The GI Joe Incident: Why I Thought I Ran Away… and the Truth I Didn’t See

Aaron tells the story of the day he tried—truly tried—to run away at age five, fueled by righteous anger over a forbidden episode of GI Joe and a backpack full of peanut-butter crackers. What begins as a funny childhood rebellion slowly reveals a deeper truth about grief, confusion, and a kid trying to make sense of a family unraveling. This is a story about the moment you realize running away isn’t the answer—and why coming home matters more than you knew.

📻 If you like 7MS, make sure you follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠Night Stories LIVE! ⁠⁠⁠⁠— Aaron’s late-night storytelling show where he shares new stories and talks with special guests in real time. Streamed on its⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ new YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, these nostalgic, radio-style sessions go live every Thursday at 9:30PM EST and roll deep into the night. 📬 Join the⁠⁠⁠⁠ 7 Minute Stories Newsletter!⁠⁠⁠⁠ It only goes out 4–6 times a year — short, sweet, and packed with value. Get exclusive bonus content, behind-the-scenes stories, and invites to special remote events, delivered straight to your inbox. The Team:

Story created & performed by: Aaron Calafato

Senior Audio Engineer:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ken Wendt ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Additional vocals: Cori Calafato

Artist in Residence: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pete Whitehead ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Original Theme Music: thomas j. duke

Additional Soundscape Design:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Isaac Gehring & Story Sounds Media LLC ⁠⁠⁠⁠

Special Thanks: Shannon Baker

Rob Montague Jr

Kyle McCarthy

Dania Khalife