October 23, 2026
To: James Hoff, Studio City, CA
From: Stephen Brown, Winchester, VA
Dear Jim,
As you know, I love a road trip.
My childhood was punctuated by cross-country moves— ten times in 13 years. Being the oldest, my brother and I got to sit in the “way back” of our Town and Country station wagon.
On those early morning starts, sharing the freeways with overnight truckers, we'd watch the butts of our father's cigarettes fly past us and hit the pavement in an explosion of red sparks.
Years later, you and I crossed the United States a number of times, mostly in three days. With four dogs, two cats, and three days of bad sleep and worse food, by the third day it felt like we'd entered the fifth circle of Dante's Hell.
So taking two days to get from Comfort Island to Atlanta, with only one dog, was definitely a smarter move.
Yesterday morning, Conor loaded up the car and the ‘72 Ford truck while I did the last loads of laundry, emptied and cleaned the refrigerator and did one last pass around the house. I was procrastinating but knew that we needed to get out of there by noon if we were to make any progress south.
Conor and I both said our goodbyes to Comfort as we boated past. The house looked shut up…not the welcoming, open door and window house of the summer.
I looked back as we turned into Keewaydin and saw it receding in the distance. For a moment, I wondered if I'd ever see it again. Just an odd thought and then it was gone.
By 6 p.m. we were in Harrisburg, PA. Now you know I can usually find a restaurant on OpenTable, as we’re traveling. Never having been there, I chose a Dave & Buster’s near the freeway. To quote a line from “The Lion in Winter,” “It was late. I was tired.”
If you’ve never been there, don’t go. It is a cacophony of sound and fury. Worse, there was just a general carelessness. A chipped glass rim, browned guacamole, sloppy service.
After a summer of care in all things…this felt off.
Lifting my voice above the general noise, I asked Conor about his highlights from the summer. The impromptu boat rides, the big parties, the many dinners. The time with Jason and Evan and Sloane. He mentioned a small wedding we hosted…and I reached back to remember. Was that this past summer? It seemed so long ago, a beautiful event in a series of beautiful events…already fading into the past.
We have one more day of driving and so many things to look forward to. I’m seeing you next week in LA, and then Conor and I are experiencing Halloween in New Orleans with our friends Clint and Chris and then the holidays and my trip to France.
So many things to look forward to….or return to. I’ll go with that.
Stephen