The chapter explores the intricate family dynamics of Peter, a teenager embroiled in a legal battle over royalties with a toy company. Tensions rise as a revelation by Peter's father unravels the truth behind the invention, leaving the protagonist questioning their past and familial narratives. The looming court date adds to the suspense, with secrecy and unease enveloping the family as the trial unfolds.
The things we break and the ones we can't fix.
- Prologue: Ira tells the stories of three things that broke–two of them in his own family. (8 minutes)
- Act One: A teenage whiz kid invents a new toy for Milton Bradley. Then the trouble starts. (28 minutes)
- Act Two: Reporter Dana Ballout sifts through a very long list—the list of journalists killed in the Israel-Hamas War—and comes back with five small fragments of the lives of the people on it. (10 minutes)
- Act Three: A skateboarding legend makes a final attempt at a high-flying trick. (6 minutes)
Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.org