Babalu - Episode 101: Pilot

Transcript

BABALU — EPISODE 1

NARRATOR: The following series addresses sensitive topics including self harm and suicide. Listener discretion is advised.

SHERRY: I want to be the sweet thought that crosses your mind and remains there, but I am not wanted. I want to be a bird in formation with a soaring echelon, but I am not wanted. I want to set fire to this mediocre world just to see what awaits me in the next one, but I am not wanted. I am not wanted. I am not wanted.

LUISA: Come on. I'm gonna be so late. What the hell is a holdup? Oh my god. Hi.

PATTI: How's my Lulu?

LUISA: Oh, you know, stressed, tired, anxious, all the good things.

PATTI: The big meeting is today?

LUISA: Yeah. I'm on my way there now, and I hope to get there on time or, I don't know, sometime this century. God.

PATTI: Okay. Stay calm. Everything will be fine. Which book are they interested in?

LUISA: They read my manuscript about Frederic Hsieh so here's hoping.

PATTI: This is exciting. My little girl is going to publish her first book.

LUISA: Well, nothing is set in stone, so it's a miracle that I even got this meeting.

PATTI: I have a good feeling, Luisa.

LUISA: I hope you're right. If I can just finally write stories I want to write.

PATTI: It will happen.

LUISA: Oh, is this my exit? Oh, yes. This is my exit. Oh my god. I think I'm gonna make it on time. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Stop. No.

PATTI: What? What what happened?

LUISA: You're freaking shitting me right now.

PATTI: What, Lu?

LUISA: Oh my god. Okay. I'm fine. Sorry. I'm fine. Someone just—

PATTI: You need me to— I I can close the shop. I can come over right now.

LUISA: No. No. No. Don't sorry. No. Don't worry about it. It's fine. It sounds like it was just a fender bender. Listen. I'm pulling over. Let me call you back. Okay?

PATTI: Call me back.

LUISA: I will. I will. I will.

PATTI: Make sure you get the information.

LUISA: I will. Thank you. Thank you. Love you. Bye.

PATTI: Okay. Bye.

DEBRA: Oh my goodness. Oh, god. I am so sorry. I cannot believe. I just— are you okay?

LUISA: Yeah. I I'm I'm fine. Are you okay?

DEBRA: Yeah. Yeah. I'm okay. I, just shaken. Okay.

LUISA: Well, let's let's have a look. Oh, okay. This is fine. Looks like, you know, a few scratches. It it could be worse. Listen. I'm so sorry. I'm in a huge rush. Can we just exchange info? I'm honestly not concerned about this.

DEBRA: Yeah. Okay. Of course. Okay. Let me grab my my insurance card. Yeah. Yeah.

LUISA: Oh, god. Me too. Okay.

DEBRA: Again, I am so sorry. I looked down for one second, and then bam. I'm on your bumper.

LUISA: Yeah. No. I get it.

DEBRA: I get it. Can't even remember the last time I was in an accident. '92? Oh. I'm I'm normally a very defensive driver, very defensive.

LUISA: Oh, yeah.

DEBRA: You have to be in this town. You know?

LUISA: Uh-huh.

DEBRA: Drivers here, they are maniacs.

LUISA: Uh-huh.

DEBRA: Yep. Yep. Yep. '99— '92. Yes. I I remember because Clinton had just got elected, the other driver had a Bush bumper— a Bush sticker on his bumper. Oh. In fact, that accident was also a fender bender, but in that case, I was you. I think that he ran into the back of me.

LUISA: Yeah. Cool. Hey. Sorry. I really am in a rush. Yeah. Sorry.

DEBRA: No. My my card is in here somewhere. Insurance. Insure— oh, Bed and Bath... I think you know what? These are getting very precious. Do you want this? 20%. Okay.

LUISA: No. I I am good. Yeah.

DEBRA: Insure— oh. Blockbuster, I don't need that anymore.

LUISA: Oh, wow. Oh. It's a relic right there.

DEBRA: Oh, here it is. Mind the cereal crumbs.

LUISA: Oh, yeah. Okay. Great. Do you mind if I take a photo?

DEBRA: Oh, no. No. No. Yeah. Go right ahead.

LUISA: And got it. Here's mine. Sorry. I don't have a paper copy. I just keep it on my phone.

DEBRA: That's fine. That's fine. Okay. Great. Could you could you zoom in a bit? Oh. I don't have my readers on me. Yeah.

LUISA: Yeah. Of course. Of course. Here.

DEBRA: Okay. Stately Insurance. Luisa Zhang Hillman. Oh, Luisa Zhang.

LUISA: Wow. You're, like, the first person who's ever pronounced my last name right.

DEBRA: Yeah. I mean, I I know someone. I mean, I knew someone with that name.

LUISA: Yeah. There's, a billion of us, so that's no surprise.

DEBRA: No. I mean, I knew someone with your exact name a long time ago. I'm sorry, but is your mother's name Sherry?

LUISA: Yeah.

DEBRA: And did she— did she pass away...

LUISA: ...from suicide?

DEBRA: Wow. I can't believe. I this is wow. I know you'd never believe this, and you're never gonna remember this. But I used to see you all the time when you were very little. I mean, very little. I I was very close to your mom.

LUISA: Oh, damn.

DEBRA: It's so good to know that after all these years that you were okay. After your mom— your mom's passing, it was hard to to to keep in touch, but I have always wondered. I'm Debra, by the way.

LUISA: Luisa, obviously. I know.

DEBRA: This is bizarre. Right?

LUISA: No. No. I I I'm just— I never met anyone who knew my mom except my family. You know?

DEBRA: Right. Right. Oh, listen. I know I know you said you're in a rush, but are you maybe free later on? I wanna give you something. It belonged to your mom.

SIMONE: Luisa, I'm not gonna lie. I'm really glad that Shane connected us. Otherwise, I don't think your manuscript would have ever made it to my desk, and that would have been so sad.

LUISA: Listen. I so appreciate you taking a meeting with me, Simone. I know I'm an unknown, and I don't have representation and all that good stuff.

SIMONE: Oh, hey. We all have to start somewhere. Right?

LUISA: Right.

SIMONE: Yeah. So, yeah, this story, I'm ashamed to admit that I grew up here, and I have never heard of Frederic Hsieh, which is crazy. So I'd love to know how you came across his story.

LUISA: Well, honestly, I wish I had a more inspiring story than what I'm about to say. But as you know, I'm Asian... on my mom's side, and I grew up in the San Gabriel Valley surrounded by all the Asians. And a few years ago, I was meeting up with some friends for lunch, and, of course, I suggested my favorite Chinese dumpling place in San Gabriel. And one of my friends pointed out all the Asians, and it wasn't until that moment that I really asked myself, why is this the case? Like, why are all the Asians in San Gabriel Valley?

SIMONE: Mhmm.

LUISA: So I went home, did some preliminary research, aka Google, and I came across an obituary in the New York Times for Frederic Hsieh. And it laid out the highlights of his life, and my jaw dropped. Here's this Chinese immigrant who comes here in the sixties, and he forever changes the course of history for this part of Southern California, and no one knows him. So I just felt compelled. I I felt compelled to learn everything I could about him. One thing led to another. I started making calls. Calls turned into interviews. Interviews turned into chapters. And before I knew it, I had a story coming together.

SIMONE: Oh, an incredible story, and you tell it beautifully.

LUISA: That means so much to me.

SIMONE: Oh, I just love how you paint this part of the world. It's so vivid. Oh, to me, your manuscript has similar notes to The Warmth of Other Suns.

LUISA: Wow. Wow.

SIMONE: Yeah. And the whole white flight history. I mean, damn. I shouldn't be surprised, but I was. Oh, and the way you just lay it all out, you schooled me. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I feel enlightened, enlightened and shitty.

LUISA: Yeah. I I mean, sometimes those two things go hand in hand. Right?

SIMONE: Mhmm. Mhmm.

LUISA: The truth is hard sometimes. And, it it's very shitty that these white people were so uncomfortable with Chinese people becoming their neighbors that they up and left. But what I appreciate about this story is that it actually has a decent outcome for the people that those white folks were looking to spite.

SIMONE: Oh, "White Spite." That's your title right there.

LUISA: Yeah.

SIMONE: I'm sorry. I'm kidding. Go ahead. Go ahead.

LUISA: Yeah. Maybe. Look, sadly, a lot of stories of white flight don't end well for the people left behind. So to me, this story is both heartbreaking and uplifting. On one hand, it's about displaced and often disenfranchised people trying to find their place in the world, a home, a chance at a better life. On the other hand, it's about a Chinese immigrant who saw an opportunity and just seized it. And of course, there's all the history of LA County that led to this long before Frederic Hsieh. Right? The erased history of the native Indigenous tribes, the Spanish missions, the Chinese massacre of eighteen seventy one, which we're only just really talking about now. Centuries of horrific events molded and shaped San Gabriel Valley into what she is today, so I really wanted this manuscript to honor as much of it as possible.

SIMONE: Yeah. I mean, yes. I think you do just that. Look. I don't wanna beat around the bush here. I think you have something, and I think you could be one of the next great voices in nonfiction.

LUISA: Yeah. I— Wow.

SIMONE: I I mean that. And, well, I have some good news and some bad news.

LUISA: Oh, okay.

SIMONE: The bad news. Here at Hunter, we are hesitant to take a chance on a brand new author like yourself.

LUISA: Oh.

SIMONE: I know. I know. It's like, what? How do I get credit if I have no credit? Right? Makes no sense. But the good news is that I have a way around it.

LUISA: Oh.

SIMONE: Yeah. See, with new authors, what I've done in the past is assign them to another project, someone else's IP to develop on their behalf.

LUISA: Ghost writing?

SIMONE: Yes.

LUISA: Okay.

SIMONE: I know. I know. It's not ideal, but hear me out. Okay. There are a lot of benefits. Okay? So first, I only take on great stories, meaning you would help bring to the world a great story, much like the one you wanna tell about Frederic Hsieh.

LUISA: Mhmm.

SIMONE: Second, I'm not gonna lie. Our ghostwriting assignments pay well. And on top of that, I can negotiate a hefty advance for you. And third, if this project hits, which I know it will because like I said before, I only take on great stories, I can easily make a case for you and your work. And can I be totally honest?

LUISA: Sure.

SIMONE: Selfishly, I wanna be the one that helps bring Fred's story out into the world. I really, really do. And I know we can get there. We just gotta jump through a few hoops first. So what do you think?

REINA: Holy shit. That is so exciting, Lu.

LUISA: Is it really?

REINA: Yes. Cheers to that. Okay. That was the weakest glass clink ever. Lu, you have a major publishing house interested in your work and you. So now we raise our glasses and cheers.

LUISA: Cheers.

REINA: Okay. That was still weak, but okay.

LUISA: Sorry. I'm just not thrilled about the idea of doing all the work and getting no credit.

REINA: It's a stepping stone, a well paid stepping stone.

LUISA: You know, that whole week leading up to the meeting, I fantasized that I was gonna go in, and they were gonna make me an offer to publish my book. And it was finally gonna happen for me. You should have heard her, Rei. She literally said to me, I think you're one of the next great voices in nonfiction.

REINA: Lu, that is amazing. Remember that part. Okay? You should be very proud of yourself.

LUISA: Mhmm.

REINA: That doesn't sound like pride. Alright. So what's the ghostwriting gig?

LUISA: I have no idea.

REINA: They didn't tell you?

LUISA: I didn't ask.

REINA: What do you mean?

LUISA: I didn't ask because I'm not interested.

REINA: Lu.

LUISA: What? I'm not interested in ghostwriting, Reina.

REINA: Are you serious right now?

LUISA: Yeah.

REINA: You're not even going to entertain the idea?

LUISA: Look. I'd rather spend that time working on my next manuscript. Do know the one that would actually have my name on it?

REINA: No. You'd rather spend your time feeling sorry for yourself and writing clickbait articles for some shitty blog like disasterfeminist.com. 10 ways to know that you're a bad feminist.

LUISA: Okay. That was a very successful article, by the way. And, yeah, I do that to pay my bills. Okay?

REINA: Yeah. Lu, you could pay your bills with that sweet ghostwriting money. You know I'm right.

BARTENDER: Ladies, another round?

LUISA: Definitely.

REINA: Yeah.

BARTENDER: You got it.

REINA: Before you go, could I ask you a quick question?

BARTENDER: Oh, okay.

REINA: My friend over here got a job offer. Not a dream job. Pays very well.

LUISA: What are you doing?

REINA: I'm getting a second opinion is— Well, what I'm— I will tip him more. Okay. So not the dream job, but a good job. No.

LUISA: It's not a good job.

REINA: Route to the dream. And so what I'd like to know is if you had a good solid job that would pay you very well and still isn't the dream, would you still take it? Don't apologize for me. I'm accessing my voice.

LUISA: Are you—

BARTENDER: Maybe we should get you a bottle to celebrate.

REINA: I like that idea.

LUISA: How about we start with those drinks we just ordered?

BARTENDER: Of course.

LUISA: Of course.

REINA: Thank you so much. Thank you. Your opinion counts.

LUISA: I'm gonna kill you.

REINA: Well, not if I kill you first.

LUISA: Look. I got this meeting. I can get more. Hell, I might even try my hand at self publishing. Who knows?

REINA: Okay. Who's to say that this ghostwriting gig isn't a good opportunity for you?

LUISA: I know it's a good opportunity.

REINA: Let me finish.

LUISA: Okay.

REINA: Who's to say that this ghostwriting gig is a good opportunity to get your foot in the door with Hunter? You slide in, you prove yourself with this whole thing, and then afterwards, you hit him up with your book like, oh, what's this? Oh my god. It's a whole another novel that I wrote that's also wonderful. Yes, please. I'd love you to publish it, Hunter House. Thank you so much.

LUISA: You done?

REINA: For now.

LUISA: I'm not gonna lie. That's pretty much the argument Simone made.

REINA: Oh my god. Great minds think alike. So what's the problem here?

LUISA: I know. I know. I'm not trying to sound ungrateful. I just— I feel like I'm getting closer to something. It's it's hard to explain, but I wanna take a bet on this feeling— on myself.

REINA: Who was the one who predicted in eighth grade in Miss Thomas' class that you would grow up to be a writer?

LUISA: Oh my god. How many times are you gonna bring this up?

REINA: It was me. So, yeah, I'm always betting on you. Always.

LUISA: I know. Thank you. Look. When I decide to write something, something for me, not some shitty article, I put my entire being into it because the story needs that. I know it sounds cheesy, but it's true. It's a lot of hours, a lot of research, a lot of notes, a lot of edits, a lot of sleepless nights, everything. Everything. I put my everything into it. Do I wanna give my everything to a story I may not be passionate about? I don't know.

REINA: You got me there.

BARTENDER: Your glass of rosé and your gimlet.

REINA: Thank you.

LUISA: Thank you.

REINA: Okay. Cheers to betting on you.

LUISA: To betting on me.

REINA: And to me eventually being right.

LUISA: Cheers to that.

REINA: Now that's a clink.

DEBRA: Hey, Luisa.

LUISA: Hey, Debra.

DEBRA: Please come in.

LUISA: Thanks.

DEBRA: I appreciate you coming over. I I realize how strange all of this must be.

LUISA: I don't mind strange.

DEBRA: Yeah. Me neither. Would you like some tea or coffee? I have the kettle on.

LUISA: If you're having tea, I'll have tea.

DEBRA: Oh, tea for two then. Please make yourself at home.

LUISA: Thank you. My god. Your home is beautiful. I love all these little vintage trinkets.

DEBRA: Mhmm.

LUISA: Like this. What is this?

DEBRA: It's an old coin bank. See, you put a coin in here and it keeps a running total.

LUISA: Oh, that's cool.

DEBRA: I think so too. I'm a bit sentimental for old things.

LUISA: I get that.

DEBRA: Ah, I'll fetch our tea.

LUISA: Oh, wow. Look at all these books.

DEBRA: Yes. I am a total bookworm.

LUISA: Oh, me too. You've got quite the collection here. Stephen King, of course, Agatha Christie. Classic.

DEBRA: Yeah. Classic, of course.

LUISA: Gillian Flynn.

DEBRA: Oh, yeah.

LUISA: A ton of true crime novels. I'm starting to see a pattern here.

DEBRA: Oh, yeah. Anything to do with mysteries, murder, suspense. Sign me up. You?

LUISA: No. No. No. No. No. No. No. Not my genre. I I love a great story as long as it doesn't keep me up at night because I am a total weenie.

DEBRA: Oh, yeah?

LUISA: Oh, yeah. My best friend made me watch one episode of that Unsolved Mysteries reboot, and I swear I didn't sleep properly for the next three nights. The theme music alone is terrifying. So, yeah, I'm a total weenie.

DEBRA: Understandable. It's not for everyone.

LUISA: Yeah. But everyone seems to love it, don't they? It's like true crime is the new porn.

DEBRA: Yeah. I see what you mean.

LUISA: Yeah. I don't know. I personally don't understand everyone's obsession with death.

DEBRA: Yeah.

LUISA: No offense.

DEBRA: No. No. None taken. Milk? Sugar?

LUISA: Both, please. Thank you.

DEBRA: So, Luisa, what do you do for work?

LUISA: I'm actually a writer.

DEBRA: Oh, you are? What kind?

LUISA: Yeah. Well, I pay my bills writing articles for blogs and stuff like that, but I love nonfiction. I have a few novels I'm working on.

DEBRA: Oh, fantastic. Anything I can read?

LUISA: If you don't mind reading a manuscript.

DEBRA: Oh, no. I wouldn't mind that at all.

LUISA: Okay. Because I haven't yet been published, but I had a very exciting meeting with Hunter House. So—

DEBRA: That's so wonderful.

LUISA: Yeah.

DEBRA: I know Sherry would be so proud of you.

LUISA: Thank you. So, how did you know my mom?

DEBRA: Community college. Pasadena City College. We met in psychology class.

LUISA: Wow. Psychology.

DEBRA: Yeah. She wanted to know what made us tick, what made us do the things we do, feel the things we feel. I asked to borrow a pencil, and we instantly became friends. We were both single moms, and we both wanted to work in therapy.

LUISA: Is that what you ended up doing?

DEBRA: Yes, actually. Sherry would have been a remarkable therapist.

LUISA: Yeah?

DEBRA: Oh, yeah. She was empathetic and thoughtful and never, never judgmental. You know? She could see between the lines. And she was the best student in the class. Every single time we got our grades back, she always beat me. Always. But she never bragged. Whip smart that mother of yours, and humble. But you've probably heard all this already.

LUISA: No, actually.

DEBRA: Oh.

LUISA: After my mom died, my aunt Patti and my uncle Jim took me in and raised me. And I know it was hard on them, so I I tried not to make it harder.

DEBRA: By asking questions.

LUISA: Yeah.

DEBRA: I understand.

LUISA: I didn't even know that it was suicide until I was, like, 10 years old. I overheard my cousins talking about it at a family barbecue.

DEBRA: Oh, I am so sorry.

LUISA: Yeah.

DEBRA: Hey, does anyone still call you Babalu?

LUISA: No.

DEBRA: No. You know that song from I Love Lucy, the one that Little Ricky sang? Babalu...

LUISA: Baa baa-luuu... Yes. I'm very familiar. I love I Love Lucy.

DEBRA: Like mother, like daughter.

LUISA: Yeah? Mhmm.

DEBRA: Your mom, she used to call you Babalu.

LUISA: Wow.

DEBRA: Yeah. It fit. You looked like a Babalu.

LUISA: God. I still do, I suppose. This is very cool, learning all of this about her.

DEBRA: Yeah. Yeah. Listen. That box on the side table, that is what I wanted to give you.

LUISA: Oh, let's see. Cassette player and a bunch of tapes.

DEBRA: Yep. They were your mom's.

LUISA: How cool. Is this like her favorite music and stuff? None of these tapes are labeled—

DEBRA: No. Your mom, when we were in psych class, she became fascinated by the idea of journaling her thoughts and feelings.

LUISA: Makes sense.

DEBRA: Right. So she started a journal, an audio journal. These tapes, they are your mother in her own words.

LUISA: Oh. Oh, wow.

DEBRA: Yeah. I know. This is probably not what you were expecting.

LUISA: Yeah. No.

DEBRA: Luisa, after Sherry passed, I helped your aunt Patti clean out her apartment.

LUISA: You met my aunt Patti?

DEBRA: Yes. A few times. While we were packing up, I came across the recorder and the tapes, and I don't know what came over me, but I made a snap decision, and I hid them from your aunt. And then I took them with me.

LUISA: Why?

DEBRA: I think at the time, I wanted to protect Sherry, and I knew what could be on those tapes.

LUISA: Have you listened to them?

DEBRA: No. They're not meant for me.

LUISA: You think they're meant for me?

DEBRA: Yes. I don't think I knew this at the time, but when I took those tapes, I think I took them because I knew that one day you should have them. Luisa, my memory isn't so great these days, but I still remember so much about your mom. She had this laugh that was more like a a cackle, and she always wanted cream, no sugar in her coffee. And and she would she would randomly hum, just out of the blue. I don't even think she was conscious of it. And it didn't matter where we were. I remember one time, we're in the middle of a test, and she just starts humming, "Girl, You Know It's True."

LUISA: Milli Vanilli?

DEBRA: Yes.

LUISA: No.

DEBRA: Yes. I swear.

LUISA: No. Oh my god. She had great taste.

DEBRA: It went on for, like, ten minutes. And then finally, the professor pulled her aside and told her to stop.

LUISA: You're absolutely kidding.

DEBRA: True. I promise you. Oh my god. She was really special, Luisa. I'm heartbroken that you didn't get to experience any of this.

LUISA: Yeah. But that's what she chose.

DEBRA: Luisa, I don't know why she chose that path. I really don't. There was so much more to your mom than the way she died. Maybe these tapes can show you that.

LUISA: Yeah. Maybe. I gotta be honest. This is this is all kinda surreal.

DEBRA: Yeah.

LUISA: I've always wanted to know her, but I don't know if this is the way to go about it. You know?

DEBRA: When I came across the tapes and the recorder, they weren't hidden or even tucked away. They were right there out on the kitchen table. Why? If she knew she was gonna— why did she leave them out?

LUISA: I don't know. She forgot. I think one could argue that she wasn't exactly in the best state of mind.

DEBRA: Then why did she bring you to your aunt Patti's the night before? You didn't know that? Sherry was purposeful. She and I were the only people who knew what those tapes were, and I think that's why she left them out. Look. I'm not here to tell you what you should or shouldn't do. I really hope I'm not coming across that way. I just— I just want you to know that I think Sherry would have wanted you to have them. I truly believe this.

LUISA: Well, I I appreciate you holding on to these all these years. I I really do. Thank you.

DEBRA: Of course. Listen. Whatever you decide to do, I hope that it gives you perspective.

PATTI: Welcome. I'll be right out.

LUISA: It's me, auntie.

PATTI: My Lulu finally comes to visit.

LUISA: I saw you, like, last week.

PATTI: Yeah. That's a long time.

LUISA: Do I smell sweet pea?

PATTI: Yes. Sweet pea. Now come here. My sweet pea.

LUISA: Oh, I always forget how magical these smell.

PATTI: I'm putting them into centerpieces. Big wedding this weekend.

LUISA: Oh, look at you. Where is Uncle Jim?

PATTI: He's out delivering flowers.

LUISA: Can't you get some kid to do that? He should be taking it easy. Both of you should be taking it easy.

PATTI: I know, but he loves being out and about. I can't get him to stop. You know how he is.

LUISA: This is true.

PATTI: So are you here to tell me something?

LUISA: Tell you something?

PATTI: About the publisher. Oh. Are you gonna take the ghost typing job?

LUISA: Ghost writing.

PATTI: You know what I mean.

LUISA: I'm thinking about it.

PATTI: Okay...

LUISA: Okay.

PATTI: I don't know what you're thinking about, but okay.

LUISA: I'm giving it some thought. That's all. I thought you wanted an opportunity, Lu.

PATTI: I do. The right one. I haven't turned it down. I really am thinking about it. Okay?

LUISA: Okay.

PATTI: How's the bumper?

LUISA: Oh, not bad. Just a few scratches.

PATTI: Make sure to file claims soon. Who knows that other driver will do to avoid paying. LA drivers, you can't trust them.

LUISA: Yeah. This driver, she didn't seem so bad. In fact, this is wild, but you know her from a long time ago.

PATTI: I do? Who?

LUISA: Do you remember one of mom's old friends, Debra McNamara?

PATTI: It doesn't ring a bell.

LUISA: Oh, a tall white lady, brown hair. They went to PCC together. You and her met a few times?

PATTI: I don't remember.

LUISA: Oh, well, I guess her and mom hung out a lot. She told me about how they met in psychology class and how mom wanted to be a therapist, which is pretty cool.

PATTI: Your mom didn't want to be a therapist. Your mom wanted to be in finance, banking, that kind of job.

LUISA: Oh, okay. Well, regardless, Debra seems cool. It might be nice for you two to reconnect. She remembers you. And it sounds like she knew mom well, so maybe you'd like to hear her stories about her.

PATTI: No one knew your mom like I knew her.

LUISA: Auntie, I'm not— I'm not saying that.

PATTI: What are you saying?

LUISA: I just wish you would tell me more about her. What you remember, things you did together— I I know it's hard. But you just said it yourself. No one knew her like you did. So why don't you ever talk about her?

PATTI: Oh, welcome.

CUSTOMER: Thanks.

LUISA: Auntie, are you okay?

PATTI: I'll call you later. Okay?

LUISA: Okay.

PATTI: Sir, how can I help you?

CUSTOMER: Do you have calla lilies?

PATTI: Yes. I just got some fresh today. Here, let me show you.

LUISA: Bye, auntie.

PATTI: Okay.

LUISA: Okay. When was the last time I used one of these things? Oh, no. B side, A side. Okay. Here we go.

SHERRY: Well, hello, Babalu...

CREDITS

NARRATOR: Babalu was created, written, and produced by me, Kimberly Truong. Directed by Katharine Chen Lerner. Sound design, editing, and mixing by Charles Moody. With performances by Christine Liao, Lee Chen, Varda Appleton, Chriselle Almeida, Ruby Marez, Eric Chad Ho, Cruz Flores, and Kimberly Truong. Original theme music by Edith Mudge, with additional music by PB and Peter Lam. Artwork by Gabi Hawkins. Logo by Alex Bruno. Special thanks to Marco Beltran, Vince Elra, Mari Meyer, Amanda Salvatore, and Ruby Marez. Babalu is a production of Uneasy Tiger. For more info or to support this series, follow at Uneasy Tiger on Instagram or TikTok or visit uneasytiger.com. If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, please dial 988 or visit 988lifeline.org for resources and support.