Bolt Seal | Episode 2

The urge doesn't shout. It whispers. When the world goes quiet it starts talking again. Old patterns. Old pull. Same crossroads. That's when I reach for fume. Not to numb. Not to chase a high. Just... To breathe. To choose. Fume works because it gives your hands something to do. Your mind, something to focus on. And your body, a calmer rhythm to return to. No nicotine, no vapor. Just the power to interrupt a craving.

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The system automatically diverged the load to another driver. I needed that trailer, Loretta. I told you my family needs me home tomorrow, right? Look, just Google Masanto Roundup lawsuit. You're supposed to be looking after Dad, not figuring out how to get rich off him. Whatever.

Yeah, about that. I'm still waiting for a trailer, but nothing's coming through, so I may need you to stay with Dad one more night. No, no, Ray, you know how much I've been dealing with? I'm sorry. Dealing with his clients? Clients? Dad doesn't have any clients. I don't know, like customers. Shippers? Why aren't they calling the fleet?

Drivers are paid to drive, hon. The fleet handles the rest. Right. That's what I asked him. Hello? Is this Mr. Caldwell? Who's this? My name's Raylene Watts. Oh, right. Your daddy doing any better? No. They still can't diagnose what's wrong. If you're still looking for a driver, I'm covering Earl's assignments while he's later. You ever driven a reefer? What? A refrigerated trailer. Do you know how to handle one? Oh, uh, yeah. Yeah, of course.

How quick can you get on the road? Are you listening? Good. This is not a podcast. This is not an audiobook. This is a dimensional experience set in the unseen realms to your left, your right, and all that lingers between. We ask that you put on headphones if possible. Use caution during your journey and always listen carefully. Starring Cynthia Eribo. Written and directed by Dan Brighton.

and pay attention to history for a change. This whole crisis began when we started selling our grain to the Soviets. Increased farming led to higher land values and lower interest rates. Then, a Cold War comes along and the Gipper decides, gee, maybe we shouldn't be selling our Cravenuts to Mr. Korbachev. So, property values nosedive. The bags foreclose on Old MacDonald, and that's when his beings start snatching up farmland for themselves on the cheap. Right.

to grow corn not corn you sheep a cereal grain resembling corn to convert into high fructose syrup for plumping up the masses before the rest of their species arrival on this planet Christ, what more do you need? What on earth are you listening to? Just a CB. But I gotta leave it on just in case he tips me off to any bears on my front door. You don't think I can handle myself? Like what? Arms dealing? Here we go. My 70-year-old father, the mule. Right? Okay.

All of you. Enough. I'm gonna be safe and sound at home before any of you even wake up. Maybe... Maybe if you're lucky, I'll even drive you to school. In the truck? Would you like that? Yeah! Oh, oh, you watch me. I'm gonna roll into that drop-off line with all the other parents and just sneak up behind one of those PTA moms in her bougie SUV and the sec, the second...

The second I see her glancing down on her phone, you know what I'm gonna do? Mom, don't. I'm gonna give her a whoo-whoo. Oh, God. Hey, hey, hey, Malika. She's just messing with you. She's great. Thank you. Thank you. I really appreciate that, Ray. Now I'm the one who has to lure her back here. Ray? Ray, you still there? Hey, sorry. I think I just pulled up. Everything cool?

Yeah. Yeah, it's just not what I was expecting. Can I help you? Hi, I'm picking up. Okay, you got your driver number? 68306. Okay. Um, it's not a farm. Not exactly. It's more industrial, like chemical refineries. Lots of security. Okay, you know where you're going? Uh, not really.

Okay, you're going to follow a service road along these greenhouses and turn right at the grain bins. You'll see the packing house. Okay. Wait, is that a dash cam? Uh, yeah. Okay, that's got to go off. Phone's too. You serious? Yeah.

Babe, I have to call you back once I'm on the road. Thanks. The hell is this place? Excuse me. Hey, hello? The hell are you doing back here? I'm picking up a trailer. Well, you're early. We're not even loading yet. Well, where should I go then? You're going to have to come back. I'm not coming back. I'm sorry, but who the fuck are you? Chep, chep, that's enough. Are you Raylene? Ray's fine. Mr. Caldwell? Noah.

Sorry, everybody's a little on edge tonight. A heat wave on top of harvest season isn't the best thing for morale. Why don't you throw it in the park and come on inside. We'll get your paperwork sorted out while Shep finishes loading you up. Just focus on your job so she can get on the road. Grab the other boys to help. Do what I'm telling you. Raylene, you got a jacket? Uh, just a hoodie. Good. You're liable to need it.

You alright? I should have warned you about the cold room. I'll be fine. Just might take me a minute. Bouncing between environments is a good way to catch pneumonia, but we have to keep pretty strict temperature controls around the products. What do you grow here? Depends on what Novanto needs at the moment. This is one of their research farms.

So we field test a lot of their agrochemical products. Right now, we got a few dozen acres of soybeans, squash, tomatoes, corn. I see. Well, why is everyone wearing hazmat suits? You a truck driver or a reporter? Just curious. Just curious. Health code regulation. One lawsuit against the company and suddenly everybody needs to cover their keister. Okay, over this way.

Sorry, it's a little easier on the eardrums in here. Vending machine's over there. Can I get you a coffee? Not a bad idea before an all-nighter. Uh, yeah. Sure, thanks. You seem confused. No, no. This just isn't the kind of farm I was expecting. How's that?

Well, to be honest, I assumed you'd be some small local girl who couldn't afford to deal with the fleet's overages, not some... ... multinational conglomerate. Well, personally, I like to keep things a little more familial around here. With a fleet, you never know who they might dump on you.

Your dad and I go way back. Is that right? Oh, yeah. I used to make him swing by L.C.'s barbecue every time he passed through Kansas City. Always had to be sure. He asked for the burnt ass. For the burnt ass. Yeah. He wouldn't shut up about that place. It's just weird. He never mentioned having a dedicated route out here. Well, when you logged as many miles as he had, maybe this just didn't seem that noteworthy.

Or maybe he just wanted to keep his fleet's hands off the triple pay. Triple? You pay $120 per mouth of hauling corn? $125. Plus free coffee. Now, let's go get you that paperwork.

It's a tight schedule. You hand off to the receiver by 5 a.m. so you don't get too many pit stops. Also, you'll have to pulp the air and keep an eye on the temp gauge at this heat wave and just don't let it get above 32. 32. Cool, okay. Now Pam here's gonna get you sorted out with your BOL.

Pam, this is Miss Watts. She's going to be taking over the Chicago route tonight. Wait, where's Earl? Earl couldn't make it, but Ray here is damn good at what she does. A world-renowned produce hauler. Ain't that right? Uh, yeah, you bet. Let's hope so. Once Shep finishes loading, he'll get you the SLC info and you're outbound waiting. Hold up, I don't get to expect it first? For liability reasons, we bolt seal all our trailers. Novanto's policy.

That's not going to be a problem, is it? No. Not exactly. You sure? Because Shep's got somebody else that wants this load. Hey, uh...

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seem to have read the only book that matters. Rather than blaming governments or corporations, perhaps it's best to search within and ask, what have we done in our lives? What have we permitted others to do in their lives that we should be so deserving of God's wrath? I think if the end of times are in fact upon us, we should simply prepare ourselves and our loved ones.

Jesus. Enough already. What's that? Loretta? I figured you'd gone home for the night. I'm looking at the map. Are you on the road? Yeah, why? I didn't want to leave you dangling in the wind another night. I know you're going through a lot right now, so I put out a few calls. You did? There's a bottling plant in KC with a freight to Milwaukee. It's not Chicago, but it gets you pretty close. You really didn't have to do that. I had a meatpacker with a direct route, but you're just not qualified.

They needed someone with experience pulling a reefer trailer. Uh, right. Hey, that's all good. So, how quickly can you head back to Kansas City? Um, I appreciate you looking out for me. I really do, but I may have a backhaul worked out already. Psychic? Yeah. I see. Good for you, hon. Just be careful with the rig, okay?

Your dad's truck is still financing the fleet, so if anything happens to it, they could reclaim the vehicle. Oh, all right. I'll be careful. Say, you know anything about liability on a preloaded trailer? You got the shippers load and count listed on the BOL, right? Yeah, it's all there. And you should be fine. Right? I hope you know what you're doing. Yeah. Me too. Night, Loretta.

ride my caboose friend you be my guest but old hutch here he knows every mile marker on these back country highways and i'll wager there's a county bounty with a laser lurking in those bushes So you keep yanking that horn like it's your manhood, but it ain't gonna get me to move one thin butt hair above 55. Don't say I didn't warn ya! Oh shit! Young ones never want to listen to the old dog, but this old hound, he can sniff out a shit storm a mile away. How's your night treating you, driver?

I can see your lights back there. I know you're tuned in, otherwise you'd have joined our friend in receiving his driving award. Look, I ain't trying to make a pass at you, fella. but if you're eastbound on the 36th this late at night i'm assuming you're heading to chicago same as me but now that our hot dog and friend has decided to feed the bears you and me we're going to be boogieing together for the next seven hours so

You can either listen to me kibitz with the roadkill, or you can join the conversation. Suits me fine. What kind of rig you got back there? Let me guess. Besides the spread of those lights, I'd wager a 2009 Freightliner Cascadia. Now, that's a good, reliable truck, but that's also... a company vehicle which means you're probably some brainless fleet jockey who lets his dispatcher tell him where and when he can take a piss close

But it's a 2008-y he-harring motherfucker. Ma'am, I am about as red as a babbling's ass right now. I shouldn't have run my mouth off like that. I'm sure you have to put up with plenty of loudmouth SOBs out on the road. Whatever, man. It's all good. Is that you up ahead in that chicken holler? No, but judging from the amount of feathers I'm driving through I'd say you're probably due for a new suspension. Name such glad to have you along for the ride

Just a few months. This is temporary, though. Yeah, sure. Haven't heard that before. No, really. I'm just helping out my dad for a bit. Oh, family business? Sort of. We used to be team drivers. Well, isn't that just great? Yeah, I always say family's the most important thing, ain't it? Especially in a life on the road. Yeah, I hear that. Say it.

Can I ask you something? You ever hauled produce? Shoot, only for about five years before I got a lock on the poultry racket. You ever hear of someone bolt sealing a shipment? Bolt sealing. Vegetables? Now why in the heck would somebody need to do that? Unless they were hauling more than just corn. A sealed trailer. Now that could be anything. Drugs, plutonium, aliens. I'm sorry, aliens? Illegals, I mean. Bolt sealant. Why you asking? Just... Something I heard about earlier on the CB.

If I was in that poor chump's boots and they sealed my load before I could check it, I'd say, sorry bucko, no thank you, been there, done that, and got the t-shirts to prove it. Driver, are you okay? I see you falling behind back there. Uh, yeah. Yeah, um, I'll catch up. Just need to get some personal things in order. Uh, lady stuff. A big 10-4 on that. I'll leave you to it. See you in the next state.

Mr. Carlwell, this is Raylene Watts. Listen, I'm just outside of Hannibal, just about to cross the bridge into Illinois. I'm really... I'm really sorry to do this, but it's probably just me, but I'm a little concerned about what I might be transporting. I think you mentioned having someone else lined up who wanted to take this job, and I, I, uh... Terrell?

Where are you? He are. His dad, he's a... Terrell, you need to calm down. What happened? I don't know. No one knows. He just blacked out and they can't get him back. Ready asking me all types of questions and I don't know what to do. What am I supposed to do? Okay, okay. Just breathe. It's okay. How far are you? I'll pay for fuel. Whatever you need. Just please, please.

I can't do this alone, right? It's okay, it's okay, Shook. It's gonna be okay. I'm... I'm on the road. I'll be there in a few hours. Starring Cynthia Erivo as Raylene Watts. Written, directed, and edited by Dan Blank. Produced by Rob Herding, David Henning, Brian Cavanaugh-Jones, Fred Berger, and Cynthia Erivo. Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Salt Audio. With performances by Robert Longstreet, Lamorne Morris, Chris Ellis, Byron Bowers.

Dale Dickey, Joel McKinnon-Miller, Josiah Curtis, Sydney Thomas, Elliot Schwartz, Dan Blank, Perry Matfeld, Sheila Carrasco, Paul Hewitt, Lance Reddick, and elliot gold original music and score by jamie chefman noah gersh for salt audio sound design by sam plattner Dimensional audio designed by Salt Audio and Dan Blank. Associate producer Tess Ryan. Script supervision by Sam Beasley. Casting by Chelsea Block and Marisol Roncalli at Atomic Honey. Additional country music by Mr. Paradise.

Blues harmonica performances by Chef Dave Rozier. Recorded at Todd A.O. Studios.