A Contagious Smile Podcast

From Picture Books To Magazine Covers With A Survivor Advocate

Victora Cuore; A Contagious Smile, Who Kicked First, Domestic Violence Survivor, Advocate, Motivational Coach, Special Needs, Abuse Support, Life Skill Classes, Special Needs Social Groups

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A lot can happen in one night at our house: a hurting back, a clean bedroom victory, a few laughs we didn’t plan on, and the kind of deep parenting truth that only shows up when you stop pretending life is tidy. We start with something simple and powerful, our children’s book series and the “I choose my brave” moments that help kids handle embarrassment, anxiety, and new challenges with real coping skills, not empty pep talks. If you’re looking for social emotional learning tools that are actually easy to use at home, you’ll hear exactly how we build them into a story. 

Then we shift into advocacy and gratitude. We talk about being welcomed into meaningful spaces, why support groups matter, and big recognition that’s coming during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, including a magazine cover feature. Even with awards and headlines, we keep coming back to the same point: the work is about survivors, special needs families, and the people who need a safe next step, not about collecting titles. 

We also pull back the curtain on what we’re writing next, including a new teen series and a supernatural story that pushes us outside our comfort zone. Along the way, we share new puppy news, a few home-life updates, and the kind of marriage banter that keeps things honest. We close with our strongest parenting takeaway: listen to your kid all the way through, because trust decides everything. 

If this conversation hits home, subscribe, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more families and survivors can find us.

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Cold Open And A Painful Day

SPEAKER_01

Howdy y'all. Welcome to another episode of Cadet's Smile. Unstoppable. With Victoria and Michael. And yes. And the redhead. I just woke up from a nap. Go figure. And it is 9 o'clock at night. I had a long day, y'all. I threw out my bag shit last week. And then you got gunshot the week before? Oh, let's not go there. I'm still recuperating.

SPEAKER_00

Where is Joshua when we need him?

SPEAKER_01

The scab just peeled off yesterday.

SPEAKER_00

For the love. My God.

SPEAKER_01

And went to a chiropractor, which I don't know if I like him yet or not, because I walked out of there bent over again. You were bent when you walked in. Yeah, you're gonna get bit. Hey, easy greasy. So today was another painful day for me, but uh I exploded into action and and cleaned up our bedroom thoroughly.

SPEAKER_00

Well, I don't know if I'd say thoroughly, but you did.

SPEAKER_01

I did a heck of a job.

SPEAKER_00

You did.

SPEAKER_01

Then I had to go kill some things on Xbox.

Kids Books That Teach Bravery

SPEAKER_00

Oh god, I hate the crap. So you want to tell about this one that just came out?

SPEAKER_01

Oh no. Come on. Let me see here. What is the number? Let me get on my glasses, y'all. Here's four. What do we got here? We got Stucco Squad Series. Book two. Book two. Deep Feelings, Brave Choices. By Victoria Cure. Y'all check out these books, VictoriaCure.com. Also a tab under the main website, contagious smile.com. And uh yeah, so book two is out. Book three is being reviewed. Oh, is book four? And it will be up in the series soon on Amazon.

SPEAKER_00

Three and four are in review and will also be up on victoriacure.com here soon as well.

SPEAKER_01

So be sure to y'all grab these books for you little ones, okay? They're so cute. They are fun, they're entertaining, they're not very long. You could probably pull off a book in a night, you know.

SPEAKER_00

They're between 50 and 60 pages on average. And you can always go back and and revisit them too, because they have such great options, and every book is something different. And yes, I have a few that are my favorite, they're all fantastic, but I have a few that mean a little bit more. Why don't you read a page?

SPEAKER_01

I'm gonna read a page. Read a page on this title, oops.

SPEAKER_00

I did it again.

SPEAKER_01

What?

SPEAKER_00

Never mind.

SPEAKER_01

Okay. Oops. You spill the juice, everyone looks, your cheeks feel hot. What could you do? A say, it was an accident. Oh lord. B help clean it up. C take one slow breath. D, smile and try again. I choose my brave. What would you choose, Victoria? I'd clean it up. You clean it up?

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. Okay. What would you choose? You'd smile.

SPEAKER_01

I'd smile. I'd smile.

SPEAKER_00

And you'd blame somebody else.

SPEAKER_01

I'd have to say D A I'm gonna have to go C first, take a deep breath.

SPEAKER_00

And then you'd blame somebody else.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. It was Rusty! Alright. Next page.

SPEAKER_00

Pick a different page. Not the next one. Not the next one.

SPEAKER_01

Just let's go with trying something new. You have never done this before. It looks hard. Your hands feel unsure, but you want to try. What could you do? Take one small step? Ask for help. Say, I can learn. D try once and C. I choose my brave.

SPEAKER_00

Now tell everybody what the pictures look like because every page has pictures. It's not just the verbiage. There's so much fun.

SPEAKER_01

So the pictures pretty much in the describe, dictate the the emotion or the feeling that the child would be experiencing. And then of course you have Stucco there for encouragement. On every page. With his little puppy dog smile and eyes looking up. He's so cute.

SPEAKER_00

So so cute.

SPEAKER_01

So yeah. Y'all go grab these books, victoriacuree.com or uh contagious smile.com.

Support Groups And Big Recognition

SPEAKER_00

So I was invited to be the guest of an amazing opportunity, and I mentioned it briefly last week. And I got to go and meet some amazing, amazing people. And it was it was so like it was so refreshing. And everybody there was amazing. And I got to meet some wonderful, wonderful people. And I'm sitting here thinking that we need to start doing support groups on a weekly basis. Not that I don't have anything else to do, and add those in and get that going as well. But that was such a phenomenal thing. And then my husband, I can't believe he hasn't said it. We have some fantastic news for later on in the year that we got notified of today. Do you want to tell everybody? It's like shocking because Scott. October.

SPEAKER_01

October. My wife has been selected to feet be featured on a magazine.

SPEAKER_00

Cover. The name of it is The Unstoppable Woman. Becoming the Unstoppable Woman. It's a huge magazine.

SPEAKER_01

In October.

SPEAKER_00

In October for Domestic Violence Awareness Month. And there'll be a four-page layout spread in there. This will be my fifth magazine cover.

SPEAKER_01

You're so amazing we can't keep track of you.

SPEAKER_00

Whatever. Whatever. Because I don't see that at all.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, but you just got another award from CEO Times.

SPEAKER_00

Yes. Best humanitarian advocate for special needs and domestic violence, lifetime for 2026.

SPEAKER_01

Holy crap, what a mouthful.

SPEAKER_00

I wasn't done with my 2025. I got a lifetime humanitarian for 25, too. And so that was very honorable. But I and my husband will tell you, I don't walk around with these distinctions. Like, you know, I'm so honored and humbled to get them, but it's because of the amazing people I get to work with that I get it. But I'm not one of these people that's pretentious and walks around like, you know, I'm an eight, whatever time internet. I just can't even say it, right? Like it just doesn't, it's not me. It's not me. And when I hear you talk about me, I'm like, who is he talking about? Because it it just doesn't resonate. I'm just me. I'm wife and mom and advocate and survivor. And that's how I see me. I don't see me as this resume when I when I hear it or I see it out there, or like when I'm introduced. I don't know what that was. It just, oh, you have a net flying around you. I don't see myself as I get introduced as that person, right? Like I'm like, I'm just me. I'm just me. I'm not a title. I'm not an award. I'm me.

SPEAKER_01

And yet you had multiple people write in to one of the agencies you just got done speaking for.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

And was so thankful that you came in.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. To to go in and have conversations with them was just an honor. Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_01

A lot of people don't see things the way that you do, you know, because you you've been through the shit, you've been through the storm. You you've you and uh Faith have been through hell, and you've come out the other side. You have battle scars, yes, you know how to survive. So, you know, they're they're looking for a different perspective or a new approach. They're looking for a way out. So, yeah, you know, I would be grateful too if someone like you came along.

SPEAKER_00

Well, I want to tell you, I want to thank you because I just wrote another magazine article that's gonna be out here soon. And I asked my husband to look at it. I'm trying to get him to get more and more involved in my writing. Trying. And he read it and he gave me the sweetest compliment last night. Like it was like, dad gummit, I wish I had it recorded, but now I can because I just realized I put him up on the mic for it. So come on, Mike. Uh you talked about my reading and then uh my my article about behind the mirror, and then you made comments about my writing, and it was so sweet. Don't look innocent because you know exactly what you're talking about. Are you kidding me right now?

SPEAKER_01

I don't kid you. I have a horrible memory.

SPEAKER_00

You don't remember what you said about my writing.

SPEAKER_01

Uh it was good. It was good. It was it was endearing, sweet. I I don't remember.

SPEAKER_00

You said I write beautifully.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, you write beautifully.

SPEAKER_00

That's not good.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, is good er?

SPEAKER_00

No, good is like a knockoff ice cream brand. Beautiful is Ben and Jerry's chocolate, you know, chip cookie dough. There's a big doggone difference. You just busted my bubble badly.

SPEAKER_01

I love your sound effects.

SPEAKER_00

Like, I love that you said that last night. It was so sweet. It meant so much to me. Well, apparently not meaningful because you don't remember it.

SPEAKER_01

You have a perfect memory, and I hate it.

SPEAKER_00

It's not a gift, it's not a gift. Ugh. I can't believe I was like so sweet, and now he's back to sour.

SPEAKER_01

Sorry, my love.

Writing A Teen Supernatural Story

SPEAKER_00

I am trying to do something completely out of norm for me. And I went to my husband and Faith and said, I need you to look at this because I'm trying something different.

SPEAKER_01

Oh Lord. Now that I do remember.

SPEAKER_00

As everyone knows, I'm creating series that are age appropriate for our kids. And so the stucco squad series is four to eight, and then I'm gonna have the stucco society for seven to ten, and then it it's you know, then I have on up all the way to teenagers and young adults, right? So I decided, okay, I'm gonna start writing the 13 to 15 year old series because I just I wanted to try something that I've never ever done before. Writing to me is very therapeutic, and I want to be able to reach to these specific age groups and conquer the topics that are so bothering this age group, right? That are traumatically impacting their daily lives. That, you know, maybe they're afraid to go and ask somebody about ask a counselor or a teacher or a parent or a sibling, and they don't know what to do or how to do it or what to do about going about it. So I've created these series so that they answer these questions at a level of comprehension that relates to that specific age group. So my daughter and husband, my daughter and my husband love very different movies. And my husband is a sci-fi fanatic and supernatural fanatic. I am not at all. Like, at all is not even a word that that covers how much I'm not. So I started writing the book called The Facade, and it is a supernatural book about Cora, who is a 14-year-old girl, and I don't want to give all away. And she has some amazing superpowers, and there is a whole bunch of stuff going on. So I'm writing this, and babe, it is so challenging for me. It is so hard for me because I can write a course for the academy in a couple of hours and be done, right? A master course. I can write a kid's book, like the stucco squad, in an hour, right? Not an issue. The the one chapter total took me about eight hours to do a one chapter of this book because I'm not a supernatural fan, and it's really challenging for me to do it justice. So I do this chapter, and I'm like, okay, I print it out, and I was like, I need both of y'all to read this and tell me what you think. Because if it's bad, I'm scrapping it and going about this a different way. And what did you think of the first chapter without giving specifics?

SPEAKER_01

So the first chapter was intriguing because things are things are going on, and you're not really sure what's happening. Is this imaginative from the little girl's perspective, or is this actually going on? And as as it continues, the the the society or the I don't know, the the the type of environment they're in is a little weird to me. It it is on the sci-fi rim rim, but it definitely it definitely piqued my curiosity because I I I didn't know what was going on. I'm like, is this little girl doing this, or is it her environment that's doing this? And then something's gonna happen to her. So I told the wife, I I it did pique my curiosity, and I wanted to read more.

SPEAKER_00

So I've encouraged And that says a lot for you because you don't read a lot at all.

SPEAKER_01

Encourage her to go painstakingly further into this book.

SPEAKER_00

I am at chapter five and a half, and I cannot tell you how many times I've gone back and I've been like, this is boring. And this stuff bores me. Like when my husband, who is the love of my life and my soulmate, picks out a movie, he's like, babe, you want to watch my movie I'm picking out? Hell no. My husband's movie choices is the cure for insomnia. Like, seriously. And I cannot watch his his choice of movies because they suck. And Faith says the same exact thing. And my husband is like, Oh, these are the best ever. But if he ever watches something with me, which I never ever get to watch TV, he's like, This is so stupid. This is so boring. How can you sit here and want to watch this? Okay, number one, the pit has been clearly and clinically stated as the most accurate medical show on television. Like, it literally is as close to the real thing as possible because there's not the drama in it that you get from like Grey's Anatomy and ER and what all the other shows are. I mean, it is like real stuff that's you know, and we were watching it, and he's like, Oh my god, this is so boring. And I'm like, why don't you put on something you like? And he puts on something, and I'm just like watching the paint dry. It is so like I love you with every beat in my heart, but your movies and if I put on Star Wars, I've never seen Star Wars.

SPEAKER_01

I've only seen the one where Yoda you just lost 20 million followers right there.

SPEAKER_00

No, but here's why. Here's why, and let's be fair. I only saw one Star Wars, and it's the one where Yoda kicked butt. Whichever one that was. And it was a later one, and the reason I never watch them, in all fairness, is because I have always been a learning nerd and a book nerd and somebody who always wants to learn. I'm always in school of some kind, I'm always learning something, doing something, helping someone. So I don't watch a lot of movies. Like most movies that are out right now. I haven't seen I just saw Deadpool with you for the first time, Deadpool 2 for the first time, and it'd been out for years, right? I don't get to watch a lot of movies, so that's not really that fair.

SPEAKER_01

Okay.

SPEAKER_00

I mean, you guys watch movies every Saturday night for father-daughter movie night. And at least three other times a week you watch movies. At least that's a fair number. And I don't sit or participate in any of them because I'm working every single time. So I don't get the luxury of trying out and learning about new movies. In fairness.

SPEAKER_01

In fairness. So but you're awesome at book writing. And that's why I encourage our listeners to buy her books. Just type in Victoria Cure, and you'll see she's everywhere. She's got a lot of accomplishments, which depends who you ask. She's very humble about.

New Puppies And Meaningful Names

SPEAKER_00

It depends who you who you ask.

SPEAKER_01

So we're getting we're getting excited here, folks. We got our new family members coming aboard Sunday.

SPEAKER_00

Can we tell names? Yes, you may. Okay. So Faith's dog, I'm so in love with this dog, is very cuddly and sweet. I'm gonna put pictures up. So cuddly and sweet. You know, and Rusty and Stucco are Faith and My Service dogs, and they are purebred AKC golden retrievers, and they are red. They're not the normal golden retriever gold. They are red. Well, also, there's another very rare golden retriever, and it is the white golden retriever, where they are just as white as snow. And we are getting two girls that are white because we eventually want to continue on the legacy of Stucco. And of course, oh, I didn't tell you. Faith said she wants to live on the legacy of Rusty, so she wants a Rusty Jr. So we are getting two girls, and Faith and my husband got to name them, and I didn't get to help. So Faith's dog is Amber Blaze because of everything she's gone through and risen from. You have to tell them how you got your name and why, because it is so sweet, and I'll, you know, you you can have this sweet moment.

SPEAKER_01

You want to say anything?

SPEAKER_00

No, go ahead.

SPEAKER_01

Why? Well our wedding song was The Rose by Beth Miller.

SPEAKER_03

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

And in that song, in the very first sentence, it talks about the river.

SPEAKER_02

Some say love. It's like a river. Right? Yes. So I thought River Rose.

SPEAKER_01

And the and and and the more you say that, the it's just it's a beautiful match.

SPEAKER_00

It's a gorgeous name. So and your dog's a little uh like a week and a half. It took you like three weeks.

SPEAKER_01

And mess around with some names, and I was like, no, not this one. And I was like, toss up between these two, and then there it was. I was like, Yes, that's perfect.

SPEAKER_00

Well, your dog's a little more rambunctious.

SPEAKER_01

That's right. She was nibbling on my ears and biting my chin. She was biting in my my goatee.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, and she's supposed to be a little cuddlebug, but she's also a little rambunctious. But Faith has got the calm disposition demeanor one of the of the litter, and she's super excited. And so we are gonna have four dogs in the house, which is super exciting because who doesn't love puppies? Oh, puppy love, puppy love. I love it, love it, love it. So excited. He he my husband just looks at me so funny sometimes.

Amir Tease And Podcast Plans

SPEAKER_01

But you know, that's that that's that's one of the beautiful things that I said the word beautiful that my wife and I get to share. A puppy? No, in this podcast, is that we get to sit beside each other as we've done for the past three almost four years. Almost four years, yeah. Right here in this little office, yeah. And we stare at each other and we talk, and you know, it's just he makes gestures behind the scenes. Sometimes it's just a a conversation between her and I.

SPEAKER_00

Sometimes we bring others to participate.

SPEAKER_01

Right.

SPEAKER_00

Sometimes I co host with someone else. Amir, Amir, Amir, Amir, Amir. It's coming. It's only a couple of weeks away.

unknown

I'm so excited.

SPEAKER_01

Amir. Y'all might know him as a Rom from The blacklist.

SPEAKER_00

What's his last name on the blacklist?

SPEAKER_01

A mushtabai.

SPEAKER_00

No, it's all it's special agent a Ramush tobai.

SPEAKER_01

Yes.

SPEAKER_00

He's been on everything. He's been on all my favorite shows ever. All of them he's been on.

SPEAKER_01

So he's um he's a big-hearted fella.

SPEAKER_00

Such a gentleman, like literal gentleman, the pure definition of a gentleman.

SPEAKER_01

And and he's somewhat of a comedian, you know.

SPEAKER_00

Ain't no thing but a chicken wang.

SPEAKER_01

But if y'all get to check him out on Broadway, I'll be sure to do it. And tell him a contagious smile said hi.

SPEAKER_00

Right? Oh, so so exciting. But he is coming to do his first yeah, he does not podcast.

SPEAKER_01

First podcast with a contagious smile.

SPEAKER_00

What? We're breaking his cherry.

SPEAKER_01

Easy greasy. What? Can't say you're popping his cherry.

SPEAKER_00

Can we're popping his podcast cherry? So you know how they always say everything comes in threes, and it's true. Don't look at me like that.

SPEAKER_02

Here we go.

SPEAKER_00

It does. It does. So yesterday we had a neighbor who came out of nowhere, which we haven't heard from in a while, that just sent us a text message that said, Hey, I want you to know I'm having surgery in a month or whatever. Pray for me. Like, not how are you? How's your wife? How's faith? Nothing. I mean, literally nothing other than that. I mean, it was like literally, it came out of nowhere. And two minutes later, someone else from that residence messaged us. And I I don't even, I don't even know. We've had, we are very big in security here. We both, you know, both have prior law enforcement background. And we have probably 20 cameras that record 24 hours a day. We've had survivors here of abuse. We've had survivors of other different things here. We've had special needs people here. And our number one priority is their safety and security as well. And we've had people's service dogs here. And so it's important that people know that they're safe, you know. And so we also have motion sensor lights and things of that nature as well. And they've all been the same place that they've been for over five years. And one of them blinks and it's near a live wire, it's not on it, but it's right next to a live wire. And apparently, this other neighbor wants it relocated out of nowhere. Like this has just been recently that it's been this way. And the irony of it is the daughter of the neighbor is the one who was rude and disrespectful to our child. They're, I say our child, they're both well, Faith is older than her, but said some very rude, disrespectful things, and then had her husband and still has him trying to get us to move the light. And we are not getting up on a ladder and touching live wire. I don't see how that is going to do anything of benefit. Not to mention it's been there for five years. And then we got a call out of nowhere today, and that was the third one. And so it it's why do they come in thirds? Why do they come in threes?

SPEAKER_01

I don't know, my love.

SPEAKER_00

Are you ever gonna be ready to talk about the third one?

SPEAKER_01

Oh, yes, not tonight, though. My back's really hurting y'all, so if you hear me over here grunting, I apologize.

SPEAKER_00

Do we need to cut it short tonight because you're hurting?

SPEAKER_01

No, I saw so drawn.

SPEAKER_00

Oh lord. But one day we're gonna have to talk about the third one because I think it's so important for our listeners who might be able to relate and understand and things of that nature. This gnat is flying all over this room. Everywhere. I feel bad if you're hurting like this. Do we need to make it an eat an early night? Okay, then what would you like to talk about?

SPEAKER_02

Okay, let's talk about dress. That's a great one. Father's mother.

SPEAKER_01

I don't know how y'all are. My wife and I were really close with our daughter. And we still are. She looks to us for advice. You know we've we've only been here You know for so many years. 21 But you know we don't know everything. This is our first go-around. We're learning. You know, we we we tried things, we made mistakes, we found out what worked, what didn't work, and here we are. And now it's our turn to give advice when our kids come to us. Listen to them. I mean, really listen to them. My wife has an exceptional way of of really listening to the root and the core of what's going on. And her brain works so fast, and you know, she's got all this this knowledge from all these courses that she's taken, and you know, she she really she really can pinpoint what's going on. And I really love that about her that she can see through the facade of a lot of shit.

SPEAKER_00

There's the facade again. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

And you know, it's important that your your kids trust you because who else are they gonna turn to?

SPEAKER_00

They're gonna turn to the wrong people.

SPEAKER_01

They they will.

SPEAKER_00

And they're gonna get into the wrong stuff.

SPEAKER_01

You know, I I know it's it's tough being a parent. You want to be a parent.

SPEAKER_00

I don't think it's tough at all.

SPEAKER_01

I think it's one of the at some times.

SPEAKER_00

No, I think being a parent's the greatest honor and gift I've ever been given.

SPEAKER_01

Well, some some of these people make it tough.

SPEAKER_00

No, you know what it pisses me off, and I'm sorry, but I think anybody who's a special needs parent out there is gonna say, hell yes. I have met so many parents that are like, oh my god, my nanny isn't around today, or they have the day off, and I have to get junior to football, and I have to get her to ballet, and I have to get this, and I can't get to my trainer because I gotta take them here. We have no idea what that's like, right? But you know what? We know what it's like to experience a very first laugh and a very first step and watching our child eat for the very first time and overcoming milestones which was put on them that they stated would never ever happen. And those are moments I wouldn't trade for anything in the world. And we had 25 doctors' appointments and therapies a week back in the day. We had every doctor with a special specialty being seen, you know, from you know neurology to endocrinology, you know, and everything in between. And you have all these appointments and you have to implement all the protocols and you have to implement all the medications and you have to implement all the rigmarole that comes from all the therapies and put all that stuff in and blah, blah, blah. So all of that has to be put in, but you value every single second of life. Like I never take for granted that I haven't had the those times where I could go out with the girlfriends and have lunch or or do a girls' day at the movies or you know, whatever. I I'm just I love being Faith's mom. And I've told her from inception that's my greatest honor, is being her mom. And she is amazing. And I don't understand how some people, you know, I the one thing people will say, and I agree, I'm very selfless. I've never put myself first, and I agree to that. I openly admit that it took me a lot of therapy to say it. So I can say that, but I couldn't imagine saying, Here, I need to go do something, stop talking to me. Like when faith talks, everything stops. We listen to her. I mean, hell, she interrupts us. You know, it's like we listen to everything. I mean, she comes in with such excitement about anything, and we just stop what we're doing and we listen to what she has to say, and we listen to her in its entirety. You know, like if we're somewhere and I'm like, babe, I can't hear you because I'm 100% deaf. If I'm driving and she's on the passenger side and I can't hear her because of the road noise and the air conditioning, I have the music down or off, basically. And I'm like, okay, wait a minute, or speak up because I want to hear every word you have to say, right? I don't want to miss a thing. And I know so many parents that are like, uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh, whatever. And they don't even know what they're agreeing to. They don't know what they're there, they don't listen. Or, hey, here, it's play on your tablet, play on the Xbox, play on this, do that, do that, just leave me alone. And it's like, you know, jobs come and go, people come and go out of your life. The consistent thing you have are the unconditional love of people that will have your back tenfold. And there's not many of them out there anymore.

SPEAKER_01

So one thing that you know that we have real big in this family is the trust that that she can come to us for and she does really anything, right? And sometimes she'll go to mom, and most times she'll go to mom, and then sometimes she'll come to me.

SPEAKER_00

But then she comes to me and says, I told dad this, but I just don't want to make him feel left out. But here's what I said.

SPEAKER_01

Right. So that's that's real cute.

SPEAKER_00

But she's the biggest heart.

SPEAKER_01

I would I would almost speculate. Look at the difference between her and the other two children of ours who don't live with us.

SPEAKER_00

Oh my god, it's night and day different. It's night, it's night and day different. And it's heart-wrenching.

SPEAKER_01

Can you imagine?

SPEAKER_00

But if either one of them called right now, I wouldn't care. I'd go get them and you know it. Like I wouldn't hesitate to go get either one of them. I wouldn't. And you know, they have been brainwashed by other adults. And what I don't understand is why do you have to brainwash kids? What do you accomplish out of it? You know, other adults who have been in their life have brainwashed them. And what is mind-boggling to me is the fact that there's a particular individual who used to talk so badly about those kids. And yet now she's had them over to her place and had them come down and see her. And she talks so bad about your ex. And never once have I ever talked bad about your ex to those kids because first thing I ever said to her was, I'm not trying to replace you, but I do want to be someone they can trust and come to, right?

SPEAKER_01

But oh, that's been so long ago.

SPEAKER_00

I know, but you know, your mom literally used to talk so bad about all three of them, your ex and the kids. And I always defended the kids. I understand if you don't like the ex or whatever, I get it, whatever. But why talk about the kids and then invite them to come over and and put this narcissistic mask on, really, you know? And because of that, we went from seeing them to when she got back in the picture with the kids, your mom, we haven't seen them because of what's been said to them, and it's a one-sided story, but they're kids, right? I mean, what are they gonna do? They're they're not adults, or they weren't at the time, and they're going off of what they've heard.

SPEAKER_01

What 219? No, not yet and 21. Yeah, so yeah.

SPEAKER_00

And all they do is live to play video games. That's it. Live to play video games. But there was times when those kids went down there to stay with her, and she'd call me just complaining about how lazy they are, and they don't want to do anything but play video games, and da da da. And I'm like, they can hear you, right? They can hear you, and that's what I've said so many times before is like when Faith has done something, I'll be like, you know what? I love you with all my heart. I don't agree with what you just did, but that doesn't make me love you any less. And it's all about how you approach it, right? People get mad, and and I am nowhere near perfect. I will say that 10 times over. But I'm not gonna say something that's gonna be stuck in their head all of these years later. Hey, Rusty, I'm not gonna do that because those words never go away, they stay there. Oh boy, they they stay there and never you know, linger. They always stay. And it it's horrible that they have to have these words in their mind, and that's why you can say, you know, I love you, but I really don't like the choice that you just made. Can we talk about it? And there's a way to correct bad habits or bad behavior without belittling and degrading and you know, making our kids suffer. And it's just you has as the parent or grandparent, you have to take the time to do it, and that's what the difference is.

SPEAKER_01

And y'all, y'all see why I say my wife has a beautiful insight on different things and the way she approaches subjects. I'm very old school, I have no tact. You know, that type of guy would say, What the hell were you thinking? I bet you ain't gonna do that again, are you? And I just, you know, my wife and I are different on some aspects, but in some we're just like like going down the road, I'll say, you know, babe, I was just thinking about this. I was just thinking the same thing.

SPEAKER_00

Or we say the same thing at the exact same time.

SPEAKER_01

And you know, that that's more evident, more proof that you know this woman right here is my soulmate. And and snowcombs. You know, my daughter made a comment at dinner tonight. I say my daughter. And I said, babe, I'm not that slut anymore. I'm not that that guy who goes around cheating on women anymore. I've got my wife. I I don't cheat on her. Right?

SPEAKER_00

I was waiting on you to finish. I was waiting on you to finish the statement. I would like to hear some confirmation. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, thank you.

SPEAKER_00

I'm clapping one-handed for you. Go ahead.

SPEAKER_01

You're an ass.

SPEAKER_00

You're a hole.

SPEAKER_01

I I done lost my train of thought.

SPEAKER_00

At dinner, you made the comment that you weren't a whore anymore and asked for confirmation. That you're no longer a slut puppy.

SPEAKER_01

I am not.

Family Conflict And Words That Stick

SPEAKER_00

And that your days of neutering other fields are done. It's basically maybe where you were going with it.

SPEAKER_01

Next.

SPEAKER_00

They say a leopard can't change its spots, but you know, Faith made the comment: sure, if you skinned it. You know, if you took all the hair off, maybe the spots wouldn't be there anymore. That that was her analogy of it.

SPEAKER_01

Because this is the girl that took me to the serial killer exhibitation.

SPEAKER_00

And you enjoyed it.

SPEAKER_01

Oh my gosh. You enjoyed it. Three hours of torture.

SPEAKER_00

Isn't that with the Gildean's Islands three-hour tour? Isn't that right? Yeah. See? I know some of it. But I mean, and the thing is, is I love how you light up around her and she just gets you. Don't you curl your lip up. You're not Elvis. You you do. The two of y'all are so cute together. And I love how you open the door for her, and you're so protective of her. You do. And then, like, she's hilarious. She'll run down there and try to get in the front seat and then make him get in the back. And then she cracks up laughing. And when she gets going and she laughs, she laughs. But I do have to say, last night after you woke up from one of your man naps, the two of you decided to get into a farting war, which for her, she doesn't care because, like, she can't smell what you're cooking, right? But why do that to me? Why do I have to be punished? I mean, we're all just standing around, and you guys decide to play the tuba out of your rear ends.

SPEAKER_01

I cooked broccoli for dinner.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, so what she ate three whole plates of food, by the way, which I was such a proud mama. But she did. And the I mean, you guys were just a tuba orchestra. And and I was just, are you kidding? It was so bad Stucco ran out of the room. He was like, Nope, I don't think so.

SPEAKER_01

Rusty always runs when everyone farts.

SPEAKER_00

Do you know why? Because every time you fart, and it is I'm deaf, and you fart, it is like the baritone coming out of something. And this is my husband, right? He lets it out and then he goes, Rusty. And Rusty's like, What?

SPEAKER_01

You always blame the dog.

SPEAKER_00

You do not. What was that? No, you do not. Say the no again. You do not. You don't blame the dog. You don't blame the dog. No, absolutely not. And he's always like, I gotta blame the and he walks out like it's so not okay. Absolutely not. I like that you're wearing yet another one of our shirts. This time, this one is blue.

SPEAKER_01

I feel myself wearing our shirts a lot. I'm gonna I'm gonna start, I'm gonna give me a t-shirt press and just make our own t-shirts.

Dinner Laughs And The Farting War

SPEAKER_00

I mean, you're you're wearing a blue t-shirt, and we're both wearing blue in the shirt. You know, my husband said something the other day, not that he doesn't say something all the time, but at one point in time, I donated like four feet of my hair for make a wish, and it ended up being like G.I. Jane short, right? And everybody kept telling me, you look so sexy with short hair. Like everybody thought I looked so good with short hair. Some of my friends cried, they were a little devastated. But I gave the scissors to a three-year-old, and she just decided to cut up right up above my ear, you know, and it was down past my waist. So, you know, fine, I don't care. It's hair, it'll grow back. So, anyway, my husband the other day says, Oh my god, I hope when you get tired of your long hair, you don't go and do this. And he points to a woman that I had just looked at and thought, oh my god, her hair is so cute. And and he was like, Oh, I hope you don't get into that, you know, short thing. I love long hair. But in all fairness, all your other ones had long hair, right? They all had the stipulation of long hair. No, but I'm just saying, you know, like what I first of all, I'm taking care of long hair with one hand. One hand I'm taking care of with one hand. I'm washing it and conditioning, and I'm one of these people that washes my hair every other day, religiously, no matter what. Just had surgery, no matter what, I still do it. And my hair is thick, it's curly, and I still take care of it. And I'm like, you know, when I get tired of it one day, I'm gonna donate it again. And my husband's like, you better not be cutting short. But I looked cute with short hair.

SPEAKER_01

Your hair is gorgeous, babe.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, but it's just hair. It's not it's just hair. So I don't understand the big deal. Like, what are you gonna do if I cut it really short? You're gonna just be miserable and have me put on a wig?

SPEAKER_03

No.

SPEAKER_00

I mean, do you know how much I save in in hair products by having short hair? That thing was lasting me a year.

SPEAKER_01

No, I don't, because you pay the bills.

SPEAKER_00

That's true. But I'm just saying, having short hair is it's invigorating, and some people can't pull it off, and some can. And I was petrified I wasn't gonna be able to pull it off. But I thought, hey, I look cute with short hair, and I never think I look cute.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, that's true.

SPEAKER_00

I mean, you know, my d my dear good friend Brittany, who is also my hairstylist, has made it very clear to me that she will not cut my hair short like that again. She's like, I don't care what you do, I'll never do it for you. But I mean, I'm not gonna want long, long, long hair forever. He's contemplating something over there.

SPEAKER_01

I think I owe Britney something.

SPEAKER_00

No, you don't.

SPEAKER_01

Yes. No, y'all try to play a joke on me. Do you recall?

SPEAKER_00

Of course I do, but now everybody's gonna want to know what happened. That was funny. You called and we put it on speaker, and now you have to explain why I didn't tell the joke. Why I didn't tell you what happened.

SPEAKER_01

Because you can't lie.

Hair Donation And The Salon Prank

SPEAKER_00

I can't lie to save my life. Like, I can't. I start laughing, I smile, my face gives it away, my voice gives it away. And so Brittany gets on the phone and she's like, Hi, I just wanted you to know that I was doing a trim on Victoria's hair, and we were laughing and ended up cutting a little more than we expected, and there's quite a bit all over the floor now because we had to even it up. And I am literally with my hand in my mouth because if he hears me laugh, he's not gonna go for it. And you're like, What? And she's like, Yeah, I didn't mean to, but it's like six to eight inches, whatever it was, six to eight inches off. It's super kind of short, but it's cute, and I'm gonna fix it. I'm really sorry, it's not her fault, it's mine, or whatever. And for a good minute, you were going for it. And I was really trying hard not to laugh. Now, to be fair, half the salon was standing around the phone because. Everybody knows about you and Faith and how y'all prank each other. Everybody. Like when we walk in, it's like, hey, what's the latest prank? Literally. That's what it's like. Because everybody wants to know the pranks between you two. So they wanted to pull one off on you. And Faith may have had something to do with it as well. But of course, after a minute, he's like, let me talk to my wife. And she's like, No, you know, she's right here. And he's like, let me talk to her. And my husband knew if I wasn't going to say a word at that point, that it was hogwash. Because all he had to do was get me on the phone. And I knew it and he knew it. If he had just said, babe, did she really cut your hair short? I wouldn't have been able to lie and it would have been over. So not speaking, gave him that confirmation. So I was damned if you do and damned if you don't. So that didn't work. So no, you don't owe Brittany anything. She's sweet and wonderful, and leave her alone.

SPEAKER_01

Very well then.

SPEAKER_00

Is your back any better? Nope.

SPEAKER_01

It's gotten worse.

SPEAKER_00

How's it gotten worse? You actually took Atvil.

SPEAKER_01

Sitting here in this chair.

SPEAKER_00

I sit in this chair 10 hours a day, 15 hours a day, 18 hours a day. Because when you have to, you do. Well, I'm all metal.

SPEAKER_01

And that's why I call her my little alien. She's an alien. Stop!

SPEAKER_00

You know what? That's worse than calling her your squiggly.

SPEAKER_01

Well, she's my squiggly.

SPEAKER_00

You even told her she was a fast swimmer.

SPEAKER_01

Well, she got there first.

SPEAKER_00

Oh my god. It's not okay. I can't believe you call her a squiggly. And I tell him that sometimes these things are not appropriate. And then they just get worse. Like they walk, I'm telling you, people just need to watch Grumpy Old Ned because this is the two of you. You'll walk by and you'll be like lazy and she'll be like, Sled whore. And I'm like, wow, okay, good morning to everybody else as well. And then she's like, Tramp. I mean, this is just all day long. And then you you get lost everywhere. And then she laughs about it and comments constantly about it. And it's hilarious. It is so freaking funny, the two of you together. Like a lot of time I feel like I'm just a third wheel participating in the viewing of the comedic tour of you two.

SPEAKER_01

Well, I think I've had about enough. I apologize, y'all. My back's really hurting.

SPEAKER_00

So what are you gonna go do? Are you gonna go play your video game?

SPEAKER_01

I'm gonna go sit with the heat pad on.

SPEAKER_00

And play your video game.

SPEAKER_01

I got a I got a show to watch.

SPEAKER_00

What show?

SPEAKER_01

One piece.

SPEAKER_00

One piece of what?

SPEAKER_01

One piece. Forget it.

SPEAKER_00

What is one piece?

SPEAKER_01

Forget it.

SPEAKER_00

Forget about it. What is one piece? Seriously, I've never heard of it.

SPEAKER_01

Uh it's about sci-fi.

SPEAKER_00

Kinda? What's kinda?

SPEAKER_01

Kids with powers? Pirates?

SPEAKER_00

Like Johnny Depp Pirates? No.

SPEAKER_01

No.

SPEAKER_00

So you're watching a kid show?

SPEAKER_01

Kinda? I I guarantee you she'll come watch it with me.

SPEAKER_00

I guarantee you she won't.

SPEAKER_01

You wanna bet on it?

SPEAKER_00

Sure.

SPEAKER_01

What's the wager?

SPEAKER_00

You're gonna lose.

SPEAKER_01

What's the wager?

SPEAKER_00

You have to clean the office. All by yourself. Without my assistance. Uh uh, and if she does, then what do you get? I'm not shaking till I know.

SPEAKER_02

Um I don't know.

SPEAKER_00

Uh only a fool would shake on a half bet. I'm not shaking till you give me the other.

SPEAKER_01

Oh. Good old foot rub.

SPEAKER_00

Hell to the no. I'd pay to get you one and I'd fa I'd find a man to do it.

SPEAKER_01

You wouldn't rub my feet?

SPEAKER_00

I have one hand! You have a 16-size shoe. Are you serious? My one hand doesn't even go over the heel of your foot.

SPEAKER_01

The heel?

SPEAKER_00

The heel of your foot. It doesn't.

SPEAKER_01

It's not worth it.

SPEAKER_00

Well, can I send you to somebody to get it done if I'm there? And it's a man.

SPEAKER_01

Does it have to be a man?

SPEAKER_00

Yes, it does. No!

SPEAKER_01

What?

Trust, Dream Confessions, And Goodbye

SPEAKER_00

Didn't you have a dream of this once?

SPEAKER_01

Oh shit, yeah. I forgot about that.

SPEAKER_00

What happened to I'd never cheat on my wife?

SPEAKER_01

Let me ask you, man. Do y'all confess to your wife that you've had a sexual dream?

SPEAKER_00

About someone other than your wife. No, I was actually there. I was there, and then so is two more.

SPEAKER_01

There have been multiple others. Do y'all actually confess that to your wife?

SPEAKER_00

You know what they're saying right now? We're not that stupid.

SPEAKER_01

Right? Well, that's why my wife trusts me.

SPEAKER_00

There's a spider on the window.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, that's nice.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

I've never had a I've never had a sexual dream about anyone other than you. Even when we were together, I had a sexual dream and it was you.

SPEAKER_01

On that note.

SPEAKER_00

Take us out.

SPEAKER_01

Aren't you gonna stay and talk a while?

SPEAKER_00

No.

SPEAKER_01

They want to hear your lovely voice.

SPEAKER_00

No.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, they do. You started this.

SPEAKER_00

No. We're in this together.

SPEAKER_01

Lord. Y'all, my apologies, it's short tonight, but I I don't have the strength and the toughness that my wife endures every freaking day. I'm just a big old pussy.

SPEAKER_00

I got that recorded.

SPEAKER_01

And my back's killing me right now.

SPEAKER_00

So thank you for listening.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, thank y'all. Go buy the books.

SPEAKER_00

Oh, I can we go with that again. Good night!

SPEAKER_01

We'll continue this on Sunday.

SPEAKER_00

Good night.