into the psyche of a man living on the chaotic edge of modern adventurism and notoriety. On the surface, it’s a darkly comic tale of selling tanks and Taliban merch; beneath, it’s a vulnerable exploration of loneliness, childhood neglect, the dangers of adrenaline addiction, and the search for meaning and community. Lyle’s compassionate but no-nonsense approach holds a mirror up to Miles—and provides genuine, practical advice for anyone feeling lost after living on the edge for too long.