Tim
Tim was an old schoolfriend. He joined our school in the third or fourth year and and we got talking over a copy of Starburst. He was instantly likeable and became one of our tight little gang of friends. You know the sort of people who will always be a friend no matter what - a lifelong friend - well Tim was one of those.
His parents moved back to the States about a year before he was due to finish at school so it was arranged that he would stay here, living with some of us for that last year. It was a wonderful time getting to know him better. He had a keen interest in literature, a growing interest in fashion and an incredible and eclectic taste in music. He also had one of the driest senses of humour I have come across.
When I moved to London for my course, Tim also moved to London with the same group of friends and I spent nearly every weekend with them listening to new music, mixing bizarre music tapes, discovering London, clothes and furthering our own identities.
Then Tim moved back to the States. We stayed in contact via letters, music tapes, and I always meant to go and visit but never made quite it. The years passed and somehow we just lost contact. Tim moved, I lost his address, rubbish really. I never forgot him though and over the years I would occasionally google for him. I discovered many things - he was writing reviews for New York music papers, dj'ing, becoming quite the guru in his field of music, reviewing books, interviewing authors and studying African diaspora at college.
For some reason though I was always a step behind in getting in contact with him again. The email given on a certain website was out of date, the address on another was an old address. Something kept blocking that contact. But two months ago I had a breakthrough via Facebook. There was Tim. I didn't launch into a full-blown email, I just carefully announced that I was around - and he got back in contact. I was so happy. He seemed happy to hear from me too and asked after people and told me he had fond memories of his time with us all over here in the UK. So we did the usual thing and 'friended' each other. I got messages about what books he was reading etc.. Then a couple of days ago I got a message on Facebook from a friend of Tim's informing us all that he had passed away last Thursday. This came as something as a shock and to be honest it is only just hitting home that he won't be around any more.
The service is today in Massachusetts at 3pm. Unfortunately I can't be there but I will be thinking of him. He was such a lovely person - a beacon in this world and he will be sorely missed.
His parents moved back to the States about a year before he was due to finish at school so it was arranged that he would stay here, living with some of us for that last year. It was a wonderful time getting to know him better. He had a keen interest in literature, a growing interest in fashion and an incredible and eclectic taste in music. He also had one of the driest senses of humour I have come across.
When I moved to London for my course, Tim also moved to London with the same group of friends and I spent nearly every weekend with them listening to new music, mixing bizarre music tapes, discovering London, clothes and furthering our own identities.
Then Tim moved back to the States. We stayed in contact via letters, music tapes, and I always meant to go and visit but never made quite it. The years passed and somehow we just lost contact. Tim moved, I lost his address, rubbish really. I never forgot him though and over the years I would occasionally google for him. I discovered many things - he was writing reviews for New York music papers, dj'ing, becoming quite the guru in his field of music, reviewing books, interviewing authors and studying African diaspora at college.
For some reason though I was always a step behind in getting in contact with him again. The email given on a certain website was out of date, the address on another was an old address. Something kept blocking that contact. But two months ago I had a breakthrough via Facebook. There was Tim. I didn't launch into a full-blown email, I just carefully announced that I was around - and he got back in contact. I was so happy. He seemed happy to hear from me too and asked after people and told me he had fond memories of his time with us all over here in the UK. So we did the usual thing and 'friended' each other. I got messages about what books he was reading etc.. Then a couple of days ago I got a message on Facebook from a friend of Tim's informing us all that he had passed away last Thursday. This came as something as a shock and to be honest it is only just hitting home that he won't be around any more.
The service is today in Massachusetts at 3pm. Unfortunately I can't be there but I will be thinking of him. He was such a lovely person - a beacon in this world and he will be sorely missed.