Extraordinary People, Extraordinary Lives

„And we are back. We have reached the part of the Podcast that is dedicated to extraordinary People and their lives. “Extraordinary People, extraordinary Lives” as we so creatively have named it or EPEL for short as my Producer Michael likes to call it.

My guest today is the extraordinary Person Sasha Gwynn. How are you Sasha?”

“I am good, Nate. Thank you.”

“Good to hear. We are glad to have you on today. So for our listeners, why dont you tell us about what it is that makes you extraordinary.”

“Well hmmm… I don´t know. I mean you have asked me to be on this show so you probably know better what makes me so extraordinary.”

“Haha, our guests are always so modest. We read your story online and were fascinated by you. But let me put it this way, what would other people find extraordinary about `you. After all there is a whole article about you in the New Yorker.”

“What other people find extr… Well I have been called an extraordinary asshole a couple of times. But I am also quite good in the kitchen, I make a mean lasagne. So I guess I have a couple of things going for me.”

“Ahem… We do have a certain audience and I don´t think they appreciate that kind of language. So please hold the swear words.

But to get back on track and the whole theme of this segment. The article I am referring to has the title ´´"`Homo Immortales. Untouched by Time" and tells the story of your Immortality.”

“Ah, yes. That piece. First of all that title sounds like I am a gay magician, and untouched by time? The molestation jokes are practically writing themselves.”

“Jesus Christ. Please.”

“I already changed my name from Sorcha because no one could pronounce it, and I most certainly do not want to be associated with that stupid name.”

“Yes, well… anyway. Maybe we just start off slow. Can you tell us your birthday, just so our listeners get a sense of what we are talking about?”

“I was born on the 7^th of August 1901.”

“Amazing. That would make you 119 years old now. And you do not look a day over 16.”

“I have never heard that before, thank you for saying that.”

“I am sorry.

You just mentioned that you changed your name from Sorcha to Sasha, is that Irish? Could you maybe tell us more about your background, where your family is from. You know maybe give us a little origin story.”

“Yes that is Irish. Origin Story, that sounds so stupid.

My family comes from a small town near Cork. The story goes that back in the 1860s or so my Granddad got into a fight with another guy, that guy stabbed him and threw him in the water at Cork Harbour. He should have been dead but a couple of days later some Sailors pulled him out off the water and he was still alive. That is literally it. The most boring origin story there is. Nothing you could write a novel about.”

“Maybe not a novel, but perhaps a short story. Haha.

But wow. All that took place in the 1860s? That is over 150 years ago. From what I know that was your fathers father right? He was the first one in your family to be immortal?”

“I don´t know. He disappeared shortly after my dad was born. He kind of just stood up and left and no one has heard from him ever since.”

“So you are the third generation so to speak. Your grandfather passed it on to your father and he to you. Is it safe to assume that you will pass it on as well?”

“I eliminated that option a while ago so I guess we will never find out. The way I see it, me having a child could only lead into two different directions. I either pass this whole immortality shit on and trap another person in this never-ending life and probably earn eternal resentment for doing so. Greetings to my dad at that point. Or, I do not pass it on and have to watch my kid grow up, get older and eventually outlive my own child. I honestly think that is why my granddad left. Either that or he was just an asshole.”

“That is… a lot to process. And on that note we will go in another commercial break, stay tuned.”

…

“We are still here with Sasha Gwynn, our extraordinary person of the week. So far we have talked about her beginnings but now I would like to ask the questions that everyone is probably dying to ask. Is being immortal a superpower?”

“If it is it is one of the lames ones there is. Always knowing the exact time would be more useful than this. That would actually be awesome. No but immortality is bullsh..bullcrap. I cannot die and that is all there is. There is nothing super about it.”

“There have to be upsides to it. I have read that you were in a pretty gruesome car crash when you were 16, were you not glad for your inability to die in that moment? 16 is an age, I think I we can all agree on, that is just too young to die.”

“I probably would have been if I did not intentionally wrap that car around that tree. But hey, at least that is how I found out that I can not die.”

“You did not know that you were immortal?”

“Nopes, my dad did not tell me until he picked me up from the hospital a few days after my ´accident´.”

“That must have been quite a shock I imagine. I cannot even remotely grasp how it must feel.

That brings me to one of my other questions. You drove that car. You had a license and you had a 16 year olds body. Just as you have right now. Is that correct?”

“Yes. Apparently we stop aging after our first death. Which I mean in some sense 16 is a good age. It is a struggle when it comes to alcohol, drugs or sex but over the years I have learned to manage that. Just imagine having my first death at the age of 80 and then being trapped in that body forever. That would fucking suck. My dad used to joke and say ´thank god you were a depressed teenager´.”

“I have so many more questions but we are running out of time.”

“Unlike me.”

“Ha. Yes you could say that. The last thing I want to talk to you about. Why come forward now? Why let the world know now? Why not before or later or never?”

“Quite frankly. I was bored and sick of hiding. I already told you I think this is not a superpower, I just do not die. It is something people will find interesting for about 2 minutes and then forget about it again. Unless medicine and science find anything of value in or on my body there is nothing to gain from it. And I have been tested and probably will be for a very long time. So far there is nothing any doctor could tell me about as to why or how this is working. It is how it is. And why not get my 5 minutes of fame for being special. It is not like I have anything else to do.”

“I think it is fair to say I find you and your story absolutely fascinating and I can not wait to learn more. Thank you so much and hopefully we see each other again.”