In this heartwarming episode, Ray Engan shares the story of how he and his friend Billy attempted to scientifically prove the existence of Santa Claus on a California Christmas Eve. Join us as we relive the magic of the holiday season and learn about the power of belief. Chapters:

1. Introduction
2. Billy's Shoebox
3. The Gravity Machine
4. Scientifically Proving Santa Claus Exists
5. The Low Toe
6. Conclusion

Interesting Things Mentioned

• The Jets winning the Super Bowl
• The moon landing
• The Mets winning the World Series
• Leprechaun traps
• Footprints of Santa Claus
• The power of belief

In this episode, we hear a story about the experience of getting dressed up for prom. Thea Daniels shares her experience taking her sons to Men's Warehouse to pick out their prom outfits. We explore the importance of dressing up and how it can make us feel confident and empowered.

Chapters

• Introduction - Thea Daniels introduces the topic of dressing up for prom
• The Men's Warehouse Experience - Thea shares her experience taking her sons to Men's Warehouse
• The Importance of Dressing Up - We discuss the impact of dressing up on our confidence and self-esteem
• Becoming a Sharp-Dressed Man - Thea's sons' experiences of becoming a sharp dressed man
• Conclusion - Final thoughts on dressing up and feeling confident

Interesting Things Mentioned

• The importance of dressing up for prom
• The experience of taking sons to Men's Warehouse
• The impact of dressing up on confidence and self-esteem
• Becoming a sharp-dressed man

In this episode, we hear a wild story about a group of moms and their kids at a park, a mysterious mound of candy, and a trip to the ER. Tune in to hear Lendri Purcell's hilarious and harrowing tale of motherhood and mayhem. Chapters

• Introduction
• The Scene at Oak Hill Park
• The Discovery
• "I Only Had Four"
• The ER Visit
• Toxicology Reports
• Lessons Learned
• Conclusion

Interesting Things Mentioned

• Free Range Moms
• Helicopter Moms
• Super Organic Moms
• Taco Bell Moms
• The Blue Van Generation
• Rumors of Razors in Halloween Candy

In this episode, Christine Feldman shares her teenage adventure with her sister visiting their cousins stationed at Fort Ord in California. What started as an innocent drive turned into a misadventure when they found themselves lost in a restricted area of the base. Listen to this hilarious and heartwarming story of how they stumbled upon an unexpected reunion and the consequences that followed.

Chapters:

• Introduction
• Teenage Adventure
• Restricted Area
• Unexpected Reunion
• Consequences
• Common Sense
• Conclusion

Interesting Things Mentioned

• Fort Ord
• Monterey, California
• Cannery Row
• Monterey Bay Aquarium
• High School Reunions

Join us for a hilarious and heartwarming trip down memory lane with Melanie. She talks about her adventures traveling Europe on a shoestring budget in the 1970s. From hitchhiking with a fake female friend to camping in secret to avoid hostel fees, Melanie shares her wild and unconventional stories from the road. Podcast Episode Chapters

1. Introduction
2. Melanie's Background and Travel Philosophy
3. Hitchhiking with a Fake Female Friend
4. Camping in Secret to Save Money
5. The Train Incident
6. Reuniting with the Backpack Watcher
7. Reflections on Traveling on a Budget

Podcast Episode Show Notes

• Melanie's Instagram: link
• Florence Hostel: link
• Train Travel in Italy: link

In this episode, the first story takes a dark turn when the first storyteller reveals that a local priest whom a family trusted turned out to be a pedophile who abused one member of the family. The storyteller shares her experience of confronting the priest and his struggles with the aftermath of the abuse. The second storyteller shares a nostalgic story about his father's job as a milkman in the 1950s.

Chapters:

• Introduction
• Confronting the Priest
• The Milkman Story
• Conclusion

The Story Behind the Story episodes are recorded live on the last Wednesday of the month at Brooks Note Winery - https://www.brooksnotewinery.com and Westside Stories Petaluma is on the second Wednesday of every month at the Polly Klaas Theater.

TICKETS here: https://ci.ovationtix.com/36153/production/1120539?performanceId=11062523

Westside Stories:
https://www.davepokornypresents.com/west-side-stories
https://www.facebook.com/dave.pokorny3/
***

About Westside Stories 🎤:
Dave and Juliet Pokorny visited the Moth in NYC 🌃 in 2010. This had such an impact that they
came back to Petaluma and created West Side Stories Petaluma. Starting with Cinnabar
Theatre and the Pelican Art Gallery, in 2013 West Side Stories Petaluma moved to Sonoma
Portworks and in 2015 expanded and added a Grand Slam each December at The Mystic
Theatre. In 2020 West Side Stories Petaluma moved to The Hotel Petaluma where they reside
Today.

Our Partners:
Brooks Note Winery - https://www.brooksnotewinery.com
Sonoma Portworks - https://portworks.com/
Once Upon a Slush - https://www.onceuponaslush.com
GetPhily - https://getphily.com

Leslie shares the story of her bid for program chairman in sixth grade, running against the most popular boy in school. With the help of her love for The Sound of Music, she delivers a performance that changes her life. Leslie's story is a reminder that sometimes all it takes is a little courage and creativity to succeed. Chapters

• Introduction
• Leslie's Childhood and Dreams of Being Program Chairman
• The Election Against Mark Buell
• Leslie's Performance and the Tie
• The Aftermath and Reflections

Show Notes

• West Side Stories Petaluma
• The Sound of Music movie
• Julie Andrews
• Leslie Ard
• R.D. White Elementary School
• The importance of creativity and courage in success

Dave Pokorny Presents…

West Side Stories Petaluma’s StorySlam on the first Weds of each month at 417 Western Avenue Petaluma, CA 94952 at 7pm.

TICKETS here: https://ci.ovationtix.com/36153/

Westside Stories:

https://www.davepokornypresents.com/west-side-stories
https://www.facebook.com/dave.pokorny3/

Our Partners:

Once Upon a Slush - https://www.onceuponaslush.com/
Polly Klaas Community Theater - https://www.pollyklaastheater.org/
Sonoma Portworks - https://portworks.com/
Getphily Podcast Production - https://www.getphily.com/
Lend an Ear Media - https://lendanearmedia.com/

Patty, a woman who learned the importance of having a goal and not just working hard for the sake of working hard. She discusses the impact that a small phrase from her father had on her life and how it affected her work ethic.

Chapters

1. Introduction
2. Patty's Story
3. Impact of a Small Phrase
4. Working Hard Without a Goal
5. The Importance of Relaxing
6. Conclusion

Show Notes

• West Side Stories Petaluma: website
• Follow West Side Stories Petaluma on social media: Facebook, Instagram
• Dave Pokorney Presents: website
• Purchase tickets for the monthly live show: website
• Patty Torres
• Working hard without a goal
• Relaxing

Dave Pokorny Presents…

West Side Stories Petaluma’s StorySlam on the first Weds of each month at 417 Western Avenue Petaluma, CA 94952 at 7pm.
TICKETS here: https://ci.ovationtix.com/36153/
Westside Stories: https://www.davepokornypresents.com/west-side-stories https://www.facebook.com/dave.pokorny3/

Our Partners:
Once Upon a Slush - https://www.onceuponaslush.com/
Polly Klaas Community Theater - https://www.pollyklaastheater.org/
Sonoma Portworks - https://portworks.com/
Getphily Podcast Production - https://www.getphily.com/
Lend an Ear Media - https://lendanearmedia.com/

In this episode of West Side Stories Petaluma, Eric shares a heartwarming tale about a father and son's love for baseball. The story takes us on a journey from childhood dreams to adult realities, reminding us that sometimes the best things in life come when we least expect them.

Chapters

• Introduction
• The Moonshot
• Summer in Sweden
• Antibiotic Ointment
• The Big Yellow Bat
• A Father's Love
• The Return of Baseball
• Following Dreams
• Conclusion

Show Notes

• West Side Stories Petaluma: Website | Instagram | Facebook
• Dave Pokorney: Website | Instagram
• Eric Bennett: Website | Instagram
• Moonshot: Definition
• Cancer: Definition
• Little League: Website | Instagram
• College Baseball: Website | Instagram
• Jimmy Fox: Biography
• Sonoma County: Official Website

Dave Pokorny Presents…

West Side Stories Petaluma’s StorySlam on the first Weds of each month at 417 Western Avenue Petaluma, CA 94952 at 7pm.

TICKETS here: https://ci.ovationtix.com/36153/

Our Partners:
Once Upon a Slush - https://www.onceuponaslush.com/
Polly Klaas Community Theater - https://www.pollyklaastheater.org/
Sonoma Portworks - https://portworks.com/
Getphily Podcast Production - https://www.getphily.com/
Lend an Ear Media - https://lendanearmedia.com/

In this episode of West Side Stories Petaluma, host Dave Pokorney shares the story of Lindry Pius, a woman who found unexpected joy in the face of loss. Lendri shares her experience of losing a baby and her journey to adoption, ultimately leading to the birth of her son Paxton. Chapters

1. Introduction
2. Lindry's Story
3. The Landscape of Grief
4. The Adoption Process
5. Taking a Risk
6. Unexpected Joy
7. Conclusion

Dave Pokorny Presents…
West Side Stories Petaluma’s StorySlam on the first Weds of each month at 417 Western Avenue Petaluma, CA 94952 at 7pm.

TICKETS here:
https://ci.ovationtix.com/36153/

Westside Stories:

https://www.davepokornypresents.com/west-side-stories
https://www.facebook.com/dave.pokorny3/

Our Partners:

Once Upon a Slush - https://www.onceuponaslush.com/
Polly Klaas Community Theater - https://www.pollyklaastheater.org/
Sonoma Portworks - https://portworks.com/
Getphily Podcast Production - https://www.getphily.com/
Lend an Ear Media - https://lendanearmedia.com/