2. Good Grief

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and this is Eyes to the Skies. We've been talking to Dr. Elaine Mather, coming to us live from the ExoPolitics Expo in Madrid. Dr. Mather, you specialize in lunar anomalies, but... Yours is a different approach from many I've encountered. That's probably true. It's an enthusiastic community, but some of us are more credulous than others. And you lean toward incredulity.

Incredulous can synonymize both cynical and skeptical. I, however, draw a very clear line between those two. Cynicism is a position. Skepticism is an approach. Unpack that for me, will you? You are a friend of Thomas's. He loves that infernal phrase. A cynic takes a pessimistic or negative view of a subject out of hand.

There are anomalies on the moon and the government is hiding them, for example. It's a locus of perception. A simple one. It requires no evidence. It stands past. As opposed to skepticism? Skepticism does not stand still. A skeptic... hears a claim and says, show me. There are anomalous structures on the moon? That would be fabulous. Show me. Or better yet, take me there. Let me see them with my own eyes. I like this a lot, Doctor, but I also see where skepticism and cynicism...

can get confused. It's not always easy to tell the difference. Flexibility is the thing, then. It's the key to being a healthy skeptic. Perhaps, Dr. Mather, but shouldn't the skeptic hold their ground as firmly as the believer? Most certainly. There's no need to abandon the core skepticism, but we must investigate all possibilities. That's what sets us apart from the blind faithful and the cynic alike. So we should what, then? We should seek the monsters? Not only should we seek...

We should lead the search. What of the notion that the burden of proof lies with whomever makes the claim? Why sit back and demand proof of others? If you hold a view, test it. The true skeptic must go in search of the very things of which they are skeptical. Only then can they eliminate or verify a claim? You can see why this has made me somewhat unpopular in the credulous halls of our friend Dr. Ott. I've been accused of asking too many questions myself.

Dr. Elaine Mather, thank you so much. I look forward to hearing more about the Expo when you get back stateside. Take care, Trevor. And thank you for tuning in, listener, and for keeping your skepticism healthy. It doesn't make many headlines. What's more exciting, a wild speculation or measured observation? But perhaps Dr. Mather is right. Both cynicism and blind faith are too easy.

So, as I begin my doctor-recommended journey toward true skepticism, I hope to see you along the path. And as always, I bid you, eyes to the skies. One for the cynic, one for the faithful, and one for the son of a bitch on the tightrope between. Here's the balance. I gotta get out of here.

Trevor, I was going to call the show, man, but I saw you walk in and wow, like fate brought us together. The hell you doing here? Can we not do this right now, Al? I'm off the clock. It's indigenous to the area. Natives pass the stories down through the oral tradition. You're telling me Pittsburgh's got its own species of Sasquatch? This ain't the city, Trevor. You get much out past New Kent, it's forest, buddy.

Look, Al, I appreciate your enthusiasm and all the calls, but man, I do one of these meetings maybe once a year. You're the only one who listens. Bigfoot, UFOs, Ray's Town Ray. I know they call me Mad Al for that talk. They call you mad, Al, because you punched the Allegheny Ludlam rep in the middle of a CBA negotiation. Son of a bitch modified the terms without consent. I was the union rep. I represent him. I'm sure he deserved it, and worse, but Al... Wood knocking. What?

March 22nd to 29th, 2015. Out near Kinzoo Dam and Reservoir. Footprints in the snow and wood knocking. Loads of it. You know what wood knocking is? It's all Sasquatches communicate. I never heard anything like it. Sunset to... sunrise. Knock, knock, knock. Must have been hundreds of them. You were there. There are more things in heaven and earth. Fine, fine. It's a slim thread, but I'll pull on it. Call the show line at 7am sharp and we'll record.

Always good to have something in the can for backup. Shall we gather in our circle? Welcome everyone. Thank you for being here. One housekeeping matter. The library has asked that we make sure to keep food and beverages away from the stacks. Hate to see such fine tomes desecrated, relegated as they are to the basement here. Books are fragile things, and fragile things must be preserved. Now then, thank you all for coming. Grief is a...

Slippery thing. It can motivate and depress, cleanse and pollute. Whatever you're experiencing tonight, welcome. Diane. You have the floor. Hi, everyone. Hi, Diane. Everett's been gone a year. I should be used to it by now, but I still reach for him in my sleep. And I'm still surprised when I wake up and he's not there. I feel so empty when I think he's never going to make another stupid joke or do another silly dance to cheer me up. Never going to gross me out with his endless farting.

The weirdest part is that my heart sometimes feels so full. And I laugh a little and hear his footsteps and I even smell. Never mind. But... It's not real. Then it's like all that love fills my heart so full and it's got nowhere to go so it just leaks out my eyes. But I'm... No. I was going to say I'm okay. I am not okay. But I am on the path, taking it one step at a time. I think that's it for tonight.

One step at a time is all we can do. Thank you, Diane. Who else would like to share? Al? I... better not. I get the impression I'm a little too chatty tonight. If... That is how you feel. Well, I see two new faces. I know it's hard to be in a new group but you are welcome to talk. Can I smoke in here? I don't think the books would appreciate it. Right, right. First time jitters. I'm actually more of a listener. Listening can...

Have a therapeutic effect. If there's someone worth listening to. Of course. It is never easy to accept the loss of a loved one. But in sharing fellowship and stories... We are not so alone. Got a light?

Gotta smoke? Of course. First time? Here, yeah. I needed a change of scenery. That makes two of us. Not much of a talker either, huh? Depends. You met anyone worth listening to yet? I thought I did. In my last group, David. Really smart novelist. I always wanted to write a book. Anyway, he's gone. So I come and I listen. It gets lonely. You know. I do.

I'm sorry. You'd have liked him. Though unlike you, he dealt in fiction. Have we met? I've seen you speak at a few expos. I listen to your show. Second time tonight. I shouldn't have said anything. It's fine. It's fine. Really, I appreciate it. You know, it's just... You don't believe them. Do you? Your guests.

I think my guests are some of the most inquisitive minds on the planet. They're forging the road to truth, however winding that may be. I heard you say that the other night. Don't steep the hemlock. That was funny. Thanks. You don't have to do that, though. Do what? The radio voice. Believe it or not, you're safe here. Well... I forgot how to shop. What? I forgot how to shop. What do you mean?

After my first patient passed, I went to the store and just froze. The light, the smells, the people, it was all just... Too much. I went home and I got drunk instead. It seems reasonable. You think you're ready. The reading, the schooling, the training. But you're not. The first time. Hell, every time you're really not ready. What do you do? Hospice nurse. Pediatric. Ah. Anyway, the next day I take my sister shopping with me.

She starts asking me these completely reasonable questions, like... What do you like to cook? That just make me so angry. I don't know, Lily. Frozen pizza. That's not very healthy. What kind of vegetables do you like? I start bawling like a baby in the produce section. I fell down on the floor and everything. Next day, third time's a charm, she starts asking questions again.

Evie, I am trying to help. I know she is. I just need some food so I don't starve, but it's so hard. And then I realize that's the ticket. The ticket? This is how I'm going to get by. I'm not going to get by. I'm going to leave the grocery store and never come back. I'm going to starve myself to death.

Bold strategy. My sister doesn't like that plan at all. Ouch! Eve Fallon, if you ever speak like that again, I will slap you so hard your head will spin. Lily leads me around the store pointing to things. I nod. It goes in the basket. I don't. It doesn't. It's a system. So the next week I go back alone. Are you sure you want to do that? I'll go with you. No hitting this time, I promise. But I'm a professional. The grocery store cannot defeat me. You bought the same thing. To the item. Yeah.

Only they were out of Provolone, so I got the Limburger because it was in the Provolone's old spot. Took me three more trips to stray from the list. Not so bad, really. As long as you avoided the Limburger. Oh, yeah. Cheddar is my new fallback. Good adjustment. Thank you.

It's nice to hear something real for once. It was bound to happen eventually. Once I met one. One worth listening to. It was your story. I've been listening to you for a long time, Trevor. So, do you believe your guests? I think my guests are good people. That's not what I asked. They're searching for something. I give them a venue to discuss their findings. Very noble. I'm afraid I'm setting them up to be hurt. How? What if these things...

That they're wasting their lives on our lies, and I'm enabling delusion. The world could use a few more monsters, aliens, and secret moon bases. You think so? It's something to believe in. Faith can be dangerous. I think it's a good thing you do for your guests. Helping them hunt their monsters. I hope they're right. All of them.

What about Chuck from Natrona who thinks Cthulhu will rise from Raleigh on New Year's Eve and usher in an era of darkness? Okay, I hope most of them are right. Yeah, I suppose I do too. What monster are you hunting? Another time, maybe. I know of a livelier place, if you're interested. I have an early morning. I'm prepping next week's show. No spoilers, please. It's been a pleasure, Eve. All night. Here's my card. In case you want to talk again. Careful. I might make you hunt a monster.

Eyes to the skies, huh? Good night, Trevor.

Sir, we're finished for the evening. Yeah, just had a couple of questions. Alice, was it? It was. I am ready to answer. What do you make of it? It, sir? The meeting of the mines. I am not certain I understand your question. Hunter and hunted. Alpha and Omega. Sir, while I appreciate a cryptic overture as much as anyone... Ah, you're still in character. Man, Al gets to say so many things. I noted your joy in divulging classified information.

Kinzu is hardly classified, Sesh. There are hundreds of us. They don't know that. Sure they do. They just don't believe it. Shall we return? I will. You have an assignment of the utmost importance. What is my directive? Immersion observation. What is my objective? General study. See what the natives see. And my location? I booked your room at the Quality Inn. You should go to the Sports Page Bar and Grill. I highly recommend the Buffalo Wings. I thought the age of burnt offerings had passed.

Primitive, I know, but the way they prepare them with the grill and the sauce and the... Oh, and get blue cheese extra? Trust me. Charred flesh dressed with clotted organic discharge. Well, when you put it that way... These are facts. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Is it? In point of fact, you're right. Of course, clotted, molded cream suspended in slightly less clotted cream. A bowl of rotten milk. But damn, if it isn't tasty as hell. And on a spicy wing, perfection. I will...

Take it under advisement, sir. And have a beer. Hell, go wild. It's on the company card. Intoxicants are forbidden while on excursion. They are. I am... I am not sure what to make of this assignment, sir. That's part of the fun sesh, figuring it all out. You never answered Mad Al's question. What do you think of the confluence of our agents? Unremarkable. A bit of tension, likely environmental.

Typical of platonic human relations. So it would seem. Sir, did you arrange their interaction? I may have. Soutly... guided them to this moment. Agent 15068 is cleared for interaction. We know nothing about her. I've been watching her. We are not authorized to... I know about our clearance levels, authorizations, all the official parameters. It's boring.

You're a researcher, aren't you? I am. This is new knowledge. A new way forward. There's going to be more going on here than you yet realize. Yes, sir. And you have fun tonight. That's an order. I've got my own assignment to attend to. You've been listening to Cryptids on your chosen podcast platform. Cryptids is created by Alexander V. Thompson, starring Mariana McClellan, Alexander V. Thompson, William McNulty, Jenna Krasowski,

Sarah Kinsey, and Meryl Jones-Williams. Written by Alexander V. Thompson. Directed by Devin Shepard. Produced by Nora Unkle, Devin Shepard, and Gabriel Rosenstein. Sound design by Gina Zadanowicz. Theme song Joanna by Mary Esther Carter. Cryptids is a production of Wild Obscura Films. Thank you for listening. If you liked our program, please rate and subscribe to help other listeners find their path. to uncovering the mystery. And as always, I bid you, eyes to the skies. Good night.

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