Another in my occasional series on morbid things.
Word reached me today of the death of George Parkin. Though we used to play football together when we were kids and later on we were members of the Labour Party together, I hadn't seen him for at least a decade, maybe two. So I wouldn't say he is a great loss to me but I would say that I'm saddened.
I suppose most of us have had bereavements. It's the worst thing in the world to lose someone you love. But there's something different happens when the 'inevitible' deaths start to come along. I'm not talking about your grandparents or mam or dad. I'm not talking about tragic accidents. I'm talking about your contemporaries. The people you knew when you were a kid, who died of the kind of thing that could loosely be described as old age.
Chances are, if you're younger than me, then you haven't experienced that before. George is my first inevitible bereavement. He was liked by most who knew him (except his ex-wife). He was witty and generous, and could hold an intelligent conversation. On the other hand, he was a womaniser and an alcoholic too. He died as a result of liver failure. Some would say that that's not natural causes, that's self inflicted - sucide or something.
I would say that it was just a side-effect of living.
We all need something to get us from day to day. Some have religion, some have a great job, some have stamp collecting, some have a computer, some have drugs, some have alcohol. Most of us have a mixture of most of them (except stamp collecting obviously). George used vodka - as good as anything I'd say.
On a brighter note: George was about a year older than me so I guess I still have a few more hands to play before I cash my chips in. Also, I remember for several years George used to be called Betty; I've no idea why.
