Father's Day '99
For Father's Day, stories about fathers going out of their way to protect their kids, and kids going out of their way to protect their fathers.
The story of the lengths a father will go to to retrieve a lost teddy bear, and why—after he's enlisted many other parents to help him wade through tens of thousands of bags of trash to find it—none of the parents involved think he's nuts. (5 minutes)
Paddington's Day At The Dump
The story begun in the Prologue continues. As it continues, it takes on the exact narrative structure of the movie Saving Private Ryan. (7 minutes)
"Tony's Theme" by The Pixies
Act Two
Photographer Joel Meyerowitz decided to go on a last big trip with his father Hy, who has Alzheimer's. Joel also brought his own son. The purpose of the trip? To try to get close to a part of Hy's personality that Alzheimer's has eradicated and see if it might be possible to jumpstart some of his memories. Joel and his son decide to make a movie of the trip. We hear some of the very funny, very moving raw footage. The film, Pop, aired on the PBS program Frontline. (24 minutes)
Act Three
Age of Enchantment
What happens when a dad tries too hard to protect his child from disappointment and instead enthrall the child. With the best of intentions, New Yorker writer Lawrence Weschler did all that, and in the process accidentally broke his daughter's heart. And then she took action and mended the problem. This story was first broadcast a year ago on Father's Day, when his daughter Sara was 11. (20 minutes)
If you enjoyed this episode, you may like these
395: Middle of the Night
Act Five: Bump In The Night
Producer Jane Feltes talks with her parents about staying up at night with a sick child—specifically, after Jane had a serious injury when she was six.
400: Stories Pitched by Our Parents
Act Six: Jane's Dad's Story
Harry Brakeman University.
153: Dolls
Act Two: You Know What Mr Bear Would Say
A truly remarkable children's book just came back in print: The Lonely Doll, by Dare Wright.
The world redrawn by the five senses.
Will They Know Me Back Home?
Stories of people who've grown so accustomed to wartime that the lives they've left behind no longer make sense.