Here in Denver, a notable number of artists and entertainers have left town to stake new claims in California, including a handful of our all-time favorite storytellers and the original two hosts of The Narrators Denver, Andrew Orvedahl and Robert Rutherford.

I’ve been thinking a lot about California. A few weeks ago, my own family and I took a short vacation to San Diego. We stayed with Robert and he gave us an amazing insider’s tour of the city—we went behind the scenes at the natural history museum where he works and saw a new species of desert spider; we ate ridiculously delicious fish tacos in the parking lot of a grocery store; we climbed over jagged coastal rocks in La Jolla, looking for crabs and octopi in the tidepools. And he showed me Tiger! Tiger! Tavern, where The Narrators San Diego will debut in September.

While we strolled around Balboa Park, I could imagine myself settling down amidst all the true, natural beauty of Southern California. I could definitely move there and live on a schedule ruled by the tides.

But, every now and then, I would catch flashes of the other Southern California: the Botox-injected foreheads, the $700 alligator purses, the real estate flyers for “affordable” million-dollar studio apartments. Even with my critical faculties softened by the sand glimmering between my toes and palm trees nodding encouragingly overhead, I could easily spot the seams, the artifice, duplicity and disparity of this place.

Let’s be clear: I don’t think the face-lifted vanity of Southern California is pervasive—I’d argue it’s not even popular—but that plastic, two-faced facet of California culture was definitely visible.

Today’s story comes from Haley Driscoll. She is a standup comedian who is adored by the Denver comedy scene and one of those folks who recently relocated to Los Angeles. Her departure, like all the others, was this bittersweet moment of joy for her future and pity for our loss. But I never once worried about Haley moving to LA and becoming two-faced—and that’s because of the the story you’re about to hear.

This story was originally recorded on 21 November 2013 at the Deer Pile in Denver, Colorado. The theme of the evening was “The Fall.” Our theme music is by our friend Whalehawk (aka the Grammy-nominated musician Jake Sanders).