After all that, I needed a change of pace (see, “Self-care to prevent self-pickling”), and a friend mentioned in an email this radio program, whose first 22 minutes I think may be the single most fantastic America broadcast of all time. Even those of you who are tired of This American Life have to agree, this is great.
A few guys go out on a boat (“the yacht,” says Our Hero) in Jamaica Bay, in New York — a body of water from which you can see the entire skyline, and it’s nearby — but something goes wrong…and they shipwreck. Then, a 17-year-old starts to imagine how he’ll fight for his life, forage for his food, and otherwise care for himself if no one ever finds out he’s been stranded in this ‘wilderness.’ “I felt like Robinson Crusoe. I know what it’s like to be by yourself, away from civilization…and the only person that’s near you is you and the ghost of your death close by.”
It’s hilarious, and as always with TAL, there’s a nice touching moment or two.
Trust me. Listen. Story starts at 4:16.
It’s also worth listening to for the greatest tongue-in-cheek use of the Titanic theme music ever.
*downloading*