Hitchhiking, Mosh Pit, and Iggy Pop - Erin Barker

Photo by Sarah Stacke

Hitchhiking, Mosh Pit, and Iggy Pop

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A daughter realizes how naïve she’s been when she learns the truth about her mother’s pregnancy; a successful businessman reveals his childhood dream; a hitchhiker is picked up by an infamous driver; an exchange student experiences Japanese mosh pit etiquette; a teenager does a newspaper review of an Iggy Pop album and gets a surprising response. Hosted by Jenifer Hixson, Senior Director at The Moth. The Moth Radio Hour is produced by The Moth and Jay Allison of Atlantic Public Media in Woods Hole, Massachusetts.

Erin Barker learns why her mother’s pregnancy is not good news for her father.

Alvin Hall grew up on a small farm on the Florida Panhandle where Viewmaster slides of exotic lands fueled his imagination.

Paul Teodo is hitchhiking in Chicago when his hot temper helps him out of a profoundly dangerous situation.

Sam Thurman’s eyeglasses are knocked off his head at a punk rock concert.

Ameera Chowdhury is a teenager and thrilled when punk icon Iggy Pop begins to correspond with her.

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Stories in this Episode

09:57
Good News Versus Bad

by Erin Barker

A daughter realizes how naïve she’s been when she learns the truth about her mother’s pregnancy.

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11:39
Beyond My Viewmaster Dreams

by Alvin Hall

A successful businessman reveals his childhood dream.

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06:01
A Very Dangerous Person

by Paul Teodo

A hitchhiker is picked up by an infamous driver.

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04:56
Japanese Mosh Pit

by Sam Thurman

An exchange student experiences Japanese mosh pit etiquette.

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06:20
School Night

by Ameera Chowdhury

A teenager does a newspaper review of an Iggy Pop album and gets a surprising response.

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Extras From This Episode

Erinbarker

Erin Barker’s baseball cards.

Alvinhalledit

Alvin in 1969 during Yale Summer High School in New Haven on a field trip to the Newport Jazz Festival.

Paul Teodoedit

Paul Teodo, at the time of the incident in the story.

Paul Teodoedit22

“This family picture was taken right around the time my uncle Mike handcuffed me to the radiator. You can probably figure out which person I am. The little kid who looks pissed off. Uncle Mike is right in front of me dark guy with the glasses." -Paul

Sam Thurman1

Sam wearing a school girl uniform in his favorite picture from “a crazy time.”

Sam Thurman Radio Extra 2

Sam Thurman in Japan.

We asked Sam how he ended up at the festival he describes in his story. He wrote:

I was in Japan studying abroad at the Osaka University of Art, a large and not-so-prestigious art school in the Japanese countryside. I didn’t know any Japanese, and suffered from moderate social anxiety, so I spent the first half of the semester sitting in my tiny apartment microwaving instant noodles.

After a month or so I met Chris, a punk rocker from Hong Kong. He was trilingual (Cantonese, English, Japanese) and always had a large backpack that made him look like an anarchist turtle. Chris always said yes to everything. Do you want to stay out all night getting drunk in the red light district? Yes. Do you want to go to a dance battle in a stranger’s apartment in America town? Yes. Do you want to see what a Japanese orgy looks like? Yes.

After a while I started saying yes too (no orgies for me though). And when Chris asked me if I wanted to go on a road trip with him and a grungy hippie girl named Moi I said yes. That’s how I wound up at the Fuji Rock Festival.

Ameeraletter

Ameera’s letter from Iggy Pop.

Ameera Review1

Ameera’s review of Iggy Pop’s album.