Ex Fabula Podcast #2 — Off The Record

by Ex Fabula blogger Kimberly Ousley

Ex Fabula’s Spectacular show at Turner Hall Ballroom featured veteran storytellers sharing various tales of Bad Company. Megan McGee and Dasha Kelly shared emcee duties for the evening, delighting the crowd with their charms and sharing some fun facts about our storytellers.

Recreational sports enthusiast Andrea Hoeschen tells the audience how last year she volunteered to assist in coaching her son’s elementary school basketball team. Rosters in tow, practices and games underway Andrea began to notice that the teams were structured quite differently. Her team, the B team, was considered less than stellar when compared to the other team. “I’ll play the hand I was dealt”. The team’s movie moment came during the final game of the season. Surviving regulation time, triple overtime, and the loss of two players finally leads to...a shoot out. “Who does a shoot-out?” Andrea asks. Volleying between misses on both sides, resentful but superb player Danielle, steps up to their free throw line and... “Swish”, says Andrea. The opposing team’s final shoot out member stepped up for his shot...and missed. Andrea’s bench erupts with glee. The kids rush towards one another, placing their hands together and proclaimed “Badger Wolves!”

Donte McFadden was trying to concentrate on completing his dissertation while also dealing with a particularly uncomfortable living situation. While at his uncle’s funeral, his mother bumped into her childhood crush. An observer commented on the pair and stated to Donte’s brother, “That’s going to be your future step-father.” At the time he simply brushed the words off but admits, “I should’ve been paying more attention.” The gentleman starts coming around more and more, causing feelings of awkwardness from Donte and his brother, who weren’t quite used to this addition to their trio. The relationship continued to progress and eventually his mother & her beau begin to look for new housing, causing Donte to question, “Hey, what about me?” Donte & his brother assist with their move. His brother ends up disappearing to a Halloween party, leaving him high and dry. The gentleman attempted to bond with Donte on a car ride back to the new residence but he wanted to be elsewhere. Fast forward to 2013, Donte has moved out and successfully completed his dissertation in, making himself and his mother proud. He revealed that while he was finishing his dissertation his mother had began untangling herself from the gentleman, and eventually ending the relationship.

Lifetime Milwaukee resident Michael Heider’s tale takes us up to northern Wisconsin. He fondly recalls a memorable spring night of firsts as a nine year old boy: his first time going with family members packed into the back of a ’54 Chevy. The kids enjoyed activities like catching bluegills, while the adults enjoyed fishing, for walleye in particular. Jumping ahead to the late eighties Michael is working as a cameraman. He was going to cover a story up north regarding spear fishing methods. Michael recalls much controversy and feelings of unfairness, causing riots to break out near the boat landings and ice fishing holes. “At one point every available cop in the state of Wisconsin was sent up North, to these boat landings”, he says. Protective barriers were created to separate the opposing sides and the media. Neither side would concede. Michael had serious concerns about his safety & well being, being stuck in that middle ground. Looking into the viewfinder of his camera Michael recalls eerie looks in the eyes of the individuals present at these riots. “Suddenly things became personal, and that was the worst company I was ever in.”, he says. He has only been up north twice since covering that story.

Ever try to get something done and, well, can’t? A few years ago while working at an outreach event at a small town library, Cindy Grover recalls needing to make a visit to the ladies room. She entered, only to find a young gentleman shaking the door on the stall at the end of the row. Unsure if he is trying to help or harm the young woman inside, she decides to intervene. He indicates that something is wrong so she attempts to check on the female herself, receiving no response. She instructs the young man to call for help. He panics and Cindy goes to alert the front desk of the situation. Returning to the restroom Cindy finds that the young man has begun to pull his friend from underneath the stall. Cindy abruptly stops him. Another gentleman, who had overhead Cindy earlier, enters the restroom. He offers to help and calls 911 while the young man takes the female’s purse and leaves. The paramedics arrive soon and the young woman is eventually taken to the hospital. Relieved to finally be alone Cindy again proceeded to go about her business but is yet ag...