Eric: 0:18

Hey. Welcome everybody to Steele watching the podcast for Rermington Steele fans. I am Eric, and I not only question why anyone would want to run 26 miles with without being chased. I question why anyone would want to run without being chased at all.

Speaker 1: 0:35

I have an answer to that. We will get to it later. Oh. Am Sarah. And you stole what I was going to say, because I was also going to say question anyone who wants to run 26 miles without being chased.

Eric: 0:50

Oh, yes.

Speaker 1: 0:52

So, yeah. That's that's that's me. Okay.

Eric: 0:55

That's you. You and you are you didn't say.

Speaker 1: 0:57

I did say. I said I was Sarah. I yeah. I did say it.

Eric: 1:00

Okay. I guess I was too busy laughing at you. Yeah.

Speaker 1: 1:02

Well, that's nothing new. Alright. We have we have comments, don't we?

Eric: 1:07

Yes. Yes. But just to let everybody know, this is season 4 episode 19, Steele and Running, but we have comments. Boy, have we got comments.

Speaker 1: 1:16

All the comments. So many comments. This is great though. I'm so happy.

Eric: 1:21

Well, let me start with 1 and then then you can do 1 and then Sure. We'll just kinda alternate until we run out. A while back, we'd gotten a text. You know, we have this feature on our our website that our hosting company provides where it's called fan mail. You can send us a text, which actually has been upgraded now because now you can send us a 1 minute voice mail. Cool. And also, we can respond back. And it's all private. You know, all we get is the last 4 digits of your phone number in your rough geographical area, and that's all you get back from us is is just basic information. So there's there's no privacy issues. But anyway, we'd mentioned a while back that we'd gotten a text message from somebody and that it had cut off partway through because apparently, there's a a limit to how we I I guess the whole idea of text messages is that they're supposed to be short and not supposed to be an entire, you know, essay. So it got cut off. But with this new feature where we're able to respond back to them, I responded back to this person and said, hey. You know, your message got cut off. We'd love to hear the rest of or read the rest of what you sent and just sent it to our email, which they did. And so here's here's what they sent us. They said, thanks for letting me know that my text was cut off and for being interested in what I said. Of course, we're always interested in what our listeners say. Anyway, here's an edited version since some of my points are now moot because I've listened to more episodes with 2 extra things at the end. I am now halfway through Steele blushing and finding myself sitting in my car not wanting to go into the house or to the office because I'm having so much fun listening. Yay. That is that is such an amazing compliment. Thank you. Thank you.

Speaker 1: 3:00

Thank you. Thank you for wanting to avoid your family and listen to us. No. I'm kidding.

Eric: 3:06

Yeah. Anyway, as they were saying, I'm loving the podcast. I found it not too long ago. Started at the beginning, and I've just finished listening to your Dreams of Steele episode. Some of this is probably gonna be a repeat. I love all the calls for fan fiction, although you don't explicitly say fan fiction in Dreams of Steele. What a brilliant idea to flip whose dreams is whose. And also, when Steele seems to be possibly mixing up his sports, I think that could be exaggerated for comic effect. They missed then opportunity there.

Speaker 1: 3:35

Yeah. For sure.

Eric: 3:36

I have thoroughly enjoyed arguing with my radio on my commute to work.

Speaker 1: 3:41

Love that. I love that. I do it

Eric: 3:43

too. You guys make some really good points. You get some stuff very wrong. Okay. It's opinions, but you're still wrong.

Speaker 1: 3:50

I love it too.

Eric: 3:52

You include some great trivia and you leave out some interesting things. Oh, yeah. We don't get everything. For example, 1 of Sharon Stone's early roles was the homecoming queen in Steele Crazy After All These Years, which we mentioned the last time we read the part of this email. I'm fully on board with Michael Gleeson's concept of an ice bot question. I can ignore most of the little plot issues. The only thing I cannot hand wave away is in Steele Waters Run Deep. The missing nonexisting partner is George Kaplan. In North by Northwest, this is the name used for a nonexistent person. North by Northwest is such a huge classic film that Steele would absolutely 100% have recognized this name. Yeah. This case should have been solved in 5 minutes.

Speaker 1: 4:34

Yeah. That's I

Eric: 4:35

I don't know if we picked up on that or not.

Speaker 1: 4:37

Well, I always thought that, but I always I also thought that it we if we were supposed to kind of, like, ignore the fact that they had named character after a character in a film because they've done it before and Steele never mentions it. So I think it was sort of 1 of those like, we're gonna break the fourth wall, but only a little. And the characters aren't allowed to comment on it. But, yeah. It is it is is true that with Steele being the film buff he is, if if that was that would have been something he should have picked up on.

Eric: 5:06

We got a couple of live comments here.

Speaker 1: 5:09

Got some comments.

Eric: 5:10

Ghost Twitter and hear hear. I'm not sure what those are relating to, but

Speaker 1: 5:15

The hear hear was 2 people sitting in their car listening to us.

Eric: 5:18

Oh, yes. Yes. Yes.

Speaker 1: 5:19

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Eric: 5:21

We're arguing

Speaker 1: 5:21

with the radio, 1 or the other.

Eric: 5:24

Let's continue on with this this email. I did feel like you were a little hard on Steelsweet on You. I love that episode. If I needed something to watch, that episode is up near the top. Something I caught on my rewatch after listening to your episode was at the end, when they're all talking over each other saying goodbye, I think I hear Donald calling Remington Remy. And no matter what the captions say, I just cannot pick out Brosnan saying baby in Steele Threads. Maybe I just don't want to hear it. I don't know. Now to me, I went back and listened. I didn't check the Steele Threads, but I checked the closing scene there of still sweet on you. And to me, it sounds as if he's saying, Franny.

Speaker 1: 6:03

Yeah. Or Frances. I thought that's what he said as With Steele threads, he doesn't say baby. He says, babe. And it's when he's, like and his, like, assuming that she's dead, and he says he says, oh, babe. And

Eric: 6:15

captions captions are terrible.

Speaker 1: 6:16

Captions are

Eric: 6:17

not Sometimes they're they're okay, but other times, it's like, what?

Speaker 1: 6:22

Yeah. Sometimes and sometimes it it yeah. And the the comment just agreed Steele Thread is definitely babe. So, yeah. That comment the captions are sometimes when you know exactly what the line is and the caption gets it wrong and you're just like, that's that's not that's not

Eric: 6:37

Well, it it sometimes it's like they just gave a computer keyboard to a monkey and the monkey's just banging on the keys because

Speaker 1: 6:43

you

Eric: 6:43

know, you you get numbers replacing letters and exclamation points as l's. It's just

Speaker 1: 6:50

It's funny though if you if you put it on YouTube and you put on somebody with, a Scottish accent and you watch what the closed captions do, it's quite hilarious because they don't they don't do Scottish accents. So anyway

Eric: 7:05

Anyway, continuing on, I also enjoy LG and Steele. It's always felt like a season 4 to me. There is something about LG that I think might be interesting even if you don't like the episode. It has been asked which of the 2 Century Plaza Tower buildings the agency is in, and I think you could probably make an argument for which 1 it is based on that helicopter footage at the beginning. I don't think there's any other episode where there's any evidence for 1 building or another. Probably true.

Speaker 1: 7:31

You know, I've never even

Eric: 7:32

thought I about would think that there might be there could be helicopter landing pads on both, but I don't know.

Speaker 1: 7:39

I've never even it's weird. I've never even wondered. You just see the both of the buildings, and I assume it's in 1 of them.

Eric: 7:47

At my house, crime clothes are called burgling outfits.

Speaker 1: 7:50

I like burgling outfits too. That's good.

Eric: 7:54

And season 5 may suck, but I still went to Castle Town House when I visited Dublin. The interiors of Ashford Castle were filmed there. I went up and down the staircase with a stupid grin on my face. Thank you to Judith Moose's book for the film and location info. So

Speaker 1: 8:09

Yeah. That

Eric: 8:09

book is super valuable. Judith.

Speaker 1: 8:12

That book is invaluable. It's awesome.

Eric: 8:14

I am not a Facebook person, so sorry for the long text, which has become a long email. Love your podcast. And I'd like to say thank you, thank you, thank you for Steele trying. I have been trying to get a clean copy for decades, making do with a very crappy VHS copy of a copy of a copy. Yeah. So, yes, for for anybody who's not familiar with what we're talking about here, we have the Steele Trine with the Tony Bennett's available. Yeah. It's a secret. Don't share it with anybody. Other than Steele fans, we don't want to get lawyers angry at us, but it's it's there. Go check the notes for Steele trying, and you'll find a way to get that for yourself. Anyway and finally, the attached picture, which they sent a picture

Speaker 1: 8:58

Oh.

Eric: 8:59

Is a screenshot from Gourmet Steele next to the 1 from the Scarecrow and Mrs. King episode, Bad Timing. I thought it was interesting because it is also Laurinate Again, Scarecrow and Mrs. King.

Speaker 1: 9:14

That's funny. That's funny. The ornate.

Eric: 9:18

Yes. And we have another email which ties into that, but I'm gonna let you do 1 first.

Speaker 1: 9:23

I'll do the comments that came via Spotify. So yeah. So this person was commenting with regards to Santa Claus is coming to Steele.

Eric: 9:31

I now can I say can I say can I Yep?

Speaker 1: 9:33

Can I

Eric: 9:33

say, I appreciate our Spotify listeners, but get a real podcast app? Would you please?

Speaker 1: 9:37

Hey. I listen on Spotify.

Eric: 9:39

I know you do

Speaker 1: 9:40

it. And and,

Eric: 9:41

duh, it's been a sore point

Speaker 1: 9:42

for so long. Oh, that's funny. So, yeah, it says so there's 3 things that this person's commenting on. The first 1 is that Eric's Pride argument versus my fear argument, which we kind of had at the beginning of the episode where, Laura refuses the police protection. This person said, I think Eric's Pride argument versus fear is a male interpretation. Women are more aware of threats and are therefore more likely to see fear as both a wise tactic and a potential weakness. They gain less credit for pride and more condemnation for being inherently fearful. So to fight against fear is a stronger need for Laura. I I mean, that was kind of what I was trying to say, only it you said it better, so thank you.

Eric: 10:27

And like I said, you're both entitled to be wrong.

Speaker 1: 10:32

But, yeah, that was basically what I was trying to say. That and I do think that the gender element does kind of play in and not the sense that like Oh, that's so sexist of you. No. Well, no. I just mean that like, if I'm walking down the street and it's late at night, I'm going to be more aware of my surroundings than somebody like my husband who is 6 foot 2 and a dude. That doesn't mean he can't get attacked still. He absolutely can.

Eric: 10:57

But Now, see, that's a size issue. That is not a gender issue. That is a size issue.

Speaker 1: 11:02

Yeah. But but by and large, men are generally taller and and physically larger. I mean, there's obviously exceptions, but for the most part, you don't see a lot of 5 foot 3 dudes walking around. You know? So, yeah. Anyway, I the second part of this comment, was the toilet seat. Women and and again, this person, whoever you are, I love you. Because this person said, women basically use the toilet seat down a 100% of the time, but men do it seat down 50%. Majority wins. Agreed.

Eric: 11:31

Well, majority wins in the sense that if you need it down a 100% of the time, it is a 100% your responsibility to make sure it's down there. And if we're gonna use that argument, you have a responsibility 50% of the time to leave it up as a courtesy to

Speaker 1: 11:45

men. I don't think so.

Eric: 11:50

Yes. I mean, this is called equality.

Speaker 1: 11:52

We could fall in. The the third the third comment here was with regards to the loyalists that I I mentioned. You know, I joked about how, like, the the people that stayed or or that fought for the British were referred to as Loyalists or traders, depending on what side of the border you're on. This person wrote, not always. My Loyalist ancestor Tristan Coffin hung out on Nantucket throughout the revolution. He held a royal charter to the island, so the British Navy left him alone. And because he'd lost his English estate to Cromwell, he only employed Quakers who were pacifists, the American army didn't bother to attack him. But he was 1 of the few loyalists who didn't flee to Canada. That is really interesting. And it actually, there was a large Quaker population in in North America at that time as well. So that that kind of tracks, but that's kind of cool. I love hearing little history tidbits of that time period. So thank you very much for all 3 of those comments, especially the ones agreeing with me.

Eric: 12:49

Alright. We have another email, and this is, again, relative to Leornate. If you look up the filming locations for Gourmet Steele on IMDb, it lists 4101 Wilshire with no name attached to it. The Ultimate Fan's Guide to Scarecrow and Mrs. King, the Scarecrow and Mrs. King equivalent of Judith Moose's book, lists 4101 Wilshire for the exteriors of their lorn Lornate from the 1987 episode Bad Timing, also with no name attached to it. Going down a short IMDB rabbit hole with that address, 1 finds Carino's Restaurant. Then at the website, which is Paul r Williams project dot org, they found a picture. And when you zoom in on it, behind 1 of the cars on the streets, you can see the columns of the round the columns in the round window, and this is the place, Perino's restaurant. Now they they say, I wonder if the lore Lornate sign was part of some set dressing company's stock. Many movies and TV shows list Perino's or 4101 Wilshire as locations, but I couldn't determine if any others use the Leoneet Lornate, what what how are

Speaker 1: 14:02

That's okay. You know what? Everybody's everybody that like, all Canadians sound exactly like that. Our accents are terrible unless we're born in Quebec, so you're okay.

Eric: 14:12

But I couldn't determine if any others use the Lornate sign. I thought it was on something like Simon and Simon episode with nope. I read that wrong. I thought I was onto something with the Simon and Simon episode, A Little Wine with Murder, since they used 4101 Wilshire. And the synopsis says, a well known food critic is found dead. It looks to be accidental, but AJ suspects murder because he was drinking California wine. That's kind why you drink in California. Well, then obviously, it was murder. Was murder. Rick and AJ go undercover as cook and waiter at the prestigious restaurant to learn the truth. And it sounds like Pierre Fumar all over again except the Simon and Simon episode came out first. However, we only got Simon and Simon season 1 laying around here, and I couldn't find the episode on YouTube. So apparently, Perino's closed in 1986, but remained a filming location until it was torn down in 2005, replaced by apartments.

Speaker 1: 15:12

Okay.

Eric: 15:14

So there is the deep dive courtesy of our listeners on Le Ornate. And, of course, the fact that it's basically a fake location based on a real location, but the real location is even gone is 1 of the reasons why in my search, I I didn't search for the right right thing. So I I I missed it. So

Speaker 1: 15:36

We have a couple of comments here as well. Someone said, maybe when women walk down the street, they should a Quaker.

Eric: 15:41

And No. Just go go to the grocery store and get the the large And tube of Quaker

Speaker 1: 15:47

they also said that they are illiterate in both official languages. Same. Same.

Eric: 15:53

And I'm semi illiterate in the in my only language, English.

Speaker 1: 15:57

Just stink.

Eric: 16:00

I see. Did you have any other

Speaker 1: 16:02

I

Eric: 16:02

comments or feedbacks

Speaker 1: 16:03

or I anything did.

Eric: 16:04

That you needed?

Speaker 1: 16:04

I think we I think we did it. Okay. I think we did it.

Eric: 16:07

Wow. And only took us 15 minutes. Woo. No. I that's that's great. I we appreciate it when people write in and they respond and

Speaker 1: 16:19

Tell me I'm right.

Eric: 16:20

They fill in the blanks that we miss, so that's great. Yes. Anyway, Still in the Running, season 4 episode 19. First aired 03/22/1986, written by Susan Woolen and directed by Gabrielle Beaumont.

Speaker 1: 16:35

We have a female writer and director this time around. We've had Gabrielle Beaumont before, and she has done awesome things that we've seen. Like, she did Illustrated Steele and trying to remember the other 1, but, so we like, and I don't think have we had Susan Wolland? Has she written? That name is Pinging, so I'm thinking I yes, but No. I don't

Eric: 16:55

I don't have my copy of Judith's

Speaker 1: 16:57

But book open in front of either way, that's kinda cool.

Eric: 17:01

Yeah. Let's let's let's do a real quick look and no.

Speaker 1: 17:06

Oh, okay. That's just me.

Eric: 17:09

No. Just the 1.

Speaker 1: 17:11

So so this is this is her good debut episode, I think.

Eric: 17:16

I'll withhold comment. But okay.

Speaker 1: 17:20

Oh, this will be interesting. I enjoyed this 1.

Eric: 17:25

I think I went with the DVD liner notes this time.

Speaker 1: 17:28

Interesting.

Eric: 17:28

The apparent victim of mistaken identity, Laura is nabbed by thugs by thugs by thugs by thugs wow. I'm I'm tongue tied in in all my languages. Laura is nabbed by thugs while running in a triathlon. She's soon released though, and the race to get to the bottom of the aborted kidnapping is on. So there we go. We start out and we see a young woman jogging along a path through a wooded area. And she's medium height, slim of build, long brunette hair. And from a distance, the woman might be mistaken for Laura Holt if we didn't know better. Anyway, after she's been jogging a considerable distance, she stops, looks around, surveying her surroundings, and then calls out a cautious, hello? There's no response. She looks around again, paying particular attention to the stretch of path behind her. She calls out again, wanting to know who's there. Again, there's no response. The woman turns and continues, but now with more urgency. As she continues to run, we see her repeatedly stop and look behind her, But it is fear and not another person that seems to overtake her. She departs the running path and begins running through the trees and the brush. After running a ways, she trips. And on the ground, she looks back toward her imagined pursuer. But there's no 1.

Speaker 1: 18:54

This is 1 of those things that I like, I I said, we've had Gabrielle Beaumont before, and she's done some really interesting things directing the episode. This scene here, okay, this opening scene, There's nothing there. Every time she looks, there's nothing there. Right? Mhmm. So in in and of itself, it's kind of a boring concept. She's running. She thinks she sees something. But the way that it's filmed, the quick cuts and the the score music sort of like highlighting that empty path looks terrifying. Like, there's an element of the unknown

Eric: 19:29

You see ghosts.

Speaker 1: 19:30

Yeah. The unknown being the frightening thing. And it's it's a combination of the acting, but it's also a combination of the way that she's editing that scene that makes this running in broad daylight and not seeing anything pursuing you somehow really really suspenseful and really scary. And I really enjoyed this. I love the score music in this episode. There's a couple of points where it it really kind of just adds to what's already happening in the scene. And this is this is a really good 1 to open with. They also picked an actress for Joan who, like you said, really could be mistaken for Laura. If you're not, like, right close-up with her because she does have the same build. She does have the same hair color, roughly body type. All of those things kind of could easily be mistaken for Laura. So they did a good job with her as well.

Eric: 20:22

Yeah. Well, at the office, Mildred is watering the plants as Laura comes in, purse over her shoulder, and seemingly Nice sweater. Slightly short of breath.

Speaker 1: 20:30

See that sweater on her? Nice sweater.

Eric: 20:33

And wearing a sweater. That was my next note.

Speaker 1: 20:37

I said, I have really nice gray sweater and a black skirt. There's there's your sweaters and skirts right there.

Eric: 20:43

Yeah. Anyway, as Laura passes Mildred, the latter tells the former that he wants to see her pronto. And pulling up the sleeves of her sweater, Laura glances towards Steele's office and comments, well, that's a switch. Yep. And the women exchange the muse glances, and then Laura heads into Steele's office. Upon entering Steele's office, she closes the door and then asks, you wanted to see me? Well, Steele's desk is strewn with papers and stacks of Manila envelopes. He's holding several documents in 1 hand, signing other documents with the other, and he raises his head only slightly. And he rolls his eyes up, giving her nothing more than an expressionless glance. And then without saying a word, he removes her his brief attention from her and back to the work in front of him. And Laura just stands there, continues to look at him. And she slides the purse from her shoulder, turns her head to 1 side, looking off to the nether with a slight, oh, brother, what's his problem? Look on her face, and then steps forward. And with a slight nod to the head and a tone of false respect, she says, sir.

Speaker 1: 21:50

I really like this, and I I love the fact that he looks the because Laura, she does paperwork all the time. It's part of the job, but he's sitting there looking like an indentured servant who hasn't been fed in 3 days. Like, he's chained to the desk going, please, sir, I want some more. Like, this is the most torture that anyone could inflict upon a person. And he's just he's such a dramatic he's such a drama queen. This is his Yes.

Eric: 22:16

I love it. Well, Steele picks up his watch from on top of the desk. And why why isn't he wearing his watch on his wrist where it belongs?

Speaker 1: 22:25

He takes it off actually a lot. I've noticed this throughout the show. Anytime he's like, if he's sitting down, he'll he'll take it off and he'll set it down in front of him. And, obviously, we've seen him doing that when he's getting ready for what he thinks is sexy time with Laura. But, yeah, he he has a habit of taking the watch off and setting it in front of him.

Eric: 22:45

Anyway, he looks at the watch and then sarcastically asks, if it isn't a bit early for her to be coming into the office, pointing

out that it's only 10: 22:51

30.

Speaker 1: 22:53

He has a lot like, this is the utmost the balls on this man. And I don't mean to be crude here, but, like, the fact that for the last 4 years, this guy has come in late pretty much every single day, has avoided paperwork like the plague, and has essentially relegated her to unnamed woman in almost every single context. The fact that she comes in late a couple of times this week, and he has the balls to be, like, making a, like, a a dramatic thing out of You know?

Eric: 23:27

Like Well, it's just thing is, though, Laura is usually on the ball, on top of things when there's work to be done, you know, documents to be reviewed, contracts, that sort of thing. And she's usually the 1 that's on his case about it. And so, you know, he's looking at the fact that they've got all this work to do. They've got contracts that they've gotta review. And he's having to do it because Laura isn't there. Of course yeah.

Course, he's irritated because he wants to come in at 10: 23:53

30.

Speaker 1: 23:56

Yeah. Someone's written pot, meat, kettle. I also think it's interesting that he doesn't immediately assume that something's wrong because she's usually so punctual. Right? He just assumes that, well, and and I mean, she is kind of blowing off work. But okay, and I will say this that Laura could have thrown back at him. Some of their big arguments that they've had in the past is still saying like, you don't trust me. You don't put enough like like, it's always you that makes all the the decisions, I'm just the she's literally given him like, trusted him to make sure that everything keeps running while she does this training. And But that see, that's not how he wanted it. That's not

Eric: 24:35

the kind of authority and respect he wanted. He didn't wanna have to

Speaker 1: 24:39

He wants to do it without the work.

Eric: 24:41

I get it. That's right.

Speaker 1: 24:42

That's right. So it's but it's funny that he's just, like, for the last 4 years, completely sloughed off all of those responsibilities onto her. And now that he's had to pick up a tiny bit of slack, he's like, where have you been, young lady?

Eric: 25:01

Well, Laura sets her purse down on the desk, then sits on the front edge of the desk, legs crossed. And I couldn't decide if she's wearing white nylons or if that's just a trick of the lighting. Because if they actually are white, I would have to call foul.

Speaker 1: 25:19

I think it's a trick of the lighting.

Eric: 25:21

Okay.

Speaker 1: 25:21

Because it didn't look white to me when I watched it. So, yeah, I think it's a trick of the lighting.

Eric: 25:26

Well, calling him Ebenezer, she chides him on giving a working girl a break, or she chides him to give a working girl a break. She snatches the papers from his hand, only time enough to glance at them before Steele snatches them back. But it was long enough to see that the papers were in fact the O'Donnell contract prompting her to question. He's reviewing the contract? Annoyed, Steele tells her that somebody has to since the O'Donnell's expected at noon.

Speaker 1: 25:55

Table for 2.

Eric: 25:56

He sarcastically asks, I don't suppose you'd care to be here. And, of course, not quite listening, Laura begins pawing through some of the other papers on the desk reading, the Hofstetter case? Davis Investing? And she breaks off, and then with confused astonishment, she exclaims that she didn't know him any better. She'd swear that he was immersed in paperwork. Swap is a more accurate appraisal, he replies quickly.

Speaker 1: 26:24

Comment here. So we've got someone saying, once again, they don't communicate or so they could just tell each other what's going on in their lives, but that would be too easy.

Eric: 26:31

Sure. True.

Speaker 1: 26:32

Yeah. Yeah. I wouldn't it wouldn't be nearly as funny. So

Eric: 26:36

That's true.

Speaker 1: 26:37

For the benefit of the rest of us, we get to see. Yeah.

Eric: 26:40

Anyway, offended at his attitude, Laura huffs, picks up her purse and heads toward the door telling him that she'll just let him get on with it. And Steele flips a folder shut, slaps his pen down onto the desk, folds his hands, and demands to know what's going on. Now Laura stops and lowers her head in slight resignation and turns half back to face him. But, of course, her previous look of resignation turns haughty as Steele continues. For 2 weeks, she's come in late, taken 2 hour lunches, and left at 4. Steele can't reach her when he needs her, and he's had to make excuses for her, juggling science, handling the paperwork. And she says with some smugness

Speaker 1: 27:21

Mildred's schedule? That sounds like Mildred's schedule. Do have her lunches? Well,

Eric: 27:29

with smugness, Laura says, the shoe seems to be on the other foot. Now, Steele agrees, but not in the manner that Laura had expected, calling it an excruciatingly tight fit, pointing out that she's acting more like him and there's only room for 1 of him in this office or in any office, Laura retorts.

Speaker 1: 27:45

Suddenly, picturing Steele wearing Laura's heels and it's weird.

Eric: 27:53

Yeah. Well, ignoring her, Steele continues his frustrated rant. I wasn't born for desk work, Laura. I mean, my fingers are shredded with paper cuts. My skin is turning fluorescent green. And he extends his exposed forearms to emphasize, major knees are beginning to forget my face. Whatever you're doing, Laura, is destroying me. And He's

Speaker 1: 28:11

such a baby. He's such a pampered princess. This is like the ultimate like, you know how normally you get couples and and and women get accused of being high maintenance? Certain types of women get Mhmm. He is so high maintenance. Like, he's sitting there going, my nails my nails are look. I it's it's destroying me. What? Oh, he's he's so delicate. He's such a fragile, delicate flower. Yes. Yes. Well, at the end of

Eric: 28:42

the rant, he just has a total non sequitur where he says, thank you very much, Mildred, because Mildred has walked in and dropped more file folders on his desk. And, of course, Mildred turns to Laura because she's caught the last of this rant, And so she suggests to Laura that, well, she'd better tell him. It still is what? As he's rolling down the sleeves of his shirt. And he glances between the 2 women, and then in disappointment asks, you're in on this, Mildred? You know what miss Hold is up to and you haven't told me? And with a cat who ate the canary grin on her face, Mildred informs him that sisterhood is powerful, chief.

Speaker 1: 29:19

It's true.

Eric: 29:20

Slightly put out, Laura admits that maybe she has been a little bit unfair, but she didn't think he would understand. Understand what? He asked. Mildred gives Laura a raised eyebrows look and then jerks her head towards Steele, silently urging Laura, you better tell him, hon. Steele, misunderstanding, says, look, Laura, if there's another man of course, his voice trails off and Laura and

Speaker 1: 29:45

kinda looks a little sad when he says that. Well Just wanna pat him on the head and throw him a biscuit.

Eric: 29:51

Laura and Mildred are enjoying Steele's squirming just a little bit too much. And then they smile at each other and then laugh. And Laura excitedly explains that she's competing in a triathlon tomorrow. And Steele gives out with a forced laugh and then pauses and then in confusion asks, triathlon? And Laura explains that it's an event with 3 races. The lengths can vary. In this 1, you swim 2 kilometers in the ocean, ride a bike for 40 kilometers, and then you run a 10 k race.

Speaker 1: 30:21

What Why are they using why are they using kilometers? I thought you I thought you guys hated metric. I'm I'm confused.

Eric: 30:28

Well, they they do tend to do that in races from what I've seen. So I I guess it's because

Speaker 1: 30:35

because, like, I understand kilometers. I can picture those distances. But when people say miles, it's like, I have no idea how long that is. I don't

Eric: 30:43

Yeah. I I guess it's because marathons are generally measured in kilometers, and so any kind of a long distance race is

Speaker 1: 30:51

I wonder if they're

Eric: 30:52

European But even in general track and field, you've got the 100 meter dash. You got the

Speaker 1: 30:56

Yeah. That's true. I never even thought of that.

Eric: 30:58

You know? It's true. All all the the Olympic running events are in meters, and so it's just, I guess, kind of a tradition. So anyway, Steele, horrified at the thought, asked voluntarily.

Speaker 1: 31:10

I love that line because that's how I would that would be my line. I'd be like, on purpose? You're doing this on purpose?

Eric: 31:17

And it's a challenge, she tells him. You need to train seriously. So in the morning, she's been biking. At lunch, she's been swimming. And at night, she's been running.

Speaker 1: 31:25

Okay. Okay. So he hasn't noticed she's coming back with her hair wet?

Eric: 31:30

Well, apparently, she's drying it really, really well.

Speaker 1: 31:32

He said he said she's taking 2 hour lunches. And I I'm calling Bull on this because they're in like an industrial area of LA. Correct? So unless there's an indoor pool nearby

Eric: 31:41

Well, not necessarily an industrial area.

Speaker 1: 31:42

They're more a commercial area. Business area, commercial area.

Eric: 31:45

And downtown.

Speaker 1: 31:45

So unless there's an indoor pool nearby, she's getting in her car, driving to a beach, which from what I understand about the geography of LA, is not exactly easily accessible everywhere. Like, it might take a while to get there.

Eric: 31:58

Not necessarily beach.

Speaker 1: 31:59

Well, I said unless it's an indoor or outdoor pool. Like, unless she's Yeah. She's going to a public pool. Okay? Which I don't think there'd be in a commercial area. So she'd probably have to go to somewhere where there's like a either way. She's probably traveling a distance. Right? Then she's getting on her swimsuit and then swimming. And then she has to get out of said pool, change back. And if she's blow drying her hair, she's she's got a lot of hair. That's gonna take a while. And then she's driving back. I don't think you could do that in 2 hours. Not the not the type of race that she's training for. So I'm gonna guess that the thing you'd you'd have to give up would be blow drying her hair, in which case, she'd be returning after lunch every day with her hair wet.

Eric: 32:37

Well, first of all, there's places like the YMCA, YWCA, various, you know, a lot of commercial buildings have athletic facilities, and some of them have swimming pools. And she's got a convertible, so she could mow you know, mostly dry her hair and then let it let it blow out in the breeze on her drive back, and then brush it out when she's coming up the elevator. So I I I I can see how it's possible, and we got a comment that says in Edmonton, it seems like there's a good life on every corner. And I'm pretty sure the good life is is a gym a type facility that has It a swimming pool and

Speaker 1: 33:17

is the largest gym chain in Canada, and my husband works for the head office of Good Life here in London, Ontario. That is where the head office is for the entire country, and he works in the accounts department. So he can tell you where every single Good Life is all throughout Canada, and everything there is to know about all of their finances. So, yes. He's not wrong. There there pretty much is a Good Life on every corner because they basically, like, find the gyms that are going out of business and then buy them up and stick a Good Life logo on them.

Eric: 33:45

Yeah. But, I mean, I'm I'm sure that there's a swimming facility somewhere close enough that she could even if you you have to drive 25 minutes to get there, that still gives you over an hour of swimming time because 25 minutes out, 25 minutes back, that's 50 minutes. That leaves you an hour 10 minutes to to swim and and such.

Speaker 1: 34:08

So Okay. Fine. You can have this 1. Good. Finally. Got 1. But I I also think, like, it it's an interesting order that she's chosen to do that in, because you would think that well, I guess there'd be no not I guess none of those activities would be particularly safe at night. But if if you were going to swim Mhmm. At a, like, at a at a pool Mhmm. I would I would think that would be the evening the evening 1. Because there'd probably be like, if it is a rec facility, there'd probably be peat on

Eric: 34:40

hands. Probably be the busiest time.

Speaker 1: 34:42

True. Just think running at night could be dangerous. Biking at night could be dangerous.

Eric: 34:48

Well, presumably, this is spring, summer, early fall.

Speaker 1: 34:53

Oh, someone else suggested a swim cap. Fine, Eric's right. I get it.

Eric: 35:01

So it's probably light enough that that she has enough light that that she can run through some established paths and be somewhat safe in her location and not really have to worry about it. I mean, it's not like she's running through Central Park where there's a mugger on every corner. Fair. Anyway

Speaker 1: 35:20

Alright. Fine. Keep going.

Eric: 35:22

Still still not quite understanding asks, so this has got something to do with a case and

Speaker 1: 35:28

or Oh, he just doesn't understand that anyone would wanna do this, like, on their own. Like, he's literally just like, wait. So this is you're being forced to do this. Right? Like, this this is for work?

Eric: 35:39

Laura shakes her head and says, no. It's no. No. It's not a case. And Steele thinks, well, then it's a charity event.

Speaker 1: 35:48

She says, no. She just wanted to see if she could

Eric: 35:50

do it. You know? If she were a man, what do you question if if she told him that she was gonna enter the Boston Marathon? And he says, of course, I would question why anyone would want to run 26 miles without being chased.

Speaker 1: 36:01

Alright. And is the perfect opportunity because agreed, but there is a reason for that. Okay? There is a reason why Laura likes running and he doesn't. And it's genetics. And I didn't understand this until a few years ago, but basically, like, I would hear people say all this stuff about how they love running, how they love all the endorphins, and they enjoy it. I always thought to myself, no, you don't. Nobody likes it. Lie

Eric: 36:27

to Nobody does.

Speaker 1: 36:29

Nobody likes it. There's nothing fun about it. Stop lying to yourself. And I genuinely thought that because and and part of it is my the fact that I have asthma. Right? So for me, it running is akin to torture for the asthma factor. But even if I didn't have asthma, like, I've never done any sort of exercise and felt endorphins from it. I just feel tired and and, like, like, don't want be doing cramping

Eric: 36:53

the side, you know?

Speaker 1: 36:55

So but it turns out there is

Eric: 36:57

Short of breath.

Speaker 1: 36:57

There is a genetic component to this. So a study showed that an appreciation for running is likely genetic. And this is, I'm looking here at the University of Southern Carolina or California. Sorry, but there's a bunch of different like studies or articles that talk about the study. Researchers studied 2 groups of rats low and high performing runners to see how well their offspring ran. They found that the offspring's fondness for running was consistent with that of their parents.

Eric: 37:21

Later generations Wait a second. You're equating us to rats?

Speaker 1: 37:24

No. No. Let me finish. Let me finish because they've they've they've gone they figured out what it is that in the genetics that that makes people like to run, basically. Right? So essentially, part of it boils down to the genetics of your parents. But other parts of it come in where it comes to like dopamine. So they did the studies with rats, but they also do the studies with families and twins. And they found that people who are unable to like people with ADHD, for example, who don't have dopamine come so easily to us, typically don't like running because we can't get that same rush of endorphins the same way somebody else can. It's literally something that is absent from our biology. So the people that get the endorphin rush, the people that enjoy it and get all the dopamines, that's genetically passed down. And they're able to access that dopamine in their body that's already there. Those of us that don't have it or that have difficulty accessing it hate running. Yeah. There's a literally a genetic reason for it, and I'm sticking to that because that means I don't have to run. But it it does. It says, the genetic and biological components, the dopamine receptor genes, Variations in these genes can reduce the pleasure response to physical activity leading to reduced motivation to exercise. So there's, that's the dopamine part of it. The brain derived neurotrophic factor. This gene helps manage influence of exercise on mood. Variations of this gene may influence whether exercise is perceived as enjoyable or painful. What they call the warrior gene, MAOA. This gene is associated with how individuals respond to and handle physical stress, which can affect willingness to run. And then muscle fiber composition, which unfortunately is known as the sorry, which is not unfortunately, which is just known as the sprinter gene. And variations in this gene influence whether muscles are suited for speed or endurance. So those with variations that favor fast twitch fibers may find long distance running more difficult and less enjoyable. So, yeah, there's oh, and the last 1, differences at the mitochondrial level affect metabolism and oxygen extraction with some individuals having genetic limitations that make the non responders to endurance training. So, yeah, there's we have excuses, people. Those of us who literally just don't enjoy running, run and don't get that, like, pleasure response or that high that some people get, that's actually a physical, biological response. Our bodies just are like, nope, we don't wanna do this, so we don't have to. So you don't have to. So then 1 of the other comments says, grew up with 4 brothers. I ran for my life. Guess it suck.

Eric: 40:12

So Well, I I think that's a different motivation there.

Speaker 1: 40:14

Yeah. But you can say, like, I I you if you don't get that that high, because apparently that high is a real thing, I've just never felt it because I can't produce it. Neither, you know. I tell my students, if they see me running, they need to run too. Something's chasing me. No 1 is not gonna do it. So

Eric: 40:36

Well, anyway, Laura tells Steele that she's simply doing it for herself. And Steele, of course, he still doesn't understand. Yeah. Mildred chimes in that, it's a whole new world, boss. Women are doing things because they want to. Hell, Steele grunts, thanks her for her contribution, and then states that he's all for women's rights, especially their right to work, he adds. And Laura rolls her eyes and then assures him that the office will return to normal next week. She promises. And Steele, only slightly mollified says, well, in that case, I'll pick you up in the morning. And then asks, what time is this folly of yours? Registration begins at 7, she tells him. So if he comes at 6, that should leave plenty of margin. 6 in the morning? This

Speaker 1: 41:22

is this is like he he should know better. He should know better. He should have asked what time first before he offered to pick her up.

Eric: 41:30

Yeah. Yeah.

Speaker 1: 41:31

Yeah. Probably.

Eric: 41:32

Anyway, Mildred, in response to his his shocked question says, what a sport. And of course, Steele lets out with an unhappy sigh. Yep. Well, next morning, we see the limo coming down the street toward Laura's Loft. Laura and Mildred are outside on the sidewalk waiting Laura with her bike. And when they see Steele approaching in the limo, Mildred says, right on time. But now it's Laura's turn to be shocked, rhetorically asking in disbelief, he brought the limo?

Speaker 1: 42:01

So if he's picking her up, what is he supposed to bring? Her bike's not gonna fit in the Auburn. Point. If they like, if if he's picking her up, he's not gonna have her car. So

Eric: 42:14

Maybe she just assumed that he was going to get a van or something. You know? Yeah.

Speaker 1: 42:18

Because it like, you can't I mean, they'd fit in the Auburn, but where are they gonna put the bike?

Eric: 42:22

Yeah. Well, as the limo pulls up next to Lauren Mildred, we see that someone, probably the Fred of the day, has installed a bike rack on the back. Fred gets out, walks to the

Speaker 1: 42:33

It's very thoughtful, Fred.

Eric: 42:34

Yes. Walks to the back of the limo meeting Laura. She thanks him as he takes the bike and secures it to the rack. Now Laura continues to walk around the back of the limo to the door on the opposite side, opens it, and finds a blanket thrown across the seat seemingly covering something. She pulls back the corner of the blanket to reveal a sleeping Remington.

Speaker 1: 42:57

I gotta say, he's he is my spirit animal in this entire episode because, like, he's just so lazy, and I love it.

Eric: 43:05

Oh, he's he's exhausted throughout the whole thing.

Speaker 1: 43:08

I know. It's great.

Eric: 43:11

He rouses and then sitting up greets her as she and Mildred get into the opposite sides of the car. The 2 women settle themselves, Steele in the middle, and he works on awakening. And then Steele begins to scold him saying, I thought you were going to pick us up. Fred gets triple golden time for this. It's like, guess what I have here? A note that says, seriously, Loora? What did what was he going to pick her up in? The Auburn? It wouldn't seat all 3 of them.

Speaker 1: 43:39

So Or the and the bike. So yeah. He did pick her up. He just picked her up in the limo, not in

Eric: 43:45

the car. Golden Triple Play. Well, Steele excuses it saying, what's a few dollars more? The man has a family to support, children to put through college. And, of course, as he's saying this, he reaches across Mildred to accept a breakfast tray from Fred.

Speaker 1: 43:58

Was a little over the top.

Eric: 44:01

Mildred Mildred looks at Steele, puzzled, and says, Fred's not married. Steele shooshes her and turns into thief.

Speaker 1: 44:08

Isn't, but maybe 1 of the other Fred's is. You don't know all the Fred's lives.

Eric: 44:12

A lot of them

Speaker 1: 44:12

should be married.

Eric: 44:14

Well, he turns his attention to the tray on his lap. Laurel looks on in amazement as he begins listing their breakfast options. Mildred selects a powdered doughnut. Steele gleefully settles on. Well, according to the transcript in the Steele Love website, he selects an Eclair. I I thought it was called a Boston cream, but

Speaker 1: 44:33

So they're they're slightly different, and I have a funny story regarding this because the so the Eclair, the Boston cream, and a Long John are all different types of doughnuts that have some sort of cream in the middle. Right? Boston cream has No.

Eric: 44:45

No. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Long John is just a long chocolate covered doughnut.

Speaker 1: 44:51

Sometimes they have cream in them.

Eric: 44:53

Well, I I know that the the local Circle K slash Holiday slash Williams slash

Speaker 1: 44:59

Oh, dear.

Eric: 44:59

Doughnut. It's been a dozen things over

Speaker 1: 45:01

the years.

Eric: 45:02

They they have the long ones with chocolate on top and the cream in the middle, but they don't I they just call them I don't even know what they call them.

Speaker 1: 45:10

You gotta go into a Tim you gotta go into a Tim Hortons and get a proper doughnut. But anyway, so you've got so you've got the Boston creams, which have like a custard. Right? So it's more of like a yellowish cream, and it tastes like custard. You've got the eclairs, which are kind of like long, but they're open, and they have like a whipped cream in the middle. And then you've got the Long John, which is kind of like the Boston cream. It's got the chocolate on the top, but inside is like a whipped cream instead of a custard cream. Now, my grandmother

Eric: 45:36

Well, what he's got here is just covered in chocolates. So presumably, it's got the pudding or or cream in the center. So and that's what I'm used to, is

Speaker 1: 45:44

the long be a Long John or a a Boston cream. But if it's long, it's a Long John. So my my grandmother, she she she was used to getting the the Long John doughnuts from Tim Hortons. And not every restaurant, or not every doughnut shop has the ones with cream in them. Some of them don't have them. She walked into the restaurant that eventually my parents ended up buying in Belmont, when I was little, They asked very loudly, do you have cream in your long johns? Literally, every single farmer sitting in that restaurant looked up, and you could see on their faces that she she's like, what? What'd I do? Or like, really grandma? Really? So, yeah. Never ask

Eric: 46:26

The that out pudding or whatever it is. Yeah. The the the custard or yeah. Those those are the ones I like. Yes.

Speaker 1: 46:33

Yeah. That's the 1 with cream.

Eric: 46:36

Laura is annoyed and ruefully observes that this isn't on her training diet. And Steele, mouthful of pastry, mumbles pity. Well, after that, they head off to the event. And as they arrive, Steele is finishing a cup of tea as Laura tells Fred to pull over. She'll get out here.

Speaker 1: 46:55

It's like so he's doing this despite her because he's like he's just so offended that somebody would want to exercise, and not just that they wanna exercise. They'd wanna exercise in a competition they have to train for and get up at. Why am I awake in the morning?

Eric: 47:08

That's right.

Speaker 1: 47:09

So, he has shown up in the in the limo, which is, you know, luxury personified. He is he's eating the most ridiculously decadent pastries for breakfast on a silver freaking platter. And he's just like, daintily sipping his tea like, oh, you have to run? I don't have to run. I'm gonna sit here like

Eric: 47:29

Sourly, Laura tells Steele that she really doesn't want to be seen getting out of a chauffeured limo. And after she exits, she looks over at Mildred and or Steele looks over at Mildred and he shrugs and comments, well, if you got it, flaunt it. Now, curiously, Laura doesn't grab her bike. She starts walking toward the Yeah. Chest in area with the limo following behind. And it's like, seriously, Laura? Okay. You don't wanna be seen getting out of a limo, then maybe you also shouldn't want to be seen being followed by a limo, which is transporting your bike.

Speaker 1: 48:02

Your bike. And it wouldn't have been that hard to just lift the bike off the rack and

Eric: 48:06

That's right.

Speaker 1: 48:07

Walk with it. So, yeah, it is odd.

Eric: 48:09

Anyway, as Laura approaches the registration desk, we see the woman from the opening of the episode coming up behind her. She glances around as she does, and then we see 2 men, 1 slender and 1 semi bald. No. 1 slender and semi bald, the other shorter and stocky, getting out of a van. So does the so does the as of yet unidentified woman. Boy, is is really bad.

Speaker 1: 48:36

We have a comment that says, this 1 remind so reminds me of an episode of Corner Gas. And Corner Gas, for those of you who don't know, is a Canadian sitcom set at a gas station. And it's like a small I think it's in Saskatchewan. So it's like a small rural area, and it's kind of like your your comedy of like, everybody's kind of ridiculous and and small town, and and it's very funny. And I don't know what episode it is, but I could I could see that. I I got a chance to meet 1 of the actors in it. She plays the the police officer, and my brain is is blanking on her name. She was really lovely, so yeah. It it's so funny. If you if you haven't seen Corner Gas, see Corner Gas. It's good.

Eric: 49:17

Oh, let's see. Yes. The unidentified woman sees the man. She turns back, moves off, and the 2 men step over the string of flags denoting the boundary to the event area. The woman approaches Laura and greets her, and we see that although they are not dressed similarly and the unidentified woman is wearing a headband, they are of similar height, build, their facial structures are similar enough that from a distance, they might be confused, but they're different enough that up close, they wouldn't be. And, of course, both are wearing their hair in a similar braid.

Speaker 1: 49:49

So the headband. What's that headband supposed to do? Because it's like this thick, and they're already their their hair is already back in a braid or or a ponytail or something like that. That headband is not keeping hair out of their eyes.

Eric: 50:04

No. It's It's literally from dripping down their forehead Oh. Into their eyes.

Speaker 1: 50:08

See, I wouldn't know this because I don't exercise.

Eric: 50:12

Well, I don't either, but I've I've I've watched enough TV and, you know, and erotic exercise classes that they show on different TV shows that I I know what this is.

Speaker 1: 50:23

I just thought it was some really weird eighties fashion thing and I'm like, I don't get it. Why would Okay. You put that on your I get it now. I'm on board.

Eric: 50:31

Anyway, the 2 women exchange meaningless pleasantries and then they introduce themselves to each other and we learn that the other woman is named Joan Grey. And I'm curious if the script spells Gray with an a or an e. That's just my little freakazoid. Anyway, they continue their exchange, generally discussing the event, and then Joan departs. Then we see the 2 men, binoculars around their desk around their desks. Binoculars around their necks, surveying the scene. Man, this is just rented lips. As Laura continues to wait in line to check-in, we see Joan riffling through the entrant folders, pulling out hers first and then Laura's, and then swapping the contents of the 2. And I'm sorry. How could she have possibly done such a thing with all the race people there

Speaker 1: 51:19

and not be seen or questioned? Well, I guess if you do something with enough confidence that people assume that you're that you're that you should be doing it.

Eric: 51:27

But if you're you if you're coming from the front side of the table and you're walking around and coming up to the back of the table and you're not somebody that was just there as an event So core you know, coordinator.

Speaker 1: 51:39

I can I can say that I I don't know for sure about athletic events, but most of these events, like triathlons and whatnot, are primarily volunteer run? Right. And I can tell you from having gone to Comic Cons that have been volunteer run and stuff like that. The left hand does not always know what the right hand is doing and frequently has no clue that there even is a right hand. So, oftentimes, like, you have no idea who's a volunteer, who's a participant, who's maybe both. If she walked up with enough confidence and started messing around with stuff and everybody there's a volunteer, I can totally see somebody Usually, they're

Eric: 52:13

gonna give volunteers a name tag or a lanyard or something to identify them so that 1

Speaker 1: 52:20

Sometimes.

Eric: 52:21

Participants the the the event participants can recognize who is a volunteer part of the organizing crew, and then they can recognize each other so that, you know but security, anybody? Security?

Speaker 1: 52:38

It's a triathlon. What's gonna happen at a triathlon? Right? Like, I shouldn't say that. I I know that some there was a bomb in in the boss the Boston Marathon bombing. I I just realized as I said that. Stuff does happen in the crowd.

Eric: 52:50

I mean, yeah.

Speaker 1: 52:51

That was a marathon, but still but I I think just this type of event people don't usually assume I don't know. I I don't think that volunteers would be looking too closely at what everybody's doing around them.

Eric: 53:03

I guess that's just I I would I I would've. I would've, you know, you know, what do you want? What are you doing back here? You know? Anyway

Speaker 1: 53:11

You should be working at that.

Eric: 53:13

At the check-in table, Laura's given her packet though, it now contains the contents from the packet of Joan Grey, including her participant number. And then after getting her packet, she walks back to meet with Mildred and Steele, getting encouragement from the 2. Well Now we are

Speaker 1: 53:28

She's getting encouragement from Mildred.

Eric: 53:31

Well, okay.

Speaker 1: 53:32

She's getting lukewarm, like, raw from

Eric: 53:35

Steele. Yes. Okay. Admittedly, Steele's Steele's encouragement is somewhat less than enthusiastic. Well, next, are at the start of the triathlon. The first event is swimming and a huge number of idiots. I mean, participants are lined upon the beach, tense with anticipation. We hear the race officials start the race and then the oh, I misspelled participants as morons, running to the water. And as the contestants are swimming out, we see Mildred and Laura or see Mildred Stevie.

Speaker 1: 54:10

Officially to any athletes listening to this podcast. We realized that this may offend some and we, we officially apologize.

Eric: 54:20

Yes. Well, you offend me by enjoying exercise, so there.

Speaker 1: 54:23

On of the 2 extremely non athletic humans that are currently hosting this podcast. Anyway,

Eric: 54:31

as the contestants are swimming out, we see Mildred and Steele watching. Mildred cheering Laura, even though it's pointless since Laura can't hear her. And I Steele

Speaker 1: 54:39

I I don't think they know even know which one's which. It's literally a sea of,

Eric: 54:43

like Well, that's true too. Like It's it's the it's it's not how accurate the facts are. It's that it feels good. Feel good because I'm cheering her on. And I I can just I imagine she's hearing me and she's getting my good vibes. Anyway It

Speaker 1: 55:03

makes me think of that episode of I don't know if you ever saw oh, shoot. The IT crowd. It's a okay. British So if you've seen it, it's a British comedy about these, obviously, these guys who work in IT. And there's 1 episode where Chris O'Dowd's character really, really wants to, like, get make friends with the football guys. The guys like soccer, English soccer. Right? So he manages to make friends with them, and they end up at a soccer football match, And they're watching it, and the other 1, Moss, who has not made any, like, he's been very clear about having no interest in this whatsoever. They're sitting there watching the game, and he's like, he's kicked the ball. Oh, look. He got the ball. That's a development. I wonder if he'll kick it too. Oh, he did. And we're cheering. Like, that's what I always think of when I see stuff. I'm like, they're swimming and they're still swimming. Yay. We're cheering.

Eric: 55:55

Well, Steele is unenthusiastically cheering Mil Laura on. And then we also see that the 2 identified men are watching. And as the swimmers reach the marker, they swim around and begin their return to shore. We again see Mildred Steele. Mildred calls it exciting. Steele calls it as exciting as watching grass go. And Mildred gives him a dirty look, prompting Steele to claim it was a joke, that he's fraught with anticipation.

Speaker 1: 56:22

Sure.

Eric: 56:22

Really. While the returning racers began exiting the water and of course, we see Laura coming out, curiously not wearing the same suit she wore in second base Steele, but okay.

Speaker 1: 56:36

I know. I'm sorry.

Eric: 56:38

Yeah. I mean, that would be a a an more pleasing choice visually.

Speaker 1: 56:46

This is this is this is not meant to to visually please you, sir. This is a streamlined suit meant for for distance and endurance. Okay? The other 1 was meant for getting other people's blood pressure up, not Laura's.

Eric: 57:00

Anyway, she runs up to Steele and Mildred, gives them a high 5, then runs past them with the rest of the racers. But then we see that someone is watching her through binoculars, focusing on the number written on her arm. It's 2 guys from the van. And 1 says to the other, that's her, number 47. Then we see Laura run into a beach tent to change from her bathing suit into her racing tugs. Next, we see Laura grab her bike, wheel it past Steele and Mildred who give her mixed levels of encouragement. Mildred tries point Steele's attention telling him that there's a better vantage point up the road. But Steele doesn't see the point of the improved vantage point asking if they can't really just see it from where they're already at. But Mildred grabs his arm and leads him toward the spot. Then we see various shots of groups of bicyclists, sometimes showing Laura, sometimes showing Joan, as they ride through the streets of the neighborhoods. We see

Speaker 1: 57:52

We've cyclists got a comment here, and this is something I wondered too. How would the bad guys know the participant number ahead of time? Which is a fair point because I'm assuming these are I'm assuming these aren't Gullickson's men. If I remember correctly, these are Mhmm. The 2 men working with Kendall. Correct?

Eric: 58:09

Correct.

Speaker 1: 58:10

Did he Correct. He knew that she was gonna be out here training for this. He knew that she was doing it, but unlike like, usually, you don't I wouldn't even think she would know her number ahead of time. Like, she just switched

Eric: 58:20

Well the folders. Obvious. What they did was they walked up to the table, and they opened Joan's packet before Joan got to it.

Speaker 1: 58:28

Good idea. It's probably true. It's probably true.

Eric: 58:30

See, this is this is 1 of the problems I have with this episode. There's there's so many head scratching things about it.

Speaker 1: 58:39

Anyway I love this episode. I don't this is the type of icebox question that I'm just like, yeah. You know what? Fine.

Eric: 58:47

Yeah. Anyway, let's see. Where were we? Yes. We see cyclists jockeying for position, riding close in to refresh, and first aid stations, and grabbing a bottle of water or Gatorade type beverage. And then eventually, we see that Laura has been separated from the pack with only 1 or 2 other riders nearby. We then see our 2 van guys hiding under a tree off to the side of the road on bikes dressed as racers complete with fake or stolen number tags. As Laura rides past, they come riding out of their hiding place and begin pursuing. They ride up next to Laura, 1 on each side, and begin to pace her. Then they begin moving in closer to give her a squeeze. And Laura looks at him and hollers for them to go ahead and pass. But instead, they begin riding into her, hitting her shoulder to shoulder

Speaker 1: 59:34

This is this is the part that I don't get

Eric: 59:36

because no incompetent attempt to knock her off her bike. Yes.

Speaker 1: 59:39

Yeah. Like, if they're but they're okay. So they knock her off her bike, and then what? They grab her forcefully and yank her over to Kendall? Mhmm. That's gonna raise some eyebrows.

Eric: 59:49

Well and then how about this? They get 1 guy in front of her. He steps off the bike and grabs her as she goes past.

Speaker 1: 1:00:00

Yeah. Or well, and they or they do what they do later when she's running and just yank her and pull her into the van. Mhmm. Yeah. This just seems like an odd an odd way to try to get her on the bike. Like, it just

Eric: 1:00:10

Yeah. It doesn't really

Speaker 1: 1:00:13

We also see later on that they're not the sharpest tools in the shed. So

Eric: 1:00:17

Well, that's true too. Yes. As exemplified by this action here. Anyway, Laura reaches down, pulls the tire pump from the form from the frame of her bike and jams it between the spokes of 1 of the 2 men's bikes, sending him flying tail over tea kettle. Then she begins crowding the other guy, forcing him to the side of the road and flying into a curb, causing him to lose control of his bike and sending him flying. Laura then races off, leaving the 2 men grounded. Back in a group of other riders, Laura reaches the finish line of the bicycling portion of the event, hops off her bike, and walks it toward the bike racks where Mildred and Steele are standing. As she begins removing her riding equipment and breathing heavily, she tells Mildred and Steele that 2 men came out of nowhere. What? Steele asks. Tried to run her off the road, but she never saw them before. 2 men, what? He demands almost as if he's not sure if he misheard or she misspoke. Laura grabs her running gear and tells Steele, in a minute, and begins running off to the tent to change with Mildred and Steele following. And for some reason, Steele asks if she needs help changing into her running clothes.

Speaker 1: 1:01:25

I mean, we know what he's we know what he wants to do. She's she's sweaty. She, you know, wants to get a nice little

Eric: 1:01:33

She's already sweaty, so what's a little Laurie?

Speaker 1: 1:01:35

Exactly.

Eric: 1:01:35

Exactly. Anyway, after she oh, Laura says, no. She doesn't need any help. She's a big girl now. After she's changed, she begins to run off, but Steele and Mildred aren't letting her get away without giving more details. Laura reiterates that 2 men tried to run her off the road. And Steele first asks why, then asks if they can slow down. You can't lose my time. You have to keep up. And Steele continues to run but removes his jacket then hands it off to Mildred who then begins falling back unable to keep up. Steele asks what they wanted with Laura. Laura says she doesn't know, but maybe he could shadow her for a while. He responds with some unenthusiastic, oh, yeah. I mean, obviously, he doesn't like the suggestion, but he continues to run next to her.

Speaker 1: 1:02:23

Yeah.

Eric: 1:02:24

And of course, behind them, Mildred has come to a complete stop. She has no interest in trying to keep up.

Speaker 1: 1:02:29

Well, I don't think she could. She's she's an older woman. She's a little heavier. She's Mhmm. You know, she's certainly not dressed for it. I think she's wearing heels.

Eric: 1:02:37

So Yeah.

Speaker 1: 1:02:38

Yeah. There's there's just no way she'd be able to keep up. And still, it's hilarious because he's he's as skinny as a rake. He's eating like an 8 year old, and somehow has no metabolism or no ability has the metabolism. Sorry. He has a crazy metabolism, but he doesn't have any energy or like, this is me. Like, that was, you know, I'm I'm I'm Steele. He's me.

Eric: 1:03:05

I mean, when I was in high school and college, that was me too. I mean, when I was what was it? My my senior the summer after my senior year in high school, think it was. I was working at Burger King, and my job was to come in early in the morning first thing. I was the first person there, and I'd pull the broiler parts out of the light tank where we soaked them overnight and then cleaned them off and get the broiler reassembled and ready for cooking burgers that day. And by the time my lunch came around, I'd be ready to eat, but we weren't open yet. So I'd fix myself something to eat. And I would fix no. I this this probably offend some people that are health conscious, but I would We've fix

Speaker 1: 1:03:52

already offended them with our comments on on running. So I think we're at this point, it's it's a moot point.

Eric: 1:03:58

I would fix a Whopper with 5 pieces of Whopper meat. Quarter pound meat?

Speaker 1: 1:04:05

Yeah. Oh, no. Yeah. That would

Eric: 1:04:06

be 5 slices of cheese on each piece of meat and all the toppings. And I was skinny as a rail. I mean, when I went into the International Guard a few years later, I only weighed 120 pounds. And I I was eating all this stuff, and I I was not athletic at all. You know? So I was I was exactly like Steele, only much younger.

Speaker 1: 1:04:32

This also makes me think, and I know I've come I know I've made this I've told this all said this already, but the allusion to Gilmore Girls. If you've ever seen Gilmore Girls, it is a TV show about a mother and a daughter. And they eat, like, the most ridiculous amounts of junk food, but they're very, very thin on the show. And it's always like a running joke that we don't know how they manage to. And there's even an article that I found that is quite funny that says, I ate like a Gilmore Girl for a week and here's what happened. And it starts out with just, like, if you've ever watched the show, then you know how important food is to Rory and Lorelai. They love sugar in all its forms. They drink coffee by the gallon. They avoid vegetables whenever possible, and they put away food like no 1 else. After hangover brunch in season 5, where Rory eats a mashed potato, mac and cheese, and biscuit and gravy plate combo, Logan says, half the fun of being with you is the horrified looks on the waiters' faces. Like, another episode, 1 of the characters says, there's nothing in here but ice cream, candy bars, cookie dough, and can frosting. Why are you not 104 hundred and 50 pounds? And then Lorelei says, I know. It's scientists call it the Lorelei paradox. So this person tried to eat like a Gilmore Girl for 5 days, I think, or for a week. I'm gonna skip down to the end because I wanna see what happened at the end here. But, yeah, what I learned from eating like a Gilmore Girl for a week. I know that eating like Gilmore's was gonna be hard, and especially I knew that I wasn't doing my body any favors by giving up the green stuff to live my best stars hollow life, but honestly worth it. So I guess, April that's that's I love that. I love that conclusion. I love that for you. So, yeah. The Steele is basically a Gilmore Girl. Oh, and yeah. And Steele on the chip, somebody just commented as well and said, Laura mentioned steel's enviable metabolism. Yeah. I mean, she did it as 1 of those like, I wish I could lose 5 pounds, and that always drives me nuts. But definitely, he he has this metabolism that obviously is working in his favor because if he never runs or does any he complains going up Laura's stairs for crying. This guy That's true.

Eric: 1:06:29

Is true.

Speaker 1: 1:06:30

Yeah. He did. I like that they've been consistent with him though. I do appreciate that.

Eric: 1:06:36

Well, we jump forward and then we're in the middle of the race and we see a trio of runners coming up over a rise in the road, followed by Steele and Laura. Or followed by Laura, who's Yeah. He's he's still behind me. Steele is running with apparent ease, but gasping and limping, and Steele is very much struggling. He complains that he's ruining his shoes, not to mention his feet, his lungs, his heart. And Laura insists that she can't slow down, tells him to catch up with her later. Steele quickly slows to a stop while Laura continues on. He leans over to pull off his shoe and waves at a passing participant. As Laura continues to run, she finds herself essentially alone with only 1 other runner near her, and they are some distance out in front. She passes cars parked alongside of the road on 1 of the streets where the race course is routed, And I'm calling foul on this. For safety reasons alone, never mind security reasons, I think they would have prohibited cars from parking within the race course area and would have had them all removed. Either they would have given notices, you know, we need this road cleared during the race, or they would have had them towed.

Speaker 1: 1:07:50

Kendall's men are are are undercover cops, though. Right? Like, there are other cops that

Eric: 1:07:54

are They're

Speaker 1: 1:07:55

cops, but

Eric: 1:07:56

but they're working a private job.

Speaker 1: 1:07:59

Right. But he all he would have to do is flash his badge and say

Eric: 1:08:02

But there were more cars there parked alongside. So I that that's the thing, is that there wasn't just their van. There were several cars parked there and

Speaker 1: 1:08:10

I don't know. Just wave it and keep going. Yeah.

Eric: 1:08:16

Fine. Anyway, Laura runs past these several cars, 1 of which is the van of our 2 unidentified men. And of course, the van begins to full pull forward and begins pacing her. The side door slides open. The stocky man reaches out, grabs Laura by the shoulders, and she helps as he manages to pull her into the van. Yeah. I gotta call Fowler. She could have broken away easily, especially the way he grabs her. But okay. Fine. Whatever. Hand wave.

Speaker 1: 1:08:45

Hand If somebody just grabs you and lifts you off the ground to pull you into a van, I'm guessing I like, I would be too stunned to do much of anything until I realize what was happening.

Eric: 1:08:57

Yeah. Whatever. Because he doesn't really get a very good grip on her. He he he grabs her by the show 1 hand on the shoulder and 1 on the in the center of the back, and he really doesn't have a sufficient grip on her to pull her in there. So, yeah, she could have easily very quickly realized what was going on and and run away. But anyway, fine. I'm gonna hand wave it because that's what we do in this show. Anyway, the van begins to race away and the door slides shut. And inside the van, a third man looks at Laura, announces to the second man, that's not her. Oh, the van is now stopped. Excuse me? You're gonna kidnap somebody, drive 25 yards, and then stop to discuss the situation?

Speaker 1: 1:09:41

And not only that. Not none of them have masks on their faces at all, so she can see all 3 of their faces. She could ID them in a lineup. So

Eric: 1:09:51

Well, that you can kind of understand because it's Kendall's man and Kendall trying to snatch his wife off Not the for any

Speaker 1: 1:10:00

because that's normal.

Eric: 1:10:01

Malicious purpose, but, you know, well, they're they're not doing it, you know, for

Speaker 1: 1:10:06

I know.

Eric: 1:10:07

Evil purposes.

Speaker 1: 1:10:07

So

Eric: 1:10:08

you can understand why they wouldn't necessarily wear masks, but I'm sorry. If you've kidnapped if you snatch the wrong woman, you're not gonna stop and and say, but are you sure?

Speaker 1: 1:10:19

Eric's guide to kidnapping folks. I will say this, though, that this is the second time this has happened to her. Because if you remember back in Thou Shalt Not Steele Mhmm. When she got stuck in the the thing and the big guy put her in the the thingy was wheeling out. Right? When she got nabbed, and then they knock her out and she says and and when she gets out and they're like, that's not her. She got the wrong woman. This is the second time this has happened to her. She's like, wait. It's like, Mildred, why does nobody wanna kiddo kidnap me? Beryl. That's the word I was looking for. Thank you. The commenter just said Beryl. I don't know why I couldn't think of the word Beryl. She gets put in the Beryl. Nobody wants to kidnap these people. Poor Mildred and Laura keep getting returned.

Eric: 1:11:06

Anyway, the slender man who was driving turns around and begins to protest saying, but, Kendall, you said well, Kendall cuts him off and says, I said it's not her. Now get her out of here. Well, the stalking man throws Laura out of the back of the van, the cargo doors having already been opened for some unexplained and inexplicable reason. But I guess, you know, when you kidnap someone, you not only stop to chat, but you also have all the doors of your van open so you can either quickly throw them out if you snatch the wrong person.

Speaker 1: 1:11:32

Clearly, you've never kidnapped somebody during a triathlon. My god, man.

Eric: 1:11:37

No. Never during a triathlon. I I've I've done it at other times.

Speaker 1: 1:11:43

And the commenter just added that now she also has the guy's name because, yeah, they do call him Kendall. So Yeah. She's got that too.

Eric: 1:11:49

Well, Steele, shirt open and out flying behind him, comes running up from out of nowhere as Laura lies on the side of the road, staring after the van, finally understanding how Mildred felt every time she was kidnapped and then rejected.

Speaker 1: 1:12:03

Yeah. So I know that you were disappointed in the bathing suit. You didn't get the red bathing suit. Mhmm. But the rest of us got Steele shirtless and running down the road. So there is a god. Thank you.

Eric: 1:12:16

Well, as Steele runs up, rather than stopping to check on Laura, he runs past

Speaker 1: 1:12:21

her,

Eric: 1:12:22

urging her to come on now, Laura. No time to rest. We've got a race to finish.

Speaker 1: 1:12:28

I wonder, did

Eric: 1:12:28

she This this is like, you know, when when he's she's stuck on the gate. You know?

Speaker 1: 1:12:35

Yes. Yes. That's exactly what it is. It's the same energy to it, and I love it. I wonder, did she finish the race? Because we cut right after this to the office. Did she get up and keep going, or did they did the did that particular event cause her to be paranoid or or, like, try to figure that out rather than continue

Eric: 1:12:55

Well, I guess at this point, she would figure, okay. She wasn't the right person, so they're not gonna bother her again. So

Speaker 1: 1:13:01

I'd like to think she finished it.

Eric: 1:13:03

Yeah. I would I would say she probably did because, you know, she doesn't like to leave anything unfinished.

Speaker 1: 1:13:09

Commenter just wrote, don't dawdle, Laura.

Eric: 1:13:13

Yes. That was the line.

Speaker 1: 1:13:14

It's funny.

Eric: 1:13:15

It's funny. We have a time jump, and it's the next day, and we're back at the office, and Steele is concluding a phone call as Laura looks on. Hanging up, he tells

Speaker 1: 1:13:26

Wanna talk about her sweater for a second here? This knitted vest thing that she's got over a plaid No.

Eric: 1:13:31

Doesn't work.

Speaker 1: 1:13:32

No. No. It doesn't you know what? The knitted vest looks like something your little old aunt Muriel would wear. Okay? And the plaid shirt looks like she's auditioning to be a lumberjack, and the 2 of them put together are just weird. It's a

Eric: 1:13:45

weird A sweater vest is is something that can't decide what it wants to

Speaker 1: 1:13:50

be. Yeah.

Eric: 1:13:51

And so it tries to be both and succeeds at neither.

Speaker 1: 1:13:53

Yep. I agree. This is a not it looks she looks like a canary that ate a farmer. Non reptile. You know? Like, it just it does not work for me in any way, shape, or form, and it's unfortunate because on its own, that plaid shirt might not be so bad, but you put that hideously lumpy knitted sweater thing over it and you're just like, why?

Eric: 1:14:18

Anyway Anyway, after hanging up, Steele tells Laura that the police haven't found the van. Well, in frustration, Laura turns and begins pacing and thinking out loud. Why would someone enter a public event if she knew she was in trouble? She turns back around to face Steele then answers her own question. Obviously, she didn't know she was in trouble until she got there. Al Mildred enters with information on the woman who switched numbers with Laura. Name, Joan Gray. Address, Aventis Beach Apartment. Occupation, exercise instructor. But that's all the race committee had. Laura hands out assignments saying she'll take the apartment, Steele is to take the health club, and Mildred is to continue digging for data on Joan Gray.

Speaker 1: 1:14:59

Is she okay. Somebody just said, hey. It was the eighties. We wore shoulder pads for God's sake.

Eric: 1:15:05

Yeah. That's true. That's true.

Speaker 1: 1:15:07

100% correct. And thankfully, we no longer have those. But also, she's sending she is sending him to come on. Yes.

Eric: 1:15:16

Don't send him.

Speaker 1: 1:15:18

She is sending him to a a the land of spandex. Land of women in spandex. I I realized that she they trust each other. I get it. But at the same time, she knows the way this man loves to flirt. She you're sending him to the spandex? I just anyway.

Eric: 1:15:41

Yes. That was my thought too, but anyway, the women turned to leave, but Steele raises his hand, makes a sound to catch their attention, and then stands to follow asking if it would do any good to point out that they don't have a client. Laura turns to him and in disbelief responds

Speaker 1: 1:16:03

Yeah.

Eric: 1:16:03

A woman is on the run. 2 goons tried to kidnap me and you worry about getting paid.

Speaker 1: 1:16:08

Now, This is that's a weird statement for him to make just simply because they did put Laura in some kind of danger and Mhmm. It's logical to to try even if she's no longer in danger, even if they're like, yeah, that's not her, it would be logical to wonder why and to try to you know, like, that's something Laura would wanna know. And I would think he would wanna know.

Eric: 1:16:29

Yeah. You would think. You would think. Anyway, chastened but not happy, he dismissively notes that Laura's point is a brilliant observation. In The Rabbit, we see Laura pull up in front of an apartment building. As she gets out and begins walking toward the entrance, we see that she's being observed by a woman in a 2nd Floor window who, after a moment, pulls the curtain closed. When Laura enters the building, the woman who has been observing has quickly come down the stairs and opens the front door blocking Laura's access. And the woman condescendingly asks Laura if she's looking for someone, honey. I hate it when women, not just older women, but even women much younger than I am, call me honey or sweetie or other such terms. I just really anyway

Speaker 1: 1:17:19

Okay. I'm gonna call you, like, jerkbag then. A jerkbag.

Eric: 1:17:23

Hey. I'd I'd rather I mean

Speaker 1: 1:17:26

I get it. I get it. It's it's a it's a weird it's a term of endearment, and it's a term of endearment generally reserved for somebody older to somebody younger. So Mhmm. Yeah. And if and if it's somebody who's not a relative, it's weird.

Eric: 1:17:39

Yes. And that's what I was gonna say. It's usually for somebody that is, yeah, a close relative. To to say it to somebody who's a total stranger is just a little bit, yeah, creepy.

Speaker 1: 1:17:48

I've heard it being done, like, in order to kind of insult somebody with kindness. Mhmm. Like Yeah.

Eric: 1:17:54

That's what

Speaker 1: 1:17:55

it somebody, you know, oh, you know, oh, bless you. You know, like that whole bless bless your heart. I think that's sort of sarcastic way, but I yeah. It's it is

Eric: 1:18:03

It's it's it's a condescending term that's designed to put put that other person at a lower level than you are. But yes. Yeah. Anyway, Laura says, yes. She's looking for somebody. She's looking for her sister, Joan. Joan Gray. She's in Apartment 23. She ain't here, the woman says, and Laura pauses for a moment and asks if the woman is the manager. When the woman nods in confirmation, Laura suggests that, well, perhaps she could let Laura in so she could wait for her sister. The woman rolls her eyes as if looking at something above her, then looking back at Laura suggests that, well, maybe she ain't coming back. She didn't come home last night. She owes rent. And the woman gives a taunting half smile as she says it, clearly trying to tacitly suggest that a bribe might be in

Speaker 1: 1:18:52

order. Yeah.

Eric: 1:18:54

Smiling, recognizing the game about to be played, Laura reaches into her purse and suggests that, well, she could pay it for Joan. And does the woman think she could get in then? And, well, maybe, the woman adds, noncommentally. Laura pulls out a stack of building pulls out a stack Laura pulls out a stack of bills, which the woman notices and undoubtedly does a quick calculation of. And I'm gonna say never ever

Speaker 1: 1:19:22

No. Don't show them money at That any was that's

Eric: 1:19:25

Or give

Speaker 1: 1:19:25

a hint as

Eric: 1:19:26

to how much you have available in negotiation. Yeah. My sister-in-law did that to my wife and I when we first moved up here moved back up here. Yeah. And she really kinda

Speaker 1: 1:19:36

It's not a great idea.

Eric: 1:19:37

Stuck to us. Yeah. Because we she had a trailer in a trailer park, and there was a trailer right next to her that was for sale. And she said she told the lady that, you know, her sister and brother-in-law were coming up to move, and they were interested in in a mobile home. And that would be a great 1. And and she told her how much we had to spend, and she's miraculously enough, that's exactly how much she was asking. Yeah. Right. Anyway, when Laura asks how much the rent is, the woman replies, 200. I'm gonna Okay.

Speaker 1: 1:20:12

I'm gonna call bullshit bullcrap on this. Bull excrement.

Eric: 1:20:16

Bullvine excrement. Okay.

Speaker 1: 1:20:18

Because Laura seems surprised by that.

Eric: 1:20:20

Mhmm.

Speaker 1: 1:20:21

But I did some googling, and everything I found said that the average monthly rent for a 1 bedroom in LA was just under $500.

Eric: 1:20:31

Okay.

Speaker 1: 1:20:31

So now I I get it. This is a slum. Like, this is a crappy building. So slightly less than that. Like, this wouldn't be average market rent. This would probably be 3 or 300 ish, maybe $3.50. But 200 is lower than I would have expected it to be. And Laura still seems surprised by that. And it's because like I lived in a student apartment when I was in university, and I'm not even saying it was a house. I was renting a room. I wasn't even renting the full apartment. And this was a full on slum. Like, it was the roof caved in in 2 of the bedrooms, literally in the winter, so there was snow coming down people's like, on the people's beds. The pipes froze in the winter.

Eric: 1:21:12

Mhmm.

Speaker 1: 1:21:12

There were too many rooms because the landlord literally partitioned off the living room to make more bedrooms, so we had no living room, which meant that we were constantly blowing fuses and our food was going bad. And we had mice. So it was like the it was it was a 7 bedroom house that was really not a 7 bedroom house, and it was falling apart. That room, single room in 2003, 2000 yeah, 2003, cost me $325 a month. Now, that's almost almost 20 years after the fact. And granted, it was just a bedroom, but market rent at the time for an entire apartment was around $5,600. Mhmm. So LA would be more expensive. Yeah. I think $200 would actually be right around the the correct amount for for renting, like, what is clearly, like, a slummy apartment.

Eric: 1:22:06

Well, it is it is a oh, what's the term? It's not a full apartment. It's it's just it's a studio apartment.

Speaker 1: 1:22:21

Sure. So But even still,

Eric: 1:22:23

like, just a single single room that houses everything. But, yeah, you're right. But the the thing is, this isn't rent.

Speaker 1: 1:22:30

No. Of course.

Eric: 1:22:31

Lauren knows that and the other woman knows it. And this is just a game and the the rent is just the code word, And you of course, the 200 really doesn't equate to the rent. It's just that's the woman's code for that's how much she wants to let Laura in. But Okay. Playing game, you know, and using the fact that we're talking about rent in sarcasm quotes

Speaker 1: 1:22:59

Fair enough.

Eric: 1:22:59

As the negotiating tool, Laura looks around and says, that's her rent. Of course, when the woman doesn't bat an eye, she returns to the accusing look that Laura gave her and says, you're her sister. Yeah.

Speaker 1: 1:23:13

Fair enough. We have a comment that says $200 for rent isn't bad, but 200 for a bribe is steep. So yeah.

Eric: 1:23:19

Well, and that's why Laura starts negotiating using the rent

Speaker 1: 1:23:23

That's fair.

Eric: 1:23:24

You know, excuse. And so Laura gives the woman a look and says, let's say this

building is rent controlled at 08: 1:23:30

50. Let's say

Speaker 1: 1:23:34

what rent controlled means though, but okay.

Eric: 1:23:38

Let's say I repaired her apartment, which makes it 75, the woman counters. Well, let's say you only put in new carpeting and make it 60, Laura challenges, peeling off some bills from the stack. Now, Laura looks at the bills in Laura's hand and then the rest of the bills and then hesitantly says, you can owe me the rest. Laura gives her a sidelong, oh, brother look.

Speaker 1: 1:23:59

Yeah. Right.

Eric: 1:24:00

And then follows the woman into Joan's apartment. At the apartment, Laura and the woman step inside and they stand at the door with neither 1 saying anything to the other for a moment and of course, neither moving from inside the doorway. The woman jangles her keys impatiently as if saying, well, wanna hurry up? A moment, Laura asks if she can have a little privacy. And the woman laughs telling Laura, no. No. No. No. She's got first claim to Joan's stuff. She doesn't come back. She's got to protect her investment. And Laura begins walking through the apartment and looking around. And as I said, it's a studio apartment, living room, kitchen, dining area, sleeping area, all in 1. And the woman says, you know, funny thing about your sister. She comes into this dive, but she's got designer clothes, Gucci bags, silk blouses. She trails off as Laura spots a garbage can next to an end table, and she bends over to look in, spots a credit card receipt, and picks it up. The name on the charge slip is Joan Kendall, not Joan Gray. And as Laura is reading the slip, the woman asks what sort of trouble her sister is in. Laura gives her an innocent look and says, who said anything about trouble? Get off it, honey. The woman scoffs. I knew she was bad news when she first came here. Oh? Laura asks brightly. When was that? Because I'm her sister and I don't know. The woman looks around and then comments that, you know, the new drapes haven't been paid for yet. Laura looks over the at the drapes and then back at the woman and then sarcastically tells her that maybe she'd better return them then. The woman gives Laura a sour look as she strides past her out of the apartment. Well, outside we see that Laura is walking out of the apartment building, gets into the rabbit, and meanwhile, Bozo 1 and Bozo 2 are in a sedan

Speaker 1: 1:26:00

across the

Eric: 1:26:00

street observing. And as she pulls away, the 2 clowns also pull out and begin to follow. Al Steele is standing outside a window checking out the obligatory 19 eighties erotic dancer scene And that just goes on a little bit longer than is absolutely necessary, quite frankly. And the shots of the women are a little bit closer than absolutely necessary.

Speaker 1: 1:26:23

So this was the aerobicides trend from the eighties. Right? This was the the big because every every decade, there's, a fitness trend of some kind. Yeah. And this particular trend was high energy fitness craze, defined by dance routines based, dance routines are set to pop music, neon spandex, leg warmers, and headband fashion. Popularized by Jane Fonda's 1982 home video, it moved fitness from, male dominated gyms into mainstream social group settings for women. So Jane Fonda was kind of like the face of the movement with her like workout videos and and with VHS being like, they they could be in everybody's home. But then you've got Richard Simmons, Kathy Smith. My grandmother used to have tapes of some dude named Tony Little, and his name was very ironic because the guy was like, massive. I mean, massive. He looked like if Michael Bolton took all the steroids on Earth. Oh, really? Because he had like this, like, curly haired mullet, and he was like, huge. Right? So, but, yeah, that those were kind of like the the look, of course, was almost as important as the actual exercising itself. Like, you had to have the spandex leotards like Laura had on in that other episode as well. The tights, the leg warmers, the sweat bands, very flash dance, all of it. Right? And then, like, the routines were basically just like dancing to really high energy pop music. So Well Yeah.

Eric: 1:27:48

The the scene, as far as I'm concerned, that scene could have been cut down to about 2 seconds, and it would've still

Speaker 1: 1:27:55

It could've. It could've, but then you wouldn't get to see all the women dancing and stuff.

Eric: 1:27:58

Yeah. I'm I'm sorry. It it it's just it's a little uncomfortable to to watch that thing, especially as close in as the camera gets to the women. It's just it's just

Speaker 1: 1:28:07

There's a music video that kind of, like, makes fun of that, and I'm trying to remember the name of the singer Eric something. But it's like a a high octane dance track. And the video is all of these women in a dance studio in spandex with, like, the really high sort of bikini bottoms over the leg warmer or the spandex leggings and stuff like that. But they're, like, thrusting their hips upwards in the air. And the the dude, the instructor is, like, watching around like, walking around and watching them and, like, the camera zooms in on, like, their pelvic areas, like, thrusting upwards. And that's the joke is that it's just so overly emphasized to the point where it's comical in the music video. I'll see if I can find it. It's quite funny, but yeah, this is this is definitely meant to kind of like

Eric: 1:28:59

Well, anyway, after the women cease their gyrations and begin to leave the room, there's 1 woman who follows slightly behind the rest. And as she passes through the doorway and past Steele, he asks if she is Sandra Jenkins. And she says, yes. Steele introduces himself then compliments her wonderful establishment. Yeah. She thanks him for the compliment and asks what she can do for him. Steele says he just breathed in from New Zealand and the Auckland triathlon and says he's looking for a friend of his, Joan Gray, thought he might work out with her. And suspiciously, Sandra says that Joan suddenly has a lot of friends. Yeah. Steele frowns, puzzled, saying he doesn't understand. She turns pointing to the to a man dressed in a suit and tie, sitting on a couch at the far end of the room, thumbing through a magazine. See that gentleman over there? She says, he's been waiting for her all morning. Says he's on the Olympic advisory committee. Pretty funny, And like I told him, I really don't know where Joan is. She turns to

Speaker 1: 1:30:04

sorry. I just I just found it. Oh, okay. The song is called Call On Me. It's by Eric Prides. It came out in 2004, And it's based on a sample of the 1982 Steve Wynwood song Valerie, and was inspired by a similar track created by the French duo. And it is a tongue in cheek video that kind of mocks the dance craze and the eighties spandex and the aerobics and stuff like that. So, yeah. Yeah, if you if you have a it's funny. It's funny. Well,

Eric: 1:30:34

anyway, as she turns and walks away, she stops, then turns back to Steele, letting him know that she knows that he's lying. She tells him, there is no Auckland triathlon. She turns and resumes moving away and steals. Well, so much for that brilliant deception. Then he calls her back saying, permit me to start over. And I I love the back and forth of this coming scene.

Speaker 1: 1:30:59

I do too.

Eric: 1:31:00

Because it's very reminiscent of the stereotypical back and forth of Dragnet, the TV series, not the abomination of a movie. And she says, why? Perhaps you're concerned about Joan. The girl at the desk said you were friends. Yeah? So Joan disappeared at the west side triathlon. I was there. Then you must be wondering what happened to her. She's being followed. At the race, she exchanged numbers with Laura Holt who was subsequently battered around by 2 gentlemen who obviously thought she was Joan. Laura Holt is a private investigator, she tends to get curious about things like this. So do I. She's your girlfriend. She works for Remington Steele Investigations. I see. And you're her boss? Something like that. The point is Just

Speaker 1: 1:31:43

every time somebody asks them if this is his if they're involved. Right? Mhmm. They they equivocate or they talk around it. They're clearly in a relationship. They've talked about being in a relationship. They are they are

Eric: 1:31:54

It's it's for the public appearance.

Speaker 1: 1:31:56

Well, but at the same time, I'm wondering if it has anything to do with the the words themselves, because they are grown adults in their thirties, and I always thought it was weird even when I was in my twenties to use the words boyfriend and girlfriend. That made me feel like I was in middle school. That's true. So, I'm wondering if maybe it's just the idea of like, yes, she's my girlfriend being like in your thirties saying the word girlfriend. I know people do it, and I'm not saying that you can't, but it just to me as somebody when I got older, I was like, I don't know if I wanna use the word boyfriend. That feels weird when you're in your mid twenties. That's true. And he's in his thirties. So, I always wondered if it maybe had anything to do with that. I Or get that it's for appearances as well because you don't wanna be the boss dating the subordinate. It looks odd. Yeah. And and he doesn't have to to, you know, give his private life

Eric: 1:32:45

to anybody. It makes him look lecherous, and it makes her look like she's a

Speaker 1: 1:32:50

Sleeping to get to the top. Yeah. Yeah. So I get it. But I mean, just in inter in in their interpersonal, like, when they're talking to other people

Eric: 1:32:58

Mhmm.

Speaker 1: 1:32:59

They've never used those words. Not once.

Eric: 1:33:01

Yeah. Anyway, so she's she asked she's your girlfriend and she works for Remington Steele Investigations. I see. You're you're her boss? Something like that. The point is we would like to know exactly what's going on. Well, so would I. Now who is he? Don't know. But only 1 of us is telling the truth, and Joan's in trouble. And we'd better find her before they do. Now Sandra nods her head and then tells Steele to follow her to her office. Now Steele leaves the body factory, which is what the place is called.

Speaker 1: 1:33:32

I know. I like it. I like that name for Jim. It's good.

Eric: 1:33:35

And then we see that he is being followed by the man who Sandra pointed out, the man who claimed to be from the Olympic advisory committee. And without giving away that he suspects he's being followed, Steele crosses the street. The man remains on the other side of the street walking and watching Steele. He stops, buys a newspaper from Iraq, but he's still watching. Steele walks to the large display window of a store, stops, and appears to be looking in, but uses the reflection to confirm his suspicion. He walks away from the window, and in the reflection, we see the man cross the street to the same side of the street that Steele is on. He walks to the door of a men's clothing store and sees that Steele is inside talking to a store employee. The man points to the back of the store, presumably pointing out a dressing room to Steele, and then we see Steele taking a suit jacket from the man and walk back toward the back of the store. And we see in a shot that appears to be faked, perhaps through DVD release, the man continues to watch. I would love to see this scene off of videotape somebody recorded off of off the air, off of a cable channel from the eighties, nineties, whatever, pre DVD version because this this is a very, very badly faked shot. I can't believe that they actually faked the shot this bad in the original series. This has gotta be something they did for the DVD, but I don't know why.

Speaker 1: 1:34:56

Yeah. I don't I don't know either because I thought that it was 1 of those it looks like a green screen or something. Like, there's matte lines around his head.

Eric: 1:35:05

Well, it doesn't to me, it doesn't look like a green screen because usually there is a matte line, which is a black line outside. To me, this looks like a very bad Photoshop where they cut

Speaker 1: 1:35:14

out Okay. Yeah.

Eric: 1:35:14

A a person's face and head, and they didn't do a good job of it. And it's like they cut instead of the the well, you know, hair. If you hold up your fingers, you you've got space in between your your fingers.

Speaker 1: 1:35:28

Yeah.

Eric: 1:35:29

Yeah. And it's like as if if they had done this with somebody's hand, it would be like cutting the the photo of the hand off at the first knuckle all the way around. It just looks weird. It's it pops out from the background. It's it's like you took a photo and you cut out somebody's face and you glued it on top of a different background. It's obviously fake. It's really badly done. And I've gotta think it's something that somebody did for the DVD, not the original episode and I But I don't understand why. Don't understand why. It's just it's such a bad shot. Yeah. I can't believe that they let that 1 get through and I'd like to know how it got through and who who's responsible. Anyway Fair enough. As the man continues to watch, Steele, who's obviously slipped out of the back of the building, comes up behind the man and asks, what did you think of the jacket? And the man turns around surprised. Steele says, let's talk, shall we? Well, apparently, the man doesn't wanna talk. He takes off running and Steele takes off in pursuit. The man turns down an alley, Steele coming up from behind, but it's a dead end. The man turns around. Steele tells him that he should be more careful, but it's Steele who should be more careful because another man comes up behind him as does a car. And unaware of what's happening behind him, Steele asks the first man, now what do you want with me? Or should I say Joan Gray? The man behind Steele rushes him, grabs him, throws him to the ground. The first man grabs a garbage can lid, runs over and hits Steele with

Speaker 1: 1:37:00

it. Yeah.

Eric: 1:37:02

And he starts to grab at Steele, but the man in the car hollers out, can it, Ivory? Let's get out of here.

Speaker 1: 1:37:08

Good lord. Another another another injury for Steele to add to the ever growing list.

Eric: 1:37:15

Yeah. I mean, but that's a bad pun. You know? Garbage can lid. Can it.

Speaker 1: 1:37:19

Can it is. Yeah. It's terrible.

Eric: 1:37:21

Anyway, the 2 men run back to the car, get in, and the car drives off as Steele flounders on the ground. Back at the office, Laura is niece is nursing Steele's wounded head. Scoldingly, she asks him what he'd hope to accomplish. Asking him what he hoped to accomplish by confronting 2 men alone in an alley. And annoyed by her seeming lack of concern over his well-being.

Speaker 1: 1:37:46

I mean, at this point, he's got so many head wounds. Yeah.

Eric: 1:37:52

It's just

Speaker 1: 1:37:52

It just it would be hard to it would be hard to show that same level of compassion every single time.

Eric: 1:37:59

I'm saying. Steele sarcastically tells her that she's a remarkable source of comfort at times like these.

Speaker 1: 1:38:05

Yeah.

Eric: 1:38:05

And Laura says, well, she's just being honest. After all, they're obviously dealing with desperate people here. And with a tinge of anger in his voice, Steele snaps. What was I supposed to do? Invite the man to dinner? Don't get so testy. And Steele asks, how it is that whenever Laura loses her temper, it's being honest. And when he loses his temper, it's being testy. And Laura gives him a disgusted look but doesn't have an answer to give him.

Speaker 1: 1:38:31

That's called girl math. Yes. It's called girl math.

Eric: 1:38:36

Yes. Yeah. It's like, I'm oh. There's someone I know who says who who's who before they do something, they wanna do 1 other thing. It's only gonna take a minute. And then then they wanna do 1 other thing. It's only gonna take a minute. And they keep piling these things. It's only gonna take a minute. It's only gonna take a couple minutes. And an hour and a half later, it's like, I've been waiting for an hour and a half. It's all I've only been a little bit because well, each thing was only just a little bit.

Speaker 1: 1:39:12

Girl math.

Eric: 1:39:12

Yeah. Yeah. Girl math. Yes.

Speaker 1: 1:39:14

Girl math.

Eric: 1:39:15

Anyway, Milton comes in with an information sandwich. Bad news, good news in the middle, and then more bad news. The bad news is that Joan Bray is an alias. The good news is that she's really Joan Black who came here 6 weeks ago from San Diego. The bad news is Joan Black is also an alias, and that's where the trail goes cold. Steele gives out with a thoughtful, and says it appears that their mystery woman has been on the run for quite some time. Mildred adds that she started to check on anyone with the name of Ivory fitting the description that Steele gave. Laura asks what Mildred has found out about the name Joan Kendall that she found on that credit card receipt. Mildred says she's still trying, but her contact at the credit bureau needs a little sweetening if they get her drift. And he's a Raiders fan, he she hints. And Laura says to offer him Mr. Steel's seats for the San Francisco game. Mildred says, I can work with that.

Speaker 1: 1:40:10

I'm sorry. I again, I call bovine excrement. That man has never attended a football game in his life.

Eric: 1:40:16

Well, that doesn't mean he doesn't have the tickets.

Speaker 1: 1:40:20

Yeah. But why would he be annoyed that they're going to someone else? Can you see him going, oh, I really wanted to go see the Raiders play? Come on.

Eric: 1:40:27

Well, no. But he prob see, Laura probably buys them under Steele's name so that part of the con. But Steele uses them as negotiating tender, you know. So he wants something from somebody. Hey, I've got some tickets to the the Raiders game, you know.

Speaker 1: 1:40:45

Well, in this case, they're working as intended, so he should be happy that they're going to good use.

Eric: 1:40:49

Yeah. But he's not getting the picks, and he's not getting anything out of it. So that's that's the problem. Anyway, after Mildred leaves, Steele Sourley oh, yeah. Steele Sourley asks Laura if she doesn't think that this case is getting very costly, referring to the loss of the tickets. Yeah. Laura points out that he's being childish about it, observing that he still doesn't know the difference between a double reverse and a double scotch.

Speaker 1: 1:41:14

Neither do I. So that makes 2 of us. I'm assuming one's a drink and the other is something football y.

Eric: 1:41:21

Yes.

Speaker 1: 1:41:22

Okay.

Eric: 1:41:23

Cool. Well, I I know the double scotch is a drink. The double reverse is a football thingy, but yeah. I don't

Speaker 1: 1:41:30

know what it is That's as good as we get. It's like a football thingy.

Eric: 1:41:34

Steele tries to dispute her comment, but she plows on saying that Sandra at the health club told Steele that Joan came to work there about 6 weeks ago, which checks with Mildred's description. Steele says that according to Sandra, they're good friends, but Joan doesn't talk about herself very much. But Sandra is under the impression that Joan had marital problems, and Sandra hasn't seen Joan since the race, Laura considers. Steele asks Laura to confirm that the fellow who looked her over in the vans was named Kendall. And when she confirms this, saying that it's her guess that Joan Grey is really missus Kendall and that the man chasing her was her husband, Steele reminds her, well, what about Ivory and his 2 cohorts? Now, Stanning

Speaker 1: 1:42:15

Curious. They must have had a point in the episode that was cut from the original script where his where Ivory's name is mentioned because this is the first time they actually say his name. And I was looking for it when I was making my notes. Mhmm. And that his name hadn't been spoken before. So I I was like, well, how do they know Well, no. They didn't. In the alley.

Eric: 1:42:39

The the other the guy in the car

Speaker 1: 1:42:42

Oh, okay.

Eric: 1:42:42

Stepped out, hollered at him and says, Okay. Can it ivory. Let's let's go.

Speaker 1: 1:42:47

Gotcha. Okay. I didn't I don't know why I didn't catch the ivory part there. Mhmm. But yeah. Okay. That makes sense.

Eric: 1:42:53

Yeah. There may may have been stuff missing from the the script, but we don't have the original script, so don't know. Anyway, let's see where were we here. Yes. 2 cohorts standing. Laura tells Steele that she's made her brilliant breakthrough for the day. Now it's his turn. And Steele offers his brilliant suggestion. How about lunch? And she looks at him with obvious disappointment telling him that that wasn't exactly the sort of suggestion she had in mind.

Speaker 1: 1:43:25

I mean, gotta eat. Everybody's gotta eat.

Eric: 1:43:29

Yeah. Well, we get an establishing shot of a high end corporate looking building, and then we see the man called Ivory has grabbed another man by the lapels of his jacket. The man we previously saw driving the car, which was part of the trap in the alley, and he's confronting this other man, angrily telling the other man, is Joe Gullickson, that it isn't working out like he promised. Gullickson warns Ivory to let go. And when Ivory doesn't comply immediately, Gullickson warns him again to let go. Ivory reluctantly, almost submissively, defiantly, lets go. Gullickson says he's just as frustrated as he is, but rather than exhibiting as anger, his frustration exhibits as intense, focused, and burning. Yeah. As he talks and paces, we see that the other man who has been involved in the alley trap is there as well. Gullickson tells them that Kendall obviously lied about his wife being away on vacation, but the fact remains Kendall adores her. He's worked with the guy long enough to know that. And because of that, she's still the key to their plot.

Speaker 1: 1:44:33

I I found his name very interesting. Gullixson. It's it's a it I've never heard that name before. I looked it up. It's Scandinavian in origin. Yeah. And I I don't know if anybody else cares about this, but it was just 1 of those things where I was like, you know, usually the names are fairly ordinary names, like like Mhmm. You know, Davidson or something like that. But Gullickson is just an odd choice. And I do know that sometimes when you've got side characters like this, they sometimes give side characters names of people that are, like, in the crew. So you might give the makeup director's name as a character, or you might give know, whatever. So I'm wondering if somebody works on the show and is named Gullickson, because otherwise, they just don't

Eric: 1:45:15

Or it's a friend, family member

Speaker 1: 1:45:17

Yeah.

Eric: 1:45:18

You know, relative.

Speaker 1: 1:45:20

A commenter just said Bill Gullickson, an old MLB player. It it's it would just be for me, it would just be something like it wouldn't be something that would just come to mind. Mhmm. It would have to be something that you like, either you were thinking of an old Major League Baseball player or somebody on the crew or a friend or a family member. It it's an odd name. Anyway, keep going.

Eric: 1:45:40

Anyway, where were we? Yes. Ivory demands to know how they're gonna find her. Same as before. Hard work. The third man wants to know how long it's gonna take. He's got a team to coach. That's right, Eiry concurs. We're athletes, not bloodhounds. Were. You were athletes, Gullickson says angrily. His frustration now focused on the 2 men. Now you're just businessmen like everyone else. And with disgust and contempt, he spits out, you guys make me sick. You should have been set for life, but you blew it, and now you're crying because you might actually have to do some work to earn your money. You came to me. Remember? It's a little late for second thoughts. All the 2 men are silent. Ivory hangs his head like a whip dog, and then with a resentful compliance asks, alright. How do we find the girl? Well, next we see Laura and Steele are in the rabbit as they drive through the streets of LA. And then we see that they're being followed. It's Kendall in the passenger seat, and the stocky man from the van who is wearing a baseball cap for the universally despised New York Yankees is driving. Kendall asks, what does the Remington Steele agency have to do with his wife? Beats me, says the clueless Yankees fan. I'm not surprised, Kendall says. After all, look at who your favorite baseball team is. No. That's not in the script.

Speaker 1: 1:47:03

I think that's I think that's you.

Eric: 1:47:06

No. What he says is, at least I can understand how you and your partner screwed up. From a distance, she does look a little bit like my wife. The Yankee Doodle Dud defensively says, look, they've been working from few lousy photographs. If Kendall wasn't so afraid to show his face, they could've probably grabbed her at the race. Annoyed, Kendall tells him to just drive.

Speaker 1: 1:47:27

He's right, though. I mean, it it was a silly idea to have, like, these randos try to grab her. Of course, she's gonna panic and try to get away. She doesn't know these men, and she's already thinking something is going on because she's also being chased by these other guys. So, like Mhmm. Yeah. Like, I have some thoughts about their marital problems and that we'll get into when when she tells her story. Like, my god.

Eric: 1:47:50

This is way too complicated. I'm gonna comment

Speaker 1: 1:47:53

to you.

Eric: 1:47:54

Anyway, we are back

Speaker 1: 1:47:56

with Joel's department. Our commenter says, Eric, you are a man in need of a a Blue Jays cap. I agree. I agree.

Eric: 1:48:04

San Francisco. San Francisco all the way. There is only 1 team worthy.

Speaker 1: 1:48:14

You keep it up. I'm gonna buy you a Montreal expos hat.

Eric: 1:48:19

Anyway, we're back at Joan's apartment building. We see the landlady cautiously sneak up to the door of Joan's apartment and lean into the door to listen. Inside, Steele, Laura, and Sandra are crouched around the body of the slender, semi bald man from the van. Is he dead or just unconscious? We don't know yet. Laura identifies him as 1 of the men who chased her during the race. And in the background, we see that Sandra is looking over the man's ID, and she mutters, check this out. Hands the wall to Steele who looks at it and then groans, telling Laura, New York City police. Laura sags at the news, and Laura tells them that she hopes they know more about this than she does. Laura asks her to fill them in again on what happened. Sandra says, well, Joan called her an hour ago. She sounded really frightened. Sandra has a key to her apartment, so Joan asked Sandra to collect a few things and then meet her at Union Station. And Sandra called Steele and Laura and asked them to meet her at the apartment, and then she came over to collect the things and meet them, Where the guy on the floor was waiting for Sandra, Laura concludes. And Steele curiously asks what Sandra used on him. Perhaps she'd used some karate. No, Sandra giggles. A well placed knee and a cast iron frying pan. Asking for a friend.

Speaker 1: 1:49:50

She had 1 in her purse. Who cares?

Eric: 1:49:51

That's right. Had 1 in her purse. Always walks around with a frying pan just in case she needs to bonk somebody over the head with it.

Speaker 1: 1:49:57

It's like that scene in in, Tangled. I don't you probably haven't seen the animated version of Rapunzel where they keep knocking people out with a frying pan, and they're like, frying pans. Who knew?

Eric: 1:50:09

When Laura asks Sandra who told Joan that they are trying to, oh, no. When Laura asks of Sandra that is a typo. When Laura asks if Sandra told Joan they are trying to help her, she answers that Joan hung up before she could. Then she adds that she's really freaked out by all this and really doesn't wanna go to Union Station by herself. Laura suggests that they all go together, and then they get up and leave. As they walk out of the apartment, then down the hall, we see the landlady, who's obviously made herself scarce before she got caught, come out from the corner of the hallway and peer after the trio. Once she feels it's safe to do so, she walks to the apartment door, unlocks it, and lets herself in. And she is horrified at the sight of the man on the floor and turns to leave, but Gullixson has appeared in the doorway blocking her exit. She panics, telling him to move because she needs to call the police. And Gullickson claims that he is the police. He whips out a checkbook wallet, flips it open quickly, then shut

Speaker 1: 1:51:07

Yep.

Eric: 1:51:07

And his driver's license, not a badge, showing in the document window. He tells her that they've been tracking a known felon calling herself Joan Gray.

Speaker 1: 1:51:16

I knew it. I

Eric: 1:51:17

knew it, she rants. Urgently, he tells her that he needs to find Joan Gray. And then as if revealing the most important thing in the world, she tells Gullixson that they're going to Union Station. And he thanks her and then leaves. But then suddenly, the landlady turns and hollers after him. Hey. Hey. She's behind in her rent. How am I gonna get paid?

Speaker 1: 1:51:36

She is a this woman is a piece of work. I really enjoy the the her character because we've had these these types of, like, CD landlord slash building manager type characters before. Mhmm. And they're they're usually this 1, like, she's not letting go with a bit. You know? She needs this this rent money.

Eric: 1:51:57

Yes. She's

Speaker 1: 1:51:57

gonna do whatever she can to get it. I appreciate it.

Eric: 1:52:01

Well, next, Laura Steele and Sandra are driving to Union Station with Kendall and the Bronx blubbermouth following. The fan of the Bronx bullies is agitated, insisting that Ernie should have been back at the apartment. But when Kendall doesn't say anything, the man declares that he's turning around to find out what happened. Kendall tells the other man he's not gonna do that, dismissively suggesting that Ernie probably just got a sudden urge to get something to eat. Offended, the Yankee fan says, they don't work that

Speaker 1: 1:52:29

way. But Now we're gonna have to apologize on behalf of people who work out, people who enjoy eating healthy, and people who are Yankees fans. We we hope that you don't take offense to this episode. If you do, please send all your hate mail to Eric's address. I will put it in the show notes.

Eric: 1:52:48

Well, we don't have to worry about that because Yankees fans can't figure out how to do email.

Speaker 1: 1:52:53

Oh. Put

Eric: 1:52:54

out the punch. No. No. No. I I didn't mean that. No. I I I love Yankees fans. I mean, after all, if we didn't have them, who would we abuse?

Speaker 1: 1:53:04

Red Sox fans?

Eric: 1:53:06

Anyway, let's see where we're yes. Yeah. Kendall says he doesn't care, telling him that the other man can look for his friend on his own time. But right now, he's on Kendall's time. And Kendall is paying him to follow them as he jerks his head forward, indicating Lauren Steele and the rabbit in front of them. At Union Station, Joan, dressed in sweats and a headband, large bag over her shoulder, is standing next to a ticket counter, nervously looking around. Laura, Steele, and Sandra enter, and begin surveying the cavernous space in search of Joan.

Speaker 1: 1:53:36

Well, if you wanted workout gear that doesn't look like it's meant to be in an adult film, here you go. It is like you're literally just your sweatshirt and sweatpants. And I'm not a huge fan of the color blue, but No. I kind of appreciate, like well, I like blue, but, like, not that particular blue. I kind of appreciate that they don't have them in something that's like, ridiculously Yeah. Like, this is I guess this is 1 of the things I appreciate about the show is that like, Laura usually looks good. Weird canary knitted vest notwithstanding. She's she's generally dressed well. They don't typically sexualize her. Unless it's it's for, like, you know, she has to, hit on a a suspect or something like that.

Eric: 1:54:24

Come to mama. Right?

Speaker 1: 1:54:25

Or she's wearing that, like, little bikini in in second base Steele. But for the most part, her clothing is usually very classy and usually very it's attractive. Mhmm. Even that I know you didn't like the the the tube top in that season 3 episode, but even that wasn't, I don't think, overly sexualized. It was just because she she had like a pair of high waisted pants on that kinda I don't know. I like the fact that in in modern day, like in a modern show, if you're gonna have a character put on sweats and go running, they'd probably be like little short shorts or like they'd be there'd be a tank top, like there'd be something sexualized about it, but this is just what you'd wear, like sweatpants and a sweatshirt. It's, you know, it's your lounging around the house outfit. I appreciate it. So yeah.

Eric: 1:55:10

Anyway, Laura oh, yes. I already did that 1. Through another door, we see the bleacher bum enter and he begins looking around for Joan. Outside, we see Gullixson pull up with his 2 lackeys. They get out of their car and also head inside the station. Inside, Joan is still nervously looking around, but the devotee of the evil empire has spotted her

Speaker 1: 1:55:32

This and begins to make his is how I talk about Maple Leafs fans. So anybody who likes to make me laugh, so this is exactly what I would be doing at this point.

Eric: 1:55:42

Well, at the same time, Sandra spots Joan and alerts Steele and Laura. Joan spots the Yankees yuck and begins to run at the same time that Sandra calls out to her. Steele begins to give chase, and as Gullickson is buying a candy bar why did you stop to buy a candy bar?

Speaker 1: 1:55:59

Hey. His blood sugar dropped. He needed he needed the the but I gotta say, Steele is fast. When he's really running, he's fast. Like, Brosnan is a fast runner. And as a bonus, he doesn't look like Tom Cruise when he runs.

Eric: 1:56:15

What what what does Tom Cruise look like when he runs?

Speaker 1: 1:56:17

Oh my god. Every it's a running joke that every movie that Tom Cruise does, he has to run, but he always runs like this, like, like, the Terminator. Yeah. It's always really like A

Eric: 1:56:26

stiff arm out front?

Speaker 1: 1:56:27

Yeah. Yeah. It's silly. It's a silly run. So I I but I didn't realize how fast Brosnan was. He he watched this shot, and he's he's he's motoring. He's going. He might not like it, but he's he's quick.

Eric: 1:56:41

Anyway, so, yes, at the let's see. The Steele begins to give chases. Gullickson is buying a candy bar. The commotion catches Ivory's attention just as Joan runs out the side door.

Speaker 1: 1:56:51

These men are also not, like, trained kidnappers slash extortionists. So, you know, they're not the brightest, like, oh, I think we'll get a candy bar while I'm waiting for my

Eric: 1:57:00

Well, the the other of Gullickson's goons says, it's her. While I respots Steele and tells Gullickson, hey. That's the guy from the health club. And so they all take after Joan. In the meantime, Laura spots the baseball cap guy and points him out to Sandra as the other guy who was chasing her. Sandra urges Laura to come on. Let's slow him down. They run up to a fully loaded baggage cart and shove it right in the way of the man and he collides with the cart and is called out. Outside, Steele is chasing Joan and hollering, oh, wait. I'm trying to help. Inside, the baseball cap guy pulls a gun but Laura swings a suitcase, connects, knocking the gun out of his hand and then grabbing the gun herself, points it at him, telling him he's got a lot of explaining to do. Steele continues chasing Joan, entering yet another part of the station, and he's getting overheated. So as he's running, he removes his suit jacket, throws it down, and complains that this is becoming an expensive habit.

Speaker 1: 1:57:59

Well, he didn't have to throw it away. I kept taking it off, but he could have just, like, held on to it as he ran. He just dozes his these are tailored suits this man buys, and he's just throwing it away? What is wrong

Eric: 1:58:10

Well, with he can buy another 1. That's a big deal. Not paying for it. The agency is right.

Speaker 1: 1:58:16

He shouldn't complain that it's getting to be an expensive habit.

Eric: 1:58:20

Anyway, Jonah's in far better shape than Steele. Plus, she's not encumbered by inappropriate clothing or shoes for running. True. And she's too far ahead of Steele for him to catch up. And in the process, he's apparently lost sight of her. He stops, pauses to catch his breath, then spots a tunnel that is apparently a shortcut that will put him in front of Joan as she runs from the tunnel she ran into.

Speaker 1: 1:58:42

I don't know how this happens. I'm don't even hear. My my guess is because it's actually like, it's I thought it was a tunnel, but it turns out they're on top of a train platform. So they're actually underground going up, not the other way around. Mhmm. So my guess is that he just went the opposite way. Like, there's probably 2 entrances to this platform, and he went around the other way and and managed but she's ahead of him. So that

Eric: 1:59:02

Yeah. I don't know. See, this is this is the point where where visually things just start falling apart for me because of that sort of thing where you're trying to visualize, well, how does this work? It I I can't see how it does work.

Speaker 1: 1:59:15

I'm I see, I like there's so much about this episode I like that these little bits don't bother me as much. I guess, maybe if I didn't like the overall episode, this would irritate the crap out of me. But because I like the overall part sorry. There's also a comment saying it would pay to follow Steele and then resell his clothes on eBay. That is a good idea. That is actually fantastic. But, yeah. But, yeah, if I if I didn't care for the larger story and some of the other elements like the score music and and some of the atmospheric scenes, then Mhmm. Yeah, this would annoy me. But I'm I'm I'm waving. I'm waving. Yeah.

Eric: 1:59:53

It's getting breezy in here with all the hand waving. As Jones crossing what seems to be an abandoned platform, Steele crouches behind a short concrete wall waiting. Jones, now clearly starting to become exhausted, runs past the wall where Steele is hiding, giving him the opportunity to spring up behind her and grab her. She fights as he tries to tell her that he's only trying to help, but she kicks him in the shin and gets away. Bent over in pain and exhausted himself, Steele calls out after her, go on. Run. Take off. That's it. I mean, what difference does it make to you that you almost got someone killed at the triathlon, Well, that

Speaker 1: 2:00:29

That's fair.

Eric: 2:00:29

Jones stops running. She's not only physically exhausted, but emotionally exhausted as well. But Steele continues to berate her. Oh, no. Don't stop. I mean, it's clear you don't care about anyone else but yourself. Go. She continues to try to catch her breath, half turns towards Steele, then still breathing heavily says, you're talking about the girl I switched numbers with. She pauses, waiting for a response, but getting none she asks, is she okay? Again, she waits for a response, but again, gets done. Apologetically, she begins, I couldn't think of anything. She pauses and then begins again. I didn't mean for her to get hurt.

Speaker 1: 2:01:12

This is this is 1 of those things where we know now that we've seen the episode that she was never in any real danger because it wasn't Gullixson that was following her at the race. It was Kendall and and his guys. And they just wanted to, like, bring her to Kendall. But she didn't know that. And so switching those numbers when she's genuinely thinking her life is in danger is knowingly putting someone else.

Eric: 2:01:37

Well, the thing is she she might have encountered Gullickson's guys already, though. We don't know that.

Speaker 1: 2:01:44

Well, what what I'm saying is, like

Eric: 2:01:46

And there's actually an implication that that's the case.

Speaker 1: 2:01:48

Yes. That that's what I'm saying. Like, Joan didn't know that that Laura was never in any real danger. Joan thought these men are after me. They're gonna hurt me. I gotta I gotta do something. And so you Yeah.

Eric: 2:02:00

She she knew that she was potentially putting Laura in danger

Speaker 1: 2:02:03

Like,

Eric: 2:02:03

that's If a the situation was what she thought it was.

Speaker 1: 2:02:06

Exactly. Yeah. That's what like, you said it better than me. That's what I was trying to say. Like, in Joan's mind, she was in real danger, and so she knowingly put Laura in that danger. And like, that's that would be a hard thing, I I think, if you have a a conscience. And she does seem to feel badly about it Mhmm. To deal with, as well as being, like, running for your life and and still being on the run. Like, she hasn't had a moment to stop and really process any of

Eric: 2:02:34

Mhmm.

Speaker 1: 2:02:34

So, yeah, that's just Yeah.

Eric: 2:02:37

And she was just she she was concerned that somebody was trying to to get her, and she was just trying to save her neck, and she didn't think about the implications of it, how it would affect other people.

Speaker 1: 2:02:48

Yeah. And it's only now that I think that Steele is pointing out like, go on, run. It's only you know, you only did this and this and this. And she's like, oh, wait. Well, I might have Mhmm. You know? So, yeah. It's a good scene.

Eric: 2:03:00

Leaning against the concrete wall for support and breathing heavily, Steele pants out, well, why don't you tell her her yourself? And frustrated, Joan asks who he is. Very slowly, still trying to catch his breath, he informs her that he is Remington Steele, a private investigator, and the woman she jeopardized is his associate, Laura Holt.

Speaker 1: 2:03:20

1 of the

Eric: 2:03:20

comments stands upright. Mhmm.

Speaker 1: 2:03:22

Here it says, in a moment, she made the decision not out of malice. And that's yeah. That's true. Like, I'm not saying she she was making the decision out of malice. It was desperation. But Yes. Yeah.

Eric: 2:03:32

Anyway, he stands upright, moves slightly closer to her, but she steps back, keeping the distance. He says he realizes she's frightened and that a lot of strange things have been happening, but he's only there to help her and to sort out what's going on. That's all. Suspicious and challenging, Joan declares that she doesn't know if she should believe him or that if she should believe anybody anymore. Then she turns and begins to walk away, but she stops and steals, seems to accept her wariness, saying that they can just stay where they are till she gets comfortable pointing out that she's safe and there's no 1 gonna harm her. I mean, after all, she's got a a clear 360 degree view of the area. So it's not like anybody could sneak up on her there. And Steele says, and besides, he doesn't think he could run another step.

Speaker 1: 2:04:17

This is he handles this part of it well by saying, like, we don't have to do anything. We can just stay here. We can get comfortable. Mhmm. You're safe. Nobody is gonna hurt you, like plus

Eric: 2:04:28

And besides, I don't think I can chase But you anymore

Speaker 1: 2:04:30

but the the the self deprecating joke at the end, while true, is also 1 that's going to kind of, like, alleviate some of her fears, because he's clearly not in good enough shape to keep going anyway, so you know

Eric: 2:04:43

Well, she finds his his final comment humorous Yeah. And then asks if he's really a detective. Well, meanwhile, Laura and Sandra are talking with Kendall and the fan of the bums. Kendall is telling them that Kelly Kendall is telling them that for some reason, when I was writing this, I kept replacing Kendall with Caldwell, I think. I I don't know why. Yeah. Anyway, Kendall is telling them that he and Joan have been separated for 2 months. She accused him of being too possessive, admitting that, well, maybe she was right.

Speaker 1: 2:05:14

Which was

Eric: 2:05:15

why he well, I I don't know that we could can make that assumption at this point yet. But he says this is why he'd promised her that he wouldn't try to contact her while she was away. And so you sent 2 off duty cops instead, Sandra accuses. And no, he kept up his end of the deal, he insists. It wasn't until she called him that he did that. And in the meantime, Jonas telling Steele that they really do love each other, but it just wasn't working for her. Translation, she was deciding if she wanted to bail on the marriage. So much for her commitment. She says I

Speaker 1: 2:05:53

have a different interpretation.

Eric: 2:05:55

Of course, you do.

Speaker 1: 2:05:57

Okay. I'm sorry. But if if he's freely admitting that he's been possessive, and she's saying, I need to get away from you and just have some space, I'm thinking he's smothering her, like, in in their day to day lives, like, wanting to know where she's going, where she is every moment. Maybe it's not ill intentioned. Maybe it's not, I want to control you. I'm a misogynistic jerk. Maybe it's more just like, I love you so much. I want to know where you are at all times. But whatever it is, you don't say to your husband, I want to go away for a month or whatever it is. I don't want you contact me. I don't want you to come near me unless I'm not saying she wasn't considering leaving the marriage. Like, something like that is that's an extreme thing to do, but you don't do something that extreme unless circumstances kind of drive you there. And it sounds like

Eric: 2:06:51

At no point does she say, you know, we've tried to work it out. We've gone to counseling. I've talked to him. No. It's just, oh, he's smothering me. I think I wanna bail.

Speaker 1: 2:07:01

I mean, it it we don't I don't think we get enough time in the episode to kind of go into all of her marital difficulties, but he freely admits that he's being a bit that he's being possessive. I think this whole situation, promising not to contact her, you don't make somebody promise that unless it's really gotten bad. Right? I just to me, this seems like 1 of those situations where and if she's actively running, like act like, she sees she thinks he's the 1 that's that's after her. And he's, to be fair, has hired men to go after her. Now granted, those men were hired after he thought she was in danger. So, you know but still, like, she's been running for her life this entire episode. She has no idea that Gullickson's after her. She thinks this is

Eric: 2:07:51

all I her don't think that's true. I think she does know. I think I think she thought that the 2 guys that Kendall hired were working for Gullickson. Oh. We we have a hint that Gullickson's been after her for a while. In fact, we had it already when when he and Ivory and the other guy are talking about, you know, how do we find her? It's not working out as you said, and we keep doing what we were trying to do. We just keep working trying to find her. They've been after it for a while.

Speaker 1: 2:08:25

Right. But I don't think

Eric: 2:08:25

she was gonna why she called Kendall when she did. Because Kendall says, he didn't send the the hire the cops to go find her until after she called him. I But think this

Speaker 1: 2:08:35

she thought he did it. That's why she called him. She because Kendall said that she called him crying and calling him all sorts of names. She has no idea because they don't know Gullickson's involved. Even Kendall doesn't know Gullickson's involved until he sees the the picture in the newspaper. So she would have no idea because he he's a coworker of Kendall's.

Eric: 2:08:54

Well, that's true. Okay.

Speaker 1: 2:08:55

Right? So she thinks

Eric: 2:08:56

I that her husband I just still think that she's she's bailing without she she's bailing prematurely. And she doesn't really give any indication here that they've made any efforts to solve the problem other than I'm going to leave. Don't follow me.

Speaker 1: 2:09:15

I think the whole calling him crying and calling him all sorts of names. Like, if you really But that happened after she left. Right. But if you really think that your husband is capable of sending people after you just because you wanted to go away for a couple of months on your own, then there is something really, really, like and if she's fearing for her life, that's 1 of those things, or fearing for her safety. I'm not even saying for her life. Like, if he's been so possessive of her that she's starting to fear for, like, her own safety, that's not the kind of thing that you'd that you'd try to do, Counsel. That's the kind of thing where you're like, I'm gonna get away from here and see if if my fight or flight response calms down. And if it does, then maybe I'm making too much of this. If it doesn't, I'm I'm I'm and I I need to put some some miles between us. It's just the way she

Eric: 2:10:03

puts it. We love each other, but it doesn't work for me. I mean, that that's that says I'm I'm bailing. I I I really don't have that much commitment to the relationship to to wanna work on it. That's what that says to me. Yeah.

Speaker 1: 2:10:19

To me, it says And

Eric: 2:10:20

that's that's her own words. We love each other, but it's not working for me.

Speaker 1: 2:10:24

But his own words, right, that she said she he was too possessive, maybe she's right, which is why I promised not to contact her. And then

Eric: 2:10:32

But possessive isn't the same thing as as threatening one's safety. That's that's

Speaker 1: 2:10:38

It but it it's sort of it's on the way it it's it if you look at the steps of, like, a an abusive relationship, it doesn't all start at once. Right? Like,

Eric: 2:10:47

I doesn't understand that. But what I'm saying is that, okay, he's he's maybe taken 1 step toward that. And so rather than go to counseling, rather than talk to him about it, try and get it, you know, work through it and get him to see what he's doing, she fails. She says, I'm done because you've taken 1 step out of

Speaker 1: 2:11:09

a 100 that's gonna take you over to there, and there's no way I'm gonna stop you from from going there. So I'm just gonna leave and decide if I really wanna stay in this relationship instead of trying to work on it and trying to make you see what I'm you know, I'm just gonna scream at you and tell you you're possessive and then walk out. This might be a male female thing. It's like, again, if you've got somebody who's telling, like, when when she says possessive, here's what I'm assuming, right? Wanting to know where she is every minute of the day. If she wants to go somewhere, who are you with? Why are you going there? Can I come with you? Can I be there? Like, basically, jealousy, that kind of thing.

Eric: 2:11:45

That kind

Speaker 1: 2:11:45

of thing

Eric: 2:11:46

That could be a misinterpretation of things on her part.

Speaker 1: 2:11:49

Right. That

Eric: 2:11:50

He he does say, okay. Well, maybe I am. But it could still be as as much an misinterpretation on her part as it is him also being possessive. It could be on both halves.

Speaker 1: 2:12:04

If you are coming from any sort of background and I we don't know anything about this character. So this is 1 of these things where had we been given more information on both of them, we might be able to be make better interpretations. But if she is coming from any sort of background of abuse Mhmm. This would be the first thing that would be the red flag. I gotta get out. Right? I don't know. We don't know anything

Eric: 2:12:27

about Again, that's that is her interpretation of something where when all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. So everything she sees if in that scenario is everything everything that she sees from anybody, it's abuse. It's abuse. I I'm fearing for abuse. Well, no. That's not necessarily what it was. That's your interpretation because of okay. Maybe it's because of your background, And so that's understandable. But again, that's why you start talking about it. That's why maybe you go get some counseling so you can talk about it and see how much you're contributing to the problem, how much they're contributing to the problem. And both of you can start recognizing how much you're contributing to the problem and then start working on the problem instead of saying, well, I'm gonna just walk

Speaker 1: 2:13:13

off and and you better fix yourself while I'm gone. I'm perfect. Gotta fix yourself. Okay. She doesn't say any of that, though.

Eric: 2:13:20

She No. But that's that's kind of the implication there.

Speaker 1: 2:13:23

We also don't know that they didn't go to counseling. We don't know that they didn't do those things. She she basically and it's fair to say, like, I need to have some space to think. And if if this person is being too possessive, having that space to think about, well, what am I feeling? How how is this affecting my ability to communicate with this person is maybe a better way to then come back to it and say, okay. Now, let's sit down and work things out. I've had some time because it's hard when you're in the like, it's it's say you're in a big fight with your spouse, right? And when we talked about this with sensitive Steele, you're in this moment where you're screaming at 1 another, and sometimes it's better to say, you know what? I need to walk away because this can we're not communicating. We're But not see, that kind of walk away Yeah.

Eric: 2:14:10

That kind of walk away is, okay. I need 5, 10, 15 minutes, maybe a couple of hours to calm down and settle down and adjust my thinking and get myself under control. But you've gone past that. When you say, I I wanna go away. I wanna leave for an extended period. I wanna leave for a month. You've gone past that. You you you you are no longer in this I need to calm down and settle down. You need to calm down and settle down, and then we can discuss it mode. This is, I'm walking out and then I'm gonna decide if I ever wanna come back.

Speaker 1: 2:14:44

I mean, you've somebody

Eric: 2:14:45

entirely that's an entirely different scenario. Hovering.

Speaker 1: 2:14:48

Like, if you've got somebody hovering over you and you can't breathe and you're legitimately not able to communicate with them, taking that space might help to get like those that perspective back to figure out who you are as a person before you go back to that other person and say, okay. Either I wanna make this work or I don't wanna make this work. But I don't think at any point she says that she wasn't planning to go back. She just said she needed to get away for a bit. And somebody commented says, I have a feeling these 2 would have been fine if they hadn't gotten married. That's fair. I

Eric: 2:15:19

mean, we really love each other, but it wasn't working for me. That to me says

Speaker 1: 2:15:25

But it doesn't say she doesn't wanna fix it. She just says, like, at that point, it wasn't working.

Eric: 2:15:29

Yeah. It it implies I'm deciding whether I want to try to fix it or if I just wanna bail. I mean, that's what it's not working for me means is I don't like this situation. Do I wanna continue to fix it or do I want do I wanna just walk off and leave it? And to me, that's not that's not

Speaker 1: 2:15:48

That's that's that everybody would have to ask themselves. Like, you're in you know, if you're in a marriage that's genuinely not working and or you feel

Eric: 2:15:55

that that person talking about it, how do you know if you want to continue to work on it or not? You you just basically left, and you've you've you've set yourself up to do nothing but leave.

Speaker 1: 2:16:07

But if that

Eric: 2:16:07

person set yourself up to come back and resolve the issue.

Speaker 1: 2:16:11

If the problem was that you're seeing too much of that person, then having that space can help redefine things. Right? Like, that's for a

Eric: 2:16:20

day or 2, but not not for a month or more. That's that's just that's that's it's over. We just haven't admitted it yet.

Speaker 1: 2:16:30

Plus, I think if you genuinely believe you're supposed to be capable of sending men after you, then there's something that's more toxic to the relationship than we are seeing in this conversation.

Eric: 2:16:42

And again, it could be in her mind based on, you know, whatever in her past has created this mentality in her that says, well, this is this is

Speaker 1: 2:16:54

I just know that, like, if I if I said to Scott, I'm leaving for a month, and then somebody came after me, my initial thought would not be, oh, he sent men to to come after me. Like, that's not how I would think, because he's not that kind of person. But if Kendall has been smothering her possessive, not letting her have space to breathe and also, this is the eighties. If she

Eric: 2:17:15

thinks Kendall has been smothering her. If she thinks that Kendall is this kind of a person.

Speaker 1: 2:17:20

He admits that that she's right. He says he's too possessive. He admits to that 1. Well,

Eric: 2:17:28

he says maybe she was right, but he's he's not fully admitting that she's not with, that she's that he's totally responsible and she's not without without I'm

Speaker 1: 2:17:37

not saying she's not without fault. I'm just saying that if somebody is if you are in conflict with somebody 24 7 and you can't resolve it in that moment and keep in mind, this is the eighties. If you suggest to a man in the eighties to go to marital counseling, most of them are gonna laugh you out of the room. It was not a it

Eric: 2:17:55

I don't know. Were you a man in the eighties?

Speaker 1: 2:17:57

No. But I counseling of any form is something that is more and more it's it's becoming more and more acceptable now, but the concept of therapy back then was considered to be something that only bougie people do. And even then, only bougie really, really rich people do. And even then, only bougie really, really rich people without any actual real problems do. There was a stigma attached to therapy and a stigma attached to, like, stuff like that. So I don't see that as being something that most people would even suggest, much less attempt.

Eric: 2:18:31

Well, anyway, I I I disagree. I think I think she's I think she's

Speaker 1: 2:18:38

Email us.

Eric: 2:18:39

Already made made up her mind and she's decided to try and write the whole thing off. But anyway, back in the episode. Jones says that Kendall had promised that she could get away for a while without him interfering. So she left New York to go to San Diego because she loves athletics and it's a great town for it. And my question is, why would San Diego be better than New York or say anywhere else for training? I mean, New York, you've got Central Park where muggers will motivate you to run faster and farther than you ever have before just to keep from getting killed. I mean, what could be better motivation for running than that? And what is it about San Diego? What is so great about San Diego when

Speaker 1: 2:19:16

it comes to San Diego? I don't specifically, but I I I and I think there is somebody that was listening that is from there or loves San Diego, so please let us know. But I would suggest that maybe the weather of California is the motivator because you can't. If if you're running, if you're a runner, the only way you can run during the winter is if you find an indoor facility to do it. And that's less that's not like the same as running on pavement. But

Eric: 2:19:39

why San Diego specifically? I don't know.

Speaker 1: 2:19:41

I don't

Eric: 2:19:42

I mean, you could have picked Los Angeles. You could have picked Miami or, you know, anyone, you know

Speaker 1: 2:19:47

Maybe there's a lot

Eric: 2:19:48

of places. Albuquerque, whatever. I mean, there's lots of places. But she chose San Diego specifically, and I'm just wondering why that makes why San Diego so much better for athletics and training than, you know, some other place.

Speaker 1: 2:20:01

I just googled it, and apparently, San Diego is a premier destination for runners, offering a vast diverse network of pathways, including flat coastal boardwalks, bayfront trails, urban park paths, and inland canyon dirt walls. Popular spots include the 13 mile Bayshore Bikeway, scenic Mission Bay Pass, and varied trails of Balboa Park. It's Okay. The city's year round temperature weather makes it ideal for running with numerous group runs, including the November project and local running clubs. So that's guess was weather, but apparently, there's also and the reason why I suggested, like, pass because somebody said too many Yankees fans, is because the city that I'm from, London, Ontario, is known as the Forest City because we have the most trees per square meter or something like that in any city in Canada. Like, there's so much green space, and we have an interconnected series of paths through the river and around the city that you can pretty much get most places without actually having to encounter a street if you're so So, like, London's a pretty good space for that kind of a thing as well. Although we have a winter, so that whole running in the winter thing, not really a not not a popular thing to do. But, yeah, that was nice.

Eric: 2:21:09

You know, it's funny though because we have people that ride bicycles year round up here.

Speaker 1: 2:21:15

Yep. Same. We do too.

Eric: 2:21:16

It's it's just It's weird. You know, and if you're gonna if you're gonna ride a bicycle year round, I guess people could run year round regardless of the weather.

Speaker 1: 2:21:24

They could. They don't. They could. Anyway

Eric: 2:21:28

Yeah. Joan tells Steele that she just wanted to train and try to forget about things for a while. But then her friend told her that 2 men came looking for her, and she confirms that it was a black guy and a Latino guy. Now back with Laura, Kendall is explaining that Joan had called him out of the blue, crying and calling him all sorts of names. He tried to calm her down, but all she could say is, how would I send people after her? Kendall said it didn't make any sense. I mean, after all, who would be after his wife? So he hired some people to find her and to try to find out what was going on. And Laura asks, well, then why the James Bond routine at the triathlon? Kendall jerks his head toward the sultan of sloth saying that it was their idea. They they were supposed to just contact her and bring her to Kendall because he thought that she would run away if she saw him first. And Laura scolded him saying that she doesn't agree with what he did, but then with a more sympathetic tone says that she does understand why he did it. Well, the pinstriped patriot is fed up with the insults and demeaning comments, such as a yucky's fan should be used to buy them.

Speaker 1: 2:22:33

Get a list of like all of I just

Eric: 2:22:38

And with a surly tone, he asks Laura if he can have his gun back. Annoyed, Laura pulls it out of her purse and hands it back. Not any happier than he was a moment before when he didn't have his gun Mhmm. The New York No star tells Kendall he's gonna go find his partner and that he's gonna send Kendall a bill. Kendall isn't surprised. He shakes his head, then frets that he can't believe how badly he screwed up. Laura assures him that he's not the 1 that set all this in motion. And when mister Steele returns with Joan, perhaps they can figure out what's going on. Steele and Joan are concluding their discussion with Joan asking Steele if he really thinks that her husband, Alan, didn't have anything to do with those 2 men in San Diego. At Steele's confirmation, she shakes her head realizing that perhaps she's been unfair. Oh, imagine that. She's been unfair. Anyway, see, I win. Steele tells her that they can go back together and get in touch with her husband and the 2 of them

Speaker 1: 2:23:32

can Teddy.

Eric: 2:23:36

They can get in touch with her husband and then the 2 of them can work it out. He starts to stand and then freezes, groaning in pain, then finally getting to his feet, and the parrot began to walk back toward the main terminal. But as they enter the tunnel to retrace their previous path, they are confronted by Gullock's son and the third clown, not realizing that they're trapped with Ivory behind them. They turn, see Ivory, and Steele charges the man, trying to bowl him over. But Ivory grabs Steele and tosses him aside, But Steele gets back up with Ivory's help and punches him. But Gullickson and the other enforcer attack Steele from behind, and the 2 heavies continue to beat down. Gullickson yells at them to forget about Steele. They want the girl, and she's getting away.

Speaker 1: 2:24:18

This is head injury number 2 in this episode alone, and then look at the past episode. Like, him getting conked on the head every other second. This poor man, like

Eric: 2:24:30

Yeah. He'd be wearing a helmet all the time.

Speaker 1: 2:24:32

What? So I'm thinking of his head right now, like that helmet in the hockey museum in Saint Catharines. And I'm trying to remember the player, but there it it's 1 of the first goaltenders to wear a helmet. And I know this is ridiculously like, it's dumb to even think that a goaltender wouldn't wear a helmet. But earlier days in hockey, they didn't wear helmets. None of the players wore helmets. And this particular goaltender, again, the name escapes me at the moment, decided to start wearing a helmet and made little marks on his on his helmet every time puck hit his helmet. And this helmet is in the hockey Jacques Plante. Thank you. There's a Canadian in our comment section. I love it. He made a little x on his helmet every time he got hit with a puck, and that helmet is in the Saint Catherine's Hockey Museum, or was not a hockey. It's just a museum. And you can see all the x's, like, all over this helmet. And you're like, that's mister Steele's head. It's like, he's got x's, metaphorical little x's. Oh, no. Sorry. This person says that was Jerry Cheevers with the Stitches mask. Yeah. Like, it just that's mister Steele's head, is what I'm trying to say. It's like all over his he's been hit so many times in so many places that someday, you know, he's gonna have an x-ray done on his brain, and the the doctors are gonna be like, what do you do for a living? What's wrong with you? Anyway

Eric: 2:26:02

Well, we have a time jump, and we're at the office. Laura's sitting on Steele's desk fretting and worried. Sandra is sitting on the edge of the desk as well. Kendall is pacing. The phone rings. Everybody's attention is grabbed by it. Laura frantically reaches for it, stands as she hopefully answers it, but it's not Steele, it's his tailor calling to tell him that his suit is ready. Yeah. He needs 1. He's he's He's lost his jacket several

Speaker 1: 2:26:27

times a day.

Eric: 2:26:29

Kendall looks at his watch, says it's been 4 hours since he's disappeared along with Joan. Mildred comes in carrying a newspaper and several other sheets of paper and announces hopefully that she's thinks she's got something. She's found several references to an athlete named Thomas Ivory, a former world class sprinter before he got involved in blood doping scandal about 5 years ago. So Blood doping, Laura asks.

Speaker 1: 2:26:52

I looked into this because I was really curious. I hadn't really I've heard of steroids, but I had never heard of the term blood doping. Mhmm. So I I looked it up, and it is the misuse of certain techniques and or substances to increase one's red blood cell mass, which allows the body to transport more oxygen to muscles and therefore increases stamina and performance. There are 3 widely known substances or methods used for blood doping, and I'm gonna butcher these. Erythropietin, synthetic oxygen carriers, and blood transfusions. Each is prohibited under the WADA prohibited list. So that's I'm looking at Sport Integrity Canada, when I looked that up. And I had just never heard of like, the idea of of basically, like, supercharging your blood. I mean, does it is that something that still happens a lot? Or

Eric: 2:27:43

Well, 1 of the techniques, otolongus autologous transfusion, I mispronounced that, I'm sure. Yeah. Called ABD for short, uses blood transfusions to increase your red blood cell. It involves drawing your own blood weeks or months before competition, storing it, and then reinfusing it back into your body before the event. And using your own blood makes it harder to detect. And this was, I believe, along with other methods, including designer steroids, 1 of the performance enhancement methods that Lance Armstrong used during all of his all of his Tour de France appearances. Yeah. I know that

Speaker 1: 2:28:23

he got his actually, I've I'm looking at Wikipedia now, and I'm I'm seeing yeah. There's a few cyclists that have gotten caught doing this. In fact, it's a lot of mainly cyclists because it says blood doping started in the late 60s, but wasn't outlawed until 1986. So this year, actually, that this episode took place is when blood doping was actually started to be counted as illegal. While it was still legal, it was commonly used by middle and long distance runners. The first known case of blood doping occurred at the 19 80 Summer Olympics in Moscow as Carlo Menica was transfused with 2 pints of blood before winning medals in the 5 and 10 kilometer track races, though this was not against the rules at the time. Cyclist, Jupe Zutemelk admitted to receiving blood transfusions during the 19 76 Tour de France, while he finished second, although he claimed that these were intended to treat his anemia rather than enhance his performance. In the same year, cyclist friend Chescoe Moser used blood transfusions to prepare for a successful attempt to break the hour record. It was banned by the International Olympic Committee in 1985. So at this point, it would have been banned in the Olympics, though no test existed for it at the time. So, yeah, like, and they've got a list of cyclists that have all been caught doing this. That just seems like so much trouble to go through to get an edge on your performance.

Eric: 2:29:35

There's big bucks involved. I mean, look

Speaker 1: 2:29:37

at all the money

Eric: 2:29:38

that Lance Armstrong made. And

Speaker 1: 2:29:40

Yeah. That's true.

Eric: 2:29:41

After his initial denials, Lance Armstrong eventually admitted that in every 1 of his Tour de France wins, he he cheated.

Speaker 1: 2:29:49

I don't know. See, for me personally, I can't imagine feeling any pride in that. I really can't imagine. Like, if you've deliberately given yourself an edge that you otherwise wouldn't have had and then you win. Mhmm. I get that there are people that just want the win. They don't really care whether or not they deserve the win. But for me, I I don't want the win if I don't deserve the win. Like, that doesn't See,

Eric: 2:30:12

by definition, if you cheated, you didn't win because you can only win if you're playing the game according to the rules. No.

Speaker 1: 2:30:20

I know that. I agree that. But I agree with that. But a lot of these people that cheat,

Eric: 2:30:25

they don't

Speaker 1: 2:30:25

see it that way. They see it as I know. I've got the medal, and therefore, won. Whereas for me, would I would always know there'd always be that knowledge in myself Mhmm. That I shouldn't have this thing. I shouldn't have these awards. I don't deserve this accolade because I didn't actually win it. So I don't know. I it just Yeah.

Eric: 2:30:44

And and they they justify it a lot of times, like the, the use of steroids. Yeah. Because technically, the steroids don't they don't make you stronger. What happens is the steroids allow your body to recover after a workout faster, allowing you to do more workout, more strenuous workout in a shorter amount of time, which allows you to build up muscle more quickly than you would ordinarily. So the the steroids didn't actually give you the more muscle. They just allowed you to develop more muscle more quickly. And so people, like you say, all they all they are interested in is, well, I got the medal. I got the the World Series ring, whatever. And they justify it by saying, well, it really didn't build the muscle. It just helped my body recover more quickly so I could recover them.

Speaker 1: 2:31:33

So, okay. Since you mentioned steroids, because they do mention steroids later on, right? I looked this up too, and this is what kills me because like the the all the trouble you'd have to go through for this blood doping, right? Transfusions are drawing your blood. Like, that seems literally insane to me, but even more insane, okay, are steroids. Because I looked up, you know, what what how do they affect your performance and what are their negative effects, right? I had this link in my notes. And as you just said, steroids increase muscle protein synthesis and reduce muscle tissue breakdown. They've shown that even without exercise, men receiving testosterone injections gained significantly in body mass. They allow muscles to recover faster from the strain of high intensity workouts, enabling more frequent and intense training sessions. And some steroids can increase red blood cell production, potentially delivering more oxygen to muscles and enhancing endurance. They also have like, they also boost confidence and competitiveness, which is often referred to as the roid rage, which can lead to higher intensity training. But here's the negative effects. Okay? Associated with high blood pressure, decreased good cholesterol, increased bad cholesterol, heart attacks and strokes. Okay? And if that's not bad enough, oral steroids in particular can cause liver damage, tumors, blood filled cysts, which sounds bubonic plagi, but also they can cause testicular shrinkage, reduced sperm count, infertility, breast development. Why would you do this to yourself? Like, I don't

Eric: 2:33:04

Well, our 1 of our commenters has has an explanation. Ben Johnson said he only cheated because Carl Lewis was doing it.

Speaker 1: 2:33:10

This is actually and and that's not not totally off the mark either because so many sports have, like, a don't ask, don't tell approach to some of those types of performance enhancers. So Mhmm. A lot of athletes feel compelled to do so because others are doing so, and therefore

Eric: 2:33:28

It's the only way to level the playing field.

Speaker 1: 2:33:30

Yeah. Yeah. Which is is not that's horrible because then everybody's cheating, and nobody's like, your penis is shrinking. I'm sorry, but, like, I can't I can't I can't can't fathom caring so much about winning a race that I'm drawing my blood storing it in a freezer. If I'm a dude growing boobs because apparently, it's gonna help my anyway, it's hard enough shopping for a bra. Don't give yourself that problem.

Eric: 2:34:05

Well, anyway, after Laura asks what blood doping is, Sandra explains that it is when athletes supercharge the blood in order to get better performances. She shakes her head saying that some athletes will do anything to get that extra edge at especially at that level. And Laura is shocked, then after a moment, congratulates Mildred on her work. Mildred says she has a couple more articles, but they don't really add much. As Laura is flipping through the articles and clippings, Kendall spots something. A photo taken from a drug abuse conference shows Joe Gullixson, their company's public relations director standing next to Ivory. Laura spots the man on the other side of Gullixson, Cesar Aguilai Aguilai Argueira.

Speaker 1: 2:34:47

Something like that. Yeah.

Eric: 2:34:49

The Argentinian soccer captain. She speculates that perhaps that's the man with whom mister Steelhead has run-in earlier. And Mildred asks what this all means. Laura shrugs, but Kendall jumps in saying he thinks he knows. He explains that he's a chemical engineer researching steroids and that they have probably heard about steroids because a lot of athletes have been using them to bulk up. It's very controversial because of the side effects, but a few months ago, Kendall inadvertently developed a formula for a steroid that cannot be detected by blood tests. It had no bearing on his research, but he joked with Gullixson about it. The point he concludes with is that it would be worth a fortune on the black market for athletes.

Speaker 1: 2:35:28

So steroids as well were not made illegal in sports yet, I don't think. They were 1 of those things where they were considered or like illegal period. I think they were let's see. Anabolic steroids were yeah. Okay. So they were officially banned by the Olympic Committee, but I don't okay. They weren't considered controlled substances yet. That's the difference. Okay. I was trying to figure it out because I remember there was like in the mid eighties, mid to late eighties controversy over that, and they didn't actually make them controlled substances until 1990. So Mhmm. The Olympics had already banned them. They said whether they're controlled or not controlled, they're they're cheating. 1973, the NCAA banned performance enhancing drugs. 1975, the IOC added anabolic steroids to its banned substances list. 1976, they started steroid testing at the Olympic Games in Montreal. 1987, the NFL begins testing for steroids, and then by 1990, they were made controlled substances. In 2003, Major League Baseball implements wide league testing. And 1 of the commenters here said that it got out of hand in baseball as well. So Yeah. At this point

Eric: 2:36:33

In 1991, Commissioner Faye Vincent had formally banned steroids from baseball. But, yeah, they didn't they they basically had a head in the sand attitude about it until they finally had to start testing in 2003.

Speaker 1: 2:36:48

Yeah. But So I yeah. I guess a steroid that can't be detected would be

Eric: 2:36:53

Well, and that's that's been

Speaker 1: 2:36:54

It's like the cookie that doesn't have any calories. Right?

Eric: 2:36:57

Well, but but see, that's the the things that have been being developed over the last 20 or 30 years is Yeah. These companies are dedicated. I mean, they've got multimillion dollar research projects to develop these nondetectable steroids. Now eventually, the powers that be come up with tests to detect these things. In fact, it may be the same companies creating the the steroids come up with the tests. That way they they make money on both ends of it. But, yeah, there are companies out there that have, for the last 20 or 30 years, been developing steroids that for at least a period of time cannot be detected by any of the current tests. And it's an ongoing,

Speaker 1: 2:37:41

you know, thing. I just Googled it because I was curious, and and to be fair, this is the AI overview, but it's taken from PubMed Central. While all anabolic steroids are banned in professional sports, there are steroids and performance enhancing drugs that can be difficult or temporarily impossible to detect. These are typically referred to as designer steroids or designer drugs, synthetic compounds specifically engineered to mimic the effects of known steroids while lacking the chemical markers that standard drug tests look for. So, yeah. Yep. They can do it, it's just they probably don't work as long as they would need to work, and you'd eventually be able to find them somehow.

Eric: 2:38:18

Yeah. Well, anyway, Laura surmises that Joan is an innocent dupe being used by Gullickson and his friends as ransom in exchange for the formula. Frustrated, Kendall rhetorically asks, where is she? Mildred makes an aside comment to Loris saying, speaking about missing persons, where's the boss? Where the boss is is wandering the streets. He's slightly disheveled, no jacket, tie loose. Yeah. He spots a phone booth and walks to it. And apparently, he's changed his philosophy with regard to carrying coins because he reaches into his pocket and pulls out

Speaker 1: 2:38:53

several points for the

Eric: 2:38:54

phone, which he then feeds into the phone and then dials. And of course, we can guess that he's calling the agency, especially when after a moment of waiting, says, bet you thought I'd run off with another woman,

Speaker 1: 2:39:05

I I like this phone conversation. I also like how worried she was about him at the beginning of the scene because I mean, we joke about her not caring about his head injuries, but he's been gone for 4 hours, and you can see how on edge she is when it comes to, like, answering the phone and stuff like that. So hearing from him, this is cute, this little banter between them, I love it. Mhmm.

Eric: 2:39:25

Yeah. Well, at first, Laura expresses her thankfulness at his apparent well-being and then asks what happened and where he is. He reports that he had caught up with John Kendall. Everything was fine until the 2 thugs that he'd previously encountered appeared, telling her, we played Red Rover. I lost. Which doesn't make sense to me because unless he's referencing a different game than I've heard of, or they play it differently in The UK, what happened there was not Red Rover.

Speaker 1: 2:39:54

So what is it for you? Because I know what my husband he he's referenced it.

Eric: 2:39:59

You you you get 2 teams of of players. They stand in line, basically holding hands, you know, hand to hand, and you make a chain of people standing in line. And then 1 player from the other side gets called over, and they try to run and break through the line.

Speaker 1: 2:40:17

Yeah. Yeah.

Eric: 2:40:19

What does that have to do with getting beat So

Speaker 1: 2:40:21

I'm wondering, like yeah. I don't know. I'm guessing, like, maybe he couldn't break he's he couldn't break through the line and he got knocked back. But it's funny because in The UK, they don't even call it Red Rover. So that was another thing that that confused me a little bit because they usually refer to it as as British Bulldog, or less that's what my husband has called it. Mhmm. So unless there's parts of The UK that do use Red Rover, I don't know. But he my husband's always referred we we've had conversations where I'm like, what is British Bulldog? You keep calling this thing, you know, talking about this, and he explained it. I'm like, oh, he played Red Rover. So Mhmm. I don't know, maybe just he got knocked out because he couldn't break through the line. I don't know. It's it's not a very good it makes it it's confusing.

Eric: 2:41:07

Yeah. Anyway, Laura asks if the thugs have Joan. He says, no. He doesn't think so. It looked to him as if Joan has substantial lead on the bad guys before his lights went out. But Laura had better come help him find her because no. But but Laura had better come to help him find her, telling her that he's on the corner of 17th And Sheraton. And, oh, by the way, please bring him a jacket.

Speaker 1: 2:41:32

I think maybe a t shirt might be an order at this point. Just get rid of the jacket altogether.

Eric: 2:41:38

Laura assures him that they're on their way and then urges him not to do anything reckless in the meantime. Seal responds that he might just to annoy her.

Speaker 1: 2:41:45

Just to annoy her. That's cute married couple banter. I love that line. Like, I might just to annoy you.

Eric: 2:41:53

Well, next we see Gullickson, Ivory, and Arguello walking the streets of a rough looking neighborhood looking for Joan. And they walk past what I suppose is a fenced in garbage lot. I don't know. But then after they pass, we see Joan stand up from behind the garbage and let herself out, then run the opposite direction. Back at the office, Mildred is opening correspondence, and the phone rings. She answers it, then after a moment tells the caller to slow down. And we see that it is Joan calling, and she's asking where Steele is. She needs to talk to him and identifies herself as Joan Kendall. Mildred tells her that they're out looking for her, then asks for her address, but there's no answer. Mildred recognizes that the line is still open Yep. But no Joan. Then we see the phone receiver dangling, and Joan is nowhere to be seen. Then we see Ivory across the street. He seems to have spotted the phone and begins walking toward it. Next, Laura Kendall and Sandra are arriving in the rabbit to meet Remington. Laura gets out dressed in a blue sweat outfit. It seems familiar. She hands Steele the leather jacket, that leather jacket that you love so Yeah.

Speaker 1: 2:43:05

Okay. So I I I love the whole decoy thing, Laura in the blue sweatsuit. Did she go to did they stop at Walmart for her to buy it? Did she just have it in her closet? Like, it seems awfully convenient that she managed to have the exact same blue sweatshirt and blue sweatpants that Jones got on. Yeah.

Eric: 2:43:25

It just you know, maybe she did. Maybe she had them in the closet. Maybe she stopped by the store. Who knows? Yeah. Anyway Yeah. She hands the leather jacket to him, telling him it was the best she could do on short notice. She looks him over

Speaker 1: 2:43:38

like that jacket.

Eric: 2:43:40

Yeah. Hoping he loses it as he's running after somebody this time. Yes. She looks him over taking into taking in his condition and then complaining, what am I gonna do with you?

Speaker 1: 2:43:50

I don't know. This seemed that sounded affectionate to me, like, oh, what am I gonna do with you? You keep getting

Eric: 2:43:55

beat Yeah. It it is. Anyway, Steele spots Kendall and says, Al and Kendall, I presume. They shake hands, and Kendall begins to apologize to Steele, but Steele stops him telling them that they'll exchange regrets later. But right now, they need to fan out and look for his wife. Laura says that what they should do is flush out Ivory and the others before they can get to Joan. And suspiciously, Steele asks how they're gonna do that.

Speaker 1: 2:44:20

He's taken 1 too many shots to the head. She's wearing the sweatsuit. Come

Eric: 2:44:24

on, man. Like,

Speaker 1: 2:44:27

you're not that dense. I know you're not that dense. She shows up in the exact same outfit. She's been mistaken for Joan already.

Eric: 2:44:34

This this may be deliberate ignorance just to get her to admit what she's you know I I think I know what you're thinking, but surely you can't be thinking what you're thinking. So tell me, what are you thinking? You know? And don't call me Shirley. Anyway, Laura puts on a headband and answers, by giving them another Joan to follow. And concerned at the risks, he asks if she really intends to go out as a decoy. Well, why not? It's a good idea. It worked once. They can do it again. Asteel leads her off to the side and then once again points out her double standards with regard to their comparative behaviors asking, Laura, how is it when I do something dangerous, it's reckless, but when you do something suicidal, it's a good idea?

Speaker 1: 2:45:19

I don't know about that because he's been bait a lot. So at this point, like, I don't necessarily think that

Eric: 2:45:26

But it's but it's always her idea.

Speaker 1: 2:45:28

Yeah. It is always her idea.

Eric: 2:45:30

But he's right. If if he if he ever came up with such an idea, she would just.

Speaker 1: 2:45:35

Oh, sure. Yeah. Girl math. Yeah. But, god, you think he'd be relieved that this time he's not bait.

Eric: 2:45:43

Well, yes and no. I mean, he's he's relieved he's not he's not real happy that she is. But again, Laura having no answer, she swerves to avoid answering by saying, this is no time to argue, Samantha.

Speaker 1: 2:45:56

Plus, I don't think he would look half as good in that blue sweatsuit, so

Eric: 2:46:00

That's true too. And he just doesn't have the figure for it. Anyway Exactly. As he watches Laura move off, Kendall turns to Steele and evaluates, strong woman. And strong is what comes to mind

Speaker 1: 2:46:12

of being Steele.

Eric: 2:46:13

Then he and Kendall and Sandra began following Laura at a walking pace. Well, we then see shots of Joan nervously wandering through the streets and alleys looking over her shoulder, peering into the shadows because it's dark now. And it's been that long since they've been out looking for her. Galloxon, Ivory, and Arguello strike are striding down the streets and through the alleys looking for Joan. We see Laura walking through a warehouse area, Steele following behind, and Kendall teamed up with Sandra.

Speaker 1: 2:46:42

Okay. I love this scene. I love this scene. This scene is so atmospheric Mhmm. And it's so, like, tense and suspenseful. The score music, yes, it's eighties. It is so eighties.

Eric: 2:46:57

Oh, yeah. I got that noted in here. I hate that music.

Speaker 1: 2:47:01

Oh, no. I love it. I love it. It's got this very synth

Eric: 2:47:04

noir. Eighties cop show or Magnum PI vibe. It's definitely not a Steele style. It's totally inappropriate for the show.

Speaker 1: 2:47:12

I I whether that's true or not. I love it. I love I love how it feels like so, like, you can picture the way that the air is like overly hot and the way that the like night sounds are around. Like, it's just it's very visceral, and I I love the whole scene. Like, I just the the shots of the train yard, the it reminds me of there's a movie called Judgment Night. I don't know if you've ever seen it, but it's got Cuba Gooding Junior, I Think. Emilio Estevez, Jeremy Piven, and Steven Dorf. And it's oh, and and Dennis Leary, he plays the villain. And it's about these 4 guys that are going to a boxing match in Chicago, and they rent this their buddy rents this gigantic RV that he's basically just told the dealer he was gonna buy it and got it for the night, so they could go see this fight. And they end up in a big traffic jam, and they get off on the wrong exit, they basically end up in like the slums of Chicago in a very dangerous area. And they see somebody get shot, and they they get stuck in an alleyway, and they find themselves running for their lives without the RV or any wheels or anything like that. And the whole movie is just like them out on the streets without anybody to turn to, without being able to find help or or get home. And this felt like that. Like, it just had that same feel of like impending danger. I I don't know. I loved it. Loved it. And

Eric: 2:48:37

I think I like the photography up to a point, and that point is when we start playing around with the trains.

Speaker 1: 2:48:43

I love that you see the train yard because it reminded me of Judgment Night because there's a train yard scene in Judgment Night. Now, obviously, that movie came out after Well this this episode aired, but I'll

Eric: 2:48:51

I'll talk about my issues with the trains. But I I don't like the music. I just absolutely despise it.

Speaker 1: 2:48:58

I love it. I love it.

Eric: 2:49:01

Anyway, we see Joan jogging between buildings, but she, in the process, bangs against the crowbar that is conveniently just happens to be Yeah. Sticking out in a most unnatural manner between pieces of old broken crates. And of course, the sound of it alerts Gullickson, Ivory, and Aguayo, who begin running toward the direction of the sound. Now Joan, realizing she's revealed her general location, quickly docks behind some crates hoping to hide. Gullixson, Ivory, and Arguello run up to the area where Joan is at, but they don't immediately see her. But they know she's there somewhere. They walk slowly, alert for any more sounds that would reveal Joan's exact location. They stop, stand, and look around. Now Ivory seems to have an instinct calling him toward Jones' hiding place. But suddenly, Arguello grabs Gullixson's arm and hollers, there she is. Gullixson tells him, let's not blow it this time. And then coming back to join the others, Ivory and the other 2 men began moving quickly toward their supposed quarry, unaware that they've been decoyed by Laura. In the meantime, Joan continues to crouch behind the the crouch behind the crates, having heard the men say, there she is, and fearing to be found any second. Laura continues to walk through the alley of the warehouse area, seemingly unaware of the approach of Gullocks and in its goons. Steele is out ahead of her direction of travel, hiding behind a large dumpster. Arguello is walking on a deck platform which passes by the dumpster where Steele's hiding as he paces Laura. As he passes the end of the dumpster, Steele reaches out, grabs his leg, knocking him down. And then he pulls him down to the ground and gives him what for. Then we see Gullixson walking past another dumpster filled with garbage and covered with several large portions of cardboard. Suddenly, Kendall jumps up out of the dumpster onto Gullickson, knocking him to the ground. Kendall landing on top of him. Then Kendall grabs a length of 2 by 4 off the ground beside him, stands for the best leverage, and then smashes the board down on Gullickson's head, knocking him out. And we see that Ivory is on the other side of the dumpster coming up behind Laura. Sandra runs out from her hiding place, then charges Ivory, attempting at least to slow him down. But Ivory's mama never taught him many manners, and he backhands Sandra across the face barely slow.

Speaker 1: 2:51:27

Yeah. He he hits her hard. Like, it wasn't even just like that was something that was kinda surprising in the sense that she's not even involved in like, she's just a random woman as far as they're aware.

Eric: 2:51:43

Mhmm.

Speaker 1: 2:51:43

Right? And he's just like like punching her in the face.

Eric: 2:51:47

Well, I guess he he is presuming that she's part of the the the setup trying

Speaker 1: 2:51:54

to Yeah.

Eric: 2:51:54

To trap them. But my question is, how did they get ahead? They had been behind Laura. How did they get ahead far enough that they could get into hiding places before the other 3 men followed. I it just again, it's just 1 of those things where you you look at it and say, how does how does that work? Anyway, let's see. Yes. Laura takes off on a run. Steele, who's still working over Aguero, notices Laura taking off and Ivory giving chase. So he gives the man 1 final punch, then takes off after Laura and Ivory, while Kendall runs over to check on Sandra.

Speaker 1: 2:52:32

Laura heads along well. If if if if Joan and Kendall break up, I think Sandra and and Ellen might work out.

Eric: 2:52:41

Laura heads for the train tracks running through the industrial area toward them, and then climbs the ladder onto a maintenance platform next to an Amtrak passenger car, putting the car between her and Ivory. Ivory arrives but can't find Laura, so he starts climbing up the end of the train car and climbs inside. And this is the car that's next to where Laura is hiding on that platform. And as we view it, it's on the left hand side of that platform. Important to note.

Speaker 1: 2:53:10

Yeah.

Eric: 2:53:10

Ivory arrives oh, yes. Steele arrives and not seeing either Laura or Ivory moves cautiously into the area, stopping near the car that Ivory had just climbed into. After a moment, he begins walking along the side of the car opposite of the platform where Laura is hiding. Laura climbs back down, then starts slowly walking alongside the train car, which has magically moved from the left side of the platform to the right side of the platform. Interesting how that works.

Speaker 1: 2:53:39

I I'm I'm doing the wave. I'm doing the wave. I love this scene too much. I'm doing the wave.

Eric: 2:53:48

Anyway, she's walking along the side of the car. Ivory suddenly pops out of the door. Laura turns and runs the opposite direction, and Ivory pops back inside. Laura looks back expecting to see Ivory and to gauge how far ahead she is of him, but he isn't there. So she stops running, does a few shuffle steps, then resumes moving slowly alongside the car. As she passes a window, we can see Ivory pacing her on the other side of the car.

Speaker 1: 2:54:16

I just got such a cool shot. How do you not love this? Like, the the shot

Eric: 2:54:20

of his feet. It's not that some of the shots aren't good shots. It's just they they totally mess up the the the orientation, the flow, the layout, the

Speaker 1: 2:54:34

I'm wondering if impression.

Eric: 2:54:35

It just

Speaker 1: 2:54:35

Some like, I'm wondering if there was some editing that that caused that to happen. Same with the the train platform. You know, like, wondering if some stuff got cut. Without seeing the original script, we have no way of knowing it. But I'm

Eric: 2:54:49

Well, without seeing the original film, we we really don't know.

Speaker 1: 2:54:51

But it

Eric: 2:54:52

just Yeah. To me, it looks like they just got very sloppy. They they were trying to set it up more for the look than for the logic. And I'm sorry. If the logic doesn't work, then all you've got is some nice photography. Anyway, that's just my 2¢. I'm right. So thank you. Anyway, as she comes to a door of the car, she pauses and looks around, and we see Ivory move past her position on the other side of the car, unbeknownst to Laura. And of course, Steele is still lurking about trying to find either Laura or Ivory. Suddenly, Ivory appears at the end of the car that Laura's standing next to. She jumps up into the car, then through it to the out the other side. Ivory races up to the entrance and follows suit. He begins chasing her down the tracks, but a train comes barreling along out of a tunnel straight at the 2 at a speed that is much higher than what would be allowed in a in in a municipal area. Okay. Fine. I'll hand wave it. Hand wave. Hand wave. Hand wave.

Speaker 1: 2:55:56

I don't know about that in terms of the speed because this is in really When

Eric: 2:56:00

a train yard like that, you do not go at that speed. And in a lot of places during in town, if you are in any kind of a populated area, they've got some pretty severe speed limits

Speaker 1: 2:56:10

on them. So the only reason I say that is because I'm I'm I'm looking it up here. Because London is 1 of those cities where we have, like, so many, like, train tracks going through Mhmm. The downtown core because it used to be like a major railroad city. Same with, St. Thomas was like the railroad capital of of Canada. Mhmm. And so, like, they're they just finally built the Adelaide Underpass, which people have been waiting for forever because that's the, Adelaide is 1 of the most, like, heavily trafficked streets, and it's also got a set of train tracks going past it. And if that train stops, because it's near the train yard, you're stuck there. Like, you're not going to work. You're stuck there. You live there now. So they finally built an underpass so that people could actually get down Adelaide even if there's a train. So I was just curious what they okay. So it did 40 to 80 kilometers an hour or 25 to 50 miles per hour for safety and traffic management.

Eric: 2:57:07

But not in a yard. But not in a yard.

Speaker 1: 2:57:10

Right. Okay.

Eric: 2:57:12

Because in a yard, you've got multiple sets of tracks. You've got trains moving in and out, moving, repositioning cars, repositioning engines. You've got people in that area working. You just don't have those kinds of speeds in a train yard. So anyway.

Speaker 1: 2:57:28

Well, in London, Ontario, we have trains going through the downtown core that are on fire. So we have we're a special case. There's a video of, like

Eric: 2:57:37

But they're not in the yard, though. You go you're No.

Speaker 1: 2:57:39

That's I mean, as long as they're not on fire while going through the yard. If they're on fire going through there's literally a video of it of a literally a CN rail train going through our downtown core, and it's like flaming. Yeah. And somebody are 1 of our commenters says, I worked in a CN freight yard, and there are speed restrictions. So fine. Eric is correct.

Eric: 2:58:00

Of course, I am.

Speaker 1: 2:58:02

Anyway happen occasionally.

Eric: 2:58:06

Anyway, Laura dives at Laura, knocking her out of the way. And, of course

Speaker 1: 2:58:10

Laura dives at Laura?

Eric: 2:58:11

No. Ivory. Did I see Laura? No. Ivory dives at Laura. You you I'm gonna use the famous Oh, wait. Wait. You know what I meant. Ivory dives at Laura, knocking her out of the way of the train and, of course, getting himself out of the way of the train too, and then he lands on top of her. He gets to his knees, ready to give her the business, but Steele comes racing up behind, large wrench in hand, and clobbers Ivory in the back of the head. As the Amtrak train rolls by, he gives Laura a hand getting up. She looks at him and inquires, what took you so long? Missed my train, is Steele's bad pun in response.

Speaker 1: 2:58:46

Yeah. That is a James Bond line if ever I've heard 1. Like, I know he was in contention to be Bond at this point, and they they like, this is where they were talking about it because it's towards the end of season 4. That is a we just watched, because we're rewatching all the Bond movies. We just watched The Spy Who Loved Me, and like, you know, the end scene where he's making out with agent xxxx, because of course, that's her name. You know, the rest of the the British secret service find him in the bed with her, and he's like, what what are you doing, double o 7? Just keeping the British end up, sir. Like, this is kind of a line.

Eric: 2:59:21

Yeah. It is kind of a bond

Speaker 1: 2:59:23

thing, Yeah. I

Eric: 2:59:24

Anyway, the next day, or perhaps some days later, Laura and Steele enter the office, and I hate her hair. Yeah. I love

Speaker 1: 2:59:31

this is this hair. Like, I like it when it's styled, when it's down and loose, like premium Steele. It's gorgeous there. Because they they have a little bit of a curl to her hair when she's on that balcony in that balcony Her hair is heavily styled in that scene, but it's not out to here. It doesn't look like she just went through a wind tunnel. Like, what is wrong? Like, there isn't a the ozone layer had a hole in it because of all the hairspray, and it's this is why. It just they don't need so much in her hair. Like, the dress that she's wearing is nice. She's worn that dress before. I like seeing clothing make a reappearance, except for Steele's leather jacket that can die in a fire. But like, this hair, it just it looks way too overdone

Eric: 3:00:23

Yes.

Speaker 1: 3:00:23

For what she's wearing.

Eric: 3:00:24

Well, and just the even

Speaker 1: 3:00:26

Just in general. Like, it doesn't suit her.

Eric: 3:00:28

Even if you take out the poofiness, just the

Speaker 1: 3:00:35

It's like square. It's got a square look

Eric: 3:00:37

to The whole

Speaker 1: 3:00:38

It's it's like Yeah. A

Eric: 3:00:39

style of it is just wrong.

Speaker 1: 3:00:40

Doesn't suit her face at all. I agree. No. Anyway,

Eric: 3:00:44

Mildred greets him with the question of how did it go? And grabbing a stack of mail from the desk and starting to thumb through it, Laura says, it went fine and that there are enough charges against Gullickson, Ivory, and Aguayo to keep them behind bars for a long time. Steele tells Mildred that she, of the happy ending school, will be pleased to know that Joan and Alan have reconciled. Yeah. Comment about the hair. Again, sadly, pretty normal in the eighties. Love her natural long hair seasons 1 and 2 better than anything. Yep.

Speaker 1: 3:01:14

Agree. Yeah. She looks gorgeous when it's just like either in a ponytail or just Natural. Like natural Yeah. Very much. Yes. Agreed.

Eric: 3:01:23

Anyway, Mildred acknowledges the happy news, then tells Laura that there's a package in her office. Laura looks at Steele, and with a smirk tells him to follow her.

Speaker 1: 3:01:33

I would just like to point out that Joan couldn't have had her foot too far out the door if they've reconciled. Well,

Eric: 3:01:44

this is quite some time later, and reconcile maybe a a an overly optimistic assessment. Anyway, Laura tells Steele to follow her. Laura doesn't or Steele doesn't move right away. He looks at Mildred and asks, why do I get the sinking feeling that I'm in for an unpleasant surprise?

Speaker 1: 3:02:02

Yeah. He looks worried.

Eric: 3:02:04

Mildred grins, tells him to relax. He'll get a lot of mileage out of

Speaker 1: 3:02:07

it. Should have been his first clue that he's not gonna want this present.

Eric: 3:02:14

Alsteel makes his way to the office, and then once inside closes the door behind him. Laura hands him a gift wrap box saying, you earned it. Steele grins like a kid at Christmas who believes he's about to get the best No. Present

Speaker 1: 3:02:27

He's not. No. He's not.

Eric: 3:02:28

He shakes it gently then removes the bow and wrapping to reveal what appears to be a shoebox. He looks at Laura, a look of concern on his face. Yeah. He takes

Speaker 1: 3:02:39

off He knows where he's headed.

Eric: 3:02:41

Looks in and frowns. Reaches in and pulls out a pair of running shoes. Yep. Smugly, she informs him that with a set routine and some self discipline, he should be able to run-in the next triathlon with her. He puts his arm around her, pulls her to him, still holding the shoes in the other hand, and unappreciatively tells her thanks, and then adds that pursuing her is all the exercise he needs. He leans forward to kiss her as he tosses the shoes over his shoulder and we freeze.

Speaker 1: 3:03:11

So I wonder here's my theory and see if you agree or disagree. Probably disagree, because that's how this episode seems to be going. But I don't think I think the the shoes were a joke. I think they were intended as a joke. I don't think she legitimately expected him to train and run with her in another triathlon. I think she knows him well enough to know that that's never gonna happen, and that it was kind of like an affectionate you've done so much running. Here are some shoes, you know, like, teasing 1 another. Maybe. But you can't tell

Eric: 3:03:44

me that she's not going to try to use that to oh, come on. You've got the shoes. Try running with me. You know, try to badger him into joining her. I mean, he's she's gonna do it. She's gonna do it.

Speaker 1: 3:03:56

Don't see I don't see I I don't see her doing it because I don't see I I don't see her thinking it would ever work. And and With

Eric: 3:04:04

enough badgering.

Speaker 1: 3:04:09

I is there enough badgering in the world that could get mister Steele to run voluntarily? I don't think so.

Eric: 3:04:17

Women who love to badger don't care.

Speaker 1: 3:04:20

Unless unless she's taking an article of clothing off every mile. You know, then maybe I could see him running after her. But that, like

Eric: 3:04:27

Whatever you catch, you can keep.

Speaker 1: 3:04:29

Exactly. Exactly. Although, I do think it's cute. If if she was trying to, like, if there was a genuine, like, intention to get him to run with her, it is cute that she's trying to get him to do activities with her. Even if they're activities that he would hate. Because she's done activities with him. Like, they've watched movies together that he loves. And Mhmm. She's committed a lot of crimes with him, so that could be considered a recreational event for him. I could see her trying to get him to do, like, stuff that she enjoys. And this is something that all couples have. And it's 1 of those things where, depending on the level of, like, hatred that the other person has for whatever the activity is Mhmm. It could be hit and miss. Sometimes, you know, 1 person's gonna put up with an activity that their spouse likes because it's low effort and it's it's really, like, it's not something that you would do on your own, but maybe you do it for the other person because you love them. Other times, like, running. I would rather chew tinfoil than willingly put on shoes and runs. So, like Mhmm. That would that would just be a no. That would be a hard no.

Eric: 3:05:36

That would a hard no for me too.

Speaker 1: 3:05:38

So I don't know. It's just it's cute that she was try like, if it was a legitimate offer, cute that she's trying to at least do a couples activity. I don't think it was. I think she's

Eric: 3:05:47

I'm gonna say it's probably 80% gag gift and 20%. Maybe I can get him to it.

Speaker 1: 3:05:55

Yeah. Maybe I'll get him out there once or twice. Who knows? Yeah. Either way.

Eric: 3:05:59

Very interesting. He doesn't run a triathlon with me, maybe I can get him to do, you know, like a a charity run or something. Yeah.

Speaker 1: 3:06:07

Yeah. I can see them doing that. That's a cute tag. I like it. I like the ending of this 1. I think it's very Her hair notwithstanding, I think this is a really cute little ending to this episode. Like this episode.

Eric: 3:06:19

Okay. That's 1 of us.

Speaker 1: 3:06:20

There. I said it.

Eric: 3:06:23

Anything else?

Speaker 1: 3:06:24

No. I think that's about it. We've we've we've disagreed for about 3 hours now, so Yes.

Eric: 3:06:30

And we're doing good. I mean

Speaker 1: 3:06:32

Yeah. We're doing doing a great job.

Eric: 3:06:34

Yeah. Any chance of reconciliation?

Speaker 1: 3:06:37

No. No. I'm out of here. I need don't send anyone after me either.

Eric: 3:06:43

The website, steelwatching.com, we have show notes. No Amazon links. We had no movie references in this 1.

Speaker 1: 3:06:50

Yeah. I couldn't think of any.

Eric: 3:06:52

And links to various resources such as?

Speaker 1: 3:06:58

The Facebook page, the Instagram, the Twitter slash x, whatever you wanna call it. There are also links on the website to, you know, buy us a coffee, become a monthly supporter, buy some some merch like our cool shirts. And you can also join the officially unofficial Facebook group, Steele Watchers, where we post screenshots and have debates and all kinds of fun stuff, fan fiction, all kinds of Mhmm. Enjoyable things. So join us. Join us. 1 of our commenters said it's been a lot of fun, so thank you for joining us as well. Yes. And if you become a supporter, you can come and and watch us do this live and and, you know, join in on and tell tell Eric when he's wrong and Yeah. You know?

Eric: 3:07:44

That'll never happen.

Speaker 1: 3:07:45

Yeah. So so do that. Join us.

Eric: 3:07:49

Anyway, next episode is Beg, Borrow or Steele.

Speaker 1: 3:07:53

That's a good

Eric: 3:07:53

1. Another winner.

Speaker 1: 3:07:56

Oh my really? What is wrong with you? Oh, we're gonna

Eric: 3:08:01

have another time. Sorry. We we

Speaker 1: 3:08:03

we we've had we've we've had we've had the skids. Disagree. Okay. This will be fun.

Eric: 3:08:10

Okay. Well, that's it. Thanks, everybody. Bye bye.

Speaker 1: 3:08:13

Bye bye.