NeilinLeeds

31 Aug 2013

There are probably very few people left on here who know me: I apologise, just ignore me and avert your eyes.
There may well be even fewer who know why I am posting this: please, indulge me...
...Many years ago, I posted on here under another name and I spent some of the happiest years of my life taking part in the banter that was 'The Cafe' in those days.
I have lurked passively as 'Wild Edric', not contributing and, to be honest, not part of the community,rarely logging on.
I never thought I'd write a post on here again.
Until,I heard that Neil had died.
Neil and I conversed constantly over several years...no, that doesn't do it justice...Neil and I were friends.
Neil was one of the few people that understood my warped sense of humour and we enjoyed years of shared humour and conversation: I look back with pleasure on the crazy threads we took part in together.
My 'PM' box was always full of his wit and insight and few days passed that didn't feature some witty repost from Neil..
For several years there were few days on which we didn't 'speak'.
We constantly made plans to meet up:
We never did.
How I regret that.
I suppose that ought to teach me that you should never take shared interests for granted and that you shouldn't, ever, put off spending time with those whom you count as friends.
I counted Neil as a friend.
So, Goodbye Neil: my friend in words and banter for such a long time.
I didn't know Little Gem: Hello?
Perhaps a bit late now to say Hi...but I hope you are coping with the loss of someone whom I know only too well was a very bright star.
I am so very sad to learn that Neil is no longer with us: but he'll always be with us in the wit and scholarship of his writing.
Regards to all that might recognise or remember me...

31 Aug 2013

A nice thing to say. Neil was appreciated by many and grief is so often a singular feeling.