Friday, July 07, 2006

From Ize

Like most people, i too feel the summer brings Max back more than ever. Or really, it makes you feel his abscence more than ever. The World Cup has also been a completely different experience. This is what he loved. Summer days and attacking football, amazing goals. I can hear his screams of enjoyment at so many of these goals. "Sick Goal! BadBoy!". He payed such attention to the whole game though. He wouldn't just see the shot that i would see but the positioning, the technique, the movement of all the players...the whole picture and all the parts that led to the goal. Also the internationalness of it all. His embrace of others and their cultures...he loved it so much. Pure, genuine joy at the size and variety of the world.

The last World Cup happened to fall when we were travelling. The third picture here was us in Bali. We watched the final there. That seems like another world, another bunch of people. I have that picture up at work though so i can see the boys whenever i want. Sometimes it's pretty hard to look at, somtimes i just stare at it for ages.

The middle picture is Max in Bologna last summer when we were visiting Lou. At the memorial match in March I remember talking to O about how long he was going to stay and play for. He said, i'm staying till the end, that's what Max would have done. Its true, so we did. He was always the last. I like this picture. It's just kind of peaceful, natural, easy.

The first picture is just a bunch of little rats, still in primary school. I find it easier to look at pictures of us as young'uns. i also have this picture up in my room. It can make me smile without too much pain. Check out his tie-dye t-shirt. I'm pretty sure it was from the Salusbury School Summer Fair. That was the biggest day of the year back then. Those memories are unchanging and almost unaffected. We were never going to stay that age for ever and it's natural to evolve and move away from that time. That's why they are easier to look at. That time came and went as it was supposed to. So sometimes it's easier to remember that time and enjoy it for what it was. Easy summers, running around Queens Park, letting the grown-ups do the worrying.

Thinking of you all this summer.

All my love. Ize. xxx

(Jay, Ize, Max, O, Paul Summers)


(Back: Lou, O, Dash, Ize. Front: Hugh, Max)

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Beautiful Ize

Max loved it, in Newcastle as soon as the weather was good he'd be down Jesmond Dene with a footy and a book (which he wouldn't read!), then he'd complain to me "Oh Ku I just cant sit inside and revise when the weathers like this, I love being down the park!!"

And I know what you mean about being the last one. I remember going down to Soccer World and me and him staying for ages after we'd finished standing at either end of the pitch trying to lob each other - guess who was more successful?!

Obi one said...

Izy boy,
I also prefer to remember those days. The summer is tough and a shadow of past days. i cant wait to see you. strength and honor.

Anonymous said...

All our thoughts are in the same place, even though we are not.

Lucy Jane wrote that to me in an email. It means a lot to me because like you Ize, I am far away from Queen's Park, and like many of Max's friends who are in different areas. I think the place where our thoughts are is called Max.

love rose

Anonymous said...

Hey, i just stumbled upon your website and i'd just like to say i'm very sorry to hear about your loss it is very hard to loose someone you know especially if they were a close friend.. the thought of living without some of the close friends that i have would devastate me and i would feel like a part of me that i could never replace died with them. i think i can gather that his death was sudden. i dont know if you believe in God, but i do and i hope your frind has gone back to his Father in Heaven, and that you will all meet him again one day in the kingdom of Heaven.