Grim Reapers never sow, but their harvests always yield fields of grime for families and friends.
Take Denys Springer and I…
The Grim Reaper has heavily harvested from my family’s lifeline no-less than five times in one year (and ten in the last five).
I know the experience, so I didn’t just call his brother Cletus to add to the endless and unavoidable revolving sympathy and condolence calls that come on such occasions.
Denys and I were best remembered for our exchanges on China and Taiwan on ‘Head-to-Head’, a local programme we shared on Calabash TV.
Our natural theatrics ensured viewers truly enjoyed watching us share knowledge in our unique head-butting way, telling things they never heard about life and politics at home and abroad.
We differed more than agreed, but always agreed to disagree, even if only after crossing swords in battles of words usually featuring selected, salted and seasoned or simply weaponized adjectives.
Viewers verily enjoyed our guaranteed opposing interpretations of every issue we debated – and especially on China and Taiwan.
It was like we virtually had each other’s number: our discussions would become debates – and end-up in literal quarrels that often brought us (looking like) close to fist-cuffs on live TV.
We would grim and grimace, grime and grin, grind and gripe, even groan about matters of grist and grit, or just grisly things….
But we also always found the groove to keep people grounded in expected shock and awe, mutually certain that by the end of our 90-minute programme, every viewer would be just-the-wiser.
On one memorable occasion, I menacingly pointed my pen at Denys’ face, too-close to his eyes for many viewers’ comfort.
That night’s war of words (over Taiwan) was so polarized that the then Taiwan Ambassador invited us — the very next day — to what he hoped would be a brokered ceasefire between Denys and I.
We eventually arrived at the chosen Rodney Bay location before the ambassador and his team arrived, so we ordered ‘drinks and nuts’ and started discussing local politics.
As per usual, we joked and laughed at the ‘silly things’ some local politician say, that ‘just makes no sense…’ and some of the ‘lighter things’ about selected political personalities.
When he eventually arrived, the ambassador was visibly shocked to see Denys and I sitting at the bar — chatting, clinking glasses, smiling and laughing like friends do.
We dismissed his surprise and spent a little time explaining that while we’ll always differ on China and Taiwan, we’re also “Always Lucians” — and generational colleagues.
My friend has left Life’s Departure Lounge after that Final Boarding Call and Gate Number, Boarding Pass in hand after cashing-in his non-expiring One-Way ticket for that Last Ride to The Great Beyond, on the classic Slow Boat to China, along Hollywood’s River of No Return.
It’s My Last Post to Denys, but remember him I will — and forget him never!