Back in 2011, when the last Blockbuster stores were closing, Kavi and I took a little field trip off campus to buy title cards — you know those fake DVD covers they had for each movie? They were selling them at something like 5 for $1. We picked up some favorites (LOST, 30 Rock, The Social Network) and then started collecting the most random, stupid, off-brand movie titles we could find. I distinctly remember a documentary *about* ‘Twilight’ and ‘Beverly Hills Chihuahua.’ After we were done working that night, we drove to North Campus to leave one of these covers at the dorm of Short Round. We got his address from the Umich Directory (thanks, go blue!) and waited for someone to let us into freaking Baits II, slid a cover (‘The Wicker Man,’ starring Nicholas Cage) under the door and then bolted for our lives. We kept sending and slipping covers to Short Round for years, and I started mailing them to Kavi after he graduated, even slipped one into his couch once. The good ones are still on display in my apartment and I think of him whenever I see them.

The last time I saw Kavi was in Chicago. He texted me, “I need a drink” with a baby bottle emoticon. We went out on a weeknight to the Gold Star and The Owl. He bought High Life and whiskey and we talked about work and love lives and making movies. We dreamed about working together on something and I pitched my documentary ideas to him, which I think he was tickled to hear about. Kavi was excited to talk about movies, but he was even more excited to tell me about his girlfriend and how they met. He talked hopefully about the future and about family. He even encouraged me to try harder at my own romantic life. Kavi and I have spent several late nights out drinking, but this was not one of them. He had to work early and I had school the next day, so we called it quits at about 10pm. The last text messages he sent me were hearts and XO’s. The conversation could be described as the following: Nostalgic, romantic, hopeful, profane, salacious, drunken and even gossipy. Seeing him one last time was a great gift, and I fill forever cherish the time we spent together.