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Once in a while, driving around on the weekends, I listen to This American Life. It's maybe the best radio show ever. They pick a theme, say, "Star-Crossed Love," and do a collection of stories on that theme. Sounds simple.

Their Cat and Mouse episode featured segments about the Minutemen, animals in drug rehab, a guy who's been searching for the perfect couch for ten years, and a graffiti artist.

Every show is captivating.

Last week's show, which I only caught pieces of, was called Special Ed, and centered on people who are different in some way. A mentally disabled man mysteriously quit his job (and everything else), and withdrew into his own room to watch old movies and sleep 18 hours a day. A mother lived in fear and shame, unable to control her todler's violent behavior.

I missed the rest, but I'm going to download a few episodes and listen to them during my flights over the next few weeks. If you haven't heard This American Life, you really ought to give it a try. It's incredible. And you don't have to catch it on the radio; every episode is offered as a downloadable MP3. Not so. I don't know why I thought that.