Woeful Ode to Complicity
Poor old Fred, my friend, never to be seen again, what a pity? Having spent a lifetime spitting in the eye of danger while surviving on measly pickings and very little pay, lady luck failed him two days ago, resulting in Fred kicking the bucket in spectacular fashion.
Head down and tail up for all of his working life, forever toiling away under treacherous conditions, Fred put his noggin on the chopping block more times than I’d care to remember. This devil-may-care lifestyle would ultimately be his undoing and cut short a life that promised oh so much.
A likeable character in the prime of his life, short in statue, bright eyed, light footed, with a lion’s mane head of hair; Fred was loved by all except for a tall dark shadowy figure, who shall remain nameless for now.
I had known Fred all his life and saddened by his loss, shall always remember him as a creature of comfort. No matter what time of day or night, he always had an insatiable appetite and a smile on his unshaven face, which would become even broader whenever the opportunity of breaking bread with us presented itself.
Head down and tail up for all of his working life, forever toiling away under treacherous conditions, Fred put his noggin on the chopping block more times than I’d care to remember. This devil-may-care lifestyle would ultimately be his undoing and cut short a life that promised oh so much.
A likeable character in the prime of his life, short in statue, bright eyed, light footed, with a lion’s mane head of hair; Fred was loved by all except for a tall dark shadowy figure, who shall remain nameless for now.
I had known Fred all his life and saddened by his loss, shall always remember him as a creature of comfort. No matter what time of day or night, he always had an insatiable appetite and a smile on his unshaven face, which would become even broader whenever the opportunity of breaking bread with us presented itself.
For those unknown to him, Fred would pepper them with indecipherable chatter before sulking off. Yes, this much maligned behaviour of this solitary individual was typical for his kind, but for the most part it was done not to offend, but to survive the rigors of his highly dangerous lifestyle.
Now that Fred is gone, life is much quieter and the tall dark shadowy figure that so detested him has taken on the broad smile that good old Fred wore upon his cheery face.
Now, please raise your glasses as I propose a toast to Fred. “Thanks Fred for bringing both excitement and wonder to my life. May you find happiness wherever you are and may you never again be caught by the short and curlies.”
Now that Fred is gone, life is much quieter and the tall dark shadowy figure that so detested him has taken on the broad smile that good old Fred wore upon his cheery face.
Now, please raise your glasses as I propose a toast to Fred. “Thanks Fred for bringing both excitement and wonder to my life. May you find happiness wherever you are and may you never again be caught by the short and curlies.”
§ § §
How did Fred die? For a crime scene re-enactment photograph that will explain everything, click here.
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