Narrator: The following series
addresses sensitive topics

including self harm and suicide.
Listener discretion is advised.

Sherry: I want to be the sweet
thought that crosses your mind

and remains there, but I am not
wanted. I want to be a bird in

formation with a soaring
echelon, but I am not wanted. I

want to set fire to this
mediocre world just to see what

awaits me in the next one, But I
am not wanted. I am not wanted.

I am not wanted.

Luisa: Come on. I'm gonna be so
late. What the hell is a holdup?

Oh my god.

Hi.

Patti: How's my Lulu?

Luisa: Oh, you know, stressed,
tired, anxious, all the good

things.

Patti: The big meeting is today?

Luisa: Yeah. I'm on my way there
now, and I hope to get there on

time or, I don't know, sometime
this century. God.

Patti: Okay. Stay calm.
Everything will be fine. Which

book are they interested in?

Luisa: They read my manuscript
about Frederic Hsieh so here's

hoping.

Patti: This is exciting. My
little girl is going to publish

her first book.

Luisa: Well, nothing is set in
stone, so it's a miracle that I

even got this meeting.

Patti: I have a good feeling,
Luisa.

Luisa: I hope you're right. If I
can just finally write stories I

want to write.

Patti: It will happen.

Luisa: Oh, is this my

exit? Oh, yes. This is my exit.
Oh my god. I think I'm gonna

make it on time.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Stop. No.

Patti: What? What what happened?

Luisa: You're freaking shitting
me right now.

What, Lu?

Oh my god. Okay. I'm fine.
Sorry.

I'm fine. Someone just

Patti: You need me to I I can
close the shop. I can come over

right now.

Luisa: No. No.

No. Don't sorry. No. Don't worry
about it. It's fine.

It sounds like it was just a
fender bender. Listen. I'm

pulling over. Let me call you
back. Okay?

Patti: Call me back.

Luisa: I will. I will. I will.

Patti: Make sure you get the
information.

Luisa: I will. Thank you. Thank
you. Love you. Bye.

Patti: Okay. Bye.

Debra: Oh my goodness. Oh, god.
I am

so sorry. I cannot believe. I
just are you okay?

Luisa: Yeah. I I'm I'm fine.

Are you okay?

Debra: Yeah. Yeah. I'm okay. I,
just shaken. Okay.

Luisa: Well, let's let's have a
look. Oh, okay. This is fine.

Looks like, you know, a few
scratches. It it could be worse.

Listen. I'm so sorry. I'm in a
huge rush. Can we just exchange

info? I'm honestly

Debra: Yeah.

Luisa: Not Yeah. Yes. Concerned
about this.

Debra: Okay. Of course. Okay.
Let me grab my my insurance

card. Yeah.

Yeah.

Luisa: Oh, god. Me too. Okay.
Again, I am so sorry.

Debra: I looked down for one
second, and then bam. I'm on

your bumper.

Luisa: Yeah. No. I get it.

Debra: I get it. Can't even
remember the last time I was in

an accident. '92? Oh. I'm I'm
normally a very defensive

driver, very defensive.

Luisa: Oh, yeah.

Debra: You have to be in this
town. You know?

Luisa: Uh-huh.

Debra: Drivers here, they are
maniacs.

Luisa: Uh-huh.

Debra: Yep. Yep. Yep. '99 '92.
Yes.

I I remember because Clinton had
just got elected, the other

driver had a Bush bumper on a
Bush sticker on his bumper. Oh.

In fact, that accident was also
a fender bender, but in that

case, I was you. I think that he
ran into the back of me.

Luisa: Yeah. Cool. Hey. Sorry. I
really am

in rush. Yeah. Sorry.

Debra: No. My my card is in here
somewhere.

Insurance. Insure oh, Bed and
Bath... I think you know what?

These are getting very precious.
Do you want this?

20%. Okay.

Luisa: No. I I am

good. Yeah.

Debra: Insure oh. Blockbuster, I
don't need that anymore.

Luisa: Oh, wow.

Oh. It's

a relic right there.

Debra: Oh, here it is. Mind the
cereal crumbs.

Luisa: Oh, yeah. Okay. Great.

Do you

mind if I take

a photo?

Debra: Oh, no. No.

No. Yeah. Go right ahead.

Luisa: And got it. Here's mine.
Sorry. I don't have a paper

copy.

I just

keep it on my phone.

Debra: That's fine. That's fine.
Okay. Great. Could you could you

zoom in a bit?

Oh. I don't have my readers on.

Yeah.

Luisa: Yeah. Of course. Of
course. Here.

Debra: Okay. Stately Insurance.
Luisa Zhang Hillman. Oh, Luisa

Zhang. Wow.

Luisa: You're, like, the first
person who's ever pronounced my

last name right.

Debra: Yeah. I mean, I I know
someone. I mean, I knew someone

with that name.

Luisa: Yeah. There's, a billion
of us, so that's no surprise.

Debra: No. I mean, I knew
someone with your exact name a

long time ago. I'm sorry, but is
your mother's name Sherry?

Luisa: Yeah.

Debra: And did she did she pass
away...

Luisa: ...from suicide?

Debra: Wow. I can't believe. I
this is wow. I know you'd never

believe this, and you're never
gonna remember this. But I used

to see you all the time when you
were very little.

I mean, very little. I I was
very close to your mom. Oh.

Luisa: Oh, damn.

Debra: It's so good to know that
after all these years that you

were

okay. After your mom your mom's
passing, it was hard to to to

keep in touch, but I have always
wondered. I'm Debra, by the way.

Luisa: Luisa, obviously. I know.

Debra: This is bizarre. Right?

Luisa: No. No. I I I'm just I
never met anyone who knew my mom

except my family. You know?

Debra: Right. Right. Oh, listen.
I know I know you said you're in

a rush, but are you maybe free
later on? I wanna give you

something.

It belonged to your mom.

Simone: Luisa, I'm not gonna
lie. I'm really glad that Shane

connected us. Otherwise, I don't
think your manuscript would have

ever made it to my desk, and
that would have been so sad.

Luisa: Listen. I so appreciate
you taking a meeting with me,

Simone. I know I'm an unknown,
and I don't have representation

and all that good stuff.

Simone: Oh, hey.

We all have to start somewhere.
Right?

Luisa: Right.

Simone: Yeah. So, yeah, this
story, I'm ashamed to admit that

I grew up here, and I have never
heard of Frederic Hsieh, which

is crazy. So I'd love to know
how you came across his story.

Luisa: Well, honestly, I wish I
had a more inspiring story than

what I'm about to say. But as
you know, I'm Asian... On my

mom's side, and I grew up in the
San Gabriel Valley surrounded by

all the Asians. And a few years
ago, I was meeting up with some

friends for lunch, and, of
course, I suggested my favorite

Chinese dumpling place in San
Gabriel. And one of my friends

pointed out all the Asians.

And it wasn't until that moment
that I really asked myself, why

is this the case? Like, why are
all the Asians in San Gabriel

Valley?

Simone: Mhmm.

Luisa: So I went home, did some
preliminary research, aka

Google, and I came across an
obituary in the New York Times

for Fredrik Shea. And it laid
out the highlights of his life,

and my jaw dropped.

Here's this Chinese immigrant
who comes here in the sixties,

and he forever changes the
course of history for this part

of Southern California, and no
one knows him. So I just felt

compelled. I I felt compelled to
learn everything I could about

him. One thing led to another. I
started making calls.

Calls turned into interviews.
Interviews turned into chapters.

And before I knew it, I had a
story coming together.

Simone: Oh, an incredible story,
and you tell it beautifully.

Luisa: That means so much to me.

Simone: Oh, I just love how you
paint this part of the world.

It's so vivid. Oh, to me, your
manuscript has similar notes to

The Warmth of Other Suns.

Luisa: Wow. Wow.

Simone: Yeah. And the whole
white flight history. I mean,

damn. I shouldn't be surprised,
but I was.

Oh, and the way

you just lay it all out, you
schooled me. I guess what I'm

trying to say is that I feel
enlightened, enlightened and

shitty.

Luisa: Yeah. I I mean, sometimes
those two things go hand in

hand. Right?

Simone: Mhmm. Mhmm.

Luisa: The truth is hard
sometimes. And, it it's very

shitty that these white people
were so uncomfortable with

Chinese people becoming their
neighbors that they up and left.

But what I appreciate about this
story is that it actually has a

decent outcome for the people
that those white folks were

looking to spite.

Simone: Oh, white spite. That's
your title right there.

Luisa: Yeah.

Simone: I'm sorry. I'm kidding.
Go ahead. Go ahead.

Luisa: Yeah. Maybe. Look, sadly,
a lot of stories of white flight

don't end well for the people
left behind. So to me, this

story is both heartbreaking and
uplifting. On one hand, it's

about displaced and often
disenfranchised people trying to

find their place in the world, a
home, a chance at a better life.

On the other hand, it's about a
Chinese immigrant who saw an

opportunity and just seized it.
And of course, there's all the

history of LA County that led to
this long before Frederic Hsieh.

Right? The erased history of the
native Indigenous tribes, the

Spanish missions, the Chinese
massacre of eighteen seventy

one, which we're only just
really talking about now.

Centuries of horrific events
molded and shaped San Gabriel

Valley into what she is today,
so I really wanted this

manuscript to honor as much of
it as possible.

Simone: Yeah. I mean, yes. I
think you do just that. Wow.

Look.

I don't wanna beat around the
bush here. I think you have

something, and I think you could
be one of the next great voices

in nonfiction.

Luisa: Yeah. I Wow.

Simone: I I mean that.

And,

well, I

have some good news and some bad
news.

Luisa: Oh, okay.

Simone: The bad news. Here at
Hunter, we are hesitant to take

a chance on a brand new author
like yourself.

Luisa: Oh.

Simone: I know. I know.

It's like, what? How do I get
credit if I have no credit?

Right? Makes no sense. But the
good news is that I have a way

around it.

Luisa: Oh.

Simone: Yeah. See, with new
authors, what I've done in the

past is assign them to another
project, someone else's IP to

develop on their behalf.

Luisa: Ghost writing?

Simone: Yes.

Luisa: Okay.

Simone: I know. I know. It's not
ideal, but hear me out. Okay.

There are a lot of benefits.

Okay? So first, I only take on
great stories, meaning you would

help bring to the world a great
story, much like the one you

wanna tell about Frederic Hsieh.

Luisa: Mhmm.

Simone: Second, I'm not gonna
lie. Our ghostwriting

assignments pay well. And on top
of that, I can negotiate a hefty

advance for you. Wow. And third,
if this project hits, which I

know it will because like I said
before, I only take on great

stories, I can easily make a
case for you and your work.

And can I be totally honest?

Luisa: Sure.

Simone: Selfishly, I wanna be
the one that helps bring Fred's

story out into the world. I
really, really do. And I know we

can get there.

We just gotta jump through a few
hoops first. So what do you

think?

Narrator: Holy shit. That is so
exciting, Lu.

Luisa: Is it really?

Narrator: Yes. Cheers to that.

Okay. That was the weakest glass
clink ever. Lu, you have a major

publishing house interested in
your work and you. So now we

raise our glasses and cheers.

Luisa: Cheers.

Narrator: Okay. That was still
weak, but okay.

Luisa: Sorry. I'm just not
thrilled about the idea of doing

all the work and getting no
credit.

Narrator: It's a stepping stone,

a well paid stepping stone.

Luisa: You know, that whole week
leading up to the meeting, I

fantasized that I was gonna go
in, and they were gonna make me

an offer to publish my book. And
it was finally gonna happen for

me. You should have heard her,
Rei. She literally said to me, I

think you're one of the next
great voices in nonfiction.

Narrator: Lu, that is amazing.
Remember that part. Okay? You

should be very proud of
yourself.

Luisa: Mhmm.

Narrator: That doesn't sound
like pride. Alright. So what's

the ghostwriting gig?

Luisa: I have no idea.

Narrator: They didn't tell you?

Luisa: I didn't ask.

Narrator: What do you mean?

Luisa: I didn't ask because I'm
not interested.

Narrator: Lu.

Luisa: What? I'm not interested
in ghostwriting, Reina.

Narrator: Are you serious right
now?

Luisa: Yeah.

Narrator: You're not even going
to entertain the idea?

Luisa: Look. I'd rather spend
that time working on my next

manuscript. Do know the one that
would actually have my name on

it?

Narrator: No. You'd rather spend
your time feeling sorry for

yourself and writing clickbait
articles for some shitty blog

like disasterfeminist.com. 10
ways to know that you're a bad

feminist.

Luisa: Okay. That was a very
successful article, by the way.

And, yeah, I do that to pay my
bills. Okay?

Narrator: Yeah. Lu, you could
pay your bills with that sweet

ghostwriting money. You know I'm
right.

Bartender: Ladies, another
round?

Luisa: Definitely.

Narrator: Yeah.

Bartender: You got it.

Narrator: Before you go, could I
ask you a quick question?

Bartender: Oh, okay.

Narrator: My friend over here
got a job offer. Not a dream

job. Pays very well.

Luisa: What are you doing?

Narrator: I'm getting a second
opinion is

Well, what I'm I will tip him
more. Okay. So not the dream

job, but a good job. No.

Luisa: It's not a good job.

Narrator: Route to the dream.
And so what I'd like to know is

if you had a good solid job that
would pay you very well

Luisa: Are you

Narrator: and still isn't the
dream, would you still

take it?

Don't apologize for me. I'm
accessing my voice.

Bartender: Maybe we should get
you a bottle to celebrate.

Narrator: I like that idea.

Luisa: How about we start with
those drinks

we just ordered?

Bartender: Of course.

Luisa: Of course.

Narrator: Thank you so much.

Thank you. Your opinion counts.

Luisa: I'm gonna kill you.

Narrator: Well, not if I kill
you first.

Luisa: Look. I got this meeting.
I can get more.

Hell, I might even try my hand
at self publishing. Who knows?

Narrator: Okay. Who's to say

that this ghostwriting gig isn't
a good opportunity for

Luisa: I know

it's a good opportunity.

Patti: Let me finish.

Okay.

Who's to

Narrator: say that this
ghostwriting gig is a good

opportunity to get your foot in
the door with Hunter? You slide

in, you prove yourself with this
whole thing, and then

afterwards, you hit him up with
your book like, oh, what's this?

Oh my god. It's a whole another
novel that I wrote that's also

wonderful. Yes, please.

I'd love you to publish it,
Hunter House. Thank you so much.

Luisa: You done?

Narrator: For now.

Luisa: I'm not gonna lie. That's
pretty much

the argument Simone made.

Narrator: Oh my god. Great minds
think alike . So what's the

problem here?

Luisa: I know. I know. I'm not
trying to sound ungrateful. I

just I feel like I'm getting
closer to something. It's it's

hard to explain, but I wanna
take a bet on this feeling on

myself.

Narrator: Who was the one who
predicted in eighth grade in

miss Thomas' class that you
would grow up to be a writer?

Luisa: Oh my god. How many times
are you gonna bring this up?

Narrator: It was me. So, yeah,
I'm always betting on you.

Always.

Luisa: I know. Thank you. Look.
When I decide to write

something, something for me, not
some shitty article, I put my

entire being into it because the
story needs that. I know it

sounds cheesy, but it's true.

It's a lot of hours, a lot of
research, a lot of notes, a lot

of edits, a lot of sleepless
nights, everything. Everything.

I put my everything into it. Do
I wanna give my everything to a

story I may not be passionate
about? I don't know.

Narrator: You got me there.

Bartender: Your glass of rose
and your gimlet.

Narrator: Thank you.

Luisa: Thank you.

Narrator: Okay. Cheers to
betting on you.

Luisa: To betting on me.

Narrator: And to me eventually
being right.

Luisa: Cheers to that.

Narrator: Now that's a clink.

Debra: Hey, Luisa.

Luisa: Hey, Debra.

Debra: Please come in.

Luisa: Thanks.

Debra: I appreciate you coming
over. I I realize how strange

all of this must be.

Luisa: I don't mind strange.

Debra: Yeah. Me

neither. Would you like some tea
or coffee? I have the kettle on.

Luisa: If you're having tea,
I'll have tea.

Debra: Oh, tea for two then.
Please make yourself at home.

Luisa: Thank you. My god. Your
home is beautiful. I love all

these little vintage trinkets.

Debra: Mhmm.

Luisa: Like this. What is this?

Debra: It's an old coin bank.
See, you put a coin in here

Mhmm. And it keeps a running
total.

Luisa: Oh, that's cool.

Debra: Mhmm.

I think so too. I'm a bit
sentimental for old things.

Luisa: I get that.

Debra: Ah,

I'll fetch our tea.

Luisa: Oh, wow. Look all these
books.

Debra: Yes. I am a total
bookworm.

Luisa: Oh, me too. You've Mhmm.
Got quite the collection here.

Stephen King, of course, Agatha
Christie. Classic.

Debra: Yeah. Classic, of course.

Luisa: Gillian Flynn.

Debra: Oh, yeah. A

Luisa: ton of true crime novels.
I'm starting

to see a pattern here.

Debra: Oh, yeah. Anything to do
with mysteries, murder,

suspense.

Sign me up. You?

Luisa: No. No. No.

No. No. No. No. Not my genre.

I I love a great story as long
as it doesn't keep me up at

night because I am a total
weenie.

Debra: Oh, yeah?

Luisa: Oh, yeah. My best friend
made me watch one episode of

that Unsolved Mysteries reboot,
and I swear I didn't sleep

properly for the next three
nights. The theme music alone is

terrifying. So, yeah, I'm total

weenie.

Debra: Understandable. It's not
for everyone.

Luisa: Yeah.

But everyone seems to

love it, don't they? It's like
true crime is the new porn.

Debra: Yeah. I see what you
mean.

Luisa: Yeah. I don't know. I
personally don't understand

everyone's obsession with death.

Debra: Yeah.

Luisa: No offense.

Debra: No. No. None taken. Milk?

Sugar?

Luisa: Both, please. Thank you.

Debra: So, Luisa, what do you do
for work?

Luisa: I'm actually a writer.

Debra: Oh, you are? What kind?

Luisa: Yeah. Well, I pay my
bills writing articles for blogs

and stuff like that, but I love
nonfiction.

I have a few novels I'm working
on.

Debra: Oh, fantastic. Anything I
can read?

Luisa: If

you don't mind reading a
manuscript.

Debra: Oh, no. I wouldn't mind
that

at all.

Luisa: Okay. Because I haven't
yet been published, but I had a

very exciting meeting with
Hunter House. So

Debra: That's so

wonderful.

Luisa: Yeah.

Debra: I know Sherry would be so
proud of you.

Luisa: Thank you. So, how did
you know

my mom?

Debra: Community college.
Pasadena City College. We met in

psychology class.

Luisa: Wow.

Psychology,

Debra: Yeah. She wanted to know
what made us tick, what made us

do the things we do, feel the
things we feel. I asked to

borrow a pencil, and we
instantly became friends. We

were both single moms, and we
both wanted to work in therapy.

Luisa: Is that what you ended up
doing?

Debra: Yes, actually.

Sherry would have been a
remarkable therapist.

Luisa: Yeah?

Debra: Oh, yeah. She was
empathetic and thoughtful and

never, never judgmental. You
know?

She could see between the lines.
And she was the best student in

the class. Every single time we
got our grades back, she always

beat me. Always. But she never
bragged.

Whip smart that mother of yours,
and humble. But you've probably

heard all

this already.

Luisa: No, actually.

Debra: Oh.

Luisa: After my mom died, my
aunt Patti and my uncle Jim took

me in and raised me. And I know
it was hard on them, so I I

tried not to make it harder

Mhmm.

Debra: By asking questions.

Luisa: Yeah.

Debra: I understand.

Luisa: I didn't even know that
it was suicide until I was,

like, 10 years old. I overheard
my cousins talking about it at a

family barbecue.

Debra: Oh, I am so sorry.

Luisa: Yeah.

Debra: Hey, does anyone still
call you Babalu?

Luisa: No.

Debra: No.

You know that song from I Love
Lucy, the one that Little Ricky

sang? Babalu...

Luisa: Baa baa-luuu...

Yes. I'm very familiar. I love I
love Lucy.

Debra: Like mother, like
daughter.

Luisa: Yeah? Mhmm.

Debra: Your mom, she used to
call you Babalu.

Luisa: Wow.

Debra: Yeah. It fit. You looked
like a Babalu.

Luisa: God.

I still do, I suppose. This is
very cool, learning all of this

about her.

Debra: Yeah. Yeah. Listen. That
box on the side table, that is

what I wanted to give you.

Luisa: Oh,

let's see. Cassette player and a
bunch of tapes.

Debra: Yep. They were your
mom's.

Luisa: How cool. Is this like
her favorite music and stuff?

None of

these tapes

are labeled-

Debra: No. Your mom, when we
were in psych class, she became

fascinated by the idea of
journaling her thoughts and

feelings.

Luisa: Makes sense.

Debra: Right. So she started a
journal, an audio journal. These

tapes, they are your mother in
her own words.

Luisa: Oh. Oh, wow.

Debra: Yeah. I know. This is
probably not what you were

expecting.

Luisa: Yeah. No.

Debra: Luisa, after Sherry
passed, I helped your aunt Patti

clean out her apartment.

Luisa: You met my aunt Patti?

Debra: Yes.

A few times. While we were
packing up, I came across the

recorder and the tapes, and I
don't know what came over me,

but I made a snap decision, and
I hid them from your aunt. And

then I took them with me.

Luisa: Why?

Debra: I think at the time, I
wanted to protect Sherry, and I

knew what could be on those
tapes.

Luisa: Have you listened to
them?

Debra: No. They're not meant

for me.

Luisa: You think they're meant
for me?

Debra: Yes. I don't think I knew
this at the time, but when I

took those tapes, I think I took
them because I knew that one day

you should have them. Luisa, my
memory isn't so great these

days, but I still remember so
much about your mom. She had

this laugh that was more like a
a cackle, and she always wanted

cream, no sugar in her coffee.
And and she would she would

randomly hum, just out of the
blue.

I don't even think she was
conscious of it. And it didn't

matter where we were. I remember
one time, we're in the middle of

a test, and she just starts
humming, Girl, You Know it's

True.

Luisa: Milli Vanilli?

Debra: Yes.

Luisa: No.

Debra: Yes. I swear.

Luisa: No. Oh my god. She had
great taste.

Debra: It went on for, like, ten
minutes. And then finally,

the professor pulled her aside
and told her to stop.

Luisa: You're absolutely
kidding.

Debra: True. I promise you. Oh
my god. She was really special,

Luisa.

I'm heartbroken that you didn't
get to experience any of this.

Luisa: Yeah. But that's what she
chose.

Debra: Luisa, I don't know why
she chose that path. I really

don't. There was so much more to
your mom than the way she died.

Maybe these tapes can show you
that.

Luisa: Yeah. Maybe. I gotta be
honest. This is this is all

kinda surreal.

Debra: Yeah.

Luisa: I've always wanted to
know her, but I don't know if

this is the way to go about it.
You know?

Debra: When I came across the
tapes and the recorder, they

weren't hidden or even tucked
away. They were right there out

on the kitchen table. Why? If
she knew she was gonna why did

she leave them out?

Luisa: I don't know. She forgot.
I think one could argue that she

wasn't exactly in the best state

of mind.

Debra: Then why did she bring
you to your aunt Patti's the

night before? You didn't know
that? Sherry was purposeful. She

and I were the only people who
knew what those tapes were, and

I think that's why she left them
out.

Look. I'm not here to tell you
what you should or shouldn't do.

I really hope I'm not coming
across that way. I just I just

want you to know that I think
Sherry would have wanted you to

have them. I truly believe this.

Luisa: Well, I I appreciate you
holding on to these all these

years. I I really do. Thank you.

Debra: Of

course. Listen. Whatever you
decide to do, I hope that it

gives you perspective.

Patti: Welcome. I'll be right
out.

Luisa: It's me, auntie.

Patti: My Lulu finally comes to
visit.

Luisa: I saw you, like, last
week.

Patti: Yeah. That's a long time.

Luisa: Do I smell sweet pea?

Patti: Yes. Sweet pea. Now come
here. My sweet pea.

Luisa: Oh, I always forget how
magical these smell.

Patti: I'm putting them into
centerpieces. Big wedding this

weekend.

Luisa: Oh, look at you. Where is

uncle Jim?

Patti: He's out delivering
flowers.

Luisa: Can't you get some kid to
do that? He should be taking it

easy. Both of you should be
taking it easy.

Patti: I know, but he loves
being out and about. I can't get

him to stop. You know how he is.

Luisa: This is true.

Patti: So are you here to tell
me something?

Luisa: Tell you something?

Patti: About the publisher. Oh.
Are you gonna take the ghost

typing job?

Luisa: Ghost writing.

Patti: You know

what I mean.

Luisa: I'm thinking about it.

Patti: Okay...

Luisa: Okay.

Patti: I don't know what you're
thinking about,

but okay.

Luisa: I'm giving it some
thought.

Patti: That's all. I thought you
wanted an opportunity, Lu.

Luisa: I do. The right one. I
haven't turned it down.

I really am thinking about it.
Okay?

Patti: Okay.

How's the bumper?

Luisa: Oh, not bad. Just a few
scratches.

Patti: Make sure to file claims
soon. Who knows that other

driver will do to avoid paying.
LA drivers, you can't trust

them.

Luisa: Yeah. This driver, she
didn't seem so bad.

In fact, this is wild, but you
know her from a long time ago.

Patti: I do? Who?

Luisa: Do you remember one of
mom's old friends, Debra

McNamara?

Patti: It doesn't ring a bell.

Luisa: Oh, a tall white lady,
brown hair. They went to PCC

together. You and her met a few
times?

Patti: I don't remember.

Luisa: Oh,

well, I guess her and mom hung
out a lot. She told me about how

they met in psychology class and
how mom wanted to be a

therapist, which is pretty cool.

Patti: Your mom didn't want to
be a therapist. Your mom wanted

to be in finance, banking, that
kind of job.

Luisa: Oh, okay. Well,
regardless, Debra seems cool. It

might be nice for you two to
reconnect. She remembers you.

And it sounds like she knew mom
well, so maybe you'd like to

hear her stories about her.

Patti: No one knew your mom like
I knew her.

Luisa: Auntie, I'm not I'm not
saying that.

Patti: What are you saying?

Luisa: I just wish you would
tell me more about her. What you

remember, things you did
together, I I know it's hard.

But you just said it yourself.

No one knew her like you did. So
why don't you ever talk about

her?

Patti: Oh, welcome.

Customer: Thanks.

Luisa: Auntie,

are you okay?

Patti: I'll call you later.
Okay?

Luisa: Okay.

Patti: Sir, how can I help you?

Customer: Do you have calla
lilies?

Patti: Yes. I just got some
fresh today. Here, let me show

you.

Luisa: Bye, auntie.

Patti: Okay.

Luisa: Okay. When was the last
time I

used one of these things? Oh,
no. B side, A side.

Okay.

Here we go.

Sherry: Well, hello, Babalu...

Credits Narrator: Babalu was
created, written, and produced

by me, Kimberly Truong. Directed
by Katherine Chen Lerner. Sound

design, editing, and mixing by
Charles Moody. With performances

by Christine Liao, Lee Chen,
Varda Appleton, Chriselle

Almeida, Ruby Marez, Eric Chad
Ho, Cruz Flores, and Kimberly

Truong. Original theme music by
Edith Mudge, with additional

music by PB and Peter Lam.
Artwork by Gabi Hawkins.

Logo by Alex Bruno. Special
thanks

to Marco Beltran, Vince Elra,
Mari Meyer, Amanda Salvatore,

and Ruby Marez. Babalu is a
production of Uneasy Tiger. For

more info or to support this
series, follow at Uneasy Tiger

on Instagram or TikTok or visit
uneasytiger.com. If you or

someone you know is struggling
with suicidal thoughts, please

dial 988 or visit
988lifeline.org for resources

and support.