I love the Dude.... so much, I got one of my very own. (Kevin part 1)

I miss my friend Kevin.  He is one of the most interesting, loving, wise, talented, intelligent, well read, well traveled, fun and all around cool people I have ever met.  He is sweet and mangled and real.  He says things that "normal" people wouldn't dare... both good and bad.  He mouths off to authorities... even swings on cops (when they deserve it).  He's a chopper riding, animal loving, scrabble playin', cowboy boot wearin', hard livin, easy goin', raggedy Andy of a man.... and, a good Samaritan.  You'd think on first glance that he may be a redneck.  But no, not so much.  Not so simple.

I wish there was a way to really describe and offer up the essence of this, my Kevin, to the world.  This tired old world could sure use a good dose of his special magick... in major proportion. I understand small, bite- sized doses are dolled out daily, however locally, someplace in AZ.  Sigh...

Kevin is a reluctant writer, one of those rare, brilliant minds that very few can truly understand at all times... Reason being that there is no way to know all that he does unless you've walked in those boots, and read all those books and had all those experiences.  The great thing, is you can ask him about anything he says and he will NEVER make you feel silly or dumb for asking... in fact it usually leads to a pretty damn good story!  Everything leads to a story with Kevin.  And, as you might have guessed, he is one of the best storytellers ever!  That, in fact, is how I remember first meeting him... although, he says we met before that time... hmm... he may be right.  I used to drink a little my own self.

It was about 200 years ago,back in the day, and I was at a small and very typically boring, same-ole/lame-ole gathering.  We were sitting around someone's living room drinking beer and boring ourselves to tears.  When all of a sudden, in walks this man.  This man that looks A LOT like Jeff Bridges in The Big Lebowski, and I'm not the only one who thinks so...  He walks that walk, has that same cloud of magnetic aloofness swirling around him, and is perfectly happy to live and let live. Unless of course he's crossed with injustice of some kind or under extreme (and I do mean extreme) circumstances.  Uh, yea, and his hair is way longer.  Anyway,  in walks Kev, and after lighting up the room with his smile and a smoke, he was somehow reminded of the time his dogs were fighting over a "shit-cycle", so he told us all this incredibly short and sweet story about the dogs and the shit-cycle, and POOF!!  Instantly, tears of boredom turned into tears of joy and laugher.  For the rest of the evening the room was erupting with uncontrolled laughter and questions...  Kevin answers, and more laughter!  It's the only thing I remember about that party.  I don't remember how the story ends, anyone else who was there, or even who's living room it was!! Just that Kevin came in, told the story and we all laughed happily ever after.  Because that story was just the beginning.  The funniest part is, Kevin doesn't party.  He gave up drinking when he gave up drugs, a million years ago.  The only things he still does with unholy vengeance, are caffeine and nicotine.  (A man's gotta have his "ines")  Another Kevinism...  God DAMMIT I miss HIM!

Kevin has done everything from carpentry to nannying... to long haul trucking, and a bunch of stuff in between.  I love the story about the "One eyed divorcee from Destin", a woman to whom he gave a FREE ride to Miami (From Talla-FUCKING-hassee!!) when he was driving a cab.  Just because she needed it... and likely because he wanted to know her story.  He collects stories like some people collect figurines.  He also lives his own stories and, cat-like, follows his curiosity... in a way that most of us are not free to do.   And guess what ya'll, he writes those stories down!  His writing will KNOCK you OUT!  I hope someday he puts himself out there so everyone can feel that feeling.  His Enoch stories are a  loosely autobiographical series that he's been working on scantily for many many years.  They are stunning, wrenching and original...They pull you into an alternate universe.  One that most of us scarcely realize exists, unless you've lived there, or brushed up against people who do, and paid attention.  It's told by a person so accutely conscious and aware and intelligent, that although he IS there, you have to wonder  WHY? and HOW the hell HE got there?  What slipped?  When? Why?  Who hurt him?  What will he do next?  I love him!  I want him to live!  I want him out of that crazy cold hard world and in  a softer place.... How will he do it?  WILL he do it?  What will happen along the way???   

I regret that I don't have a picture of Kevin to put up.... He took off before digital.  I'd have to scan an old fashioned photo, which I'll do... someday, maybe, if he gives me a green light.  The important thing to remember is that he's "out there" y'all.  He's living and writing in his own indescribably fascinating, enigmatic voice.  A voice that makes me so warm and fuzzy and comforted just knowing he IS ...
Kevin IS, living and processing and doing and being for the rest of us.  Like the dude, he abides.