Bonus title card! While looking for a suitable image to debase, I came upon the one below. I couldn’t resist doing it, but not as the only title card because it would have been so cheap – just a simple silhouette of Sneaky D in a window. So lazy!

Hola, Sneakers! Welcome to Episode 284. This week on the show, Ian and David recommend you sell now; debate the most formative time; agree on the best flags; can’t decide if they should take the high road or the low road; get stumped by ghost songs; have a short attention span; eat filthy sandwiches; feel that one lottery win is enough; listen to a “One That Got Away” story from listener Marcus Harwell; move on with their friendships; experience bad school discipline; experience bad parental discipline; finish things our parents dreamed of doing; live up to their parents expectations – for better of worse; feel left behind by art; think art could be taught better; and, finally, get the blues in the kitchen.

Thanks for listening.

The One That Got Away – Marcus Harwell

This week, we heard Marcus’ touching story of bored schoolboys, angry principals and adult mind-fuckery. Here is the playlist:

Schooldays – The Starjets – I don’t care if the lyrics have little to do with Marcus’ story. It’s a great song about school and a good set-up for…

Friends – The Beach Boys – From their great album of the same name, Friends is a jaunty little song celebrating the friendship of Marcus and his two pals, Mark and Craig.

Brink of Disaster – Lesley Gore – A song of wrong-headed love and temptation. Childhood friendships can often be as torrid as romantic relationships, speaking as someone who had more than one tearful fight with childhood friends. Marcus is under the spell of Mark, the bad boy who leads him down a path that can only result in…

Headmaster – The Kinks – The fateful meeting with the school principal. Time for some begging and heartfelt soul-searching (or the appearance thereof).

What’s Happening?!?! – The Byrds – As the unusual punctuation suggests, this song reflects Marcus’ confusion as he leaves the principal’s office with the jubilant and unrepentant Mark. Marcus begins to wonder…

You’re Supposed to Be My Friend – The 1990s – This song could be read from either Mark’s or Marcus’ point of view as they begin to drift apart and become almost strangers on the playground.

Don’t forget about our two ongoing contests:

* Have some dinner with Ian and Dave, and, if you want, watch Sneaky Dragon being recorded. All you have to do is send us a little message that says, “I’d like to eat with you!” and Ian and Dave will treat you to an after-show meal at their favourite White Spot.

* Send us your story. That’s right. Just your story. If you need a prompt, Ian suggested “your secret origin” and Dave suggested “how how you found Sneaky Dragon” Please record a two to three minute story and send it to us via email ([email protected]) or our Facebook page. Or Skype Sneaky Dragon and leave a message on our voicemail. David will add a playlist for your story as well.

Well, after saying he couldn’t think of any songs sung by ghosts, a couple have occurred to us post show:

Yankee Bayonet by The Decembrists:

See That My Grave Is Kept Clean by Bob Dylan (Originally by Blind Lemon Jefferson, but Dylan’s version from his first album is one that I know):
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