Tall And True Short Reads is a storytelling podcast with short stories and posts written and narrated by Robert Fairhead from TallAndTrue.com. Each episode includes insight into when, why, and how Robert wrote the story or post.
Publisher
Robert Fairhead
Category
arts · fiction · society & culture · society & culture
The job offer notification pops up on my phone early on Christmas Eve. It's a short-term role helping with overnight deliveries. The regular delivery driver has hurt his back and needs an offsider for heavy lifting.
Nick's Helper is a short story by Robert Fairhead from the Tall And True writers' website.
Read the story on Tall And True: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/fiction/short-stories/nicks-helper (https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/fiction/short-stories/nicks-helper)
Listen to all podcast episodes on Tall And True Short Reads: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com
Episode 13, The Gift: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/the-gift/
Episode 52, The Special Tree: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/the-special-tree/
Season Five Trailer: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/introducing-season-five/
Support the podcast: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads
Buy Robert's short story and microfiction collections online:
• Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM
• Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/author/robert-fairhead/id1436773436
• Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairhead
Podcast Theme and Sound Effects
Royalty-free music from Pixabay.com: Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 'Pastorale' – IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non-Troppo, performed by Karine Gilanyan.
Sound effects licensed under Creative Commons 0 from FreeSound.org:
• Phone Notification: https://freesound.org/people/katjajansen1997/sounds/538006/
• Phone Vibration: https://freesound.org/people/Breviceps/sounds/515295/
• Santa Bells: https://freesound.org/people/BrianJamesLong/sounds/330415/
• Kids Laughing: https://freesound.org/people/Iamgiorgio/sounds/371342/
• Door Slammed: https://freesound.org/people/TiesWijnen/sounds/455540/
Production Notes
Tall And True Short Reads is produced using Audacity.
Episodes are recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the traditional lands of the Gadigal People.
Acast Podcast Supporter Page
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads (http://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads).
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
8 Dec 2025
The Nine Lives of Leo Roberts — Two: A Fast Car — Part Three
Bernie sat by himself on the far side of the emergency department waiting room. Elsie and Rita were sitting together, near the doors to the operating theatres. Elsie was sobbing, and Bernie wanted to console her, but he couldn't face Rita's wrath again. "It's all your fault, Bernie!" she'd shouted at him.
The Nine Lives of Leo Roberts — Two: A Fast Car — Part Three is a short story by Robert Fairhead from the Tall And True writers' website.
Read Robert's writing on Tall And True: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au
A Dog and Van Road Trip:
• Part One: Sydney to Uluru: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/blog/a-dog-and-van-road-trip-part-one-sydney-to-uluru
• Part Two: Uluru: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/blog/a-dog-and-van-road-trip-part-two-uluru
Listen to all podcast episodes on Tall And True Short Reads: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com
Season Five Trailer: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/introducing-season-five/
The Nine Lives of Leo Roberts:
• Prologue: The Clinic: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/the-nine-lives-of-leo-roberts-prologue-the-clinic/
• One: Rock Fishing: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/the-nine-lives-of-leo-roberts-one-rock-fishing/
• Two: A Fast Car - Part One: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/the-nine-lives-of-leo-roberts-two-a-fast-car-part-one/
• Two: A Fast Car - Part Two: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/the-nine-lives-of-leo-roberts-two-a-fast-car-part-two/
• Two: A Fast Car - Part Three: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/the-nine-lives-of-leo-roberts-two-a-fast-car-part-three/
Support the podcast: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads
Buy Robert's short story and microfiction collections online:
• Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM
• Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/author/robert-fairhead/id1436773436
• Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairhead
Podcast Theme and Sound Effects
Royalty-free music from Pixabay.com: Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 'Pastorale' – IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non-Troppo, performed by Karine Gilanyan.
Sound effects licensed under Creative Commons 0 from FreeSound.org:
• Car Engine Revving: https://freesound.org/people/overmedium/sounds/651534/
• Hospital Waiting Room: https://freesound.org/people/bassboybg/sounds/201638/
• Heart Monitor-Flat Line: https://freesound.org/people/samfk360/sounds/148897/
• Opening Door: https://freesound.org/people/deleted_user_7146007/sounds/383846/
• Police Car Radio: https://freesound.org/people/mrrap4food/sounds/618971/
• Racing Cars: https://freesound.org/people/DaleT92/sounds/260886/
• Car Crash: https://freesound.org/people/squareal/sounds/237375/
• Bernie's Car: https://freesound.org/people/tiramisuper/sounds/474461/
• Heart Monitor: https://freesound.org/people/iluminati_2705/sounds/536706/
• Baby Laughter: https://freesound.org/people/iccleste/sounds/260774/
• Pub Ambience: https://freesound.org/people/BurghRecords/sounds/415974/
• Respirator: https://freesound.org/people/dansotak/sounds/137709/
• Wall Clock: https://freesound.org/people/Richard1052/sounds/585774/
• Creaky Door: https://freesound.org/people/deleted_user_7146007/sounds/383816/
• Underwater: https://freesound.org/people/DCSFX/sounds/366159/
• Wind and Waves: https://freesound.org/people/nickmaysoundmusic/sounds/585622/
• Santa Bells: https://freesound.org/people/BrianJamesLong/sounds/330415/
Production Notes
Tall And True Short Reads is produced using Audacity.
Episodes are recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the traditional lands of the Gadigal People.
Acast Podcast Supporter Page
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads (http://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads).
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
20 Nov 2025
The Nine Lives of Leo Roberts — Two: A Fast Car — Part Two
Leo sat in sullen silence in the front passenger seat, staring out the windscreen, as Bernie’s car strained, towing his secondhand car on a hired trailer up the hills to the abandoned quarry. Bernie had known Leo since the boy was eight and had taught him the things a father would normally teach a son.
The Nine Lives of Leo Roberts — Two: A Fast Car — Part Two is a short story by Robert Fairhead (https://www.robertfairhead.com/profile/) from the Tall And True (https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/) writers' website.
Read Robert's writing on Tall And True: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au (https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/)
Listen to all podcast episodes on Tall And True Short Reads: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com (https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/)
Listen to the Season Five Trailer: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/introducing-season-five/
Listen to The Nine Lives of Leo Roberts:
• Prologue: The Clinic: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/the-nine-lives-of-leo-roberts-prologue-the-clinic/
• One: Rock Fishing: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/the-nine-lives-of-leo-roberts-one-rock-fishing/
• Two: A Fast Car - Part One: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/the-nine-lives-of-leo-roberts-two-a-fast-car-part-one/
• Two: A Fast Car - Part Two: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/the-nine-lives-of-leo-roberts-two-a-fast-car-part-two/
Support the podcast: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads (https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads)
Buy Robert's short story and microfiction collections online:
• Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM (https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM)
• Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/author/robert-fairhead/id1436773436 (https://books.apple.com/us/author/robert-fairhead/id1436773436)
• Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairhead (https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairhead)
Podcast Theme and Sound Effects
Royalty-free music from Pixabay.com: Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 'Pastorale' – IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non-Troppo, performed by Karine Gilanyan.
Sound effects licensed under Creative Commons 0 from FreeSound.org:
• Bernie's Car: https://freesound.org/people/tiramisuper/sounds/474461/
• Bike Bell: https://freesound.org/people/altazor80/sounds/367744/
• Waves on Beach: https://freesound.org/people/VMan533/sounds/575894/
• Wind and Waves: https://freesound.org/people/nickmaysoundmusic/sounds/585622/
• Seagulls: https://freesound.org/people/plantmonkey/sounds/377107/
• Fishing Rod Reel: https://freesound.org/people/170129/sounds/408252/
• Heart Monitor: https://freesound.org/people/samfk360/sounds/148897/
• Heartbeat: https://freesound.org/people/PollyannaMedia/sounds/541434/
• Kettle Boiling: https://freesound.org/people/cupido-1/sounds/433538/
• Kettle Whistling: https://freesound.org/people/keweldog/sounds/181718/
• Bird Song in Sydney: https://freesound.org/people/Rimmer/sounds/662079/
Production Notes
Tall And True Short Reads is produced using Audacity.
Episodes are recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the traditional lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.
Acast Podcast Supporter Page
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads (http://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads).
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
838
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
3 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 62 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
70
Social presence
0
YouTube
66
Engagement
68
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