Strangers on a Bench - EPISODE 76: Success, Sex, and The Cause

Episode Date: February 23, 2026

Tom Rosenthal approaches a stranger on a park bench and asks if he can sit down next to them and record their conversation.This is what happened! Produced by Tom RosenthalEdited by Rose De LarrabeitiMixed by Mike WoolleyTheme tune by Tom Rosenthal & Lucy Railton Incidental music by Maddie AshmanEnd song: 'paint dry' by Olive KlugStream it here: https://ffm.to/paintdryListen to all the end songs featured on the podcast (so far) on one handy playlist :https://ffm.to/soabendsongs————————————————————————————Instagram : @strangersonabench Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello. Sorry to bother you. Can I ask you a slightly odd question? I'm making a podcast called Strangers on a Bench, where essentially I talk to people I don't know on benches for 10 or 15 minutes. Are you up for that? Do you want to give it a go? Do you have a favourite day of the week? Off the top, I'm going to say Sunday. Why?

I always get the most rest on Sunday. I set myself up with the least expectations and that feels good. What do you expect to other days in your life? Oh, you know, pressures of productivity and getting certain things done. But Sundays I usually just let the wind blow and tell me what I'm going to get up to, you know? There's a looseness to it that feels really good. I like that. You know what? I really like your painting.

Oh, I'm so glad. It's really nice. It's really sweet. I don't, but that's all right. Watercolours, I think, are great. You know, I've never done it before. What? Never? Except for, like, last week for the first time.

What made you start? Um, I've always enjoyed oil painting, and I've been traveling this summer, and watercolor is something that's easy to travel with. Oil won't dry for months Watercolour dries in a few minutes I like that Let's take one of these Sundays then

What for you represents like an ideal Sunday It lives in the world Well I I am very lucky to live in good weather What do you mean good weather? I live somewhere with a climate That's almost always good Oh I see

Yeah How exciting? You don't live currently where we're sat. No, I clearly don't, right? Well, you might. I definitely wouldn't consider it myself, but I typically spend a lot of time in nature on Sundays, and sometimes that's with exercise and movement,

and sometimes it's plainly not. So you're waking up on this Sunday, and how quickly are you getting out into nature? Almost immediately. Really? Yeah, seriously. Within minutes. Yeah, like while having coffee.

So that means you can get out your front door and just go straight into nature. It pretty much does. So you live in like a wilderness? No, no. Just have a lovely porch, you know? And it's obviously the good weather. We've established there's always good weather where you live.

Does it depress you when there's not a good weather? Massively. Really? Massively. Massively. London's been tough. It must be really. Am I doxing you?

Are you doxing me? It must be really tough. It's fucking tough, straight up. Okay, so let's, how different is this Sunday if it's bad weather? Unappealing weather. Just instant sadness from you. God, maybe. I mean, I'll spend an hour like telling myself that's not going to be the case, but will it?

Maybe. Do you talk to yourself quite a lot of you, do you tell yourself things? I mean, I'd like to think we all do. When was the last time you really had to give yourself talking to? Like always, right? Ship up. shape up. Well, I wouldn't always say it's a pep talk, but yeah, there's a lot of chatter. So you can't think of the last pet talk? Probably this morning. Oh, that's quite recently.

Really, yeah. Can you take me through roughly how that went between you and you? It was in a difficult situation. Okay. Someone else was the cause so it feels of some strong emotions, right? So someone was a cause or something, and you and you had a chat about it. Exactly, about how. the cause. So you ignored the cause. The cause did something to you. The cause was presenting challenge and I had to decide amongst myself how to respond, how to manage the situation. And have you decided? I did, yes. Oh, can you reveal? What did you do? I buckled up, man, and I decided to be a supportive partner and not let some bullshit get the best of me and ruin a day.

Just letting it slide and cutting someone slack when they were struggling and being vague, but I think anyone in a relationship gets the vibe. Yeah, I mean, the funny thing is of being vague. Sometimes being vague is the most revealing thing. You know, I kind of know exactly what you're talking about. Who doesn't, right? You know? I quite like you got in The Cause.

Yeah. New nickname for The Partner. There's an Irish pop band called The Cause. Really? Spelt C-O-R-S-O. That's really funny. I sound like a new fan, for sure. What's it like having a partner?

Oh, it's lovely, actually. It's got its pros. I mean, it's such a curious. It's such a curious thing. And I think it's changed so much throughout, you know, as years go by. Like, what role that plays in my life? Okay. Just having grown up within a relationship.

How many years in are we? I think seven or eight. It's quite a few. It's a lot. It depends what you ask, but it feels that way to me. I mean, comparative to how many years you've been alive, it is quite a lot, probably. It's a lot of them. Totally.

What was your first? kind of moment of connection. Do you remember that moment? Sure. Can you tell me? Yeah, we were strangers and... We were all strangers before we meet, right? Naturally, but we were in a small, small room. How small is this room? Yeah, a really tiny little room. And it was like a music room. And so there's an instrument and it's intended to be quiet so you can like practice an instrument. and then this girl starts like playing the piano and singing in this little room and he and I just looked at each other and as it happens had this same reaction to this happening. I like that.

In short, we laughed at the same situation. We both found a strange situation to be funny and established that through eye contact. And neither of us are friends. friends with her, but, you know, here we are a million years later, so. It's a really good story. I like that. Did you, I'm just now keen, I don't know. This person is singing, she did it, that unsolicited, she just went down. And then, yeah, no, she was very serious. I'm guessing she's really banging it out.

How hot your painting, let Uncle Peter have a look? Oh, Uncle Peter, it's shit, but we're having a good time, right? She was so beautiful. Oh, I think you. That's good, that's. Can you imagine that all green fields? of cows in the fields going on. Yeah. Cows? Yeah, it was farmland all the way down to some...

Oh, seriously? Of course it was. God, that's wow. It was snowed down. And before that, it was just woodlands probably. Wow, wow. So it all got built up in the 1820s, 1840s. 1820s.

Look at it now. London ended here in about 1900 and then it's carried on now to Watford. Yeah. I mean, when was it, my mum's sister, 1890, she was born. My mum was born 1919. Jeez.

She remembers playing out that way, Golda's Green, on the builder's trucks, when they were building on the farmland out there. Really? Amazing. Yeah. Oh, fantastic. See, that white tower is sticking up. Yeah? Up from King's Cross. Around about there, they written where Bodice out, and the Romans had the big battle.

Can you imagine all that, clear that out of your mind. Yeah. Imagine the Romans kicking up the dust with it. Ancient Britain is going across that way. That's crazy. Oh, I've got it, so there. You can you? Imagine someone watching it from here.

Incredible. That's crazy. Well, thank you for this history lesson. Is she American or Irish? He doesn't know. Who knows? She's got an accent. Maybe she's pretty hard.

You have an accent. Just kidding. We've all got an accent. I am from America. Yeah, what about some? Somewhere sunny. Oh, California, yeah? Yeah.

You got much of her son's out. No, no, I try not to. I'm Italian. Oh, you're northern Italian. Exactly. Very good. Because they're Celts. So they say, but there's lots of... Now, you're not Italian.

You're not Latin Italian. No way. Oh, you'll love this. My father's Sicilian. I don't know. Make that make sense. It just is, you know. There's no way... Yeah, look at the freckles on your arms as well. Yep. Look at them. Looking at your colour in.

ancestors come from northern Italy. No way... Whatever you want. I tell you what she should do. Yeah. Get her dad or... Spitting the tube. No thanks. Get your dad or brother.

I don't have a brother. Or your dad or something. A male cousin. Yeah. Get them to do the DNA and tell you what part of Europe you come on. I'll have a thousand pounds of one. It's not Italy. Wait, why the men?

What about the women's DNA? The man hands down the... man hands down the white chromosome five at sun right the women one changes because because my DNA I thought was English did the DNA they come back of Scandinavia oh what because the Scandinavian Vikings came to this country classic we'll find out phone Uncle Peter that's me let me know what happened thanks okay thank you mr Peter thank you stopping by have a lovely evening out there That's right.

Oh, you've really been told there, by Uncle Peter. Very popular on the bench today. Crickey. Who's going to be the next? God, we'll find out, presumably my boyfriend at some point, but we'll see. Come and rescue me, boyfriend from this absolute nightmare. Absolutely. I'm trying to do a bloody bitcher.

Fuck me. What were we just saying before he arrived? It's a whirlwind. God, I have no. No, no idea. I know. I was about to ask about the woman, the woman who elicited the look between you and who are now partner

because of her performance on the piano and shit, yeah. I think I was going to ask, did she, like, absolutely to sit down and, like, belt it out? Yes. Imagine, like, maximum weird. Did she do, like, trills and stuff? Adlips. I can remember the song. Oh, go on.

It was that hallelujah song. You know, the one that's in Shrek. Yeah, yeah, yeah. The Leonard Cohen one. Yes, yes, thank you. Like, as serious as possibly imagine. Exactly. We should do that a lot?

Yeah, yeah. Were she wanting you to, like, both join in? I have no idea. I was not ready to help. I mean, you were too busy also just, you know, giving the eyes to the guy. Falling in love. You were like, but this, man, I'm not seeing you to this. Yeah.

I'm giving the eyes to. To the cause. To the cause. Yeah. I was. From the eyes. onwards was it a smooth transition into like whatever comes after the eyes oh that's all him from there what do you mean it was easy for me what did it really is easy for you I didn't help

so how on let's if I'm reading this right yeah he just basically just pursued you he pursued you and you just didn't say no or like you're just like he made it known he was interested and over time you know we became friends. Okay, so it wasn't an instant... No. Instant hit. Okay. Well, he says it was, and I'm like, I don't know, wasn't it?

You were a bit reticent initially, then? Yeah. What curved you back around to, or what unleashed the beast of love? Sex. The first time we had sex. Sex? Yeah. What do you mean?

Like, we became good friends, and then one time, actually, like, over a year later even. Hmm. Had sex? I was like, well, that went. well and I became quite interested. And then we kind of just... That's quite intriguing. Felt straight in love, yeah.

That's quite interesting. Yeah. So before then, he didn't really have a particular inkling. It needed the like physical... You know, I think that was just really distracted at the time. There was just a lot going on. I was quite young, studying. I was a student at the time.

We were students at the time. And there was just so much unsubrified. certainty in my life and I wasn't really looking to get into something serious at the time. Hence the impromptu sex with a friend and then kind of unfortunately, fortunately, fortunately, fell very much in love and then it just became serious. Unfortunately, fortunately will be the first single by the cause, I reckon. Exactly. You know, exactly. That is exactly what I'm saying. Can you, I mean, without kind of being too pressing about the details.

of this, you know, how surprising was it? As in, was it, you know, did it come out of nowhere? We went out for dinner. I didn't think it was a date. Apparently he did. Okay. And at the end of the night, he made a move on me. And I was like, what? In the restaurant? Afterwards.

Okay, outside the restaurant? No, he dropped me off at home. And it was like... And wanted to come in? Yeah, he wanted to come in. And I was like, why would you come in? Like, that's not something that's ever happened. So I'm like, what's...

the fuck is that and then you know he didn't come in because I told him to fuck off basically and then the next day I don't know I sat on it I thought about it and I was like well we're both here and bored over the summer like what's the worst I could happen and so it's the next day was the famous sesh next day was the famous sesh the first of many and a lifetime of them so wow a lifetime of them I mean that's a bold ball call it's been a lifetime It's been a long time. You still have regular sex now? Absolutely.

Fantastic. A lot of couples don't. Really? Do you think all couples have regular sex? Well, I think regular is something that every couple is allowed to use as they will. And so you define the pace. I don't care if that means once a month to you or once a week or once a day. But yeah.

The regularity is important. Yeah. Just like it's something we do. You know, it's a practice that's ongoing, whatever that looks like. You're a painter? You're actually a painter. Maybe you are. Labels, man.

They're so hard. They're really tough. Yeah. And you're painting now. That means you're a painter at least for today. Yeah, I paint sometimes, you know? That's my relationship with it. What do you think your life would be like if labels didn't exist?

Happier. Yeah. Looser, you know? Yeah. It would. I know that. Wouldn't that be fun? But then what would people talk about at parties?

At least initially. Yeah. No, I know what you mean. But then where do we stop? Do you take names away? Are you finding it liberating the fact that I don't know your name? And you don't know mine? I don't know that if I gave you my first name,

I'd feel all too differently about that. You know what I mean? I don't think it tells you enough that... Yeah, no, that's fair. Yeah. How do you feel about when you meet someone with the first name, the same first name? Do you kind of instinctively not like them?

It makes me feel comparative. Yeah. I don't know that it's totally from an ego place where I'm like there can only be one of us. But it makes me wonder, well, we're alike in this fundamental way. Like, I do feel that my name has shaped my identity. I actually think about this a lot. Do you? What? Your name?

I think about the degree to which my name has defined my identity. Is it quite a unusual name? No. Oh, okay. Others could have it. You say that you become comparative, like what else gets you comparative? I suppose questions and conversations around success. How are you feeling about your own success currently?

Wow. I've just really managed over the last handful of years, I think, to revolutionize how I define it. So you've revolutionized how you've gone about thinking about it. Defining it within, you know. What's it gone from what to what? So can you take me pre-revolution? You know, I didn't used to do things like paint on benches or talk to strangers. I used to, I think, have a far more rigid view of the world and kind of my purpose within it.

And it was far more tied to accumulating personal wealth, achieving success from a career standpoint, and in a way that was pretty narrowly defined. I think that's changed a lot and I really think success to me looks more like living a really expressive life that feels authentic rather than tied to some ideas that were probably put in my head by my parents and community growing up, you know? Yeah. That's a really good answer. Thank you. I'm intrigued about the kind of, it feels like the kind of story that has a moment that shifted things, though? Yeah, I'm going to stop talking to my dad. Oh, okay.

Ding ding ding she stopped talking to the dead. It's a big one, you know. Yeah, it cut off my source of values because they were quite oppressive and didn't really leave room for me to have my own. Interesting. Yeah. Okay, so how long ago was that? Four years. And was it a kind of sudden decision or were you building up to it?

I think I built up for it for the last decade, but I didn't really recognize that until... You did it? Yeah. Was there a moment that made you kind of snap? Yeah. Can you tell me about it? It was Christmas. I hosted my family. It was the first time I'd ever done that because I was pretty young.

Spent so much effort, not to mention money and time when I didn't have a lot of any of those themes to offer. and trying to be really accommodating, but I felt very scorned by some behavior and some words that were had in my direction. At this event? Yeah, he called me a bitch on Christmas and all kinds of fun stuff. Why did he do that?

I mean, what was the... God, I don't even remember what the straw that brought that one on was. It wasn't clear to me at the time. like exactly what he's spinning out over. Was it like a kind of drunken thing or not? No. No, he doesn't do.

Totally. Very righteous about that. Oh wow, he just said what you're a bitch. Yeah. And just to paint a bit of a picture here, you're, it's in your house. Yeah. Who else is around the table? Is it just like what's?

Just my immediate family. So one sibling and my mother. So the four of you? Yeah. A situation you've had hundreds of hundreds of times in the past. Yeah. But this time was different. I mean, it wasn't.

It was just a final straw. That was a point, I suppose. Yeah, it wasn't different. Right? It's just like, I think actually I have enough perspective in my life. I have enough safety in my life. I know I will be just fine if I choose not to go on accepting this. And so I retreated for the night.

he ultimately did the same within the room in my house that he was sleeping in. And the next morning, I woke up and he wasn't there. So he abruptly left? Yes. Then, you know, I had some time with my mom. And then my mom started to tell me secrets that had been withheld from me. About him? About her, you know, like her house.

Oh, really? Yeah, no, actually, yeah, yeah. Why? Why is she suddenly telling you this now, then? I think maybe she knows me well enough to have sensed the real rift. It's almost like she could feel that I wasn't going to do this anymore, even though I hadn't vocalized it. And so she thought, I'm just going to tell you lots of other stuff. Yeah, I think that's exactly what happened.

Let's pile a few more things on. I think that's exactly what happened. She's a hairdresser. She was cutting my hair, and all of a sudden she was like, I have MS. I was like, what? Wait a minute. I was like, how long have you known that? She was like, since I was 30.

And I was like, but I'm about to be 30. Why didn't you tell me that? Wow. And so, you know, that was a nail in... It's a big Christmas experience. Dude, it was a wild at Christmas. That's the spirit of the season right there. I don't know what strangers usually tell you on benches.

I don't know if this is a normal. Well, they tell me everything, but in different ways, you know. Yeah. So, mother tells you about her hell. Yeah. She says anything about your father as well or not? Yeah, she says he's the reason why she didn't tell me. And it was at his insistence, which that's fucking bullshit to some extent,

because you can do whatever you want, you know. And then did you have to kind of decisively say something to your father? Would you just not contact me again? I did. I didn't really want to, but after he'd reached out to me about nothing, like the weather or the news, a few times, I wasn't responding and then ultimately sent some sort of a longer message about how I needed just some time to kind of like live in my own head and just I needed some space. And he said? He responded about a week later after my mom told me consulting with a new therapist about how to respond. And the text I got back to like clearly was not drafted by him, you know? Oh really?

Yeah. Drafted by mother? Or the therapist's guidance about how he should handle that? Well, the therapist drafted the text? I mean, I think he asked for some guidance, some help. He passes the phone over. Yeah, I imagine him passing the phone over being like, what do you think I should say? I wonder how many therapists have done that?

Yeah, as do I. I don't know. How long was it? Longer, but nothing impressive. No. Were you hoping for a greater length? I wasn't hoping for shit. I was hoping he wouldn't respond.

I was like, just like, leave me alone, you know? And I'm guessing and Andy just didn't respond to that. No, I didn't respond to that. No, no. And that was four years ago. Yeah. And since then, who does what, when, how? Did he send birthday messages?

Did you bother? Like, what's the vibe? He pretends often that that just never happened. What, the whole incident? Yeah, yeah, just all of it. My need for space. Like, I've had to re-up the request for sure. And so this moment, so this was a kind of a bit of a reset for your whole being.

Yeah. And where does your mother sit in all this? She likes to describe herself as in the middle. You can imagine how I feel about that one. Not great, but, you know. But you're keeping mum, are we? We're not getting rid of mum. No.

But she's still with your father. She's around, but she's with him. Yeah. Do you feel a bit abandoned by her? Of course I do. Massively. Yeah. Always have, just didn't quite have,

the knowledge or the understanding to quite articulate that. It was after the rift with my dad. Watching her respond to that really showed me. Oh, I see. Her incapability of protecting me, like her child, you know. So. Kind of a curious choice. Can you figure it out?

I mean, yeah, he's a narcissist and she's brainwashed. Like, you know? Yeah. Have you told her that? Yes. What does she say? Oh, you're right. You're right.

That's kind of more annoying, is it? If you told you're right, then nothing happens. Of course it is. I don't want to be right. You know, redefining success, I used to want to be right. Now I don't care. No, you just don't get it. I just want some peace.

Yeah. So who's filled the role then? Who's the new Mo and Dad? Nobody. Me. You? You mean me? Sure. Small me, grown me, future me.

Absolutely. And then the partner, the cause? And he's everything, you know? He's the most wonderful, yeah. A lot of pressure for him? Yeah, of course, right? Because he's got to play all the roles? He's got to play a lot of roles.

He's an actor? No. Well, actually, let's do this, actually. I think he's called me. Oh, no. Oh, yeah. I can pause it if you need to call him. How many rings do you normally take to pick up?

Well, this is FaceTime. audio, so everything's different, you know. Can I just slightly pray, just a tiny bit of praise for you? How do you feel about praise? Horrible. Really, do you? I can't do you? You really, do you really not? You really don't like it? No. Really? Why not? I haven't even given it to you and you're like, no. I know, I'm like, put it back where it comes from.

Yeah. There's something about your sense of timing that I really like. I don't know what it is. Hi, laughs. How are you? Hi. Tony. Tom. Oh, you, do a little interview? We're doing it. Nice. I've heard all about you.

Have you? You've come across very well. Just a bit. Yeah, thank you the best. How's your day going? Good. Enjoying a beautiful, beautiful place. Do you live around here?

Yeah, I do. I do this kind of everywhere, but I do live locally. I've been up and down the country doing this. Cool. Oh, that's really, that's really dope. Yeah, it's quite fun. Can I have... Anything further from me?

Yeah, it's really annoying. We can have five more minutes with her. Just go to just round off what we've done. Absolutely, go ahead. A few more questions. Sorry, then I'll leave you two alone. It's all right. Oh, he's very sweet.

Yeah, he's extremely sweet. Lovely face. I know, he's so pretty. Yeah, well done. Thank you. Good job. I think he's off now. It's walking.

Yeah, no. It's funny if he just like, just get to his shoe walking. Yeah, okay, when the five minutes we've got after, let's just get to the gritty everything. Yeah. What's the logical extension of this realization that you want a kind of a life of self-expression rather than a life of financial glory? Oh, just with the sense of patience, just an openness to moving in a way that feels right, rather than being married to some sort of an outcome, being a bit more open to my own.

intuition and making choices that come from within, you know? Yeah. So it's more of like I will see. And then I'm sure it'll all change again and it will change again. I'm really fascinated by, we haven't touched on it at all really in talking, but just I can't really imagine you in any particular workplace. Cool. I'm just trying to think of like, like, I'm just trying to, I'm just trying to, I'm just

really trying to picture it. I can't see it. I can't see you operating a printer. I don't think you've touched a printer. That's not true. But I like that take. You have touched a printer? Yeah, I mean, as a girl, like I was like doing a printer, you know, but. No, but as it like an adult printer time? I skipped that stage, to be honest. I, skip the adult printer stage. People are printing stuff for me. Whoa. You've got assistance? Yeah. How many assistance you have. Two. Two. But like within my organization. Okay. So you have an organization, you work for an organization. Yes. How does this play into the whole like, I'm not a dominant financial beast line of yours? Quit my job on Monday. Oh my God. Oh my God.

So maybe this is a bit more. Yeah. Oh my God. So this is all a bit more recent than we thought. Yeah. Create a job on Monday? Yeah. What's the day today? Friday. Yeah. Did you tell the assistants first? No.

You told the boss? Kind of. Yeah. How did you do that email? Phone. Phone. Of course. The old telephone.

The old telephone. Absolutely. You picked it up. The other number. Yes. Please. You were like boss. I was like, hey.

I've taken another job. And that's true too. It's been an honor of a lifetime to spend time with you. Thank you. all the opportunities, the mentorship. Yes. Yeah. David, come on, isn't it?

Hasn't done enough mentorship at all? John. Yeah. Is it really John? So close. Anything surprising said by John in response to you? Like anything come out? You know sometimes when people are shocked, they're like, I never liked you or, you know?

How about this, okay? When I call Jeff, who I've spent hours on the phone with every week for the last last five years. It was a 60-second phone call. And I don't know. But you know why. Tell me why. I mean, I have my theories. You meant a lot to Jeff. He couldn't do with it. He couldn't do with it. In the moment, right? He can do with it. Trying to tell myself that too, because I'm like, oh, definitely. Don't insult me, you know. Jeff couldn't handle the fact that you left him. I think he shut down a little bit. And I feel bad about that for him. Can we not still call Jeff? No, no, we will. But, but. But, Jeff couldn't. I

But, you know, that was a strange one for sure. What about the assistants? What happened to them? Well, they don't know yet. You had two assistants? They don't know yet. Oh, what? But they will.

You're keeping up the pretend. This is my notice period. Oh, I see. And so they'll know next week. What's a like having two assistants? It makes you feel kind of like a special person. God, no. It makes me horribly uncomfortable because I'm younger than they are.

What? Yes. And they're so kind and they're so awesome. And it is really a strange thing to have people in an assistant position. What do you think people don't know about you? From like interpersonally you just keep, you just don't bother getting out? Yeah. I found out I'm autistic like a year ago.

Most people in my life don't know that. Really? Yeah. Why? I just haven't managed to to talk. managed to totally integrate that identity yet. I don't feel like I have the answers to the questions I have learned it can arouse in people. I'm sort of taking my time to generate my own understanding of it

before I expose that part about myself, maybe. Hmm. Stigma. Yeah. And misunderstanding. For sure. Yeah. Yeah.

I don't know what to do with it. Yeah. Why did you do it in the first place? As a recommendation from my therapist. Yeah. You wish your therapist didn't. Sometimes. Is it a bit of a burden?

Sometimes, yeah. But I think I have, like, pretty intense sensory sensitivities. And there was sort of an obviousness to her about that. When you got the diagnosis, what was the first reaction? Fear. Really? Yeah. I don't know what to do with that.

What are you scared of? Just like what does that mean about me? How will this affect my life? Yeah, just a fear of the unknown, you know? Yeah. How are you with the fear of the unknown? Hesitant. I'm not a risk-averse person,

but I like to make calculated risks when I can, you know? Has anyone said that autism is a superpower to you. Do you believe in that? concept? I think it's gotten me places that ironically had people know when I was autistic they wouldn't have let me get. Interesting. Yeah. I think it makes me a great decision maker. Yeah. What do you think it's been your best decision? So that's that a big question? Quitting this job. I like it. Truly. And this new job? I hope if it if it all adds up it should be less money. It's pay cut. Good.

Fat pay cut. Here we go. Huge pay cut. Well done. This is better. She's talking the talk, she's walking the walk. Yep. Big old pay cut.

Nice. What does the course think about the decision? Oh my God, he's so excited. Really? Because he gets more of you. I mean, there'll be more of me left at the end of the day. Yeah. You know?

He's into that for sure. We'll have more sex to come full circle. He's walking. He's walking back up the hill now. Oh, he's so cute. Look how far he went. I hope he's not upset. His thinking was, I'm gonna walk down the hill, I'm gonna walk back up the hill, and they'd better be finished.

And that'll be five damn minutes. That'd better be fucking, you think he's got the phone out again. Who's that fucking guy? He's so cute. Comes to sit next to my girlfriend. I know. I know. Where's he got?

I feel like I just, he's gone now. I'll ask you the last question, and then when he comes with the stop. What is it? Okay, well, it's like, what are you gonna do next? I'm gonna let the paint dry. Literally and figuratively, yeah? That's such a you answer. That was so you.

I'm good. How have you found this experience of talking to someone on the bench? Horribly awkward. But mostly because it's just I'm like, what's coming out of my mouth? All really good stuff, I think. I'm glad to hear it. I've enjoyed it. Thank you.

I do like your kind of start. It's quite intriguing. You know what I would call it? I just call it an invite. writing challenge. That's how I describe you. Alright. Thank you so much. Talk to me. Oh, of course.

To be patient, waiting for the pain to drive. Be 10 pages that trap us in cages we think we can't leave. It's not in the people who scorn us then warn us that's all that we're destined to be. Begin through the tree