From Drew Simchik

Dear Ross,

I try not to spend a lot of time thinking about high school -- it
wasn't my favorite time of my life (though it beat junior high). It
had its highlights, though, and today when I was thinking about them,
I remembered how many of them included you.

Most days I was mainly just looking forward to choir practice or drama
club rehearsal, and yep, there you were, making everything look easy.
I learned a lot from you, man...fact is, most of us really didn't have
any kind of a feel for jazz except you, but that's your element and we
all paid attention. Not trying to inflate your ego or anything but I
really don't know if those freaking horrible blue cardigans and the
mall concerts would have meant much of anything without you buoying it
all up and keeping the rest of us from looking like total clods.

Somewhere I still have that little tiny photo they took of us at
All-State at that resort hotel, when we were going to sing all that
amazing music and an ice storm knocked out the power and sent us all
home. Good times.

I'm not shocked in the least to see how much music you've been making
since then. Dude, I was listening to it today and I'm still a little
amazed that I know someone with that kind of talent. I mean, I did
some singing in college, and I do it now with our improv comedy group
(and karaoke of course), but you're not messing around. I keep telling
myself that someday I'm gonna pick up the guitar and start writing
songs and I keep not doing it. Someday I will, and it won't be a patch
on what you do, but you'll have inspired it.

I'm not just blowing smoke here...you were a pretty bright light for
me in high school, but I never really thought I could tell you that. I
really hope the past 17 years since graduation, even through the ice
storms, have been full of bright lights for you too.

I love you man.