Out of Place | A Short Stories Podcast
Our lives are like a flowing stream of short stories. Each day is a page, each month a chapter, each year a novel, and one’s life a series of volumes. Yet, only a fraction of pages stays imprinted on our minds until something we see, or something someone says triggers a memory, and suddenly we’re transported back in time to a place or an event we haven’t thought of in years. The Out of Place short stories podcast is that trigger. Listeners are often surprised when the stories rekindle their own memories about a situation they found themselves in, that didn’t feel right when it happened, but worked out in ways that shaped their perceptions and outlooks for the rest of their lives. So why not join the journey now to see if my stories awaken your own?
Episodes
21 episodes
Two Black Hearts
What lies hidden in the minds of the characters in Two Black Hearts reveals just how strong bonds can be—until they break. And sometimes, those breaking points turn deadly. Meet Kate and Kim, best friends who share everything… except the...
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46:32
Boy Toys
Before screens and software, kids built with Lincoln Logs, Erector Sets and other developmental toys. These hands-on kits sparked creativity and problem-solving—no batteries required. In this episode, Frank takes you back to a simpler time, whe...
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33:18
Things Come in Odd Lots!
Frank turns down a lead to sell product to a major retailer. What follows is an adventure with unexpected consequences.
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39:02
"Missing Walter Cronkite et al"
Frank invites you to take a journey back to a time when news was NEWS, not sensationalism and hyperbole--when there were only three television networks and Walter Cronkite was the most trusted newscaster in America.
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6:07
Watches Tell More Than Time!
Frank brings to light how wrist watches mark time in a whole new way.
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4:07
One Part Fate-One Part Destiny
A chance racquetball match turns into a career changing event for Frank. Before long, he's confronted with challenges and encounters adventures he could never have predicted.
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1:02:03
AI Goes AWOL
Fiction, folklore and fact intersect in this Out-Of-Place podcast about developing artificial intelligence and unexpected consequences. Join Michael Levy, Ph.D., a celebrated computer scientist leading a team of next generation t...
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1:22:06
Not a Plane in the Sky
A routine business trip suddenly becomes an experience of a lifetime for Frank and a colleague when they find themselves far from home during one of America's darkest days.
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45:50
Go Fly a Kite
A beautiful summer day in 1964 is suddenly clouded with fear. Nine year old Frank struggles to cope with possible consequences resulting from his own actions. Will Frank fly under the radar, or be caught red-handed and sent off to reform school...
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21:18
Kill Kill Kill
A surprise call from a former employee sends Frank on a secret mission to explore a massive business opportunity. Suddenly his vision for the future of his company's business is a far cry from sanitizing swimming pool water where images of suns...
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32:35
Don't Judge a Man by His Stutter
Frank's corporate bubble is pierced by outside world realities when he is introduced to a new customer by the name of Bud Stocik. Bud's humble background, rough-hewn appearance and heavy stutter leaves Frank in the lurch. How will h...
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30:49
Not By Design
Frank goes "off the track" to help his 7 year old son build a Pinewood Derby car.
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27:38
A Lifetime Experience for Twenty-Five Cents
Frank's entry into the world of higher education yields life lessons he hadn't bargained for.
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54:58
What was I thinking?
Frank helps a magazine publisher get into an "invitation only" customer luncheon hosted by his company's chairman. The publisher's return favor lands Frank in a precarious spot that could cost him his job!
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34:15
Chapter 1 | Out of Place
Midnight shift in the Pittsburgh produce yards provides an eye-opening experience into the world of manual labor for a Penn State College kid home for the summer.
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18:42
Chapter 2 | My Brother's Keeper
Membership in the Teamsters Union thrusts 19-year-old Frank into a moral dilemma when union representatives and management hit a contract impasse. To strike or not to strike, how will he vote?
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20:32
Chapter 3 | Blue Bird of Happiness
Events leading up to a dream job interview with a premier ad agency throw a spotlight on Frank’s aspirations, and a surprise that rockets him back to reality.
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12:09
Be the Ball
In this podcast, Frank “takes a swing” at writing fiction and comes up with a whimsical story about the life of a golf ball.
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11:29
I Once Knew a Guy
Frank is left with a chilled feeling after being introduced to Jim, a much-revered copywriter at the ad agency where they both work. What Frank doesn’t know is that there is a host of secrets bottled up inside this master of words. ...
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30:24