When you’re early in life, growing up, whatever you experience is what you consider to be normal.

For example, when I was a kid, our family would go to church every Sunday. We knew everyone there, I had lots of friends there, and there was always a big crowd of people. So naturally, I just kind of assumed that everyone, on Sunday mornings, would be in a church somewhere.

But it was kind of a disconnect when we’d be in the car on Sunday, and we might drive past a park or a boat marina, and I’d see people getting their boat ready to go out on the water. And I’d think, how does that work? Maybe they go to a different church that meets later, or something? I couldn’t put those pieces together, because what I thought was the norm wasn’t the norm for everyone.

My guest today, Mayson, also had a childhood that was different from many other kids. From the time she was a baby, she and her mother would go and visit her dad on weekends – in prison. And since that was all she had ever know, she assumed that’s what everyone did.

Her eyes were opened on her 12th birthday, and you’re about to hear that story.

And toward the end of our conversation, Mayson revealed something that she only just discovered as a result of coming on this podcast.

If you’d like to ask Mayson a question, or leave her a comment about her story, she’s in the WWTL podcast Facebook group (along with about 8000 other listeners, and many of the previous guests of the show) - WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook.

Full show notes and pictures for this episode are here:

https://WhatWasThatLike.com/192

Graphics for this episode by Bob Bretz. Transcription was done by James Lai.

Get every episode ad-free, AND get all the Raw Audio exclusive episodes to binge, by joining the other listeners at What Was That Like PLUS.

Try What Was That Like PLUS free:

iPhone: at the top of the What Was That Like podcast feed, click on “Try free”

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Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns!

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Go to Seed.com/what and use code 25WHAT to get 25% off your first month.

Go to storyworth.com/what to save $10 on your first purchase!

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Every Tuesday, we grab a past question from the Facebook group, then Meredith and Scott answer it and read some of the answers given by other listeners.

The question for this episode:

What’s your best find at a yard sale or thrift store?

Links for this episode:

eBay: https://ebay.com

Meredith’s podcast is Meredith For Real – the Curious Introvert:

https://MeredithForReal.com

To check out the new Tuesday Question and get in the discussion, join us at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook.

Sponsor deals:

Sign up today at https://butcherbox.com/whatwas and use code whatwas to get chicken breast, salmon or ground beef FREE in every order for a year, plus $20 off your first order.

To get your new 3-month premium wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month, go to mintmobile.com/WHAT

Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns!

Go to cookunity.com/What or enter code What before checkout for 50% off your first week.

Go to Seed.com/what and use code 25WHAT to get 25% off your first month.

Go to storyworth.com/what to save $10 on your first purchase!

Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod

Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/whatwas.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey, it’s an off week for the podcast, but here I am anyway.

This is Scott Johnson, and you’re listening to What Was That Like. Usually I have a guest on to talk about something really unusual that they experienced – like having their arm torn off, or being buried in an avalanche, or witnessing a murder. The guest comes on and tells the details of what happened. And there are more than 190 episode to binge with those amazing stories.

But today is a different kind of amazing story! Today’s a bonus episode. As you might know, the last three Fridays have been personal stories of people who survived the terrorist attacks on 9/11. Those are really important stories to share, to make sure we never forget what happened on that day.

But after three weeks of tragedy and trauma, I thought it would be nice to have a FUN episode. And this one fits that bill perfectly.

Today you’re going to hear from a mother, Kiona, and her oldest daughter, Kavina.

Kiona is a birth worker, and she’s been involved with or witnessed more than 140 births. She has a podcast called Birth As We Know It, where guests come on and tell their stories about birth.

Well – in one of her episodes, Kiona interviewed her daughter Kavina, who was just 9 years old at the time of their conversation. When she was 4, Kavina was present for the birth of her younger brother, Kairo. And when she was 8, Kavina actually caught her little sister, Katana, as she was born.

So today, you’ll hear Kiona’s podcast episode where she talked with little Kavina about what it was like for each of those experiences. I can tell you up front, this conversation will make you smile. In the show notes I’ll have pictures of Kiona with her husband Kumar and all their children (yes, everyone in their family has a name that starts with K – including their dogs Kobe and Koko).

So I hope you enjoy this adorable mother-daughter conversation. And afterward, I spoke with each of them briefly because you know I always have some questions.

Full show notes and pictures for this episode are here:

https://WhatWasThatLike.com/191

Graphics for this episode by Bob Bretz. Transcription was done by James Lai.

Want to discuss this episode and other things with thousands of other WWTL listeners? Join our podcast Facebook group at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook (many of the podcast guests are there as well).

Get every episode ad-free, AND get all the Raw Audio exclusive episodes to binge, by joining the other listeners at What Was That Like PLUS.

Try What Was That Like PLUS free:

iPhone: at the top of the What Was That Like podcast feed, click on “Try free”

Android: on your phone, go to WhatWasThatLike.com/PLUS and click to try it free on any app

Sponsor deals:

Sign up today at https://butcherbox.com/whatwas and use code whatwas to get chicken breast, salmon or ground beef FREE in every order for a year, plus $20 off your first order.

To get your new 3-month premium wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month, go to mintmobile.com/WHAT

Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns!

Go to cookunity.com/What or enter code What before checkout for 50% off your first week.

Go to Seed.com/what and use code 25WHAT to get 25% off your first month.

Go to storyworth.com/what to save $10 on your first purchase!

Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod

Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/whatwas.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every September, here on the podcast we feature a guest who has a personal experience with 9/11.

Most people remember exactly where they were on the morning of September 11, 2001, when terrorists struck the US using hijacked airplanes. It was a dark day for this country.

This month, What Was That Like is publishing a 3-part series titled one September morning. In each episode, you’ll hear someone telling their personal story about what they experienced on that day. If you haven’t done so already, be sure to subscribe and follow the show so you don’t miss an episode.

Today is the third and final episode in this series, and we hear from Guy.

Guy was an EMS Supervisor for a private ambulance company. He talks of co-workers that were literally pulled from the rubble, those who are still missing, and those who left spouses and children behind. We’ll have pictures of some of his co-workers in the episode notes. Guy also has ongoing health issues as a result of his time spent at Ground Zero. But he doesn’t regret rushing toward danger, and he would do it again if needed.

Full show notes and pictures for this episode are here:

https://WhatWasThatLike.com/190

Graphics for this episode by Bob Bretz. Transcription was done by James Lai.

Want to discuss this episode and other things with thousands of other WWTL listeners? Join our podcast Facebook group at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook (many of the podcast guests are there as well)

Get every episode ad-free, AND get all the Raw Audio exclusive episodes to binge, by joining the other listeners at What Was That Like PLUS.

Try What Was That Like PLUS free:

iPhone: at the top of the What Was That Like podcast feed, click on “Try free”

Android: on your phone, go to WhatWasThatLike.com/PLUS and click to try it free on any app

Sponsor deals:

To get your new 3-month premium wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month, go to mintmobile.com/WHAT

Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns!

Go to cookunity.com/What or enter code What before checkout for 50% off your first week.

Go to Seed.com/what and use code 25WHAT to get 25% off your first month.

Go to storyworth.com/what to save $10 on your first purchase!

Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod

Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/whatwas.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every Tuesday, we grab a past question from the Facebook group, then Meredith and Scott answer it and read some of the answers given by other listeners.

The question for this episode:

What’s the most useless thing you still have memorized?

Links for this episode:

Meredith’s episode with Jehovah’s Witness:

https://www.meredithforreal.com/podcast-episodes/episode/79a56504/ep-228-or-confessions-of-a-teenage-jesus-jerk-purity-culture-and-finding-your-weirdos-remastered

Confessions of a Teenage Jesus Jerk: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5634962/

The Lore and Language of Schoolchildren:

https://www.amazon.com/Language-Schoolchildren-Review-Books-Classics/dp/0940322692

Mechanized Death: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XquWdKBz2H0

Meredith’s podcast is Meredith For Real – the Curious Introvert:

https://MeredithForReal.com

To check out the new Tuesday Question and get in the discussion, join us at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook.

Sponsor deals:

To get your new 3-month premium wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month, go to mintmobile.com/WHAT

Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns!

Go to cookunity.com/What or enter code What before checkout for 50% off your first week.

Go to Seed.com/what and use code 25WHAT to get 25% off your first month.

Go to storyworth.com/what to save $10 on your first purchase!

Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod

Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/whatwas.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every September, here on the podcast we feature a guest who has a personal experience with 9/11.

Most people remember exactly where they were on the morning of September 11, 2001, when terrorists struck the US using hijacked airplanes. It was a dark day for this country.

This month, What Was That Like is publishing a 3-part series titled one September morning. In each episode, you’ll hear someone telling their personal story about what they experienced on that day. If you haven’t done so already, be sure to subscribe and follow the show so you don’t miss an episode.

Today, in the second episode of the series, we’ll hear from Tim.

Tim was a New York City firefighter for 18 years, and when 9/11 happened, he was working for Mayor Giuliani, handling major emergencies. So when those planes hit the towers, Tim wasn’t just someone who happened to be on the scene. He was one of those actually in charge. The things he saw that day make his story one of the most compelling ones I’ve had on this podcast. He originally told this story here a few years ago, and it’s one of the most popular episodes on the show. And after you listen, I’d love to hear what YOU think of it.

9/11 video – escaping debris: https://youtu.be/TlBTyI71FMw

Full show notes and pictures for this episode are here:

https://WhatWasThatLike.com/189

Graphics for this episode by Bob Bretz. Transcription was done by James Lai.

Want to discuss this episode and other things with thousands of other WWTL listeners? Join our podcast Facebook group at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook (many of the podcast guests are there as well)

Get every episode ad-free, AND get all the Raw Audio exclusive episodes to binge, by joining the other listeners at What Was That Like PLUS.

Try What Was That Like PLUS free:

iPhone: at the top of the What Was That Like podcast feed, click on “Try free”

Android: on your phone, go to WhatWasThatLike.com/PLUS and click to try it free on any app

Sponsor deals:

To get your new 3-month premium wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month, go to mintmobile.com/WHAT

Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns!

Go to cookunity.com/What or enter code What before checkout for 50% off your first week.

Go to Seed.com/what and use code 25WHAT to get 25% off your first month.

Go to storyworth.com/what to save $10 on your first purchase!

Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod

Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/whatwas.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every September, here on the podcast we feature a guest who has a personal experience with 9/11.

Most people remember exactly where they were on the morning of September 11, 2001, when terrorists struck the US using hijacked airplanes. It was a dark day for this country.

This month, What Was That Like is publishing a 3-part series titled one September morning. In each episode, you’ll hear someone telling their personal story about what they experienced on that day. If you haven’t done so already, be sure to subscribe and follow the show so you don’t miss an episode.

Today, in the first episode of the series, we’ll hear from Joan. She and her husband lived in lower Manhattan. On the morning of 9/11, Joan was at work a few miles away from the disaster. But her husband was still at home, just a block from the Twin Towers, and he had no idea what had just happened.

Full show notes and pictures for this episode are here:

https://WhatWasThatLike.com/188

Graphics for this episode by Bob Bretz. Transcription was done by James Lai.

Want to discuss this episode and other things with thousands of other WWTL listeners? Join our podcast Facebook group at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook (many of the podcast guests are there as well)

Get every episode ad-free, AND get all the Raw Audio exclusive episodes to binge, by joining the other listeners at What Was That Like PLUS.

Try What Was That Like PLUS free:

iPhone: at the top of the What Was That Like podcast feed, click on “Try free”

Android: on your phone, go to WhatWasThatLike.com/PLUS and click to try it free on any app

Sponsor deals:

To get your new 3-month premium wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month, go to mintmobile.com/WHAT

Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns!

Go to cookunity.com/What or enter code What before checkout for 50% off your first week.

Go to Seed.com/what and use code 25WHAT to get 25% off your first month.

Go to storyworth.com/what to save $10 on your first purchase!

For a limited time, our listeners will get an exclusive 15% off their first OneSkin purchase using the code WWTL when you checkout at oneskin.co.

Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/whatwas.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every Tuesday, we grab a past question from the Facebook group, then Meredith and Scott answer it and read some of the answers given by other listeners.

The question for this episode:

What was that time when you thought you might actually die?

Links for this episode:

The DARE program – effective, or not?

https://youtu.be/6WMHuWMVNY0?si=t5arFWeg0ZAEW58p

Sober Powered podcast with Jill Tietz:

https://www.soberpowered.com/episodes

Heimlich Maneuver:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CgtIgSyAiU

Jane Boroski and the Connecticut River Valley Killer –

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connecticut_River_Valley_Killer

List of fatal crowd crushes:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_crowd_crushes

The DOOM video game:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doom_(1993_video_game)

Meredith’s podcast is Meredith For Real – the Curious Introvert:

https://MeredithForReal.com

To check out the new Tuesday Question and get in the discussion, join us at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook.

Sponsor deals:

To get your new 3-month premium wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month, go to mintmobile.com/WHAT

Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns!

Go to cookunity.com/What or enter code What before checkout for 50% off your first week.

Go to Seed.com/what and use code 25WHAT to get 25% off your first month.

Go to storyworth.com/what to save $10 on your first purchase!

For a limited time, our listeners will get an exclusive 15% off their first OneSkin purchase using the code WWTL when you checkout at oneskin.co.

Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/whatwas.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I don’t go to the local mall very often.

But when I need something that’s only sold at one of those stores there, I make a trip to the mall. And there’s something that happens almost every time.

Since the store I need to visit is usually at the other end, I have to walk down the main aisle. As I make my way through the mall, there are stores on my left and right of course. But there are also now the kiosks in the middle, from one end of the mall to the other. These set-ups are cheaper than having a full retail walk-in store.

And every time I’m walking, there’s a perfume dealer. And there will be one or two salespeople trying to flag people down and check out a free sample of some kind of perfume and get you to buy some. They’re usually going after the female shoppers and you can see that women try to walk by and not make eye contact. No one wants to be approached by a sales person.

Whenever I see someone like that, I always think, “Wow, that has to be the worst job in the world. Nothing but rejection for 40 hours a week.”

But there are people who do that same kind of thing – and they aren’t in the mall. In fact, they aren’t even getting paid. It’s the Jehovah’s Witnesses.

I see them all the time, with their bookshelf and their literature, set up on street corners, in a public park, on the side of a bike or walking trail. Just standing there trying to get someone to stop and talk to them, so they can hopefully recruit them into joining. Some of them still go out knocking on doors even.

Stephan was one of those people. But today you’ll hear how he finally was able to get away from that group, and what he lost – and gained - as a result of that decision.

Also – Stephan is part of the team that creates a podcast that I subscribe to, and we’ll talk about that toward the end of our conversation.

If you’d like to contact Stephan, his email is: [email protected]

Check out the Multispective podcast at Multispective.org.

Full show notes and pictures for this episode are here:

https://WhatWasThatLike.com/187

Graphics for this episode by Bob Bretz. Transcription was done by James Lai.

Want to discuss this episode and other things with thousands of other WWTL listeners? Join our podcast Facebook group at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook (many of the podcast guests are there as well)

Get every episode ad-free, AND get all the Raw Audio exclusive episodes to binge, by joining the other listeners at What Was That Like PLUS.

Try What Was That Like PLUS free:

iPhone: at the top of the What Was That Like podcast feed, click on “Try free”

Android: on your phone, go to WhatWasThatLike.com/PLUS and click to try it free on any app

Sponsor deals:

To get your new 3-month premium wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month, go to mintmobile.com/WHAT

Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns!

Go to cookunity.com/What or enter code What before checkout for 50% off your first week.

Go to Seed.com/what and use code 25WHAT to get 25% off your first month.

Go to storyworth.com/what to save $10 on your first purchase!

For a limited time, our listeners will get an exclusive 15% off their first OneSkin purchase using the code WWTL when you checkout at oneskin.co.

Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/whatwas.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every Tuesday, we grab a past question from the Facebook group, then Meredith and Scott answer it and read some of the answers given by other listeners.

The question for this episode:

What's something that happened at work that you'll never forget?

Links for this episode:

Watch what a Mento does when put in Coke (warning – grandma’s language):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVQbTpsPR0Q

 Meredith’s episode 152 about the Psychic Marine:

https://www.meredithforreal.com/podcast-episodes/episode/794702c5/ep-152-or-psychic-marines

Meredith’s episode about homelessness and incarceration is not live yet, but it will be linked here:

Meredith’s podcast is Meredith For Real – the Curious Introvert:

https://MeredithForReal.com

To check out the new Tuesday Question and get in the discussion, join us at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook.

Sponsor deals:

To get your new 3-month premium wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month, go to mintmobile.com/WHAT

Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns!

Go to cookunity.com/What or enter code What before checkout for 50% off your first week.

Go to Seed.com/what and use code 25WHAT to get 25% off your first month.

Go to storyworth.com/what to save $10 on your first purchase!

For a limited time, our listeners will get an exclusive 15% off their first OneSkin purchase using the code WWTL when you checkout at oneskin.co.

Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/whatwas.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices