scotsboy
06-Feb-07, 19:34
Have you ever met someone and they left an instant lasting impression on you? Not something tangible, but something that makes you think they are different? Something you can’t quite put your finger on, just that you know they are special.
When I was a youngster, there was a lad who lived in the street down from me – I lived in Oldfield terrace and he lived in Queens Terrace, Thurso. He was different than the rest of us, he was a “spastic” - that was the term used for him at the time, he obviously had some handicap, but he was a great character. He was a couple of years older than me, and was closer to my pal who lived across the road – but we would meet up and play regularly. He didn’t go to the same school as us – he went to a special school. But I vividly remember a bright, happy, smiling, infectious loon – he had something about him and was fun to be with, even though I had trouble understanding him, he managed to make me understand. Then one day my mate from across the road told us that the lad was leaving, we all had a collection and bought him a going away present – I was so young I didn’t understand why he had to leave, and in the end I think it was his parents decision to get him a decent education that brought about the move. I recall sadness at him leaving. Being only young, we got on with the important things like playing football, kerbie and venturing up the mall etc – but every now and again I wondered what happened to the lad, I never saw him again.
Years later, on a whim I asked my mother what ever happened to him, oh he’s a very clever loon that,, she said – he has been to University and everything, he’s a Doctor. Then a few years ago when I was phoning home my mam said, do you remember Michael Devenney? Of course I replied, well he died…….I was stunned. Had not seen him for probably 30 odd years, but felt so sad. I recently came upon a website for a scholarship fund set up in his name, it made me proud to have known him, and sad at his loss.
http://www.mikedevenney.org.uk/home.asp
Another person who made an initial impression and had a lasting impact I met whilst flying back from a desert oil installation out in Saudi. I happened to be sitting next to an intense looking guy, who looked like he had a really hard day; he was irritable, terse and agitated. After a cup of tea and a few words we struck up a conversation, and I ended up giving him a lift back to his house as he did not want to wait for a bus – on the journey back we spoke of family, home towns, hobbies and work, it passed in a flash. He had a hard day, but when he came out of his shell he was a joy to talk to. He was heading off on holiday the next day, and I wished him well. When he left the car, I thought he seems a really decent bloke – something that is unusual for me as I suss people out over an extended period of time. I mentioned this guy to a colleague of mine, who said, you know who he is don’t you? No I replied. Well he is Mathew Shepard’s father – I was no further on, I didn’t know who Mathew Shepard was. I then discovered that this blokes son had been brutally murdered in a gay hate crime. I have since met and worked with the bloke on a few projects and he is a pleasure to work with.
http://www.geocities.com/corkymcg/crime/proj005.html
http://www.matthewshepard.org/site/PageServer?pagename=mat_Matthews_Life
So what is my point in writing all this, well I don’t know, but it seems that some people in life are dealt a really bad hand and get on and cope with things that us mere mortals cannot comprehend. Makes me feel a bit inadequate at times.
When I was a youngster, there was a lad who lived in the street down from me – I lived in Oldfield terrace and he lived in Queens Terrace, Thurso. He was different than the rest of us, he was a “spastic” - that was the term used for him at the time, he obviously had some handicap, but he was a great character. He was a couple of years older than me, and was closer to my pal who lived across the road – but we would meet up and play regularly. He didn’t go to the same school as us – he went to a special school. But I vividly remember a bright, happy, smiling, infectious loon – he had something about him and was fun to be with, even though I had trouble understanding him, he managed to make me understand. Then one day my mate from across the road told us that the lad was leaving, we all had a collection and bought him a going away present – I was so young I didn’t understand why he had to leave, and in the end I think it was his parents decision to get him a decent education that brought about the move. I recall sadness at him leaving. Being only young, we got on with the important things like playing football, kerbie and venturing up the mall etc – but every now and again I wondered what happened to the lad, I never saw him again.
Years later, on a whim I asked my mother what ever happened to him, oh he’s a very clever loon that,, she said – he has been to University and everything, he’s a Doctor. Then a few years ago when I was phoning home my mam said, do you remember Michael Devenney? Of course I replied, well he died…….I was stunned. Had not seen him for probably 30 odd years, but felt so sad. I recently came upon a website for a scholarship fund set up in his name, it made me proud to have known him, and sad at his loss.
http://www.mikedevenney.org.uk/home.asp
Another person who made an initial impression and had a lasting impact I met whilst flying back from a desert oil installation out in Saudi. I happened to be sitting next to an intense looking guy, who looked like he had a really hard day; he was irritable, terse and agitated. After a cup of tea and a few words we struck up a conversation, and I ended up giving him a lift back to his house as he did not want to wait for a bus – on the journey back we spoke of family, home towns, hobbies and work, it passed in a flash. He had a hard day, but when he came out of his shell he was a joy to talk to. He was heading off on holiday the next day, and I wished him well. When he left the car, I thought he seems a really decent bloke – something that is unusual for me as I suss people out over an extended period of time. I mentioned this guy to a colleague of mine, who said, you know who he is don’t you? No I replied. Well he is Mathew Shepard’s father – I was no further on, I didn’t know who Mathew Shepard was. I then discovered that this blokes son had been brutally murdered in a gay hate crime. I have since met and worked with the bloke on a few projects and he is a pleasure to work with.
http://www.geocities.com/corkymcg/crime/proj005.html
http://www.matthewshepard.org/site/PageServer?pagename=mat_Matthews_Life
So what is my point in writing all this, well I don’t know, but it seems that some people in life are dealt a really bad hand and get on and cope with things that us mere mortals cannot comprehend. Makes me feel a bit inadequate at times.