Good Guys

Yes fellas, lots of you think of yourselves as good guys. But what does it really take to be a good guy? We have stories of valiant men attempting to do good in challenging circumstances: in war zones, department stores, public buses, and at the bottom of a cave 900 feet underground. Prologue: Producer Ben Calhoun tells Ira about a secret move his friend uses all the time — the "good guy discount" — that gets Ben's friend money off all sorts of items when he's shopping. (6 minutes) Takes One To Know One: Ben tries the good guy discount, to see if he can pull it off, as Ira tags along. (7 minutes) The Heels On The Bus: Mike Birbiglia has this story about a time his good guy-ness was called into question. (7 minutes) No Man Left Behind: Julia DeWitt tells the story of someone who goes to incredible lengths to do a favor for another guy, even though the guy won't ever be able to know about it. Julia's story originally aired on Snap Judgment. (16 minutes) The Deepest Darkest Open Secret: In 2009, a U.S. soldier contacted our show and offered to send audio dispatches from his deployment in Afghanistan, to do a story about what it's really like to go to war. But what he learned when he was over there was way more personal and honest than we, or he, expected. Producer Sarah Koenig explains. Note: Ira warns listeners that this story may not be appropriate for children. (20 minutes)