Chris Garcia’s dad had one dying wish: That his family scatter his ashes off the coast of Cuba -- the country he was born in, and the country that would break him. Chris’s mom? She doesn’t give a crap about dying wishes. She’s vowed to never go back to Cuba again. 

So for now, the ashes are sitting on a shelf in a closet, between a Paul McCartney record and a Gizmo Halloween mask. As Chris tries to do right by his dad, he sets out to uncover the truth about a man he barely knew, who survived Castro’s labor camps only to lose his way in search of the American dream.

Scattered, a new podcast from WNYC Studios, drops on October 23rd

Chris’s dad was a classy guy. Whenever he met one of his son’s girlfriends, he’d extend his hand, give her a firm handshake and say, “Soy Andrés, a tus pies.” Which means, “I’m Andres, I serve at your feet.” 

Andres carried his wife’s purse when they went out, taught Chris to throw a knuckle ball by age eight, and loved a good joke at Fidel Castro’s expense. But behind it all was a dark past that Chris was too scared to ask about. 

When Andres asked the Cuban government for permission to leave the country in 1969, he got a letter with a set of instructions.

Was it torture, or treatment? 

Andres catches a break. Mr. Bible-Jesus is born. And an American dog drinks café con leche.

Chris confronts the box in his closet.

Follow @ScatteredPodcast for updates on the show, old photos of the fam back in Cuba, and more.

Our theme song is "Please Won't Please" from This is How You Smile by Helado Negro.

Ana puts on her hot pink visor, Chris gets heatstroke, and the Garcias say goodbye.

Follow @ScatteredPodcast for updates on the show, old photos of the fam back in Cuba, and more.

Our theme song is "Please Won't Please" from This is How You Smile by Helado Negro.

Additional song: "Cuando Salí de Cuba" performed by Celia Cruz. Courtesy of Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc. Written by Luis Aguilé. 

Special thanks to Lillian Guerra, Rachel Hynson, Emily Botein, Celia Muller, Janna Freed, Tobin Low, the entire Death Sex and Money team, Mark Szuchman, and Carrie Kahn. Ernesto Chavez, Suzie Lechtenberg, Julia Longoria, Katie Bishop, Megan Cunnane, Soren Wheeler, Raymond Guillemette, Edward Lattimer, and Carmen Cusido.

Fellow comedian Karen Kilgariff (My Favorite Murder) and Chris Garcia are members of the same sad club: they both lost their parents to Alzheimer’s. Karen tells Chris about caring for her mom, her too-real stand-up set, and how Alzheimer's is like the movie Jaws.