Today is New Zealand's birthday, Waitangi Day, which celebrates the signing of our nation's founding document on 6 February, 1840. So happy birthday to my favourite country in the world.
Sadly, today is also about death. Later I will walk down the road to attend the wake of a former colleague and good mate of mine, Allen, who died of cancer yesterday.
Allen had been ill for a while, had been receiving experimental treatment and was well enough to text me as recently as last Friday to set up a coffee date. We've being doing these every few months since we both left the horrid organisation where we'd been in the comms team (Allen as a permanent, me as a three-day-a-week contractor).
We'd take turns to buy the coffee and I'd always scold Allen for his need for something sweet ("You watch your weight and leave mine alone," he liked to say). And then we'd settle in to gossip and bitch and laugh like drains. Allen had the wickedest sense of humour, he was super intelligent and had a calm way about him which I always envied.
He leaves behind a wife, two small children and a huge hole in all our lives.
Rest in peace, my friend.
Sadly, today is also about death. Later I will walk down the road to attend the wake of a former colleague and good mate of mine, Allen, who died of cancer yesterday.
Allen had been ill for a while, had been receiving experimental treatment and was well enough to text me as recently as last Friday to set up a coffee date. We've being doing these every few months since we both left the horrid organisation where we'd been in the comms team (Allen as a permanent, me as a three-day-a-week contractor).
We'd take turns to buy the coffee and I'd always scold Allen for his need for something sweet ("You watch your weight and leave mine alone," he liked to say). And then we'd settle in to gossip and bitch and laugh like drains. Allen had the wickedest sense of humour, he was super intelligent and had a calm way about him which I always envied.
He leaves behind a wife, two small children and a huge hole in all our lives.
Rest in peace, my friend.
That's terrible news. Life is so unfair sometimes. Hope the wake was okay. Thinking of his wife and kids.
ReplyDeleteSarah
Thanks love. Was the first wake I've ever been to and I thought it would be morbid/teary etc but it was full of laughter and joy and was a celebration of his life. Allen would have loved it. SSx
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