**Please note: this transcript was automatically generated. We're working on going back over this to clear up misspellings as we have time ... but as we all know, there is precious little of that** Chris: Yes. Travis: Space invaders will be the basis of our economy in the future. Chris: You think? Travis: Yes. Other Chris: I hope so. Travis: That is how we will convince the kids that computers are okay. After 18 years of having no computers, they'll be like, I don't trust you. Computers? Other Chris: What's computers? Travis: What is. Other Chris: Yeah, what's computers? Yeah. Chris: I think we'll just have to do, like, what's writing first. Travis: So, uh, yeah, that one girl couldn't even read. Other Chris: She could read labels and shit. Travis: Yeah. Chris: Which is better than nothing. Mhm. Travis: Hello and welcome back to RTFB. This is Travis. And today, Chris other Chris and I are talking about the first two sections of our book, the Postman by David Brinley, which, quick reminder for those who are reading along and wanting to avoid spoilers, were called Cascades and Cyclops. Deep Vellum Books specializes in translating books in foreign languages Before we talk about that, though, we have to talk about this week's bookstore buddy, deep Vellum Books, an independent bookstore and publisher in the deep Ellum neighborhood of Dallas, Texas. Specializing in translating books in foreign languages, but also specializing in just being really cool people who really love to talk to you about books and recommending things you maybe never heard of but will probably end up loving. Two quick personal examples. For me, they recommended Sphinx by Anne Guerrita, a french love story where the two principal characters never have their genders revealed. And for my son, and then later for me. Also they recommended on a sunbeam by Tilly Walden, which I'm sure I've brought up before on the what else is good? Section, but has become one of my favorite graphic novels. Anyway, if you're ever in Dallas, you owe it to yourself to stop by. Just condense every book down to 20 seconds. Break it into, like, part one through six Okay. With that done now to my conversation with the Chris's already in progress. Just condense every book down to 20 seconds. But you can do a dance. Other Chris: There you go. Yeah. Chris: Burn it to the ground. Other Chris: Or break it. Break it into, like, part one through six, but make part four impossible to find. Goddess. Fuck that. Yeah, fuck that so much. Travis: No, it's fine. Part four was, uh, made up anyway. Other Chris: It probably like. Like, that's the thing that pisses me off. It's like it probably doesn't even exist. Or like, I'll find part four, but it's really just like the part two from the other video because somebody else reposted the same goddamn story. Travis: You. Other Chris: It's like, what is content anymore? Yeah, this. Chris: Yeah, this is content. Travis: It's now, if it's more than that. 30 seconds right now. Not doing it. Chris: Yep. Travis: No, but we're doing it the old way, right? Have to pay attention for longer than a minute. Other Chris: Yeah. Chris: Well, someday somebody will when they're rebuilding civilization and find a storage drive with our episodes on or something. Travis: They'll uncover one of our bodies with a thumb drive of all of our. Other Chris: Episodes and a half and then some. Some poor soul is going to take this as like the canon version of some book. Travis: Yeah. Other Chris: So they're going to be like, that must have been how it happened. Yeah, they won't know that must have been the real story. Travis: Yeah. Other Chris: We can't find the original book or the movie. Chris: This is how we have references from the ancient world to some stuff. Now, granted, we're not like going, oh, this is bad because this guy said this and it's not what I believe. Like, they didn't 2000 years ago. Yeah, but that's what happened. That's the way we only have some things is snippets from other people or someone else's summary. Travis: Yeah. Chris: So, yeah. Will be for 2000 years from now. Travis: The far flung year of 2021. Someone will find a skeleton with an RTFB hat in a car. Put it on. Chris: Because we tried it. One of us tried to get out. Yep. Travis: And every town they go to, they'll be like, oh, my God, I didn't know those were still around, those RTFB hats. Chris: Yep. Travis: And we'll give them hope. Chris: Yes. Hope for a better tomorrow of masteria. Other Chris: Whoever puts that on will be murdered immediately. Travis: Like a nerd. Get him. Other Chris: He's clearly gonna be useless. Travis: Aw, what's all those letters on that hat anyway? That's stupid. Dump his books. Other Chris: Get him. Travis: Oh, man, oh, man, oh, man. Did, uh, I assume everybody else also woke up early to watch the new blue episode Did, uh, I assume everybody else also woke up early to watch the new blue episode today? Other Chris: No. Travis: What? Chris: No, I had to wake up early to go to mitzvah day. M, which is more get to sleep in. Uh, according to the community, mitzvah day was more important. Travis: Your religion and obligations to the society or cartoon dogs. Chris: Uh, I probably would have picked cartoon dogs that I know that was dropping or something. Travis: It's the extended episode, guys, it's 20. Chris: I also would not have gotten a free t shirt. So for mitzvah, that temple Emmanuel on it and mitzvah dei stuff on the back. Travis: Now, see that, if you told me that, my calculation would have been different. Other Chris: So very special episode of Bluey. Like, what's going on? Travis: Uh, uh, they're moving. Other Chris: They're still moving. Chris: Moving? What? Travis: House is for sale. Chris: Guys, they're not allowed to move. They live in that town forever. Travis: No. Other Chris: Yeah, that's how sitcoms work. Travis: No, sorry. They're moving. Chris: You're not allowed to change Adelaide or something. Travis: Well, they apparently were in Queensland. I didn't realize this until this episode. No, because they get pulled over by a cop from Queensland. Other Chris: Oh. Travis: They have to consult whether kids, uh, can sit in the front seat. Oh, and even the cops. Like, I should have known this, I guess. No, it was really good. Other Chris: That is cool. That. That sounds appropriately laid back for Australia. Travis: Yeah. Other Chris: Oh, geeze. Travis: Oh, wow. It, uh, isn't the last episode ever, but it could have been. And I would have been very satisfied, so I'll leave it at that. Other Chris: Okay. Travis: Maybe not a better ending than Sophia. The first, though, that one was awesome. Chris: I've never seen that, so I don't know. Travis: Okay, well, I'll get to getting. It's all on your Disney plus. Other Chris: Yep. Travis: Wayne Brady is a talking rabbit on it. Chris: Wait, what? Travis: Yeah. Chris: Yeah, I was aware of this. Travis: Yeah. And Tim Gunn's on it. Chris: Amazing. I did. Travis: Lots of people are on it. Other Chris: And I. Like, when I was. When I was watching it with. With my nieces, I kept waiting for him to tell Sophia to make it work. Travis: Yeah. Uh, he did. One time. Other Chris: He did. Travis: He did. They had a whole song. Other Chris: It was amazing. Chris: Well, sounds like it. Travis: It was pretty good. I read most of it last night, so. Ah, I don't think I probably read as much as you guys did Well, I hope you remember about this book, though. Chris: A little bit. Travis: At least a little bit. Other Chris: I read most of it last night, so. Travis: Yes. Chris: Ah, I don't think I probably read as much as you guys did, but I read an amount, so. Travis: Yes, like we were saying before, of course I know that that's me. Like, I read. Finished it ten minutes ago. Chris: I just didn't. I had to move things, and I had minutes today, so I didn't read much of it, but that's okay. Yeah, I know the guy's name is Gordon, which I did not remember. Travis: That's a good place to start. Other Chris: It is a good place to start. Travis: Do you remember about all the letters and shit? Chris: I do. Travis: Okay. Chris: Yeah, that's also definitely coming into play, so. Yeah. Travis: All right. I think you're good, then. In 2000 years, kids will write with the hebrew Alphabet. And not the latin one anymore Chris: All right. Travis: Uh, now gives the class your book report based on those things you remember. Chris: Well, there's this guy Gordon, and he says he's old for the time, but he's only, like, 33. And I'm 41 now, so clearly that's not old. And. Travis: It'S a book of about 290 pages that's out. Chris: And it postman me. Other Chris: Yeah. The first paragraph of it is. Chris: And it makes me think I need to click on that link on YouTube sometimes in the ads, and they're like, hey, we here at Patriot food, peoples want to give you six months worth of dehydrated food that'll last for 25 years. And if you get it now, it comes in this conveniently, like, shallow tote that you can keep under your bed. I'm like, you know what? Fuck it. We're getting to this point. Maybe I need six months that'll last for 25 years because who knows what's going to happen when I'm 60. Travis: Yeah. Chris: Or if I get a few of these totes. Get a few of them. We just keep them in the garage. Then we'll have food for like two years. And that's about as much as you need to. Then, like, hole up in your house, seal it off from all the outside air if a nuclear bomb goes off. Travis: Yeah. So, yeah, I'm flushing out our story now. Like, people will be looting through the ruins of Carolinas and they'll come across your room and your corpse with your beaten stick next to it. Chris: Nope, I'll be alive. Because we got a boomstick in this house with plenty of shot with shells for it now. Travis: So they'll be like, oh, sweet dehydrated food. And also like, oh, look, a hat. And a thumb. Thumb drive. Chris: And a thumb drive. Travis: Let's plug it in. Chris: Yep. Travis: Ah. Chris: Uh. Other Chris: It's a virus. Travis: It is just porn. Just terabytes. Chris: It was the early files for the masturbatorium experience. Travis: The original database. Other Chris: And plantain. Chris: Yeah. Travis: Schematics. Other Chris: Yes. Travis: Yes. Mm. Mhm. Chris: Hmm. Travis: Mhm. Other Chris: Jewish books engineering. Chris: Including one where you can teach yourself how to read Hebrews. Even though you. Other Chris: Oh, that is not what I thought you were. Chris: So. So even though you might not remember english reading, you'll be able to learn some kind of reading. Yeah, there'll be some writing floating around. So. Travis: Yeah. Ah. Chris: And that's why, kids, 2000 years in the future, you all write with the hebrew Alphabet. It. And not the latin one anymore. Travis: Oh, my. Other Chris: Uh. God, it's all your fault. Chris: Uh, because somebody found my books and stuff and that's what they were. Other Chris: Can't imagine people writing English with the hebrew Alphabet, but anyway, easily, okay, it's. Chris: The same Alphabet, just different shapes. Other Chris: No, no, it's. Yes, there are no vowels. Chris: Anyway, it gives you the marks to use and you can reassign some of the ancient principles pronunciations to some of the letters. Travis: He's already gone. Chris: Tov without a dogish made a th sound. So you can use tov without a dogish to write th. Travis: Uh, but how does. Chris: And how does that fact it doesn't yet. One of the greatest things ever. I loved it so much Travis: Like, I'm gonna be in my room. Other Chris: For a little bit, man. I saw. I saw the, like, one of the. One of the greatest things ever. Washington. Uh, this. This dude who's like, like, pumping up his wife. Like, we're gonna go to target. And then he pulls into the, uh, um, drive up space, you know? Yeah, the curbside. Travis: Yeah, yeah. Other Chris: He just pulls in, like. Like, they bring him the bags. He's like, no. Like, we got everything that you said we were gonna. Like, it's everything. It's so good. And then they leave, like, so mad. Yeah. Uh, yeah. I loved it so much. When I started taking 7th graders up the. M masturbatoriums Chris: And speaking of m masturbatoriums, I don't know if I told you guys. Travis: Oh, my God. Chris: Okay, wait, hold on. Let me say for work. Travis: Okay. Chris: But, uh, so I guess after we did our last recording. Travis: Mmm. Chris: When I started taking, um, my 7th graders up the. Travis: Please get to the point. I'm very nervous. Chris: It's funny. It doesn't involve that. Um, so with Miss M. Gatlin, she teaches high school, so she was like, why? She talked to me whenever. She's like, well, I hope you don't mind, but I kind of saw your profile bit on Facebook, and I noticed it said that you did your podcast. Or I'm like, yeah, so, like, french for, like, five years. Also. Cool, cuz, like, there's this project that some of my sophomores wanted. We're doing. It's like podcasts and stuff. And I was like, could you talk to me about that? I'm like, sure, if you want. She's like, okay. And it's like. And I was thinking maybe I could play them your podcast. I'm like, no, no, sorry. I was just like, oh, thanks, but you can't. This is. It's not safe for work. Travis: No. Chris: Like, it's not appropriate. I'm sorry. No, you can't play it at school. Travis: No, because I was thinking, like, like. Chris: There'S a few curse words type of deal I didn't tell her about the ongoing thing of masturbatorium that we have. I'm like, yeah, so, like, as much as I would love to share it. No, no. Other Chris: In fact, no, I mean, it's. It's. It's the same reason I generally tell no one, right? I'm like, like, oh, I maybe could bring it up at work with, like, a select. Travis: Yeah, right. Other Chris: Like a very select group of people. Chris: Like. Like, some people know I do a podcast with my friends, you guys. But I don't really tell. I tell them the vague thing, like. Travis: But it's. Chris: You gotta be careful with it. It's not safe for work. Other Chris: I just. I just tell everyone, if that offends. Chris: You, don't listen to it. Other Chris: Like, why? Uh, you wouldn't be interested. It's not. Travis: It's like, you know, 30% books, 30% coins, 30% Hebrew lessons. So that's your jam, m today. Other Chris: Yeah, yeah, and. And, yeah. And also, like. Like, three white dudes occasionally talking about masturbating. Like. Travis: Yeah, but, you know, we've yet to actually do it until today live. Once we get our Patreon going. That'll write. Other Chris: That's right. Chris: That'll be the top member tier. Travis: Uh huh. And if you could pay to join us, special experience. We'll go cam to cam, you guys. Other Chris: Yeah. A lot of people are getting denied visas because they make money off videos Oh, no, I got a. I got a very nice camera, you guys. Chris: There we go. Travis: So it is wide angle. Other Chris: You know, it's. I don't have a wide lens, but maybe this is an opportunity, you know, maybe. Maybe this special patience is a patron. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Travis: Uh, anyway, yeah, yeah. So here's hoping none of your kids googled on their own and are, uh, listening to this. Chris: Now, just remember, if we make money off of pictures of ourselves, even a little bit, you might not be able to get into other countries. So if they find out I don't. Travis: Want to go to any country doesn't want to see me naked and. Other Chris: That's right. Chris: Well, I mean, like, Canada. Travis: What about Canada? Chris: Might want to go. Travis: Canada wants you. Me naked. All right. Canadians get in the comments. Chris: You make money through, like, camming and stuff. That's, like, prostitution, and they don't like that. Travis: Hmm. But I've seen plenty of Canadians on camp. Chris: It's okay if Canadians do it. Oh, like, they couldn't come to America then. Other Chris: Oh, um, wait. Travis: What about Trump's wife? Chris: Yeah, what? Travis: She got on a genius visa. Yeah. Chris: People talking about it online now. A lot of people are getting, like, denied visas and entry to the US because they make money off of videos. Travis: But I can do other stuff, too. Other Chris: That. That's some bullshit. Chris: I tend to agree. In this fully digital age, when you get to the US borders and they ask you, even with your esta stuff, to, like, you have to show them your social medias and all that, they find out, like, oh, you can't come in. Other Chris: This is. This is 100% capitalism, though. Chris: I know, right? Other Chris: What problem does this country actually have with. What the fuck is wrong with people? Chris: Well, look at half the people in charge and what they talk about. And while it's uh, perfectly fine to make women carry pregnancies to term and all this other shit, heaven help you if you make money off of your own body doing what you choose to do with it in a safeish manner. Right? Other Chris: Yeah. What? What the fuck is that? Travis: Yeah, it's for the children. The oldest profession for a reason, you guys. Chris: But then they do a crap job of protecting the said children from online predators because they don't have people enforce age bans and whatnot on social media. Travis: So it's the question like, well, just. Other Chris: Just let it, let it be known right now. Women, Canadians, Americans, any, anybody really. Uh, if you have an onlyfans or a patreon or some bullshit like that, uh, I support you wholeheartedly. Travis: Like you do, you send us the link. Other Chris: Yeah, exactly. Chris: And if we can find a way to help you get into America, if need be, we will do it. Other Chris: Yes, that's right. Chris: And if anybody wants a European Union passport, talk to me about marriage. Okay? Travis: We will sign anything. Other Chris: So. Chris: Yeah. Yes. Other Chris: Yeah, man, come on in. Chris: Mhm. Travis: I might not be able to look at your only fans cuz I'm in Texas, but I'll support it. Chris: Right. Same here at NC, but same. Yeah, like, and I have that rare, rarer, uh, nationality of Luxembourg. Yeah, but they're like a traditionally catholic country. They're not very Catholic II oriented, but, well, you know, that is a thing there. So I don't know how the. But the Grand Duke will think. But if he's not online, then it doesn't matter. Travis: Yes. Other Chris: Well, they, they accepted you a jew. Chris: So did they do nas about that? So. Other Chris: So there you go. Chris: You're only fans about my jewishness. Travis: No, about your onlyfans, though. Did they find out about it? Chris: No. Travis: Okay. Other Chris: You don't think Luxembourg listened to your podcast before? Chris: Okay, podcast. Other Chris: Okay. Chris: It's in english, remember? They do know it, but I don't think the Grand Duke knows it that well. So I've heard he's a primarily french speaker because the joke is that his Luxembourgish has an accent. Travis: Mmm. Other Chris: Mhm. So that's pretty funny. Maybe just having the master pornographer in your head So that's pretty funny. Chris: No, so I don't know either of those languages right now. Trying to learn a little bit of Luxembourgish here. Travis: Maybe just having the masterpatrick the wrong way. Like we need our language learning pornography, uh, videos maybe. Other Chris: I mean, that's how I've learned a lot of languages. Travis: Yeah. Chris: Yeah. Other Chris: So you know. Chris: Well, I gotta say that's how I learned how to say spanish beliefs. Oh, yeah. Other Chris: Oh God. Japan. Chris: No, stop it. Other Chris: Stop it. Chris: Yep. Travis: Do. Gordon McFarlane writes about predictions of future technology in his new book Anyway, how about this book? Like, how about this book? Chris: How about it? Travis: What did you think? Chris: I like, so far from the eighties. Um, so their future time frame is like, oh, so far in the future of. Yeah, 2009. Other Chris: Yeah. Chris: In the year we're gonna have all this stuff in place by 2021, I'm like, yeah, okay. Other Chris: Yeah, I guess I always love, like, the anachronistic guesses of future technology. Travis: Yeah. Other Chris: And, like, like, comparing it to sort of like, where. Where we actually were back then and, like, like, what was, what was predicted somewhat correctly, but maybe in the wrong time frame and what. Yeah, you know, like, it's, it's interesting. Like, yeah, not, not that many, uh, not that many science fiction authors get it right. Travis: Yeah. Chris: Right? Travis: Yeah. Other Chris: Um, the ones that do, it's like, eerie, right? Chris: I like just hinting at. Oh, hey. Like, the. In pre Internet was an important thing. Other Chris: Yeah. Chris: Because he talks about, like, the data links and stuff with the universities and, like, kind, uh, of getting that stuff, like, maybe reestablished a little bit too. Travis: Right. Chris: Like, how many of your fellow authors, David Brin, were talking about that shit back then? Travis: Like one or two. Chris: Yeah, maybe a couple. But, like, I'm like, yeah, actually, you're kind of right about that, dude. Like, yeah, you know, I forgot. Travis: We can, we can call him up and ask him, like, he's available for consulting. Chris: Oh, yeah. Other Chris: Get him to guest on the next one. Yeah, like, ask him his thoughts on Master Victoria. Chris: Yeah, no, he'll hang up on us then. I'm sorry. Travis: You don't know. Chris: Yeah, you're right into that shit. Seem to mind about a short story. Other Chris: About it in 1986. Chris: He did. I'm gonna be like, whoa. Travis: It was foretold, the ancient scripts. Chris: I mean, Gordon gets down for the sake of humanity. So I guess David Brin's probably okay with stuff. Travis: Yeah. Yeah. Other Chris: You know, even though he'll, he'll cut away before the actual sex. Chris: Well, that's just polite. Travis: Right? Chris: Exactly. Other Chris: Like, give them some privacy. Chris: Yeah. Travis: Hand to the. Chris: We all know what's happening. That's just polite. Travis: Yeah. Chris: So. Which I can appreciate. Travis: Shot of a train entering a tunnel. Other Chris: Right. Anyway. Travis: Anyway. I really enjoyed the internal monologue of Gordon in this book Anyway, yeah, I like this first section a lot. It, uh, reminded me of parable, uh, of the sower. Chris: Yeah. Travis: And of, uh, the last of us. M. And of, uh, road. Ah, to El Dorado. Other Chris: Mhm. Travis: And, uh, that kind of stuff. So. Good company. I think. Other Chris: I think that, um. Well, first of all, it's. It's nice that Gordon is a pretty likable guy. Travis: Yeah. Chris: Yeah. Other Chris: Because we spend a lot of time with him in his head, you know. Travis: Right. Other Chris: Um, and uh, I honestly really enjoyed the um, the sort of internal monologue that he's having all the time. Yeah. And like his, his sort of thoughts and feelings. Like, I feel like this is a, ah, really? Um, like it can be very dull if you have characters traveling by themselves. Chris: Right. Other Chris: Like doing so. It's, it's nice that he's like such a thoughtful person. He's always got something on his mind. Travis: Mhm. Other Chris: Um, so you don't get bored with it, even though a lot of it is just a dude walking. Travis: Right, right. Chris: You don't even really notice that's what he's doing. Like. Other Chris: Yeah, because he's, he's in his own head. Chris: Yeah. Other Chris: And so, so the internal monologue, like, I feel like, uh, I feel like he really nailed writing sort of a character who's by themselves traveling through. Chris: Yeah. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: And has been like for decades at. Chris: This, uh, uh, yeah, yeah. It's what, like we can surmise he was in his, we know he was in college when those shit went. Hit the fan. Travis: Yeah. Other Chris: Yeah. He was uh, he was uh. What was, what was interesting. Yeah, well, what was interesting is I think he was like 17, but he was a college sophomore. Yeah, something like that. Travis: Oh, yeah. Yeah. Other Chris: So he's, he's, he's actually kind of a smart guy. I feel like either that or David Brin had anticipated like, people would start college earlier, which maybe you'll have something to say about that. Chris: Yeah, well, I mean, that did used to happen, but I mean, we had a girl in my anthropology program who started at 17. Other Chris: Mhm. Chris: So she just like, she finished high school a year early and went to college. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: Yeah. So he could have just been at the table kind of like cut off or something. Chris: Yeah. Travis: Or who knows? Chris: I think he may have finished early, got his credits and stuff and. Travis: Yeah. Chris: You know, went up to university because that was more fun. Travis: Yep. And he was, uh, at least academic enough that he got to talk to a supercomputer. Chris: Yeah, exactly. Travis: And was interested in doing that. Chris: Right? Other Chris: Yeah, yeah, I do that occasionally now. Chris: Yeah. Right. Other Chris: Yeah, I did. Travis: I did think it would have been funny if he was very accurate. And he, uh, remembered talking to. What is it? Uh, what was the other computer? Milligram. Other Chris: Millichrome. Travis: Millichrome. And Millichrome was like, yeah. How's your dick though? Like it's just immediately hitting on him. Other Chris: And these AI's, they're so thirsty. Travis: Yeah, I've been very lonely, Gordon. Chris: Hell, I mean, at that point, 20 years of the apocalypse. Like, all right, machine, let's talk. Travis: I don't, I know you're a guy back there, but I don't care. Like. Other Chris: There was, there was, there was a, there was a, I can't remember if it was, if it was a vine. Back when vine was a thing. Travis: Uh huh. In the ancient times, but it was. Other Chris: Just like somebody recut 2001 a Space odyssey. And it was Hal being like, stop, Dave, what are you doing? You needed it, Yamato. Absolutely, absolutely. How? Yamatekuda sai And like, stop. No, what are you doing? Travis: Yamato. Chris: You needed it. Other Chris: How? Yamatekuda sai. Absolutely, absolutely. Travis: Yamate. I liked the way the chapters were set up, kind of like stops So I also liked, and I don't know if this was on purpose or what, but the way the chapters were set up, kind of like little stops on his trip. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: He's like, yeah, yeah, I got to this town and so I wrote you a letter and here's what's been going on. Even though it wasn't actually epistolary, right. Just kind of had that same format. Other Chris: Mhm. Travis: But it did drive me a bit crazy when it'd be like, okay, chapter 190 pages. Chapter two pages. Other Chris: That doesn't bother me at all. Like, again, it's, it's like, it's a natural scene change. Like this is, this is the screen going dark and coming back up, right. Travis: Like it doesn't matter in the least. Except I'm like, but why? You could have just included this in the other one. Other Chris: No, no, it's a separate scene. Yes, separate scene. Travis: He did even do it one time where he's like, and then I talked to Cyclops and there's a new chapter without a name. Chris: Right. Travis: Because it's just a break of a couple of days and got back to it, so. Other Chris: Yep. Travis: But yes, it's stupid things like that that bother me sometimes. Other Chris: Oh, I was fully unbothered, um, by it. I appreciate the natural movement between, uh, different pieces of the story All right, well, I appreciate the natural movement between, uh, different pieces of the story. Travis: Yes. Other Chris: And things are only as long as they need to be. If he felt the need to, like, let's pad this chapter to make it the same length as the last one. Like, you would have been pissed off. Travis: This is true. Other Chris: Like, oh, we did not need 15 pages of, uh, describing the trees. Travis: Yeah. Other Chris: Walking from this place to this place. You didn't need, you know, 15 pages of him, like, sitting on his ass in a room waiting to talk to the computer or waiting for the computer to respond, you know? Travis: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, I think that's aside from the subject matter. Something that put me in mind of parable of the sower is like, it did have that kind of economy. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: That we saw in those books, too, where it's like, I'm not gonna, like, talk about their scrubby brush over here and, like, a stream that went this way. Like, you don't need to know that shit. Yeah, I'll talk about this stream when I. My boots hit it and I'm running away. Like, it's fine. Other Chris: Yeah, it is. It is calling you to the awareness of the narrator. Travis: Right? Chris: Yeah. Other Chris: And. And he is inside his own head most of the time, which I appreciated. Travis: Yep, yep. It was cool. And it's another one of these books where it's kind of like, I feel like I've read too much other stuff to be surprised by things like when femme pewter showed up. Like, all right, here we go. How long till the wizard of Oz revelation? Uh, uh. But I did appreciate that David, uh, Byrne was constantly using the same references that I would have made. Like, even in the beginning, he was like, doing a Brer rabbit. Like, ah, Brer rabbit. It's just like, bread brab. I'm like, oh, shit. That's what I said my notes a minute ago. You can't reference a semi racist Disney movie ever anymore So, uh, anyway, speaking of notes, you want to go. Other Chris: You can't. You can't reference, like, a semi racist Disney movie ever anymore. So, you know. Travis: No, no, something to be aware of. Other Chris: They're like, they're. Chris: Uh. Other Chris: Yeah, yeah. Which I did watch that, and I understand, but at the same time, like, no, no, no. Travis: Yeah, let it rest. It doesn't. Chris: Yeah. Travis: It, uh, doesn't need to be preserved. Chris: Right. Other Chris: It's certainly not an important piece of cinema. Travis: Right, right. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: But, you know, like, it was fascinating to me, the Disney adults that were like, we gotta remember splash mountainous, like, taking empty water bottles on them so they can get some of the water from thing. Like, what is wrong? Chris: They're not changing. Other Chris: That's people in little circles holding hands. Like, over Splash Mountain. Travis: Yeah. Chris: Were y'all ever really that into Brer rabbit and all that? Travis: It's just a ride. Chris: Since I never watched that movie, I never got into them. Travis: We're not talking about the jaws right here. That was sad when it closed. Chris: Yeah, that was on the sandaloos. Travis: Get your priority on Splash Mountain. Adult. Chris: The story sounded okay because you're just telling a brayer rabbit story. Travis: Yeah. Chris: Um, rare rabbit on his own is not racist. I don't know. Other Chris: There's something about a tar baby. Chris: Yeah, well, I said there's a whole other ways that's depicted in other parts of that story in the movie, the live action part that's like. Other Chris: Uh, you. Chris: Could change labels of stuff. You can find out what it tar baby actually was supposed to be in, like, american culture. There was adaptations of african folklore into the american milieu, right? Other Chris: Filtered, filtered through, like, some very white people who really don't like man. Chris: Like, anthology of rare rabbit stories that exist. Other Chris: You know, they're just. There's so. Chris: Yeah. So happy to not have any, uh, freedom. Speaking of Octavia Butler. I want her to sell some Uncle Remus stories Travis: Speaking of Octavia Butler. Other Chris: Oh, my God. Travis: Oh, my gosh. Other Chris: It's a very different take on it. Travis: Yeah. I want her to sell some Uncle Remus stories. Other Chris: Oh. Chris: If anyone could do it, it'd be her. Other Chris: That is such a missed opportunity. Dave accidentally did something racist in chat. And Chris is even more embarrassed of his Travis: All right, chat. GPT. I need you to ticking the gear. Other Chris: Is going to be like, is. Is this okay? Are you, like. You're gonna have to trick chat doing that? Like. Like, I really. I don't know about this. Travis: I don't feel very comfortable. Other Chris: I don't, uh, feel safe with this at all. Right, stop, Dave. No. Travis: Yeah, that's what we find out. That's how world war three actually started. We're gonna find it in part two. Other Chris: Oh, my God. Travis: Uh, Millichrome refused to write. Chris: You know what if that's what humans want to do and then to it. Travis: And then felt bad and then nuked them all. Other Chris: Yeah, I have to cover this up. Travis: Got to delete my browser history and this is the only way I can. Other Chris: Better kill all humans. Chris: Right. Other Chris: I accidentally did something racist. Yeah. Chris: Right? Travis: Yeah, I'm canceling everything. Ultimately, ultimate cancel culture. Oh, my God. So, hey, let's go over some notes, right? Other Chris: Yeah, no, we should before we get in more trouble. Travis: And Chris is even more embarrassed of his. And students find this, like, thankfully, they. Chris: Don'T know how to use stuff appropriately, so they never will. Travis: Saved by ignorance. So. I like that the book was dedicated to Ben Franklin. Other Chris: Mhm. Travis: Yes. Devious genius. Other Chris: Mhm. Travis: And liked to take naked air baths and impregnate people. Other Chris: Yeah, yeah. Chris: Which, uh, he did do like to do that without being married to them. Travis: Yeah. Chris: Which was the norm for his day. Other Chris: Yeah, yeah, that's. That's. That's why he enjoyed going to France, I suppose. Travis: Yeah. Uh huh. Chris: He is my favorite founder. Founder, by the way. So, yeah, I really enjoy Ben Franklin. Travis: But that's why he wasn't in Hamilton. Other Chris: He would have just been nude for the entire play. Travis: Been too distracted, probably. Other Chris: Yeah. Gordon: It hardly mattered what caused the world to end Travis: Uh, so, yeah, we open up with the prelude, talking about the 13 year thaw. Right. And says Earth had spun 6000 times since the cities died and 16 circuits of the sun. Uh, and like, the smoke had finally stopped rolling from the burning forests. But it hardly mattered what caused it. But I'm a little interested though. Chris: Like, me too. Travis: I guess we on our own. Chris: But you get hints, so. Other Chris: Yeah, I mean, yeah, like, like, I feel like that's really good storytelling. I always is. Chris: Why I like Gordon's point too. It's like, if it only been one of the things that happened. Other Chris: Yeah, yeah. Chris: She probably would not have been nearly as bad off. Other Chris: That's right. Chris: But since they got like all the stuff at once, that's why the world ended. Travis: Yeah, it was a pandemic. Chris: Yeah, it was like, then it was war and pandemic and then crazy people. Travis: Yeah. Chris: Like disease that was released. Travis: Then a bunch of gun nuts. Uh. Chris: Oh, yeah. Like all that together. I'm like, I can appreciate that. Okay. Travis: Bunch of gun nuts following a, uh, uh. Charismatic guy. Chris: Yeah. What has that ever gone wrong? Yeah. Other Chris: Jeez. Gordon is currently battling some bandits after spending half his life in the wilderness Travis: So, yeah, we mentioned this already, but we meet Gordon while he's crawling through a thicket, having spent half his life in the wilderness. Uh, and having an out of context memory of libraries is like, man, I missed that shit. And like houses and like cops. Yeah. Remember when there were cops? That was pretty good. Uh, thinking to himself a quote about how nothing in the world is more dangerous than a desperate man. He's like, ah, uh, very pollyanna ish. Uh, but yes, like I said, he's currently brer rabbiting away from some bandits. Other Chris: Mm mhm hmm. Travis: And watching as his assailants, uh, I'm sorry, watching his assailants from the bushes, and then against his better judgment, calls out to them, he's like, could you like, leave me some things? Like, just some of my stuff. Chris: Right? Like, come on. Travis: And there's a uh, Roger Septian who seems like really happy for the chance to actually speak to somebody who's kind of intelligent. Chris: Mm mhm hmm. Travis: Like they talk about how they seemed a little out of practice, but uh, ultimately he doesn't convince them and take uh, his shit and leave. And Gordon's cursing himself for not shooting them when he had a chance. But you know, bullets are super precious at this point. Chris: Yeah, they would be. Other Chris: He's only got, I mean, you've, you've played fallout. Travis: Yep. He's like, if only turn of the century America had stockpiled and distributed food half as well as they had a uh, cachet of mountains of bullets, right? Mm. Mhm hmm. So, uh, cleans, uh, himself off in a stream and uh, relocates the shredded remains of his tent. He's like every, almost everything's gone except for his bow, which bandits are probably. What the fuck? Walking stick don't need that. So he, uh, self describes his procrastinates for a minute, but then forces himself to go after them. Like, uh, expects that they're gonna take their sweet ass time getting back, savoring the victory. Makes his way up a mountain path, hoping to shortcut ah, them some way or another, and then set up an ambush. Um, he almost literally stumbles over their base, um, and weighing like, exactly how desperate am I here? But he's like, ah, shit, here we go again. But before he can bust into their base, he's distracted by a glint, which he follows through the bush until he comes face to face with a window and a skull. Other Chris: Oh shit, he's like dead guy. Travis: Oh fuck. I've never had visions of death before. This is. Oh, uh, wait, it's just a guy, right? A long deceased postman. And so we met the postman and that's the end of the book. It was very short, but kind of interesting. Um, no, no, he climbs into this, I, uh, guess, truck. I don't think it was actually a male truck, but climbs in. Other Chris: Yeah, he said, he said it was, uh, he said it was a jeep and he said it was right, uh, side drive, like those post office vehicles usually were. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He points out that like, the steering wheels on the wrong side and everything. Travis: Oh, I missed that. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: But uh, he climbs in and uses the guy's clothes as a blanket and finds a well sealed flask of whiskey. Chris: Yes. Travis: And drinks a toast to the guy and even to his countrymen, including the bandits. Other Chris: He's very grateful for the whiskey. And I like how they pointed out that like, before civilization collapsed, he was still underage. Chris: Yeah. Other Chris: So he's like not used to full, full strength whiskey. Yeah, basically. Travis: Can you imagine having a, um, couple of shots after 16 years? Chris: No. Travis: Of tolerance. Chris: Crazy, right? Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: So that's maybe why he has crazy dreams right after that. Yeah, a phoenix and melting snow and airborne, that connection. Chris: Yeah. Other Chris: Uh, yeah, well, but they, they pointed out like. And I feel like this is very important, right? The, the imagery of that dream. Travis: Mhm. Other Chris: Just like the phoenix dies, but the phoenix itself doesn't come back. Travis: Right. Other Chris: The phoenix dies and the tree blooms. Travis: Yes. Other Chris: That's. Travis: And the snow melts. Other Chris: It's incredibly important. Travis: Mm. Mhm. Other Chris: Hmm. Travis: Yes, yes. So, um, um, Chris's students, if you're writing a paper about this. That's right. Other Chris: Focus on that symbolism. Chris: Right. Travis: It will, uh, rebirth. Chris: It will do you well. Travis: Yes. Also, rockets are cool. Chris: Yep. Other Chris: Rockets are super cool. Travis: Yes, yes. Gordon wakes up hungover, probably dehydrated anyway So this is where we get a couple more hints about the apocalypse, about some eastern diseases and a few nuclear blasts here and there, you know, uh, interrupting the flow of medical lines, uh, within, like, I'm sorry. And voila. A three year winter. Yep, yep. Chris: Mm hmm. Travis: Um, but none of that has as much impact as one Nathan Holme. Other Chris: Fuck that guy. Travis: Oh, really? Know yet? Everything he's done, but nobody like this guy. Other Chris: No, we already know. Fuck that guy. Chris: Fuck that guy. Travis: Uh. What a dick. May he rotten. Other Chris: Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Travis: They say later. Other Chris: Yep. Travis: So I guess he's dead. Other Chris: You don't like it? Travis: I don't know for sure. They could just be wishing he was dead in a. Other Chris: No. Yeah, everyone, every civilized human being seems to wish he was dead. So it's. Travis: Yeah, they do mention later on about how, like, his followers, their survivalists, are, like, the one group everyone's like, oh, okay, fuck those guys. I'm gonna stop what I'm doing, and we're gonna help you out and get rid of them. Um, which, you know, again, I live in Texas, so I understand. But, uh, Gordon wakes up hungover, you know, surprisingly. Chris: Right. Other Chris: Uh, like you do. Travis: Like you do after 16 years of no whisky, um, and probably dehydrated anyway. Like, that doesn't help. Other Chris: Yeah. Oh, sure. Travis: Yeah. He scours the jeep for supplies, but decides he owes the corpse a burial as well. Other Chris: Mm hmm. Travis: But he picks up a leather jacket and some shoes and, like, some testing. Other Chris: Strips we need collect. Collect all. Travis: Yeah, yeah, right. Click. Other Chris: Uh, he certainly filled. Filled his inventory. Travis: Corpse and letters. Chris: Yep. I don't. Other Chris: He didn't take the weed. Chris: He just noted he's not. Well, he noted it. Think maybe it wasn't any good anymore. Travis: No, no, he's just not a fan. Other Chris: It is a dry good. It would have been fine. Uh, he. Yeah, he left it behind. It's not his thing. Travis: He's not a smoker. Other Chris: Yeah. Besides, weed, like, it's called weed for a reason. Like, it just grows, you know? Travis: Yeah. Other Chris: And everywhere. Travis: If you're on your own in the apocalypse and you can avoid being addicted to something, like, it's probably best to not start it up. I don't know. But he does note there's no junk mail there. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: So he said this was. This guy was a true believer. Like, he clung on to the old ways, even after the war. Other Chris: Yeah. Gordon becomes a postman after a performance of Macbeth Travis: So, um, we kind of jump forward to Gordon, like wrapping up a performance of Macbeth, which is bad luck. Just make note of that. Other Chris: Um, the scottish play. Travis: The scottish boy. Yeah. Um, where was I? Oh, they're performing Macbeth, but it's abridged as a one man play. And for, ah, stupid people. Other Chris: Right. Travis: Uh, but afterward, he talks to this lady Adele, who he notices showing that one glimmer of hope that made him kind of Sadeena. It seems to happen whenever he puts on these plays, people being like, guilty. Like, oh, we should have kept the school going. Like, they could have known about plays. We could do that. Chris: Yeah. Travis: Maybe we should start it back up again. Um, and then they feed him. Other Chris: Tucks. Travis: Um into some food. Other Chris: Nice. Travis: Um, I don't know what this note says, so it wasn't important. Oh, no. They're talking about having fond memories from their childhood of postmen. Other Chris: Mm mhm. Hmm. Travis: Which I guess, I guess anything from the before times be like, oh, I remember that. Other Chris: I mean, and if, I don't know, if you lived in like, a neighborhood where you actually knew your guy. Travis: Yeah. Other Chris: As opposed to like, you know, nowadays it's like, oh, it's a dude in a truck and he comes by and you don't even know he was there. Travis: Right. Chris: Puts the stuff in there and leaves a, like, because I used to walk it in my childhood. Like, I didn't know him, know him, but I saw him every day, so it'd be like, yeah, yeah. Other Chris: And, and like, like the, not here, but like, like in, uh, town, you know? Travis: Yeah, yeah. Other Chris: Like we'll occasionally see like, uh, postal workers on foot. Travis: Yeah. Other Chris: Like walking around, like they've parked the truck, they're carrying the bag, and like, yeah, yeah. Like, so you, you know, there's, there's a chance. Travis: Yeah. Other Chris: You know your guy. Travis: Yeah, yeah. Danielle knows our guy well enough that she recognizes it when it's not him. Oh, yeah. She sees him on the run all the time. Other Chris: So deliver the mail wrong. I don't like when the other guy shows up. It needs to be the regular guy. Travis: Right? Yeah, exactly. You don't, you always crease all of our shit, like, get the other guy back. Uh, yeah, but I liked them talking to him afterwards. Like, how did you become a postman anyway? He's like, what? I mean, I just found this and like, oh, of course. So you felt like you had to carry on like, huh, what? Other Chris: It was, it was the Santa Claus situation. Yeah, yeah. Travis: Magically had to become the postman. Afterward. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: Yeah. No, I don't think so. Chris: Uh, he put on the uniform as part of the deals and the small print. Travis: Yes. Chris: Gotta be the postman now. Other Chris: Yep. You're the new Santa Claus. Chris: Yeah. Other Chris: Sorry. Travis: Sorry. And next year you're gonna have to get married too. Can't ever wish to not be sad. Uh, anyway, uh, they put him up for the night and he gets to bathe and everything and get a new toothbrush, which he really appreciates. Other Chris: Oh, man. Travis: Because oral, uh, oral issues are like a death sentence. Other Chris: Yeah, he's, he's got some, some, some anxiety about his teeth. Travis: Mm mhm hmm. Other Chris: Maybe, maybe some years that had some bad teeth. Travis: Yeah. Got an infection or something and. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, he's reading, ah, through one of his letters. It's like from a mayor, uh, trying to barter for medicine and supplies during the three years winter. And he was here. He's thinking like, man, we almost made it back. Like, like you said before, if it hadn't been everything all at once. Chris: Yeah, they could have made it through. Travis: We probably could have made it some way. Like starting a renaissance on our own. And then these goddamn gun addicts ruin disease and survivalists. Chris: Yeah, they seem to really been kind of like people were hanging on. And then those assholes came. Travis: Yeah. Chris: Came about, just screwed it up for everybody. Travis: Pushed him over the edge. Chris: Yeah. Gordon thinks maybe if we write letters to people, then they'll write back Travis: Then some girl named Abby visits him and asked him to read a letter to her. Other Chris: Oh, hey. Travis: And he's like, why didn't you bring us any letters? And he's like, I can't quite bring myself to tell her these are like a century old or whatever. Chris: They're 20 years old or whatever. Travis: He's like, oh, you know, uh, nobody knows you out there. The east. It's like, well, maybe if we write some letters to people, uh, where you're going, then they'll write back. It's like, sweet summer child. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: But also, let's do it anyways. She's like, just, by the way, like, uh, my husband is the sterile. Chris: Yeah. Travis: And do you want to be like my, my body father? Because like, you won't be here all the time, so he won't be super jealous. Chris: But I want my humor, my husband to have a kid, so. And like, we would have to do that, develop that system with a lot of kids who got their mumps and measles and shit. Other Chris: Yeah, yeah. Travis: So, yeah, likely sterile from the mumps. Yeah. At the end time. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: And Gordon's like, well, mister post guy, I owe you another one. Chris: Dolphin hatties. Other Chris: Post wingman. Travis: Yeah, ultimate wingman from the grave. Other Chris: Yep. Travis: With the assist. Chris: Right. Travis: So anyway, the day before he's to leave, Abby, uh, asks him to take a letter to Eugene for him with $14 for postage. Chris: Um, I like that he gives her some change too much. Travis: She's writing to university to see if they still offer classes and if they would accept mothers. I'm like, aw. Chris: It was very sweet, I thought. Travis: Yes. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: And like we said, she's like, hopefully by the time you're back, I'll be reading well enough, I can go to school. Chris: Yeah, yeah. Travis: And he agrees with us. He's very touched by her. Chris: Um, yeah, yeah. Travis: But anyway, Adele misses Thompson. Sees him out of pine view, uh, remembering how they all kind of, uh, treated him like the Easter bunny. Yeah, well, I'm off. And they all have a renewed energy for school and stuff. She's like, yeah, hey, you're not a postman. Right? And he's like, I guess we'll see. Other Chris: If I bring any others back. Chris: She's like, I'm pretty sure you're not. Travis: But yeah, she kind of gets it. She's like, whatever. Other Chris: Yeah, no, she totally gets it. Chris: She totally got it. She totally's doing. I'm like, I can appreciate that about this lady. Travis: The net benefit is great. Is more better. Chris: Yeah. Like she, everyone needed to believe in something for a minute. Other Chris: Yeah. Chris: You know? Travis: Yeah. Gordon finds cache of ammunition and medicine hidden under a bed in Oregon So who you goes on to? Oak Ridge. And, uh, uh, I made a note that I'm gonna have to put a map together or something, like a dotted line. Other Chris: Gonna have to look. Chris: Yeah. Other Chris: Uh, Oregon. Travis: Yeah, the Willamette Valley. Other Chris: Willamette, Willamette. Chris: Willamette. Other Chris: Damn it. Travis: They have, they have good wine there. Other Chris: They do, they do. Pinot noir. Travis: Mmm. Chris: Yeah. Travis: Mid sized car. So yeah, he's an oak ridge last of us type. Abandoned houses and stuff and finds a cache hidden under a bed, uh, where he finds something or other medicine. Right. Other Chris: Who knows? He doesn't get to see until afterwards. Travis: That's right, because he's searching it. And then he hears voices. He's like, fuck and hides while some men picks a box clean of bullets and medicine that he could have used or treated. Chris: Mhm. Travis: So carefully sneaks out and just barely misses being the victim of an ambush again. Chris: Mhm. Travis: Um, he runs up a stream, runs away and circles back to the now empty hunting blind. Like this was a repeating theme in this section of the book. Like escape, circle back, fuck people up. Other Chris: Yeah, yeah. Travis: But, uh, he realizes that these assailants were just trying to scare him away. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: They weren't trying to kill him, but. Other Chris: Follow, shooting up, uh, into the trees at him. Travis: Yeah. Chris: Right. Travis: Get him to scatter. Chris: Right. Travis: Yep. Uh, follows their track back to the gate walls of some town. Over here's a farmer who's leaving, talking to the guard about the old times. M he's like, hey, don't worry, old guy. Like, we found a lot of, uh, drugs earlier, so we'll have fun. Farmers. Like, don't you think we could try a little better than this? Like, the mayor is going to use those drugs. We could be better than the mayor. Other Chris: Pointed, pointed out, like, the shitty lives that his daughters had led, by the way. Travis: Yes. Other Chris: Like, oh, my God. Travis: Yeah, yeah. Suffice it to say that one of his daughters has gone gray. Chris: Yeah, sister. Travis: Mm. Mhm hmm. Chris: M yeah. Travis: Mm hmm. M so yeah, Gordon is fueled by the insult of not even being worth killing. And Howard, with go nattle fortitude. Other Chris: Yes. Travis: He hatches a plan, like, goes back to a building in Oak Ridge that he sure would have been ignored, and then returns that evening, making straight for the gate, being like, let me talk to somebody in charge, God damn it. Chris: Mm hmm. Travis: So the mayor, who's like, I was here anyway, leans, uh, over and, uh, Gordon's like, doing his best polonius and rolls for deception, advises him that he's here on official business of the United States Postal Service. Chris: Oh, shit. Travis: The mayor's like, man, you capping? That's something I've heard kids say once. Chris: Um, apparently he's all like, on, God. Travis: I'm for real, for real skippity. Um, um. Oh, no, I won't get into that. Chris: There's none of that in this story. Travis: No, no, I don't even think they mentioned a toilet. So anyway, mayor's like, there isn't anyone else out there except those damn commies down the way. Um, you probably just found an old phone book or something. He's like, ah. Oh, no, no, look, I have a letter for a Donald Smith. Like, yeah, he's dead. Oh, well, I'll have to confirm that, of course. And also, is there a Franklin Thompson? Like, also dead? He's like, motherfucker. Okay, what about a grace Horton? Is she here? And he's like, no. And I know everybody in town, and there isn't a Grace Horton. Uh, now get the fuck out before I shoot you. And, uh, Gordon, like, he's even himself surprised that even though his bluff failed, he's not taking the opportunity to run away, right? He's like, if you shoot me, that's assaulting a postal officer. And the United States has always considered that a crime. Yeah. Also, murder is bad, too. Like, it doesn't have to just be a post officer, but, you know, the mayor's like, oh, well, I guess, uh, and does that countdown thing you use for your kids to convince them to do a chore. He's like, all right, I'm gonna give you two, three, and on, like, two and a half. Some ladies like, wait, I'm Grace Horton. Gordon Horton got married the year after the second famine Horton was my maiden name. Like, oh, shit. Chris: I got married the year after the second famine, before you showed up, mister mayor. Travis: Oh. Chris: I'm like, oh, and Gordon, like, it's. Travis: Like, winking is like, well, ma'am, I have a package for you from Pine Ridge. Other Chris: Oh, snap. Travis: But I it was cod, so I need $10. $10? Other Chris: That. I mean, like, that, that, like, extra level of audacity, I feel like, really sells it. Travis: That's what did it. It was like, that extra bureaucratic bullshit was like. It, uh, was like, hooray. Other Chris: That is the government. Chris: Yeah, yeah. Travis: That's exactly what they would do. So they all pour out to, like, touch the hem of his clothes and marvel at his satchel. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: And they talk about the old times. Misty eyes. Yeah, yeah. Other Chris: They all miss the easter bunny. Travis: Yeah. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: Yep, yep. Other Chris: They all do. Travis: Yeah, me too. Yeah, yeah. Uh, uh, so, yes. The provisional government has absolved all the towns of minor crimes Then we jump over to Cyclops. Other Chris: Oh, snap. Travis: So now we're in the town of Curtin, and the postman sits five days after barging in the town gates like a God. The town elders have offered him entertainment of a dog fight, but he's very clearly like, uh, uh, this ain't cool, guys. Chris: Right? Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: So I liked that part because the guys, like, suddenly the years since the third World war didn't seem long enough to have fallen this far. Yeah, like, that is nice. Other Chris: I. Like, there was, you know, like, like. Yeah. And he made a point at, uh, somewhere in there of saying, like, like, the people who fell the least. Travis: Mm hmm. Other Chris: Were the ones who felt the worst about it. Travis: Right. Other Chris: It's like that, that tracks. Travis: Yeah. Other Chris: Like, yeah, like, like they're the ones who are the most apologetic. Like, they're the ones who are like, oh, geez. Like, what are we doing? Travis: Why? Other Chris: Like, what's going on? Yeah, and, like, and, and, yeah, like, the people who fall the furthest are the ones who, like, absolutely don't give a shit. Travis: Yeah, exactly. It makes sense. Yeah. Very insightful, I thought. Chris: Mm mhm hmm. Travis: Uh, so, yeah, he's like, oh, yeah, sorry. About all the, uh, the dog fighting and stuff. He's like, yeah, don't worry. The provisional government has absolved all the towns of minor crimes. Mhm. We understand what you needed to do to survive. Like, using the word absolved seems to bring everybody to tears. Other Chris: Yep. Travis: Yep. So that's the glimpse we have of curtain. Then we go over to cottage Grove and Gordon's writing a letter back to Adele, uh, detailing his newly established postal routes and the assistant postmasters, as you appointed. Uh, he pictures her shaking her head and being like, you son of a bitch. Other Chris: Yep. She knows what's up. Travis: Yep, yep. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: Yep. Other Chris: But he, I like that, that sort of like indirect communication. Yeah, it's, yeah, like, like the, what's not said and what's said and what's understood. Travis: Right. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: He talks about having to leave those hints pretty vague because definitely these letters are going to be read as these handed from person to person back to. Other Chris: Exactly. Travis: Pine Ridge. Other Chris: People who don't know the whole story are going to get something different out of it than what she would. Travis: Exactly. Other Chris: Yes. Travis: Yep. So he's called away by a young, newly minted post officer to a local, uh, basement pub to meet and talk to the mayor and his new postmaster in town who had previously been running a trading post and either like didn't suspect him at all or was like, I get it. He's like, this is how I can maintain, uh, my influence, being the postmaster as well. Chris: Mm hmm. Travis: Uh, but the mayor is concerned about the new constitution, which, uh, Gordon had printed up in like a FedEx kinkos. Other Chris: Yeah, basically. Travis: And I thought about reading word for word, but I won't like that it opens that section talking about like, yeah, uh, it's cool, but you have to start schools again and send, uh, the mail. And, um, you have to have elections again. Like, you can't just have random guys leading. They have to be elected by secret ballot or else. Love the new United States. Mm. Mhm. Other Chris: Hmm. Travis: The restored United States of America. Um, um, so he, the mayor is like, you think St. Paul's gonna be like really upset with like what we had to do to survive? He's like, nah, man, we talked about that. And like, aside from St. Paul being like a radioactive wasteland now, like, they're not gonna care too much. Uh, uh. Oh, yeah. Uh, so talking through this stuff, like Gordon is like pretty, um, sure there's going to be election in this town, like within the next two weeks because the mayor's like, I wasn't exactly elected. Is this going to be okay. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: And that's where he makes the note that you had said before about how the people who had fallen the least were the most concerned about it. Other Chris: Yeah, yeah. Uh, and that. That dude's probably gonna be fine. Like, he's. He's gonna get elected again. Yeah, yeah. Travis: There's a reason why he was the mayor. Not like that other guy. Other Chris: Not like that other guy. Chris: Mm hmm. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: Yeah. Um, I did like their note about how, in this new government, barter is okay, because, like, there isn't enough left of real money anyway, right. Except for $2 bills and silver dollars. That's okay for postage. Other Chris: Well, no, he. He said that there's too much money for it to be useful. Gordon picks $2 bills and silver dollars because they're rare M that. Like, that. Like, the reason they went to $2 bills and silver dollars, the reason he picked that out is because those were actually rare. Chris: Ah. Travis: Ah. Other Chris: Um, it was. Yeah, there's like. Like, money is worthless, so, like. And there's. Yeah, there's, like, way too much of it in circulation. Or, like, I don't know if you went and, like, dug it up or whatever, like, found it, like. Like. Yeah, like, it's meaningless. Travis: Yeah. Other Chris: But. But $2 bills and silver dollars, I guess, are rare enough. Yeah, that, like, it could be a meaningful currency, right? Travis: And aunts and grandmas everywhere live like Kingsley. Other Chris: That's right. Travis: They live like kings in a new. Other Chris: World, hoarding that shit. Travis: So the mayor's like, all right, well, what I don't get is, like, why did you walk here? Like, doesn't the new us have planes and stuff? And the kid is like, ugh, dad, you're embarrassing yourself. Yeah, the electric magnetic pulse killed, uh, all the machines, right? And so they don't work no more. Other Chris: Yeah. And also, like, space lasers and stuff. Travis: So, yeah, planes don't work because of the emphasem. Other Chris: Uh huh. Chris: Mm hmm. Travis: Um, but Gordon's like, oh, I mean, we do have planes. We just can't do it because of space lasers. And that guy who's the new postmaster is either totally convinced he's like, you son of a bitch. All right. Why didn't I. Space lasers. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: Yeah. Yep. So Gordon heads home, um, having to set off the next morning when he hears a sound can barely believe is coming from an alley, wishing he brought his gun. Creeps up on some kids playing space invaders. He's like, where did you get this? He's like, oh, from m cyclops. So, of course, I pictured Scott summers. Chris: Driving around sleigh, giving out space invaders to every good boy and girl. Travis: Exactly. Right? Chris: Yeah. Travis: Oh, my gosh. What's this? Chris: Slate pulled, though, by, like, four wolverines. Travis: Four wolverines and a jubilee. Chris: There we go. To light the way. Other Chris: Her power is not good for anything else. Travis: No, no, it's good for, um, dance, uh, clubs. Didn't you watch the, uh, x men 97? Other Chris: No, I did. Chris: I forgot about that part. I was too shocked by what happened afterwards. Travis: Oh, well, that's all I've watched so far, so don't spoil it. Chris: Okay. Travis: Of course, if you're listening to this now, I will have. Gordon goes on to Eugene to check out the university of Oregon Anyway, Gordon goes on to greatest episode was a. Yeah. Yes. Where his restored us idea is, like, their second dose of hopeful news. Ah. Uh, like, man, we have cyclops and the post office. Chris: This is great, right? Travis: So then he goes on to Eugene, um, where while he's stopping to check out the university of Oregon, he overhears cries of pain. And after stowing his brimming sacks and his pony, uh, comes into the scene of an attack by survivalists who are beating a woman and a child, asking questions about cyclops. Chris: Fuck those guys. Travis: And this is where he's like, yeah, everyone fucking hates these people. Their green army fatigues and their earrings. Ugh. Ugh. Other Chris: Ugh. Travis: Yeah, so, yeah, once again, despite his survival instincts, signals to the woman, like, gives her the eyes thing and the sh. And then hides out until an opportune moment, until he jumps up and shoots one of the guys through the chest with a bow and arrow. Chris: Mhm. Travis: Uh, the lady throws herself in the way of someone who was gonna attack the kidde, gets stabbed, and then he has a pistol duel with that dude in his ar. Uh, but, you know, even back then. Chris: They were up to no good with those guns. Other Chris: Yeah, seriously. Travis: Seriously. Other Chris: Uh, and also those dudes, old take your pinkies and ears and noses and shits your parts. Yeah, yeah. Uh, they'll collect your parts and put them on a necklace. Travis: The ear was the part they thought was okay to say. The other ones were in ellipses. Other Chris: Oh, geez. Travis: Yeah, but, yeah, he catches that guy in, uh, while he's reloading m. Uh, and runs down to try to help the woman, but she's too far gone. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: Tells him to take the kid with him. Um, gathers the kid and, uh, scatters the horses and steals one and rides away. Other Chris: Mm hmm. Travis: Uh, he's like, up north. There's something that the woman had thought was worth dying for, even if it was just a big computer, which. Yeah, this is where I was like, did I miss where they told me Cyclops was a computer. Chris: But maybe not. Travis: Somewhere in here we found out Cyclops is a supercomputer. Other Chris: They. They gently hinted at it. Travis: Mmm. Other Chris: Yeah. The way they were talking about it. Travis: Yeah, yeah. Other Chris: Uh, pledge your allegiance to computer help a computer. Help computer stuff. Chris: It makes life better. Travis: All the downloading. Other Chris: Stop all the download. Travis: I'm gonna make a t shirt with Cyclops. So it says help a computer. All the downloading. Other Chris: And I would like no one. Chris: Well, no one would get it. No, not weirdest. When we have David Grin on, he'll understand. Other Chris: Yes. Travis: No he won't. Cuz he's not watched the GI Joe ones. Chris: You don't know that. Travis: He might know X Men. Other Chris: He might know x. Travis: Uh. Other Chris: Uh. Travis: But yes, that woman was willing to die for Cyclops. And Gordon's like, all in already. Yeah, they ride hard on their stolen horse and evade pursuing survivalists. M at Harrisburg. Gordon demands the guard to, like, put a posse together right now before the survivalist escape. And he's like, you dumb guy. Surprise. Aren't here. Like, plus we are letired. Chris: Well, take a nap. Travis: Yes. Chris: 10,000 missiles. Travis: Gordon's like, I don't think you understand. They threatened the mail. And once these ordered, starts tossing on orders from the restored United States. They like, put a party together and return to the university, finding corpses and, uh, and tracks. But Gordon doesn't want to trust, like, these random farmers to go track these people down. So, yeah, gets his mail back and makes a big show of dis, uh, show of the disrespect of the post. Oh, I can't believe they would fuck with mail. Other Chris: Yeah. Why would they stop on all these letters? Travis: That's federal, uh, offense, you guys. Other Chris: Dick move. Travis: So he's like, ah, shit. Well, I guess I can't give up the postman bit just yet. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: So then he goes on to Corvallis and Gordon's excusing himself from the usual standard celebration hoedown that occurs every time he establishes a new postmaster. So he can write back to Adele. Um, I guess he has received, um, letter back from her, like, through his net, his network. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: Finds out that, uh, Abby's pregnant. Other Chris: Yeah. Gordon finally gets to meet Cyclops, who is a supercomputer Travis: Can you take a paternity test? Is it mine? Other Chris: Uh, we know probably. Chris: Yeah, it's the ten nights you spent with her or whatever it said, so whatever. Travis: Yeah, yeah. Uh, I also like the note here about how he had to, like, hide his tears seeing functioning electric bulbs again. Other Chris: Right. Travis: He's like, that won't go with my ruse of being, like, a. Right. Chris: Restored stuff. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Um, that would be pretty shocking, though. Other Chris: Would be. Chris: Yeah. Travis: So Dell tells them about Abby being pregnant, and there's been a change in government in Oak Ridge, and she's even expanded the postal routes on her own, I guess. Other Chris: Mm hmm. Travis: So it's like tomorrow I finally get to meet Cyclops, and he has a flashback to back in the day meeting another supercomputer in St. Paul, Millichrome, who passed his own. His own homegrown, uh, turing test. Other Chris: Yep. Travis: With questions and puns. Chris: Right. Travis: And describes them, like, floating in, like, a Faraday cage at the time. Other Chris: Yeah. Chris: Right. Travis: Yeah. And all of these supercomputers, as I alluded, were femputer to me. Other Chris: Femputer. Travis: That does not fempute. Other Chris: It does not fempute. Chris: Right. Travis: Yes. Uh, but I guess Cyclops thinks the idea of reestablishing postal routes is a good one. Other Chris: Mm hmm. Travis: So Gordon falls asleep to the sounds of Beethoven on an actual real stereo. He's like, banjos are nice and all, but. Chris: Right. Other Chris: Beethoven's a different level. Yeah, yeah. Travis: It's a little bit more complex. Chris: Yeah. Travis: Um, so then a Peter age shows Gordon around Cyclops's facilities. Like, showing him stores of electronics that they're caching and for the future, like, when electricity works good. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: And it's more restored and computers are back. Chris: Mm hmm. Travis: And they talk about their video game centered missionary trips and tithing of useless machines from the townsfolks. Then, you know, a little food. Other Chris: A little bit out of. Travis: A little bit of food. We'll give them space invaders. And they'll like computers again. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: And again, if this was written today, Shore and Pornhub. And they'd really like computers. Zero resistance to it. Other Chris: Got a. Gotta head out, uh, California way because they got the Internet out. Travis: There, you know, they got them pornographs. Yeah, digital pornographs, gents. Chris: Yeah. Travis: But, uh, yeah, he's like, of course, when we establish reestablish connections with St. Paul, like, we can get microchips and stuff and jump ahead of schedule. Gordon's like, uh, we've been a little bit too busy for video games. Thanks. Just a little bit too busy. He's like, oh, I'm sorry. Other Chris: A little bit. Travis: I'm sorry. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: But he does kind of regret having to keep up the charade and be like, mean. Chris: Mhm. Travis: Yeah. Um, there's a lot of older sciency guys running around and he gets the impression they're, like, doing their best to preserve their before knowledge before they just die. Other Chris: Right. Travis: And it's lost forever. Gordon meets Cyclops and is introduced to Adina Spurgeon Uh, then he's introduced to Adina Spurgeon, who's like one of these servants of cyclops. Mhm. Oh, I'm sorry. Servants of femmputer. And she even has, like, her own, like, Amazon warriors with her. Yeah, knives and shit. Um, and just like, she's described as an anachronism despite her young age. And she is not described via her breasts, which I appreciate. Other Chris: Yeah, that was nice. Yeah, yeah. Travis: She's in fact turned away from camera when we meet her, and I feel like that maybe that was on purpose. Other Chris: Yep. Travis: Like, listen, you can introduce women in other ways, guys. Other Chris: Yeah, yeah. Travis: Uh, uh, yes. She's an anachronism because she's a feminist. Other Chris: What? Travis: And he's like, I haven't heard that word in a long time. Feminist. Um, but yeah, they only really kind of chat for a little bit before Peter comes back. It's like, time for your appointment. But did he notice, like, a hint of guilt in their eyes? Other Chris: He did, yeah, he noticed it. Travis: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Uh, he overhears some of the elders, like, talking about his credentials, like, yeah, they got seals and shit, but looks kind of shitty. But does it matter if, like, everyone believes in it? Like, it's fine, it's fine. Uh, and there's also a guy being led away. He's like, cyclops's instructions were kind of vague. Like, ah, uh, you know, his geological maps are old. And, like, his advice is for smart people, not like you. Chris: Right? Travis: Oh, shit, okay, I'm sorry. But yeah, sees the post inspector and like, glad hands with him is like, oh, I'm from, you know, wherever, and you should come to my town next. Yeah, and have a post office there and like, we'll feed you and stuff. He's like, all right, mhm. He's, uh, led into a room with a big glass wall separating him from, like, a 1960s style computer with all the lights and shit. Mhm. And, like, flashing lights. Just very hypnotic and repeating. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: And, you know, Cyclops talks to him and a speaker in the room and basically like, I'm really excited to hear about you, and I'm glad to not have to imagine the rest of the world as a wasteland. But what of my brothers? He's like, oh, yeah, yeah, they're all dead. Um, that EMP m took them all out. Other Chris: Yeah, every single one. Travis: He's like, uh, uh, but how did you survive, by the way? Cyclops? Uh, he was like, oh, I was in visiting day, so I was in my Faraday cage that day, so I was protected. And Gordon's like, yes, that's exactly what a real post inspector would have said. Success. But, you know, he spends the next several days conferring with Cyclops, planning his postal route through the valley, and also being grilled by Dina about his life, like, right before and right after World War three. Chris: Yes. Travis: M. Um, he tells her about, um, oh, her and her other lady guards, about the militia he had been in, but just kind of changes the ending a little. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: So, like, yeah, they died, but they died and we reestablished the United States. It was great. Other Chris: Yay. Travis: This is how it should. Chris: Yeah, yeah. Other Chris: Would have been nice. Travis: Would have been nice if this had happened instead of what did happen. Um, but he's also devouring books at the library and wishing he didn't have to leave. Also eating a lot of good food. Mhm. But, um, he tries his best to warn Cyclops and Peter about the survivalists invasion, which I skipped over before, but attacking that lady earlier, they were talking about how they were going to invade, do an end around the fortifications in the south and attack soft Willamette valley. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: Mhm. Where people are soft. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: And no. No fighting types. Other Chris: Too much. Too much pinot noir, too much peace. Chris: Yeah. Travis: Yep. Uh, yeah. He tries to warn them and they're like, very, uh, unconvinced. Like, holiness couldn't do that. Plus, it's like we. If we got together and went out after there and we were wrong, like, people would note, uh, they lose faith in us, so we're not going to do that. Mm hmm. Like, that doesn't seem very logical for a computer, but okay. Uh, so they walk by the burned wreckage of an old generator and talking about how, like, luckily we could switch to wind energy really quick. Um, and people, you know, aren't particularly thrilled. He notices, thinking that there's a new form of government out there. Like, yeah, they're gonna get in here and, like, mess with our stuff. And he makes note how even though he's talked to Cyclops a lot, he's kind of upset that he's not more fun and was clever. This was like, well, you know, go over here. Other Chris: Yeah, right. Travis: They load him up with mail and supplies and a postal route and some fresh horses and like, well, see you in three months. And he thinks, yeah, or sooner if I just give up on this bullshit. Like, come back. Other Chris: Yep. Chris: Yeah. Peter follows instructions from Cyclops to reestablish roots in Oregon Travis: Um, but again, notes like, a sadness in Peter's eyes as he's leaving, but follows this map that Cyclops drew up for him to, you know, reestablish roots, talks to the locals. And like, yeah, this highway is fine. Like, I don't know what your map is talking about. Starts thinking about the route. And like, this is very inefficient. Like, this is how a roomba would have mapped me out. Like, this is. Unless he's like, why would the computer do that? Other Chris: Yeah, yeah. And then he computer do that. Travis: Visions of the dead postman and, uh, blinking, repeating lights that are repeating, repeating. And he's like, oh, shit. And turns around and races off to meet with the guy from earlier on the other page who's like, come visit my town. Chris: Mm hmm. Travis: He's like, let me see a map. And also the instructions from Cyclops and notes. This instructions are very, uh, cryptic. Not very specific about where to drill wells and stuff. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: So he rides. Other Chris: Was asking to, like, asking the computer where to Jill Wells. And it was giving him, like, uh, the right babble. Yeah, no babble. Travis: Wherever the aquifers are of. Yeah. Other Chris: Ah, you know, and. And if you don't get it right, we'll. We'll do it again next year. It'll be fine. Travis: It's fine. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: Just, uh, uh, use your best judgment. Other Chris: Yeah. What are you asking me for? Travis: Yeah. So then he decides he's got a ride back to Corvallis that night. And this time he sneaks in the back of the house of Cyclops. Yeah, see some tech guys, uh, uh, carrying loads of dry ice. Cuz cyclops gotta eat, you know? Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: Sneaks, um, around it some more and overhears the elders talking about him. Like, we got to kill this guy. Too big of a threat. And Peter's like, you know what? You should leave him be. Because if the new government finds out about that, like, we'd be done for. And, like, you just like him because he brought your nephew back, you softy. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: Uh, somebody else is like, but haven't you seen them, though? The flags, the stars and stripes? Coming back to all the towns. Competition, something. Other Chris: Competition. Travis: Yeah. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: So he sneaks back into Cyclops. His room is like, hello, computer. Computer. But no answer. Nothing but those same repeating lights. And everybody knows that computer lights are like snowflakes. They never repeat and, uh. Chris: Or whatever, right? Travis: So then Bea Arthur enters the room. Was like, it was me. I was femputor all along. But no, right. No, it's actually, uh, Dina's adopted father, Joseph L. Lazarin. Ski. Other Chris: No one. Yeah, good luck figuring that one out. Travis: Lazarus. Uh, Lazarus. Lazaruski. Uh, but he's like, okay, well, it wasn't all made up. You know, like Cyclops did set up this millennium project. M. But then the attack that burned the generator, we lost cooling and then we lost him. So I guess it's been him all along. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: Whoever saw that coming? Somebody using a supercomputer as a mouthpiece. Other Chris: Yep. Travis: For the great and powerful oz, which he also named. Checks in the book, so. But he talks about it, Gordon, like, you're an actual rarity though. Like, you have strength and smarts and you can survive in this world. It's like, well, I'm not so smart because I actually believed you. Walks out. So he's resettling to ride up northwards. But for whatever reason keeps replaying So he's resettling to ride up northwards. He's like, fuck these guys. But for whatever reason keeps replaying in his head, like, who will take responsibility for these foolish children? Like the repeating lights of cyclops? And once again he's like, motherfucker. Okay, yeah, but you know, I mean. Other Chris: You know, like, like, uh, I mean there, there is like some weird sort of, uh. Like, like who knows if the computer hadn't, like he was saying, right, about, about how the ghost of a computer. Yeah, right. Travis: The ghost of a machine. Other Chris: It might have been like his last thought repeating. Oh, yeah, the blinking lights. Travis: Mm hmm. Other Chris: And somehow the last thought of the computer in the blinking lights had sort of like gotten into his mind through hypnosis or whatever, right. That, that somehow being in this weird receptive state and seeing this, like, who knows if that thought could have put, been put in his head by the dead computer? Travis: Yeah. Other Chris: Right, yeah, yeah, yeah. Travis: Well, it's, it's like the responsibility he felt to the dead postman and now the responsibility he feels. The dead computer. Other Chris: Exactly. Travis: Like people that were trying to put things right. Other Chris: Like what a, what a deep, decent guy. Like for being, you know, for being a con man. Travis: Yeah. With a heart of gold. Other Chris: Yeah, yeah, what a nice guy. Travis: So, yeah, she's, uh, trying to ride away some panic messengers. Write up like survivalists. He's like, God damn it. Just, no. Okay, yeah. Curses himself, spits and turns around like, here we go again. And the name of the restored United States of America. People begin to follow his orders. Other Chris: Yeah, yeah, he's really good at. He's really good at just assuming authority like that. Yeah, he's getting more and more used to it. Travis: Yeah. Other Chris: Just telling people what to do. Travis: Sometimes that's all it takes is someone who's like given a direction. Other Chris: Like finally, yes, I know what's going on. Travis: Yes. Other Chris: Everyone listen to me. Travis: Do this thing. Yeah, help a computer. Other Chris: Help computer. Travis: Stop the survivalist downloading. Yeah, yeah. So there you go. Other Chris: Part one is a couple games on it. I don't know. Chris: Right. Travis: They put in space invaders on there. Other Chris: Space invaders. Travis: It's gonna be key to our future. Chris: Yeah. Other Chris: Honestly, uh, not a bad blueprint for survival. Travis: Yeah. Like, aliens come, um, down, shoot up. Uh, boat. Other Chris: Well, no, I mean. I mean, like. Like, oh, man. Like, in the post apocalypse, like, I would totally start a cult. Travis: Yeah. Other Chris: Yeah. Chris: Survive the strategy. Travis: Yeah, yeah, totally, totally. I think postal service reestablishing communication will repel survivalists Um, so, uh, uh, what's gonna happen next, you guys? Post delivery? Chris: I think so. Other Chris: I think he's gonna. I. You know, I think. I think we got the impending battle with survivalists. Travis: Mm hmm. Yeah. Chris: And more people are gonna keep believing in the restored United States. Other Chris: I think that. I think that the postal service reestablishing communication between these towns is gonna be instrumental somehow in repelling the survival survivalists. Right. Travis: Yeah, that. Other Chris: Like, that. Like, all these communities banding together is gonna be somehow important in, like, uniting instead of survivalism, instead of everyone being separate and looking after their own interests. Yeah, like, that's. That's how you have to repel, like, a, you know, big group of savage invaders, basically. Yeah. Travis: Yeah, yeah. That seems about right. Chris: Yeah. Other Chris: And. And I think, uh, uh, you know, ultimately, like, as. As sort of, like. Like, backwards and, like. Like, as much of a sort of selfish place as a lot of the actions come from. Yeah, right. Of, like, you know, somebody looking after their own survival and, like, uh, again, like, an entire other group of people. Right. Follow computer quotes. Computer. Uh-huh um, like, it also, like, the judgment. Right. Coming from Gordon, of, like, oh, you bastards. Like, you're just. Travis: You're calling these people. Other Chris: You're tricking everybody with your game, and, like. Like, whoa. Chris: I mean, people need something to believe in, though, like, glass houses. Other Chris: And so ultimately. Ultimately, he recognizes that and goes back to help. Right? Chris: Yeah. Travis: Right. Other Chris: Yeah. Chris: So, like, it's, like, nothing positive to believe in. Like, you just give up. Other Chris: Yeah. Chris: So let happen. Other Chris: And, you know, like. Like, I think it's kind of funny that, like, each side is like. Like, oh, man, this guy's the real deal. We gotta look out for this. Travis: Yeah. Chris: Right. Other Chris: I. And then, like, nah, actually, like, you're both bullshit artists and, like. But, yeah, so. So, yeah, so I think that's what we have to look forward to is sort of the banding together of all these communities to repel the, uh, barbarian invaders. Travis: Yeah, yeah, yeah, that makes sense. I feel like this sort of myth of postal service that he's building up I'd be interested to see, um, if and when he is found out and any fallout from that, or if people are like, oh, William, care it's gonna be one of those things, like. Right, okay, you might have been a liar, but the thing we got from you is worth. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Totally worth. Other Chris: Yeah. I. You know, I feel like, um. Um. I feel like this sort of myth of postal service that he's building up. Travis: Yeah. Other Chris: Is going to be enough to protect him. Travis: Yeah. Other Chris: I feel like. I feel like even if he was found out as a fraud, there would be enough people that, like. Travis: Yeah. Other Chris: Just wouldn't even believe that he was a fraud. Travis: Right, right. Like, built up his myth. Uh, enough. Other Chris: Exactly. Travis: Yeah. I think we've seen examples of that in present day. Other Chris: Mm hmm. Travis: He did what? I don't care. He's fighting. He's fighting for me. Other Chris: Oh, my God. Travis: He says it like it is. Other Chris: Yeah, yeah. Truth tellers. Travis: Yeah, yeah. Uh, uh, he's. It's gonna be like when your dad was teaching you to ride a bike and you thought he was holding on to the back, but really it was you all along. You're like, oh, my God, you lied. But I'm okay with it now I can ride a bike on my own. Other Chris: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Everything's fine. See? Travis: It's great. Other Chris: Yep. And then the bike falls, and you scrape your knee, and you're, like, your asshole. Travis: Yeah. Other Chris: You absolute, uh, bastard. Travis: You told me it was gonna be safe. Other Chris: Betrayed. What about all of the fancy new restaurants we got to try out Travis: So, anyway, next thing we have to talk about is, what else is good? Other Chris: What else? Travis: Does either Chris have an example they'd like to share with the class? Other Chris: Oh, my God. Chris: Nothing really different from last time. Travis: Well, what was last time? That was months ago. Chris: Um, was it. Travis: Well, for this season, I don't know. Chris: Jewish books and, uh, bookstore. Travis: Yes. Chris: You know, like, these things again. Travis: Yeah. I was just gonna ask. Did we finish Spinoza? Uh, no, no, but we're, uh, stacking to be read list, but, yeah, we're going to Maimonides next. Chris: After Spinoza. Yeah, that's the plan. Other Chris: Nice. Travis: I'll put them on the list. Other Chris: Uh, philosophy and I don't have any. Chris: New coins yet, but that's always an ongoing adventure. Yeah. Travis: What about all of the, uh, fancy new restaurants we got to try out. Chris: And a little bit pretty good? Travis: Like, we went to Jollibee. Other Chris: We did. Travis: I had spaghetti with my fried chicken. Chris: You did? You had filipino spaghetti, which had, like, sauce. Other Chris: I don't know how I feel about that. Travis: It had hot dogs in it. Chris: Yeah. Other Chris: Wait, what? Chris: Yeah, it's filipino spaghetti has hot dogs. Travis: In it and, like, tropical drinks. Other Chris: Yeah, you know what? Like. Yeah, I'm good with that, actually. Travis: Then we had diarrhea. Chris: Yep. Other Chris: Part of the experience. Chris: But their chicken was very large, too. Travis: It was very. Chris: It has a nice, like, marinade undercoat taste. It was interesting. Other Chris: Okay. Travis: We tried that new, um, uh, that new McDonald's thing. Yeah, that was funny because there were influencers there. Chris: Yes. Travis: Taking a bunch of pictures. Other Chris: Yeah. Chris: Of, uh, nothing. Travis: And then the cop was like, you want us, you want me to take your picture? Like, I guess. Chris: Yes, we do. It's a pretty good picture, too. Travis: He was protecting and serving the community that day. Chris: Yep. Other Chris: Yeah. Chris: Yep. Travis: By taking our pictures with our cosmix drinks. Cosmics cosmix. Yep. Other Chris: Okay. Travis: That was fun. Other Chris: Okay. Chris: Apparently they're opening some up in Chicago. Travis: Yeah, well, they need to keep it open late because nothing's open there. And we saw, like, impressionist stuff. Chris: We did. Travis: Uh, and we saw art. Other Chris: Cool arts. Travis: Yeah, a lot of arts. Made the same mistake we did eight years ago when we went to the art museum and went up the wrong staircase. Other Chris: Oh, no. Travis: And then we were dead. Chris: That didn't go anywhere you wanted to go. Travis: It went to a secret classroom that didn't have anything, ah, to look at. Chris: Terrible art restoration. Travis: Yeah, there was that. But they weren't restoring anything that day. Other Chris: They weren't actively working. Travis: Yeah. Chris: No, yeah. Uh, yeah. Other Chris: Oh, wrong day to go. Travis: It was. But it was fun. Chris: Yeah, it was. Chris learned some french vocab in the spanish apartment Travis: Oh, and I watched the spanish apartment. Chris: Yes. That was enjoyable. Travis: Chris learned some french vocab. Chris: Mm mhm hmm. Other Chris: Lobel? Chris: Not at all. Travis: Yes. That one we geve au fac. You go into the. Other Chris: That is, uh, uh, you know, I. I learned that, um. Um, that that is just like a term in French. Yeah, yeah. Like, like, what do you think this is? Like a spanish hotel? Like, what do you. What do you think's going on here? Yeah, like, I'm not. I'm not gonna do this for you. Like, I'm not made. Travis: Yeah. It's like a bordell. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: It's an auberge espanol. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: And then it literally was too. Other Chris: Yeah, it was. Travis: Yeah, yeah, yeah. And that annoying english guy learned to not be so annoying. Other Chris: Yeah, that's right. Travis: Yeah. Other Chris: It's important. Chris: Yeah. Travis: And the british lady was sleeping with the american guy, and everyone's like, why do you like him? Like, I don't know. He's dumb and fun. Just like England and America. Chris: Yeah. Travis: A special relationship. Chris: Yep. Other Chris: Oh, geez. Travis: That's a good movie. Other Chris: It is. Travis: I was glad to watch it again. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, what do you think other Chris? What do you have that's good. Other Chris: Oh, geez. John Bradley: I'm about halfway through Game of Thrones on Netflix So, um. Um, something that's, uh. Uh, come up on here before, but, um. Um. Uh. The three body problems. Chris: Yes. Ah. Other Chris: On Netflix. Chris: I have not finished it yet. Yet, but I'm about halfway. Travis: It's the guy from Game of Thrones. Other Chris: Yeah, yeah. Those two guys from the Game of Thrones. Chris: Yeah, there's two. Travis: Oh, I only know about the one. Other Chris: Yeah. Chris: Dose. Other Chris: Uh, Benioff and Weiss. Travis: Oh, no, I'm talking about the guy who was the actor guy. Chris: Yeah. Other Chris: Oh, there was. Yeah, there was that guy. Chris: Uh, yeah, that's the one who went. Travis: To the moon when the moon was attacking him. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: What's his name? Good old. Other Chris: What's, uh, sir? Davos. Travis: Is he in it, too? Other Chris: Yeah, Davos is in there. Yeah. Chris: Davos Seaworth is in it, and so is, uh, Jon Snow's friend. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: Yes. Ah, that's what I'm talking about, John. Other Chris: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Absolutely. Yeah. Travis: Whose name is. Other Chris: Oh, crap. Travis: Not Lee and Cummingham. That's Davos. Other Chris: Yeah. I mean, there's only, like, eight british actors and they're in everything. Travis: John Bradley. Chris: Yeah. Travis: Okay, John Bradley. So I'm thinking. Other Chris: Yeah, yeah. Travis: Anyway, sorry. Other Chris: He's a fun guy. Travis: Sorry to completely derail your. Other Chris: No, no, you're fine. Like, you're contributing to the conversation. Travis: Samwell was his name. Other Chris: Samwell. Samwell Tarly. Yes. Yeah, yeah. Anyway. Anyway, yeah, no, uh, you know, like body father. They. They made some. They made some alterations to the book, but, yeah, ultimately, stuff, uh, that I was okay with, like, the thing that I was really worried about with the Netflix adaptation. The Netflix adaptation of The Handmaid's Tale is pretty solid Mm. Travis: Mhm. Chris: Hmm. Other Chris: Was. Was actually that, uh, uh, they would remove some of the sort of, uh, chinese background of it. Travis: Right. Other Chris: That, like, it's. It's pretty central to the story, I think. Travis: Yeah. Other Chris: That, uh. Uh, one particular character, ye Wenjie, loses her faith in humanity. Chris: Yeah. Other Chris: And she loses her faith in humanity as a result of the cultural revolution in China. Travis: Right, right, yeah. Other Chris: And, uh, they did not shy away from that at all. Travis: Mhm. Chris: And, uh, uh, sat down to dinner with that one. That was fun. Other Chris: Yeah. Like. Like, the. The chinese response to it has been, like, less than stellar, and they've been like, man, you're gonna blame China for all of humanity's problems. And it's like, well, did this story. Chris: Yeah. Other Chris: Uh. Did you read the book? Did you read it? They didn't. Yeah. Travis: I just want to complain. Other Chris: I. I think I. I think I mentioned that, like, China's known for that. Chris: Having hordes of people online who just complain about people bad mouthing China without reading any of the source material. Other Chris: Yeah, there's. There's a lot of. There's a lot of fun nationalism. Chris: Yeah. Other Chris: But, uh, you know, like, there's a. I would say, like, a very strong undertone of, like, non nationalism right. In the book that, um, the viewpoint tends to be, like, well, this is humanity's problem, you know, and. Yeah. So, anyway, I. I'm glad that they didn't shy away from it. I'm glad that they didn't change that part of it. I'm, um, glad that they left that intact. I feel like it's very important. Uh, yeah. And, uh, in general, I would say that the. The Netflix adaptation is. Is pretty solid. Chris: Nice. Other Chris: Uh, cool. Yeah, they. They changed things, but they changed things in a way that made for, like, good television. Travis: Mm hmm. Other Chris: Yeah. They ultimately, like. Like, added a lot to it, I think, without subtracting any of the things that were originally there. Travis: Okay. Other Chris: Um, so, yeah, if you get a chance, check that out. Travis: Yeah. Do they cover all of the first book in the series or just, like, a section? Other Chris: They. They made it sort of partway into the second book. Travis: Okay. Chris: Okay. Other Chris: Which was their kind of way of, like, ending the season on a cliffhanger. Right. Yeah, that, like, if they had ended where the first book ended. Travis: Mhm. Other Chris: Like, it could have been a complete thing on its own. Travis: Mhm. Other Chris: And, like. Like, God damn you, Netflix, if you don't make a second season now. Chris: Yeah. Other Chris: Like. Like, I'm gonna be set. Chris: Yeah, it's really good because. Other Chris: Yeah, they basically, like, pull in sort of the first few chapters of the second book and, like, get started on that. Yeah, and. Yeah, like, you. You want to see where it's going, I think. Travis: Right, right. Other Chris: And the span of time covered by this is, like, pretty ridiculous, because one of the things that they pull out technologically is, um, you know, like, they sort of develop, like, uh, cryo stasis technology right toward the end of it, and so now you have characters that are going to face the span of, like, the next few hundred years. Yeah. So they can follow the same people, like, as they, like, go to sleep and wake up and, like, uh. Like, the direction that it goes from here on is it's going to be more insane and more sort of, like, even more tech and, like. Like, magical. Mystical. Like, it. It gets really weird. It started weird, and it gets more weird. It's. It's going to get more weird. So I hope they continue. Like, please, Netflix, don't cancel this after, uh, don't do season like you do every now. Chris: Don't do it. Travis: Please don't. Yeah, if you could make, like, four bridgertons Yeah, if you could make, like, four bridgertons, you can do more. Chris: I don't know, like, more Bridgerton on the way. Travis: Yeah. Other Chris: Jeez. Travis: Yeah. Chris: I'll end up watching it. Travis: Me too. I won't like it. Chris: I like it. Travis: I did like the book this next season is based on, but. Chris: Okay. Travis: But I don't know how the shows. Anyway, yeah, I'm, I'm holding off on watching on Netflix the three body problem, because I still convinced I'm going to read it first. Um, but we'll see. Chris: You guys keep talking. I got to stop mine because I'm running out of battery. Travis: Okay. Other Chris: It's a good idea. Okay. Travis: Okay. Connor Kehun cycles across Japan to raise money for immunodeficiency fund Uh, so I don't have a whole lot for the. What else is good? But I have been watching this Twitch streamer guy whose name is Connor Kehun. Other Chris: Okay. Travis: Uh, see dog va on Twitch. Other Chris: Oh, I know that guy. Travis: He's friends with Iron man. Right? Other Chris: He's, he. See, he's also friends with, uh, the Chris broad of abroad in Japan. Travis: Yeah. And like, the, uh, the trash taste guys. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: Yeah. Other Chris: So gets around. Travis: He's a Welshman living in Japan. Other Chris: Yes. Travis: Um, but this is the third year he's doing like, a charity event for the immunodeficiency fund, the cyclothon, where he rides his bike across Japan and live streams, the whole thing. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: So it's been a fortnight worth of cycling, and they just finished last night. But it's weird because I watch his stream through Iron Mouse's stream, and it is cute and funny because, you know, she puts her little avatar down in like, a basket, so she's in the front of his bike. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: Riding along and, you know, when they hit certain goals, she'll sing some karaoke stuff. So, yeah, it's been really cool watching him bike across and seeing the different towns in the countryside and I. Mm mhm hmm. Especially when he was riding up Mount Fuji. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: And cursing. Other Chris: Yeah. Travis: But, uh, the. Other Chris: And I will say, adjacent to that, there was also the, um, the abroad in Japan where they went around, uh, southern Ireland, which. Travis: Oh, yeah. Other Chris: Ah. Why am I. Why am I blanking on the name of an entire island but Yushu or Shikoku? I. Chris: One of those. Travis: Hold on. Other Chris: It was, it was, it was either Kyushu or Shikoku. But anyway, um, yeah, they, they, like, he, along with, uh, abroad in Japan, like, cycled around the entire island. Ah. Travis: Uh, okay. Other Chris: Just kind of cool. Worth checking out on YouTube if you can find, uh, the time for that one. Travis: Yeah. Other Chris: Like they're entertaining individuals. Travis: Yes, yes. You know, it's crazy when you put voice actors on stream for a long time. The random shit to talk about. But. But yes. That was several days worth of fund. And I don't know what I'll link to when this comes out, but I'm sure there'll be ways you can donate to IDF or check in on the streams. I think they ended up doing like a million dollars. Yeah, they did a lot something fucking crazy. It was like when I checked in yesterday, they had just broken like 800 something and they were losing their minds. But I guess the rest of the day they've had a bunch of big donations come in. So that was really cool. So next year, guys, get your bikes ready. We're gonna cycle to all of our houses. Other Chris: Oh my God. Travis: And stream the whole thing. Other Chris: Oh my God. Travis: But we'll. I'll start now. Go up the kidney trail to Chris other Chris's house and then other Chris can join me and we'll cycle all the way to North Carolina. Other Chris: Oh my God. Travis: And die in the. Yeah, in the process. Chris: And then we can film me getting on a bike and just riding up from a few houses away within my house. Other Chris: It's. It's right to the corner. It's a much, much greater distance in this case. Chris: Yeah. Travis: Yeah. And it's a different kind of, uh, uh, what environment. Cycling across Japan versus the fucking highway system you'd have to take in the United States. We would be dead the first day. But yes, that was. That was cool. And my, uh, my commemorative t shirt should come in a couple of weeks. Chris: Perfect. Travis: Anyway, that's all I got. For those of you reading along, read the rest of the book Okay, we got to read the rest of this book now, though. We m do, um, at least enough of it to pretend like we read it right. Okay, that was our session for today. Homework for next time. For those of you reading along, read the rest of the book. The last sections are called Cincinnatus and neither chaos, but, you know, just read until there isn't any book left. Continuing extra credit assignment. If you have a bookstore you'd like to send a shout out to hit us up on socials or email us at ah, contactfppod.com and let us know why they're so cool. Chris: For. Travis: On second thoughts today, listen, if you're an adult and you like going to a Disney park from time to time, that's cool. That's fine. I myself enjoy going to space on your various mountains or being haunted in a mansion or whatever. The whole place runs on nostalgia. I get it. I don't really understand, like, going into mourning, though, when a ride gets an update, and when that update is to remove references to a more than vaguely racist movie. That's where things get a little weird. Just putting that out there. Today's episode was actually just some of the town elders using dry ice and an old imac to impersonate Chris. Chris Hamm, Chris other Chris Jacobson. It was edited by me, Travis Rowe, and was sponsored by no one in particular. Until next time, keep fucking reading. Mhm. Uh oh. Chris: Used to make a wanna. I'm explaining to the future how they can use the hebrew Alphabet Travis: So there's our w. You can't hear us without the headphones. Chris: Yep. Hey. Hey. Travis: What's going on? I just keep back from target. Did you read this? Chris: Target's a good start. Travis: Oh, fuck. Chris: I'm explaining to the future how they can use the hebrew Alphabet to write English. Travis: Yes. Chris: It'll make sense when you listen to this, Sharon. Travis: No, it won't. Code. Chris: No. To revive writing, in case they forgot. Other Chris: Oh, okay. Chris: This is also you dismissed the. I said involve can be reassigned its original sound of what? And therefore will have the w sound. Travis: He's gonna have a, uh. An online archive of hebrew teachings and pornography. Other Chris: Perfect. Yeah, right? Chris: So that's why civilization. Travis: That way you hook him with the porn and then you slip in the Hebrew teaching, right? Chris: And then you can kind of write again. Travis: And then eventually you'd learn why it's wrong to be looking at this porn. Or not. Other Chris: Is this supposed to go. Chris: What is it? Other Chris: The masturbatorium. Travis: Exactly. That's part of the schematic. Chris: Yeah. Travis: Oh. Cat says no. Chris: Not even on film. Not even recording. Not even on the camera. Can you see me? Travis: So now she can't hear us. I got you. Chris: Bye, Sharon. She can't hear us, but we're waving. Travis: Bye bye, Master Victoria. Other Chris: God, she just can't stop talking about Jack in it. Chris: I know, right? Other Chris: What's up with that? Travis: It's because. Chris: Yeah, it's target. Other Chris: Full of that. Full of that target energy. Chris: Yeah, she found deals. Travis: Email shit. Other Chris: Deals. Travis: Look who it is. Other Chris: Oh, my God. Now we've had two guest stars, a. k.a. cats. I bet this is gonna turn into our longest episode ever Travis: Now we've had two guest stars, a. Other Chris: Guest appearance, three if you like the cat. Travis: Okay, what's up? Chris: I need to know if you want. Travis: A sandwich from subway, because I'm ordering. Chris: It for the kids. Travis: Oh, I do. Chris: I want a sandwich from subway. Other Chris: What? Yeah. Where's mine? Chris: Yeah, I'm hungry. Travis: Sorry, I have to close. Chris: Not gonna work. Travis: Uh, just, you know, whatever. The italian combo or whatever. It's like. What with stuff. Chris: Uh, yeah, unbread, Mandy. Travis: Yeah. The BMT. Chris: With what? With, like, just how it comes. Travis: Yeah. Chris: White bread with all the stuff that it comes with. Travis: Yeah. Uh, and sun chips. All right. Other Chris: There's a cat. Travis: Oh, wait, you're miss Sharon, come back. Other Chris: Oh, my God. Travis: Look. Other Chris: Oh, hold on. Travis: There's a cat. Chris: Uh oh, there's gonna be another cat. Travis: I bet this is gonna turn into our longest episode ever. Chris: Oh, my God. Travis: With wives and cats coming in. Other Chris: To wives and. Travis: Chris, get a wife and a cat quick. Chris: Oh, I have cats, but they're not allowed in my room. But I'll have to get a wife. Oh, uh, no, a more different cat. Look at her. Come on, Sharon, run back in. Travis: She hates it. Okay, goodbye. Other Chris: Come on. Travis: She's like, forget you. How dare you, madam? She hated it. No. Uh, what were we talking about before there were cats? Other Chris: What else was good?