Tobias Crabtree

The poignant and epic saga of how Elmo still rides. Tobias was, hands down, the most sought after person at the Joshua Tree Music Festivals for many years. He would ply his trade at Kidsville, sitting patiently for hours on end, giving kiddos a personalized 'tattoo' with washable ink. The kids loved their tattoos. And they loved the stories that Tobias would regale them with. But neither had as much of an impact as his ears. Tobe was a professional listener. He actually paid attention to people when conversing. At his memorial, I realized that everyone there felt as if they were one of his very best friends. And to him, we all are. We all felt that way because he actually......listened. And felt both your joys and pain with you. Gone too soon. Now riding the quad pulling the Love Train full of kiddos in his Elmo get up.......priceless.

There is too much to say about the love we all have for Tobias, and the stories are countless and the laughs immeasurable. There is no one like Tob, the most special of friends, I would introduce him to those that had not met him as a Mowgali of the desert and raconteur extraordinaire. We spent so many days and weeks wandering the Joshua Tree national park together. You showed me secret caves where the Hands were painted on the ceilings of ancient tribal Indians, and rock faces that reminded us of leviathan creatures. You taught me how to make fire in the parking lot behind the Rattler cafe, and again as we wandered looking for mouse fluff and cactus skeletons and certain bits of wood as friction sticks way back beyond sheep pass. How many times did we climb the rocks and sit and talk, how many times did we talk heart aches and love, relationships and journeys, adventures and tales. I would sketch the multitude of forms infront of me and you would sketch away alongside, and we would laugh and laugh and laugh at the differences in what we saw - mine jumbo rocks and desert scenes and yours - 100 balloons floating on high with the might of a young boy hanging on. We hung out in LA at my studio and at my home - I even got you to draw all over my kids at Olivias birthday when she was 6 - all those westside parents aghast at their sharpee tattoos, all the kids delighted and exhilarated! We talked about dreams, I would dream things and you would draw them. We had a huge laugh the day we went to little Tokyo in downtown LA to buy you your special pens - it was a comicon of japanese's anime and all these asians were dressed as anime super hero and we slurped noodles and giggled away irreverently. I got so many of my friends to have your tattoos, but never got one myself, but you drew for me time and time again, for my kids, for my friends and for me. I love you so much Tobias, I see you in the flight of the crows, and I know you're just loving your onward journey.