[HELLO WORLD, a] is the first file of the Princeton Tapes received by Reddit/Discord user TheSharp0ne on February 21, 2018.
In this video, Vinny is using an audio recorder given to him by his grandma as an early Christmas gift to leave messages for his grandma. The recordings takes around Christmas time and New Years in Princeton, starting two weeks before Christmas. It seems Vinny has recently moved to Princeton with encouragement from his grandma. He mentions that his friends Jeff and Evan are in Princeton too. This occurs in late 1988/early 1989; at one point, Jimmy Fink's 1988 Christmas show on 92.3 K-Rock (WXRK) is playing in the background.
Transcript[]
Princeton Vince: Testing... Testing… one, two...[cut] ...testing again… Testing with a longer microphone. [cut] Huh, okay. This thing is pretty cool. Thank you, uh, Grandma for the early Christmas gift... of a micro-
[cut]
Vince: Alright, good. [he inhales] I am bringing these tapes to somebody I trust. I’m not gonna mention who right now... just in case. Uhm, just know that you will get these when you are supposed to. I’m sending all the tapes, uhm... I know some of them are from back when I was… naive, and didn’t quite understand the situation, but some of my observations are relevant, so... you’re getting those, and I’m… sorry for all you have to sit through. You can help, but — do it discreetly. And whatever you do, do not bring anyone else who is not already involved into this.
[cut. The radio is on in the background. Vince may be driving.]
Vince: You see, about before, is that there seems to be a miscommunication happening there. But that’s kinda besides the point. Um, I guess right now I’m gonna use this as a way to talk to the person who gave me the gift: hello Grandma, hello, hello, hello. I guess I can mail some of those to you. Got some Christmas tunes going for you... some radio… Alright, so there’s no... Christmas music, right now but that is Christmas time. [laughs]
Um, [he chuckles] I hope everything is good with you — I’m gonna turn this down, ‘cause I’m sure you don’t appreciate Cheech and Chong. Um, I just am going to grab some gifts — some early Christmas gift shopping, clearly, because you know me. And I already have my gift from you, uh... so...
Okay, it’s two weeks before Christmas, so, I’m not... You know me. You know me. Uh, everything in my- in my life is good. For the most part. What’s been going on? Um, Molly is good. I still don’t have a girlfriend, but I still have my- I do have my dog, so that’s- that’s good. She’s, great, as always. Um, what else, what else, what else, what else? Princeton is looking beautiful, um, as you know; around this time of year it looks great. The decorations went up, right after Thanksgiving, as they should, and um, really it looks great with the snow on the ground. It is raining a little bit right now, so that’s kinda ruining my- my vibe, but, the snow is still there so, you should come visit. See what’s- what it’s like in my slice of the country. Even though you’re only a state away, but, you know, it is a huge difference; everybody here is much nastier, much faster drivers; it’s really a fantastic place to be. You should check it out. Um... I dunno, I'm gonna...[Vince zones out, listening to the radio]
Radio presenter: [Announcing next song] I can't believe it you know, somebody in Chicago...this one's for them... K-Rock...
Vince: ...This one's for them.
[The next song starts.]
Vince: So I really appreciate this gift; this thing is really cool, but I’m just not sure what… to do with it. Do I just leave it on and talk about nothing? Do you wanna hear about what I’m doing this weekend? I can tell you. We’re gonna go check out a movie. Like I said, I gotta Christmas shop; I’ve got a couple people left. Um, you want my grocery list? Gonna grab milk and eggs later... [He trails off.]
Vince: I'll find a really good use for this. I really- I really do like this. This is cool, it's wild. It’s almost like a phone, like, I can put up to my ear. [with mock gravitas] Hi, how are you? Other than, yeah, you hear me, but... I guess, who doesn’t love my voice? [with mock gravitas again] Hi, hello, yes,‘tis I. Me, yes, how am I, oh I am fine, thank me. [He laughs] Sorry, maybe I’ll go over and record that part out- I forget that I’m talking to Grandma, to you, instead of me to me, on a microphone to me. Too many mes happening here. I am so sorry. That's just-
[cut]
Vince: Okay, I am back. I’m gonna try and make this a little less ridiculous for you. Hi, Grandma. Merry Christmas! Thank you so much for the gift. It is really, really cool. I’m still playing around with it; I think I’m gonna... find a really everyday use for this; I do wanna use this a lot, it’s so awesome
I hope you are well, and I hope to see you soon, before the New Year maybe; maybe right around Christmas, we’ll set something up. Ah, you can come to see my new place, or we’ll have a ball. Anyway, I love you. I hope everything is good. I think I already said that, but... recording myself is freaking me out right now, so... I will talk to you soon, Merry Christmas, love, love, lo-
[cut]
Vince: [92.3 K-Rock playing in the background] Merry Christmas! Hey Grandma, Merry actual Christmas. I know I feel like ninety per cent of these tapes so far have been me saying, “Merry Christmas,” or “I love you,” so lemme just get it out one more time..
Radio presenter: The T-Birds...
Vince: Merry Christmas.
Radio presenter: It's a rockin' Winter Wonderland, on this Christmas Day...
Vince: And I love you. [He laughs.]
Radio presenter: 92.3 K-Rock, classic rock 'n' roll radio. And... I am Jimmy Fink.
Vince: Uh, I’m currently out, going to... breakfast, at the one place that has opened on Christmas Day..
Radio presenter: ...almost unbelieveable. Such a beautiful song...
Vince: ...because I forgot to get anything in preparation for Christmas Day.
Radio presenter: At Christmas time...
Vince: Food-wise. I got presents — you got presents comin', don’t you worry — but no- no food. Uhm...
['Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas' by The Pretenders starts playing on the radio]
Today is going to be... a kinda quiet day. I have nothing really planned, no- no Santa gifts came, even though I left the lights on and left the cookies out. Well, I left a cookie out; I ate the other two that I left for him, but, I mean, come on, he’s gonna hold a grudge against that... for no reason? He’s lucky he got any! Seriously.
Well, y’know I’d really like to come out and see you, like I said before, and like you said on the phone, just, uh, gets a little lonely, especially ‘round the holidays... [He trails off] And, uh, well, tonight I’m going to uh, hang out with some of my friends from the university and we’re kinda doing a, uh, transplant... friends Christmas, a couple of us who-
[cut, long pause. 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas' is still playing on the radio.]
Vince: ...there’s some in the area who don’t really have families, some in the area are getting it together. We got a turkey, and... uh, y’know, some sides, we’re making yams later, and… it’ll be good, it’ll be good. It’s not quite the same. [He listens to the last note of the song.] Anyway, I will let you go... not that you have any obligation to listen to the whole thing, but I will let you go. [He laughs] And I will talk to you soon. I’ll give you a call, obviously, but...[a crude version of the Beatles' Yesterday plays on the radio] ...that’s it! Bye.
[cut. No radio in the background.]
Vince: ...uh, with this shrink, like I said I was going to do, and I see him next… Tuesda-
[cut. Sounds of Vince driving.]
Vince: December, yes, 26th, like I said, so happy December 26th, the day after Christmas! I ended up having a really nice time last night, uh, at the dinner that I mentioned yesterday, but on the tape, probably four seconds ago, so I’m sure you didn’t forget, and if you did, we need to have a talk, Grandma. [He chuckles]
Uhm, it was really nice, and... it felt… like a normal Christmas for the first time in a very, very, very long time. So I wanted to record that, just to let you know your grandson is not... losing his mind or... becoming a shut in... even though he’s not, uh, right next to his family. And I hope that your Christmas was good, and give everyone out there my love, and I will talk to you soon. Bye.
[cut]
[A long moment of silence]
Vince: January 15th, Happy New Year. I thought today I would take you on a, uhm, an a- an audio tour, of Princeton, uhh, since I don’t have one of those fancy moving camera picture machines. Um, I really do like it here. It is, uh... [He laughs] It’s really weird. I know I keep saying it’s weird as a transplant, but looking around, it seems like everybody knows where they are and what they’re doing and… I’m just kind of stumbling around looking at storefronts, hoping to find somebody I know, and I know, like, three people so that’s probably not going to happen, but... [He sighs]
So it is a nice, crisp, breezy day. It is about 12 in the afternoon for ya, so it’s- it’s nice and sunny. Um, let’s see, I’m down on the corner here. Um, it’s Witherspoon and... Nassau. And there’s this jewelry store and it’s got this really, really, really, really big display out front. [He laughs] And if you look directly at it, I swear to god, you’ll go blind. It’s just all awful; it’s so decadent for no reason.
Alright, gonna keep moving here, uh, what else? Oh there’s a little coffee shop, right at the end of the street I think you would like, uhm, if you ever come and visit me, if I ever call you. That- that is my fault… damn it. I’m sorry, I’m sorry for cursing also, Jesus- Oh, God! Um, okay. Let’s start that over. I’m gonna just somehow record over that. There’s a coffee shop that you would like, I think. I’ll have to call and invite you sometime. There we go! [He sighs] It’s just good… having people who understand and- and listen and… know where you’re coming from. And they love you, and I love our family, um, and I’m so thankful for everything you do, but there’s just… something about this environment… I’m glad you pushed me to come. I don’t… I don’t know where I’d be, and uh, I love you. And I’m gonna call… just as soon as I get the phone set up, I will give you a call, and we’ll talk, and I don’t know what’s gonna come first, the ability to afford stamps or my phone line, but whichever one happens, I swear to you I’m either gonna give the tapes to you or I’m gonna call you. But until then, let’s continue on our tour.
So down the street a little bit — I’m not actually giving you the live tour ‘cause I can’t fly, but down a few blocks there is a, uh, a little theater and they play like, one movie at a time, and it’s awful art trash… and I don’t want to say it too loud ‘cause I think a lot of people here are awful art trash, so… that’s what it is. But! I am gonna go and check it out. I know that they do like, midnight screenings every once in a while, and that sounds definitely up my alley since I don’t sleep, and maybe I’ll meet some like-minded nocturnal creatures like myself, and, um, what else? This school looks like Dracula’s castle. Uh, that’s across the street, so if you’re looking where I am now, if you look right across the street, you’ll see, um, big archways. There’s like a main gate and two side gates on either side of it, and then way in the back is an ivy-covered building, which, I’m assuming, is why it’s an ivy-league school; makes sense to me. Um, and then you walk back and there’s gardens and there’s libraries and there’s houses and students and, uh, funny, funny- funny story here, they get just as wasted as every other college that I’ve ever seen. Um, so that’s how the other half lives, by the way; it’s just wasted just like the rest of us, so that’s cool.
Uh, what else? Ah! All the way down, past two churches — one, I believe, is episcopal, can’t remember what the other one is — um, is a dirty, filthy sandwich shop, and it is constantly packed. Constantly. That’s another place that’s open, I think, until one or two? And, uh, I’m gonna kind of creep around for friends there and see what- and see who I can pick up. And I know, I know, oh, bad influences! I won’t pick up any bad influences. I have Jeff and Evan; they’re helping me stay on the path that I need to stay on, so… I don’t need to hear it from you, or Grandpa, or anybody else, so thank you very much. [He sighs.]
Anyway, I don’t wanna keep bringing it up, but I just… want you to know that I think you helped me make the right decision, so… I’m not gonna keep going on about it, but I love you so much, um, and I’m gonna keep these tapes up even after I get to call you, just because I think it in- it in itself is- is pretty helpful, it… lets me kind of, reflect on the good things that have been going on, um, instead of stewing on bad things, which we all know that I do from time to time, so… [He sighs] Yeah. Princeton. Not bad.
[cut]
Vince: January 18th. [He sighs, and something rustles in the background. Vince yawns.] Okay, okay, here we go. Period: January whatever I said. [He sighs] Uh, lemme see here… It looks like it is… 6:30 a.m. [He yawns] I just wanted to talk about what happened last night. I, uh, went to Princeton… You know, the town, not where I live. Because- who am I explaining this to? Uh, alright, let me just explain, to… me, I guess, to give myself a little clarity later down the road if I ever lose my memory or, y’know… any of the good stuff. I just like to hear myself talk, I think. I live in Princetown, the township, but usually I don’t call my hometown “Princeton.” The city-
[cut]
-hang out, so. For me, I know what Princeton is. And now for me, on the tape, I know what Princeton is. I went to Princeton and I hung out. Um, there’s a movie theater there, and sometimes they play, y’know, older showings, um, and then a couple new releases, so I went and saw 2001: A Space Odyssey and that was… a trip and a half, so.
After that, I went and grabbed something to eat, and that was fine and dandy, and then I came home and... [he yawns] I don’t even remember going to sleep, but there I was, sleeping… I guess, because I woke up now, and here I am. And I fell asleep with my shoes on, on the floor by the couch. Not on the couch! Wasn’t drinking, no drugs… weird. No dream, which is, y’know, also pretty fun, I just kinda… like an on/off switch! The light was on, then it was off, and now it’s on again, so… that’s that.
[Ends]