Need a Good Story? Dial This Number Now

There are moments, like when you’re performing life’s more perfunctory tasks, when it would be really nice to have someone tell you a story. Preferably, someone who’s good at telling stories.

Pop-Up Magazine is here to deliver that public service. Every other Sunday they’ll release an installment of Phone Stories, a quick little tale for a “specific moment of your life.” The magazine will tap writers, comedians, artists, and others who can deliver a good, quick narrative.

Dial 415-529-6057 to listen in. The first caller, author Mary Roach (a mental_floss favorite for her deep-dives on topics like the alimentary canal and space poop) provides a story for getting dressed. Her new book, Grunt, is about how soldiers deal with things like exhaustion, heat, and noise, and in her story, she talks specifically about the clothing of snipers, who, as she says, “get dressed in a different way.” Spoiler: Zippers and velcro are a no-no.

If you’ve got two minutes, dial in now and keep an eye on Pop-Up Magazine for future tales. Podcast listeners, take note: It’s actually kind of fun to listen to a story you can’t pause or skip through.