Deep in the cloud forests of Costa Rica, more than 3 hours away from the closest road that I would feel safe driving a on, it was wine night. It was Birkley’s monthly How to be Single night, and he was sharing its beauty with me. It wasn’t easy as the wind and rain drove every bug you could imagine and more into our open-air room, but we persevered. Even though I had my fair share of Sangria (not from a glass or a bottle, but from a carton), it’s a night I will remember forever. To be honest, the main characters were both dickish, but it was an anthem, Birkley’s anthem. We cried, as is his tradition. 

It brought us closer, close enough to get matching toothbrushes at the convenience store (though not close enough for me to match the green earring he turned into a nose ring). The racecar toothbrushes with suction cups on the bottom were just too good to pass up. There is something about sticking a toothbrush to a wall that you just can’t find anywhere else. It makes brushing your teeth unforgettable, just like Birkley.

The racecar toothbrush is my permanent travel toothbrush (it’s a bit small, almost like it was made for kids), and every time someone else sees it, they can’t help but laugh, just like Birkley and I did. It makes me remember him and his infectious energy.

Alex Motawi