Hollywood is an interesting place. Where some people see it as some glamorous blip on the map for “OMG FAMOUS PEOPLE!”… the rest of us have learned that it’s not all pretty. You have your has-beens and never-weres… your wannabes… and for whatever reason, they all have an ego the size of the entire universe. It’s all about who you know or what band you are in or blah blah blah.
However, if you look hard enough, in the sea of uglies-in-disguise, you can find a few hidden gems. Diamonds in the rough. These were the people who made Hollywood worth the bullshit. Unfortunately, it seems we’ve lost quite a few recently…
I was in the office yesterday already having a rough day with personal matters when a friend IM’d me, telling me the horrible news. My friend Cain was found dead. If my heart was able to sink any lower, I’d say it definitely hit rock bottom at that moment.
Cain was a part of that “oldschool crew.” He was one of the “hidden gems” of Hollywood. If you needed to find him, he was almost always at the Rainbow… and I don’t mean three times a week. More like nearly every day.
Although I knew a lot of people in L.A. before I moved out here, he was one of the first ones I met after the move. After all of these years of knowing him, I might have seen him in a bad mood maybe once. He never pretended to be anyone or anything else other than himself. He never let the stereotypical douchebaggery of Hollywood rub off on him. He was just Cain.
When I used to frequent Sunset Strip, he was always the guy I’d sling a few drinks with. If I was having a bad day, he’d walk over to me with his drink in one hand, and a screwdriver for me in the other. He’d just smirk, wink, give me a little nudge, cheers, “I got your back, girl.” Sometimes we’d venture on down the Strip together. The Whisky. The Roxy. The Key Club. Viper. He made the Strip tolerable for me. It didn’t matter how many tools I’d have to deal with… he was always there to make things better.
After a few years, I started to distance myself from the Strip. I was over it. I didn’t really go out there much anymore, and I remember I’d occasionally get a text from Cain, asking where I’ve been and how I need to come back. We’d see each other at other places. We’d hug; we’d catch up; and he’d always tease me about how I need to come back. Fuck the rest. I needed to come back for him. Oldschool style.
The last time I saw him was at our friends’ show. I remember I was chatting away with some other friends when I feel someone tap me on the shoulder. When I turn around, Cain is standing there, looking up and in the opposite direction as if he were innocent.. but with that little mischievous grin of his for a moment… before he would tackle me in a giant hug.
We talked about hanging out soon. I told him I’d make him watch Finding Nemo so he could finally see what the hell I had been talking about (because for years I always tried to explain to him how he reminded me so much of the turtle, haha). He just started laughing. “You’re crazy. I love you.”
I love you, too, Cain. I love you and miss you more than you’ll ever know.
For those in Hollywood who also knew him… There will be a memorial for him at On The Rox this Sunday.. starting at 6 PM.
