2.2
The last time I saw Eric Hord
1973
The last time I saw Eric Hord, the guitar player for the Mama’s and Papa’s, he was hitch hiking up Laurel Canyon Boulevard just above Sunset Strip. It was a Sunday afternoon and I was returning from my first national tour with Tim Buckley. I was riding back to where ever I was going to stay as dictated by my self appointed crazy ass manager, Peggy from Coconut Grove. I’m feeling guilty that I’m riding in the back of this limo she had scammed. Suddenly, she needlessly yells at the driver sitting right next to her up in front of the glass partition.
“Pull over! Pick this guy up. I know him!”
The stretch limo sighed up to the curb, frustrating all the VW micro busses, having to gear down behind us before their climb up into “The Canyon”. The door opens, the LA sun pours relentlessly into the cool darkness and a shadow slides smoothly in. Our eyes adjust. It is Eric Hord. He looks at me and smiles then glances around the stretch. His gaze comes back to meet my eyes with a penetrating, questioning amusement.
“So, It looks like you’re doing pretty good, Buddy.”
I jumped to correct his assumption. I had not become a stupid ass idiot rock star.
“No Eric. This is not what it seems.”
He put his finger gently to his lips. Then he smiled.
“It never is.”
He leaned up to the glass partition and tapped.
“You can let me out here.”