This is Hidden Brain, I'm Shankar Vedanta.

In the early hours of the morning when the air was heavy and the ticking clock ran slow,

Randy Gardner would step out into his yard.

He would stand beside the cactus's seat planted and listen to the cars that

whiz by on Highway 54, which runs behind his home in San Diego.

Standing in the moonlit shadows, he would call out in agony.

But I would go out on the back yard at three in the morning and scream my head off like a wild animal.

Many people are familiar with the suffering Randy experienced.

Insomnia, there's a lonely communion that binds those who plead with the gods

at three o'clock in the morning.

No one can help you, no one can make you feel better, no one can do anything.

It's like you're going insane.

But Randy also knew he was different from everyone else.

Many years ago, as a teenager, he tempted those very same gods.

His punishment, he understood, was payback.

Thank you again.

Welcome.

Have a lovely day.

I was in San Diego recently for a conference.

I had some downtime so I hopped in an Uber and headed to Randy's house.

Hey.

Are you Randy?

...