My friend died. He taught me so much. He was always wise beyond his years but led a troubled life.
By his side at a nursing home (I was an intern doing a college paper), he was at home with residents and knew all about their spouses and kids and grandchildren. He was always a natural. As a college student I couldn’t believe what I was seeing and knew that was not what I was deigned to be.
One day, between classes, he said I had to come with him for some emergency. This is dating me right now, as he brought me to the home he shared with several roommates and blasted the brand new Rolling Stones hit “Shattered” three times then dropped me off at campus. I hate the song but will always remember that day and his passion for life.
To thank him for his mentoring, I cooked a chicken dinner for him and all his roommates. They were thought to be drug dealers on campus. Shortly after graduation I was in town interviewing and was invited to a party across the hall. They wanted to buy some weed and I asked how to buy it and for the money and knocked on their door. Because of Led (who was already grown and gone) they sat me down and did a thirty minute intervention, telling me never to take drugs.
I told them it was a joke but thanked them for their consideration of my well-being.
That was Led. Hey, NSA, CIA, FBI and all snoops out there, my friend is dead. Everything here happened over 35 years ago.
All hail Led! To our fallen comrades. Dee
Cooking with Dee 