Two Brothers, One Dad (Dead)

If you're a jerk most of your life and then somehow find it in your heart to be nice to two cute kids (spontaneously nicknamed "the cutie-pie brothers" by a number of separate people), where does that leave your balance sheet? And, for the final accounting, who deigns to run the numbers? When working in the underwater world of memory, every addition is still lacking something, and every division leaves a trace. All we can say is that for the two brothers, he was Jim. Just Jim.

Some people suffer quietly, and some, not so quietly. Our grandma complained about everything she did for us. Or so we thought. Only as adults do we see that she didn't even mention 90 percent of what she gave. Love, stability, and the threat of "a good lickin'" kept us in line, and keep her in our hearts.

The two brothers talk about their uncle, a guy who was funny and charming most of the time, moody sometimes, and actively a jerk other times. But our biggest question is why such a talented guy could never accept (actively sabotaged?) the opportunities that came his way.

Approaching middle age is already hard, but imagine if you were starting to slowly, but irreversibly, go blind. The two brothers talk about their late grandfather, who lived in darkness but shone a light on those around him, especially his grandchildren.

Can we resolve the past? Probably not. Resolution implies an ending, which implies a beginning, whereas in reality there are just causes that beget causes and nothing really ends except an individual life. Join us as we close the book on Krazy Bill; what we've learned about him, ourselves, and memory itself. These podcasts can only hint at the man that was, but we did the best we could. What's more, in the depths of the loneliest parts of the pandemic, these two brothers got to spend more time with each other, and, in a strange way, with their dad. You know he won't live, but then again, who does? Thanks for joining us.

When does rebellion become self-destruction? And, if you're living with anarchists, what exactly are you rebelling against? We talk to one of KB's favorite people, his daughter-in-law, about what a kind, supportive, and frustrating man he was.

Take a walk down a wide and crooked path with one of the brothers as he explains why he is currently on year 32 of spring break from his Freshman year of high school. Imagine Forrest Gump wandering off his high school campus and then plodding through an episode of what starts as Miami Vice but ends closer to The Wire. Background on the "murder house" referenced in the podcast: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winnie_Ruth_Judd (including a photo of the actual house... imagine living there without electricity for a few weeks).

We examine the donkey paradox. How can a person who knows they are prone to foolishness keep being so foolish? The answer to that, to quote a wise man: "It all made sense in my head." We share stories of (supposed) nuclear accidents, Judge Wapner finally speaking his mind, and why you should test your loadout before being dropped off alone in the desert for a three-day camping trip/survivalist training. Note: A few cars were harmed in the making of this episode.

In this episode the two brothers talk to Krazy Bill's first (and only) wife, their very own mother. She gives us her take on the early days of her relationship with our dad, details what his arrest for conspiracy to overthrow the government was like for a young mother with two small children, and reminds one of us how handsome we are.

It's not an easy thing to live in fear. When death comes, will you look it in the eyes and tell it to go away, or will you avert your gaze? Today, the two brothers talk about how their dad was brave as a younger man, and at the end of his life either lost his nerve or kept his cool—depending on how you look at it. You know he won't live, but then again, who does? (write us at twobrothersrockyjbear@gmail.com)

What kind of parent was Krazy Bill? An untraditional one, for sure. Thrust into being a fulltime single dad in his mid-30s, he described his style as "free-range parenting." But, there was a lot more excitement, and at times, disappointment, than the wholesomeness of "free-range" would lead you to believe. We never doubted for an instant that he loved us though.

How did Krazy Bill go from casually racist to rallying for social justice and doing "cop watch" (filming police encounters at demonstrations) even when his health was so bad he was confined to an electric wheelchair? It was quite a switch, to put it mildly, and one he didn't love to talk about. Was his newfound zeal performance, or repentance?

It's a cold night in Cleveland and your cat needs food. No money? No problem. The two brothers talk about the three-man shoplifting spree where we had the blind spots of stores mapped out and various schemes and tricks to make stealing candy bars easy. Only rogues and renegades dare to enter these darkened doors. Yes, it's the Thieves Guild. Email us at: twobrothersrockyjbear@gmail.com

What if you knew someone, who at 38 years of age, suffered a break with reality? Imagine talking to them while they're in the hospital, and wondering, later, if you'd ever truly get back the person you once knew. This is a little bit of a heavy one, but it's an important conversation about mental health, and one fateful night that could have broken bad. Email us at: twobrothersrockyjbear@gmail.com

Today on the Two Brothers, One Dad (Dead) podcast is a tale as old as time itself: Older brother takes advantage of younger brother. A few times. Maybe younger brother got arrested due to the older brother's laziness. Twice, and the third time, as little bro J-Bear puts it, "the handcuffs were on my heart." All is forgiven (or is it?), and we share a few laughs (or was that quiet sobbing?) during this truth and reconciliation session. Email us at: twobrothersrockyjbear@gmail.com

What was it like to live with a single parent, when you were a young teenager and beyond, who was a hoarder? Especially if that word wasn't really in use at the time? Well, listen to these two brothers to find out how it felt then, how it impacted their lives into adulthood, and what hoarding looks like on the front lines. Take a walk down a very cluttered memory lane with the Two Brothers, One Dad (Dead) podcast. Email us at: twobrothersrockyjbear@gmail.com

Two brothers talk about the death of their father, a larger-than-life character known as Krazy Bill. He was a complicated man, and, as one brother put it, was a hoarder "before hoarders were cool." Take a dash of honesty, knead it with some dark humor, and sprinkle with bittersweet memories. Let it sit for a while, and then you've got the Two Brothers, One Dad (Dead) podcast (a limited series). Email us at: twobrothersrockyjbear@gmail.com