Experience teaches the importance of being cautious when buying items from strangers, as seen in a Craigslist bike purchase. The speaker shares an encounter where they handed over a security deposit before buying a bike, highlighting the risks involved. Although initially disinterested in cycling, the speaker utilized the bike for daily commuting and leisure rides. They reflect on the relevance of mechanical energy knowledge, realizing its practicality in determining speed potential. The experience led the speaker to participate in volunteer projects facilitated by having a bike for transportation.
People finding themselves in situations that are worse than they thought and deciding to really go with it.
- Prologue: A Boston woman takes her dog for a walk and suddenly finds herself in a terrible situation she never anticipated. The strange thing is, it helps her. (9 minutes)
- Act One: Two college friends try to stop Donald Trump’s primary season momentum by convincing New Hampshire voters to vote against everything they care about. Producer Zoe Chace follows along. (22 minutes)
- Act Two: When producer Ike Sriskandarajah tries to sleep-train his baby, a neighbor decides to call the police. Later, Ike thinks, "I can work with that." (9 minutes)
- Act Three: A story by producer Boen Wang about how to get through a summer of bad days. (9 minutes)
Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.org