It's just a little over three years since I moved to Newark. When I moved here I was lucky in the fact I made friends with a great bunch of people, or rather they made friends with me - a bit of both I suspect. Within that group of friends it's fair to say I forged some friendships quicker than others and big Russ was one of the later friendships to be honest, though we did have brief chats and exchange 'hello's' all the time.
I really began to gel with Russ about a year and a half ago. In fact I remember when we really clicked, we were sat in the Fox & Crown on a Friday afternoon early last summer and got chatting about retro video games. We both had an immense passion about old school gaming and would sit and debate the virtues of it most Friday tea times in the Fox. The more I sat and chatted with Russ, the more I realised we had lots in common, especially comedy and sport. The lads in the Fox would often call Russ 'Statto' because he knew his football so well. I wouldn't say Russ was the easiest person to get to know, such was his demeanor. Until you got to know him he could appear reserved about you but once you'd broke that barrier he seemed to have, you were totally accepted.
It wouldn't be right of me to harp on and try and pretend we were famous or best friends, we weren't but we did have an amazing total acceptance of one another, especially when it came to taking the piss or having a laugh. Many a time we'd have David and Goliath type verbal sparring, much to the glee and entertainment of some of our mutual friends. Russ would often point out to me that he'd ever been the same with Ryan (who is a little taller than me!).
Last January myself, Russ and Ryan drove over to see the comedian Jerry Sadowitz in Nottingham, I recall Jerry doing a vitriolic rant at the crowd 'I hate ginger people, I hate fat people, I hate skinny people ...'. As Russ and I were stood next to each other, Russ towering over me, we knew what was coming 'I hate small people, I hate tall people...'. We both looked at each other and smiled. I think because both of us were polar extremes height wise we understood each other so well.
It's at this point of the blog it's actually occurred to me why it often hurts when friends pass away, sometimes more than family. The answer is because friendships have to be worked at, cultivated and gradually built, and when someone dies - it all comes crashing down.
Russ died at home yesterday, after a brief battle with cancer, the second friend I've lost to it. I saw him just over a week ago at the hospital and I thought to myself 'he's a big strong lad, he'll shake it off'. Alas it wasn't to be.
I'm not sure how old Russ was, 37 for an educated guess, I can't help feeling he had so much of life to still experience. He leaves behind an amazing bunch of people that will miss him greatly.
As for me, I'll miss the texts that tell me what is happening at Notts County football club before I even know! I'll miss the chats about video games classics of yesteryear. I'll miss his towering presence over me.
It will be 'the big empty'.
I really began to gel with Russ about a year and a half ago. In fact I remember when we really clicked, we were sat in the Fox & Crown on a Friday afternoon early last summer and got chatting about retro video games. We both had an immense passion about old school gaming and would sit and debate the virtues of it most Friday tea times in the Fox. The more I sat and chatted with Russ, the more I realised we had lots in common, especially comedy and sport. The lads in the Fox would often call Russ 'Statto' because he knew his football so well. I wouldn't say Russ was the easiest person to get to know, such was his demeanor. Until you got to know him he could appear reserved about you but once you'd broke that barrier he seemed to have, you were totally accepted.
It wouldn't be right of me to harp on and try and pretend we were famous or best friends, we weren't but we did have an amazing total acceptance of one another, especially when it came to taking the piss or having a laugh. Many a time we'd have David and Goliath type verbal sparring, much to the glee and entertainment of some of our mutual friends. Russ would often point out to me that he'd ever been the same with Ryan (who is a little taller than me!).
Last January myself, Russ and Ryan drove over to see the comedian Jerry Sadowitz in Nottingham, I recall Jerry doing a vitriolic rant at the crowd 'I hate ginger people, I hate fat people, I hate skinny people ...'. As Russ and I were stood next to each other, Russ towering over me, we knew what was coming 'I hate small people, I hate tall people...'. We both looked at each other and smiled. I think because both of us were polar extremes height wise we understood each other so well.
It's at this point of the blog it's actually occurred to me why it often hurts when friends pass away, sometimes more than family. The answer is because friendships have to be worked at, cultivated and gradually built, and when someone dies - it all comes crashing down.
Russ died at home yesterday, after a brief battle with cancer, the second friend I've lost to it. I saw him just over a week ago at the hospital and I thought to myself 'he's a big strong lad, he'll shake it off'. Alas it wasn't to be.
I'm not sure how old Russ was, 37 for an educated guess, I can't help feeling he had so much of life to still experience. He leaves behind an amazing bunch of people that will miss him greatly.
As for me, I'll miss the texts that tell me what is happening at Notts County football club before I even know! I'll miss the chats about video games classics of yesteryear. I'll miss his towering presence over me.
It will be 'the big empty'.
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