Inbox Of Oddities #77

The Box of Oddities

John Elliott and Kat Walls

Society & Culture, True Crime, Comedy

4.8 • 3K Ratings

🗓️ 27 February 2026

⏱️ 25 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Inbox of Oddities is back—and the Freak Family did not disappoint. This episode is packed with listener stories that blur the line between coincidence, comedy, grief, and the quietly unsettling. From eerie “boo effects” that hit a little too close to home, to a chilling hospital chart note that shouldn’t exist, to toddlers repeating phrases they absolutely should not be repeating, the inbox overflows with moments that make you laugh… and then pause. You’ll hear from nurses, parents, knitters, pet people, word nerds, and longtime listeners who share experiences that range from delightfully absurd to genuinely haunting. A cat meows—and Jethro answers from a phone speaker at exactly the wrong moment. A child speaks casually about the man who watches the door. A grandmother’s midnight rule suddenly makes sense years after her death. And one deeply moving letter reminds us why these shared stories matter, especially when loss, memory, and connection collide. Along the way, Kat and Jethro dig into linguistic oddities, accidental childhood swearing, coded knitting, paranormal house disclosures, pet naming debates, and the strange comfort of realizing you’re not alone in noticing how weird the world can be. It’s funny. It’s unsettling. It’s heartfelt. And it’s everything the Inbox of Oddities does best—real voices, real moments, and just enough uncanny timing to make you side-eye your surroundings. Have a story of your own? A coincidence you can’t explain? A quiet moment that stuck with you? You might just hear it here. Fly that freak flag proudly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Grownups, if there's a child in your life who is interested in, curious about, or fascinated by people in places from history,
0:07.5	then my podcast, The Past and the Curious, might just be a hit in your home.
0:12.4	From the invention of microscopes to world-traveling dogs, to fashions of the 1890s, gold rush ghost towns,
0:18.8	and audiences going wild for walking competitions, we've got a little bit of it all.
0:24.9	Hosted by Children's Author and Museum educator Mick Sullivan, that's me, the show is fun, funny, engaging, honest, and beloved by kids and parents alike.
0:34.8	Find the past and the curious at all the usual podcast places.
0:40.3	Life's full of big money decisions. Dividend versus growth stocks. Tapping home equity, even
0:45.7	navigating tariffs. And for every smart tip out there, there's another one that sounds smart, but isn't.
0:51.4	That's where NerdWallet's Smart Money podcast comes in. I'm Sean Piles, a certified financial planner professional. And I'm Elizabeth Ayola. On NerdWallet Smart Money Podcasts, our finance journalists do the homework so you can make confident wealth-building moves. Whether you're building your portfolio or protecting it, we've got the facts and a little fun along the way. Follow NerdWallet Smart Money Podcasts on your favorite podcast app.
1:15.2	One-one-one.
1:18.5	I feel like I should call an exorcist.
1:24.7	Are you okay?
1:25.8	What was that sound about?
1:26.8	I'm just feeling all
1:27.9	janky today. Why are you feeling janky? I don't know. I just, what? Oh, we're recording.
1:34.7	Yeah, yeah. Yeah, we're into it all right. Well, I'm so sorry I didn't realize that I didn't
1:41.7	mean to start things that way.
1:46.6	Well, it's certainly... Ding doodle.
1:47.4	Certainly gained everyone's attention.
1:49.5	I'm just feeling more like I would like to go for a nice long walk.
1:54.9	Okay.
1:55.3	In a bog.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from John Elliott and Kat Walls, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of John Elliott and Kat Walls and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.