City of Angels: The Moth Podcast

0:00Hey LA, the Moth Grand Slam is coming to you on October 9th at the Bing Theater. 10 Winning Storytellers with Never Before Herds Stories Unlike at an open mic, each of these stories is coached by a Moth Director. Like me. We connect with the storytellers before the show. Here's sneak peek of the story they're going to tell and offer pointers and advice to help them as they continue to craft their tale for the stage. It's a lot of fun to coach these shows and even more fun to see them live. Don't miss the Moth Grand Slam. Find tickets at the Moth.org slash grand slam. That's the moth.org slash grand slam. Remember when you were a kid and summer meant total freedom as an adult that same feeling comes from ditching your overpriced phone bill thanks to Mint Mobile's summer sale. Right now every single one of Mint's plans is just $15 a month, even unlimited. Switching over is painless. I got to keep my same phone, same number and I was able to complete the setup all online in just minutes. No need to go to a store. Finally, stop worrying about monthly bills. To get your new wireless plan for just $15 a month, go to MintMobile.com slash moth. That's

1:03MintMobile.com slash moth. Cut your wireless bills to $15 a month at MintMobile.com slash moth. That's it. There's no catch. Up front payment of $45 for three months, $90 for six months or 180 for 12 months. Plan required. $15 per month equivalent. Taxes and fees extra. Initial plan term only. Greater than 50 GB may slow when network is busy. Incluses up to 20 GB hotspot, capable device required. Availability, speed and coverage varies. See MintMobile.com. Did you know your dentist might actually spot serious health issues before your regular doctor does? That blew my mind when I learned it, but what happens in your mouth doesn't stay there. It impacts your heart, your brain and your entire body. In fact, poor oral health is directly linked to long term conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and even Alzheimer's. That is why what small generation does matters. They connect you with trusted experts who focus on a whole body approach to dental care. They know that when your health isn't holding you back, you unlock a

2:05completely new level of confidence to show up for the people who matter most. Being proactive with regular screenings means catching potential issues early, playing the long game for your well-being, and taking real control of your future. Taking care of your smile really is taking care of your whole self. To learn more about the connection between oral health and overall health, visit smilegeneration.com slash moth. That smilegeneration.com slash moth to learn more about the mouth body connection and find a trusted provider near you. Welcome to the Moth podcast. I'm your host Dan Kennedy. When it comes to big cities, it seems like there's always been this unspoken difference or divide between New York and LA. Some of you may know that the moth started here in New York City, but what you may not know is that Los Angeles was actually the second city to host a moth story slam. And when it comes down to it, maybe the two cities aren't actually as different as they seem. Both places are full of transplants trying to make it in the big city. And just like

3:07New York, LA is not always an easy place to live. Man, it sure seems like it is from 3000 miles away. I have lived in New York for the last 20 years. I was born and raised in California. I always think LA has got to be easier, but every time I get there, I realize we're all people and life is life, and it's going to find us wherever we are. And it only takes one visit to be reminded of that. So this week, we're going to hear a couple of Los Angeles stories about moving in and fitting in. First up is this one from Brian Cat. Brian told this story at our LA story slam, and the theme of the night was culture shock. Here's Brian Cat. All right. So when I feel lonely, I go for long walks, and my first year in Los Angeles, I walk so much that I had to re-sold my shoes two different times. It felt so foreign to me. It's a tough city. Back in Chicago, I knew tons of people.

4:12Out here, I knew hardly anyone. I missed humans. What made my day-to-day even harder was that I worked from home writing medical brochures about diabetes and catheters. Some days, my biggest human interaction would be when I would hear my very loud neighbors screaming through the walls. I didn't know if they were fighting or celebrating. So I was just in this island in my apartment. When my landlord jumped off my lease to be renewed for the following year, I was hesitant. I felt like I needed a sign, some sort of human connection to convince me to stay, to show me that LA wasn't so foreign. So I set the lease aside, and I went to work from a coffee shop for the day. At the coffee shop, I tried to engage with the barista. I said, hey man, what kind of pastry is your favorite? He just stared at me. He gave me no response. So I picked out a croissant that sucked.

5:13I sat down next to this woman on her laptop. When I asked if I could share her electrical outlet with her, it was like I was asking her for a kidney or something. There was so much disdain. It was then in there I decided that I was done. I was done with Los Angeles. So for the rest of the day, I just sat in silence and I wrote about how catheters can cause bacterial infections. I'm doing a few hours of that. Remind me that I was out of a shower soap at home. So that evening I packed up and I walked over to Albertsons and Albertsons was slammed. Everybody in Los Felos was there shopping at the same time. It was so crowded. It took me so long to even get back to where the soap was that by the time I did, I was really fed up. I decided that I deserved to treat damn it. So I picked up some chocolate milk because I'm an adult. I went to the check-out line. I sat down the soap next to the chocolate milk and this woman in

6:14front of me who had really big hair turned and looked back at me and she scoffed. She gave me a dirty look and I knew why clearly. It's because if you buy one item, that's an errand, right? But if you buy two items, everybody assumes you're somehow going to use just those two items concurrently. She gave me this real nasty look like she just knew I was going to go home and drink the milk when I was all lathered up in the shower like a pervert. And so I just pushed her out of my mind and I focused on how I was going to pack up my apartment. But that's when someone behind me tapped me on the shoulder and I turned around and it was the oldest woman in Los Angeles. She had this face like a dried apple and she was wearing a plastic but bushka even though I hadn't rained in like months. And she was saying something I really couldn't make out as she was unloading vegetables that I never even seen before onto the conveyor belt. And I thought she was a crazy person. You know, that's fine. And there's a business man in line behind her and I tried to engage with him and I gave him a look that said like, you know, this lady, am I right? And he gave me no response.

7:19He gave me the old barista treatment. And so before I turned away from her, I kind of realized, you know what? Here's a human who wants to interact with you. And you know, beggar's camping choosers. Maybe she's not crazy. So I said, excuse me, ma'am. And she was saying, how do you cook the dinosaur's? And I thought, damn it, you know, but she wasn't saying, cook, it was cooked. So it was, how do you cook the dinosaurs? And then she continued and she said, if my grandchildren do not want, I do not want to waste. And from her cart, she pulled out a small plush digger's source, a small plush tyrannosaurus rex that she got in the toy aisle. She set them next to down her vegetables and she said, so, so how do you cook? And she wasn't crazy. She was the most adorable woman in Los Angeles. And I said, you know what, ma'am, normally I broil my brontosaurus. And she let out this great laugh that sounded like clucking. But that's when it happened that the big haired woman in front of me leaned in. And she said, last week,

8:22Velociraptor was on special. It was delicious. So the three of us are enjoying this wonderful moment of humanity out of nowhere. I've been the businessman. It's then on. And the businessman says, you know, normally I deep fry my dinosaurs, even though I know it isn't good for me. And the four of us are just in it. And it's amazing. And it's lovely. And then the cashier cleared his throat. Because the bigger woman had to pay, we all snapped to attention. Our fun was over. Within the cashier, a liened across the conveyor belt, and he said, Albert Sins has the tastiest brand of dinosaur. Because the Albert Sins brand of dinosaur comes with its own stuffing. And everyone broke out in these smiles. And so the big haired woman paid and she went on her way. And then I paid for my milk and my soap that I wasn't going to do anything perverted with. And I turned to the old woman. And I said, I really hope you enjoy your dinosaur's if your grandchildren don't. And she beamed. And I left there feeling a part of something larger.

9:24Because this human connection, it's all around us is even when we're not looking for it. And it's even in these seemingly insignificant moments, it's even in Albert Sins. You know, it's even in Los Angeles, which didn't suddenly seem so foreign. And so when I got home, I took a shower with soap. And then afterwards, I poured myself a big glass of chocolate milk. And then I sat down and I resung my lease. Thanks. That was Brian Kett. Brian is an award-winning teacher, writer and storyteller from Chicago, who now lives in Los Angeles. And every week, he tries to solve the Sunday puzzle on NPR. The end of this month will mark five years of living in Los Angeles for Brian. And when we followed up with him, we had this to say, quote, I'm so happy to say that I've found my community here. Over the last five years, I've met so many kind, caring and creative people. And all of that has come about from being open to whatever opportunities have presented themselves. The other evening,

10:29I was sitting on a rooftop with some friends, having a beer and watching the sunset over the traffic, and the city really felt like home. Today's episode is brought to you by Alma. Therapy has been valuable for me, but getting started isn't exactly easy. The hardest part wasn't deciding to go, it was figuring out where to even begin. I remember scrolling endlessly, not knowing who took my insurance, wondering if I'd connect with the person on the other side. It just felt like a lot. That's why Alma really stands out to me. They make it simple to find a therapist who actually fits your needs. Their director includes over 26,000 therapists nationwide, and you can filter by things like insurance, identity, and therapeutic approach. And 98% of their therapists accept insurance, which makes a big difference. Clients with insurance pay $20 on average, though it depends on your plan. And you can even use their free cost estimator to know what you'll pay upfront. Most people find their match on the first try, and 95% connect with a therapist within a week. It just removes so much of that initial friction. Get started now at helloalma.com slash moth.

11:35That's helloalma.com slash m-o-t-h. While September no longer means back to school for me, there's something about the change of season that makes me want to get organized. My New York City kitchen never has enough storage space, so I bought Wayfair's small kitchen isling with storage, and all my bowls finally have a proper home. Wayfair made the whole process painless. Wayfair focuses on delivering quality, value, and confidence, so your home can handle real life. Their Wayfair verified lineup gives you extra confidence, thanks to a strict 10-point quality check performed by product experts. Whether you're organizing after back to school, refreshing a room for autumn, or getting ready for Halloween decorating, you can shop thousands of products across any budget using filters and real customer photos. With over 20 million verified five-star views, you always know you're making the right choice. Transform your space with pieces that hold up to real life. Join Wayfair rewards today and get 5% back on every purchase. Head to Wayfair.com or shop the Wayfair app for all things home. That's w-a-y-f-a-r.com. Wayfair every style every home.

12:41Up next, we have a story from Huluietta Gilbert. Huluietta told this story at an L.A. story slam where the theme of the night was bouncing back. Here's Huluietta, live at the mall. A few weeks ago, I really didn't know if I wanted to go to the women's march. But then I got all of these Facebook invites and texts saying things like, can I go with you? Or do I meet you? Should we take the subway? But I wasn't so sure. I mean, even if I went, what was really the point of it? You see, I am no stranger to marches. I come from Mexico City and there we march all the time. We march when we're happy, against oppression, against injustice for peace. We just do.

13:45I have been marches with 6 million people and I'm not judging anyone, but I was in the 2006 L.A. immigration march and I only saw Latinos there. And a handful of white people that were probably married to the Latinos. That march accomplished nothing. Nothing came out of it. So thinking about that march made me question even more wanting to go to the women's march. Because after all, what were all of these women with all kinds of different causes were going to accomplish when we couldn't even get together to fight for just one cause? But then my friends told me that Shepard Ferre, you know the guy that made the Obama Hop poster? That he was given away posters and he had made this beautiful Latina woman that I really wanted. So with this motivation,

14:51I told my friends that I was going. My friend and I waited in that gallery for three hours like assholes. By the time I made it all the way to the front, there were no posters free or for sale. As I was waiting for my friends in Union Station, I was just, I just had the worst attitude because I really didn't want to be there. I mean I didn't even get the poster that I wanted. But then I met this seven-year-old girl. She was in a wheelchair and she was wearing her little nasty woman t-shirt. And her dad, I'm here because I support her rights t-shirt. And they were so happy and so pumped that it made me feel as a shame of myself because I was just throwing so much negativity to the world. If she could do it, so could I. I found my friends and we

15:58entered like this sea of people. Let me tell you, Americans do not know how to organize a march. It was a hot mess. But also the most apologetic one. Every time anybody touched me, they were like, I'm so sorry are you okay? Can I help you? As we walked down Broadway, I saw like 30 middle-eastern men. They had like these super long beards. And they were given away the most delicious vegan food for free. They were not asking for anything in return. They're act of kindness blew me away. We passed and I'm going to continue walking and at some point we were stuck like we could not move.

17:03And I could hear this little Mexican kids chanting La Rasa Unida Jamásera vencida. And barely anybody chanted along. But this white girl she was like, Unida vencida! And then the kids started chanting, the people united will never be defeated. And like fire, it spread in all of the street. It was magical. As I was walking towards the subway, I bumped into this girl and she had the poster that I wanted. Hey, where did you get it? Oh, they were just giving them away. But they ran out of it. And then she just went like this with her poster. And she had another one. Do you want it? And I couldn't believe that this girl just gave me the poster that I wanted so much. Just like that.

18:09As I rolled the subway back home, I was trying to digest what I had just experienced. And I was intoxicated with this sense of love, unity, support, so much humanity. This is the smallest march of my life. Only 750,000 people. But by far, the most meaningful one. That was Julietta Gilbert. Julietta is a writer-producer from Mexico who moved to LA in 2005. She's an Emmy and Pro Max Award winner and also owns DFLA Films, a production company that creates content for the US and Mexico.

19:13That's it for us this week on the Moth Podcast. Until next time, from all of us here at the Moth, have a story worthy week. Podcast production by Julia Purcell. Dan Kennedy is the author of Loser Goes First, Rock On, and American Spirit. He's also a regular host and storyteller with the Moth. I famously love a giveaway. To a point, I will happily wear a swag bag hat or a super soft hoodie, but I get enough that I am really picky. But the other day I was walking home from yoga and I realized that my socks and water bottle were both gifts from companies who used Vista Print. And this is why I'm always shopping on Vista Print for the Moth. I know we need great quality and effortless ordering and there are endless items to choose from all in one place. Now everyone's vying for our car magnets. I can barely keep up. It's amazing how the right custom print expert can help bring your unique ideas to life and inspire you to keep growing.

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