Loyal, and no judgements. A true friend.

It was just yesterday when I turned in my luxury performance sedan, Tumi laptop bag and Mont Blanc pen and picked you up. Defeated as an imposter living someone else’s life, we spent the first year picking up discarded food from Albertsons and Trader Joe’s in South Orange County, and delivering it to the hungry, the tired, the poor.

You smelled like eggnog that year, despite my best attempts.

This was the place I was able to introduce the kids to Radiohead, Massive Attack, Mos Def, Sade, Public Enemy, Faithless and Fela Kuti. This was were we listened to KCRW, KROQ, and Power 106, going up and down the LA/OC freeways. The upgraded sound system let me enjoy the deep bass without any rattling, and boy did we love listening to the music dialed up.

You protected me for so many years, as we did the San Clemente to Fresno drive over 50 times, many times completing a roundtrip journey in the same day. You protected me when I was not fit to drive, too much Tempranillo, or temper, or both. How we didn’t get into an accident, get hurt, or hurt anyone else is a miracle I won’t soon understand.

You protected my four kids, my partners, my family and friends. You heard my dreams, my pain, my hopes and wishes, and my darkness. You took me across the country and back, and let me sleep when I was too tired to drive. How many shows, how many parties, how many games, how many friends did we transport safely, and with joy? We didn’t just shuttle people around, we immersed them in our music, our mood and our values.

Remember when you stopped me from getting out of the car in the middle of the road, as I opened the door and took one step out without realizing my seat belt was still buckled. That guy was yelling at us, saying some shit about our Obama sticker?

That could have ended badly.

But you always protected me. And you saw me through my transition to sobriety, when I gave up driving angry and with something to prove. As we both got older, we just wanted to enjoy the ride, our company, our quiet thoughts, and get to our destination without white knuckles.

And as of today, you have a new home. A family, coming here from far, far away, leaving everything they have behind, will need your friendship as much as I did. They are scared, tired, hungry and suffering in unimaginable ways. You will take them to school, to work, to play, and let them build new memories with you. You will help them heal. I left Bowie’s Greatest Hits in the CD player for them; I know how much we both enjoy that.

Be well, and see you around town.

With gratitude,

Shervin