Steven and I were roommates in Chicago at a very special time for anyone that experienced it with us. We had decided to splurge on a nice apartment with a deck and a yard near Wrigley Field. Because our apartment was located in a central location near our friends' apartments, we ended up hosting many parties and get-togethers.

The summer of 1999 in Chicago was a particularly memorable time that we recalled fondly and often when we spoke in later years. It was the kind of time that I hope everyone experiences in his or her lifetime. We were with friends almost every night, enjoying good food, music, films, and anything else that was enjoyable in life. The main thing though, was that we all truly enjoyed each other’s company. Our lives were intertwined with each other in the way only the closest of friends could have been. Steven was the one that provided the energy and enthusiasm for us.

One particular memory that I have of that apartment was the time we hosted a July 4th barbeque that summer on our deck. We were suffering through a typical sweltering Chicago day. Steven found a plastic wading pool in the alley and dragged it into our yard. He then proceeded to fill it with cold water and soap and we all sat around it with our feet in it kicking up a big bubble bath. Steven was so happy.

When Kathy and I learned that he was moving down to Los Angeles, we were both ecstatic. We were looking forward to creating new memories with Cindy and him. They were the first ones I called when my daughter, Hana, was born four weeks ago. He gave me a little yell of joy over the phone and told me how well he was feeling that day. He never got to see her but when I look in her eyes, I can see some of that innocence that Steven was able to keep in his.

-Jo Odawara

previous | next