"I picked up Kurt Simon from the side of the road"
It was the early 1980's and I was driving home from my parents house in Brentwood. I was in my mid twenties. My parents lived on Bayliss Road which is off of Westridge Road. I lived in an apartment on Sunset Boulevard in Pacific Palisades. It was night time. The sky was filled with stars, the air was clean and fresh and the road was free of cars. As I rounded the street heading west bound on a particularly dark area of Sunset Bl., I saw a car, apparently disabled on the east bound side of the street. The car was pulled just off the street and I saw a man with white hair. He looked old! Remember this was in the early 1980's. Kurt had the white hair back then.
My intuition told me, this person needed my assistance. I made a U-turn and headed back to assist this driver. Now this was Los Angeles, at night, and here I am pulling up to a car with a person who I did not know, nor did the driver know me. Stranger things have happened. I was a Deputy Sheriff and I carried a gun. I pulled my personal car to the extreme side of the road and exited. I cautiously approached the driver, who looked as apprehensive as I was approaching him.
"Hi!" I said in a cheerful voice, "Do you need help?" I saw a giant smile appear on his face as he said, "Yes, I do." One thing lead to another and I introduced myself to him and told him where I was driving and said I could take him to the Shell Gas station in the Palisades. As we drove in the car he said to me, in that adorable accent, "Hello, my name is Kurt Simon." Can't you just hear him say it? I told him I was a Deputy and I worked in the courts. He said he was currently sitting on the Grand Jury. FATE! It was meant to be, we were meant to meet this way.
A couple of weeks later my supervisor presented me with a commendation letter from Mr. Grand Jury. He include his business card and I called to thank him, and were friends ever since. Kurt and Atsuko attended my 1987 wedding and Atsuko blessed us with a lovely poem. It worked, as my husband, Jon and I have been together for 25 years this October 2012.
Through out the years we have dined with Kurt and Atsuko, attended their Bar B Q's. I had the honor of joining them for a Traditional Japanese Tea ceremony. At every election time, Kurt would solicited my recommendations for which Judge to vote for because I worked the courts. We all know of his dedicated patriotism and he really loved attending the Pacific Palisades 4th of July Parade. When Jon and I moved to our house on Sunset Bl. we held an annual BBQ party and then we all watched the parade pass by from our front lawn. Kurt would proudly wear his Red, White and Blue clothing.
When Jon and I went to Tahiti in June 2006, Kurt connected us with his dear friend, Henry Lent. (now deceased) Henry was our host in Papette.
My birthday is June 4 and I liked being a Gemini with Kurt, June 10, although I am 44 years younger. I have missed Kurt and his advice and wisdom. I think Atsuko and Dylan organizing this web site is a brilliant way to honor Kurt's life and memory.
Thank you,
sincerely Vicky Jelalian McKown
Los Angeles, California
