Square Peg
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In 2017, Frank Carver, a one-eyed English septuagenarian and somewhat lovable provocateur, accidentally emailed someone he’d never met. That someone was Rob Collins, a kind and reliable 43-year-old suburban dad from Virginia.
That email would change both of their lives.
The email was meant for a British blogger. But instead, Rob heard the story. Frank said that when he was in the Army, over 50 years ago, he was viciously assaulted by a fellow soldier, and that attack left him nearly blind at 17 years old.
Oh, and the alleged attacker was Frank’s older brother.
But the crime was “covered up,” and while Frank had already sued the British military over this—the case even reached the country’s High Court of Justice—only recently had Frank decided to bring criminal charges against his brother.
Meanwhile, Frank had been diagnosed with cancer and felt he was running out of time to right this wrong. So despite having no journalistic experience and some doubts about the details of the story, Rob decides to investigate the case and help Frank in his quest for justice.
Two years and many detours—including a psychiatric evaluation in Berlin—later, Rob’s self-funded quest for the holy grail of getting justice for Frank concludes... and Rob, struggling with what it all meant, realizes he gave Frank what he really needed.
That’s how, in the end, it wasn’t Frank’s son or his siblings, but Rob, suburban dad from Virginia, who officiated and was the only speaker at Frank’s funeral in 2019.
And the big question remains: who was left more affected by this relationship, Rob or Frank?
”…riveting enough that I couldn’t stop listening, and am so glad this show has completely dropped, I would have died if I wouldn’t have been able to binge it.” — Lauren Passell, Podcast the Newsletter
“This is what David felt like when he slew Goliath. The Square Peg podcast, an indie production, has released an eight-episode narrative series that is comparable to—and in many ways —better than any production a large podcast network could create, develop, finance and produce.” — Frank Racioppi, EarWorthy
That email would change both of their lives.
The email was meant for a British blogger. But instead, Rob heard the story. Frank said that when he was in the Army, over 50 years ago, he was viciously assaulted by a fellow soldier, and that attack left him nearly blind at 17 years old.
Oh, and the alleged attacker was Frank’s older brother.
But the crime was “covered up,” and while Frank had already sued the British military over this—the case even reached the country’s High Court of Justice—only recently had Frank decided to bring criminal charges against his brother.
Meanwhile, Frank had been diagnosed with cancer and felt he was running out of time to right this wrong. So despite having no journalistic experience and some doubts about the details of the story, Rob decides to investigate the case and help Frank in his quest for justice.
Two years and many detours—including a psychiatric evaluation in Berlin—later, Rob’s self-funded quest for the holy grail of getting justice for Frank concludes... and Rob, struggling with what it all meant, realizes he gave Frank what he really needed.
That’s how, in the end, it wasn’t Frank’s son or his siblings, but Rob, suburban dad from Virginia, who officiated and was the only speaker at Frank’s funeral in 2019.
And the big question remains: who was left more affected by this relationship, Rob or Frank?
”…riveting enough that I couldn’t stop listening, and am so glad this show has completely dropped, I would have died if I wouldn’t have been able to binge it.” — Lauren Passell, Podcast the Newsletter
“This is what David felt like when he slew Goliath. The Square Peg podcast, an indie production, has released an eight-episode narrative series that is comparable to—and in many ways —better than any production a large podcast network could create, develop, finance and produce.” — Frank Racioppi, EarWorthy
10 Episodes
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After a mistyped email address connects them, an American suburban dad gets sucked into the bizarre world of a vengeful, one-eyed British curmudgeon who’s been on a decades-long mission to have his brother imprisoned. It’s a bizarrely heartfelt story about bitterness, family secrets, and the things we bury in the past.
Learn more at squarepegpodcast.com.
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Follow: twitter.com/squarepegpod • facebook.com/squarepegpod
Credits: squarepegpodcast.com/credits
How did an American suburban dad end up officiating a funeral in Scunthorpe, England, for a man he’d only known a short while? Because of a typo.
Flashback two years, as Rob Collins learns the bizarre story of Frank Carver, a vengeful British provocateur on a decades-long mission to have his brother imprisoned for allegedly stabbing out his left eye.
Transcript: squarepegpodcast.com/part1
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Follow: twitter.com/squarepegpod • facebook.com/squarepegpod
Credits: squarepegpodcast.com/credits
Despite a lack of journalistic experience and the bewilderment of his wife and friends, Rob travels overseas to investigate. After struggling through Frank’s legal documents and left-side driving, he gets some local help and tracks down a source who deepens the mystery of Frank’s story.
Transcript: squarepegpodcast.com/part2
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Follow: twitter.com/squarepegpod • facebook.com/squarepegpod
Credits: squarepegpodcast.com/credits
The investigation runs into problems. Rob uncovers conflicting evidence, and John, Frank’s brother, won’t reply to a request to be interviewed. To top it off, Frank seems to have a change of heart about the whole thing. What the hell is going on?
Transcript: squarepegpodcast.com/part3
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Follow: twitter.com/squarepegpod • facebook.com/squarepegpod
Credits: squarepegpodcast.com/credits
Moment of truth: Rob and his team attempts to track down and meet the dreaded John Carver, Frank’s brother. It doesn’t go as expected.
Transcript: squarepegpodcast.com/part4
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Follow: twitter.com/squarepegpod • facebook.com/squarepegpod
Credits: squarepegpodcast.com/credits
His story in shambles, Rob has to figure out how to proceed. But a fortuitous tip suggests a clue to learning who Frank really is.
Transcript: squarepegpodcast.com/part5
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Credits: squarepegpodcast.com/credits
Rob brings Frank to Berlin to be evaluated by Dr. Michael Linden, a renowned psychiatrist who developed the concept of post-traumatic embitterment disorder. It’s a revelatory session.
Transcript: squarepegpodcast.com/part6
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Follow: twitter.com/squarepegpod • facebook.com/squarepegpod
Credits: squarepegpodcast.com/credits
Because of what happened in Berlin, Rob’s mission changes. He races against the clock of Frank’s cancer to bring reconciliation. As Frank dies, they find something better.
Transcript: squarepegpodcast.com/part7
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Follow: twitter.com/squarepegpod • facebook.com/squarepegpod
Credits: squarepegpodcast.com/credits
Rob eulogizes this fascinating and deeply flawed man. Even in death, Frank has some surprises up his sleeve.
Transcript: squarepegpodcast.com/part8
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Follow: twitter.com/squarepegpod • facebook.com/squarepegpod
Credits: squarepegpodcast.com/credits
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Thank you for listening.
We’re excited to present this bonus episode. It’s a conversation with Gregg LeFevre, an artist and host of the podcast “The Compulsive Storyteller.” A colleague connected us because of the overlap between our shows—Frank Carver was a bit of a compulsive storyteller, and Rob became one as well in the making of “Square Peg.”
So Rob and Gregg talk together in this episode about compulsive storytelling, sharing their experiences and histories with it, starting with Rob interviewing Gregg.
You can find Gregg’s podcast at thecompulsivestoryteller.com.
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