People you know

[tory]

Characters, that sort of thing. People who might exist in a novel.


I knew this teacher in my first year of training who looked like a spiv from the 40s. Pencil-thin black moustache, extraordinarily thin, an extrovert dresser too with a penchant for tweed, a watch fanatic (he had about 40) and one of the funniest men I ever met - would make me laugh in about 10 seconds every day. It was a shame that lockdown happened because I wanted to keep in touch with him, but he left the school and I think lives in some bucolic village near Lewes. A memorable guy.

[fearlessfreap]

When I was in my twenties and living in New York I knew a couple who were probably 10 years older than me, that my friends and I called The Munsters. I assume they modeled themselves on the Cramps.  They were creepy and sort of goth before goth was a thing, very pale, very thin, inked up before that was trendy and they smoked a lot of crack. We would go to shows with them (indie/alternative rock - you wouldn't catch them at a rap show or an r&b club.) The guy ended up being shot to death for owing money to drug dealers.

[Sneelock]

growing up, uncles drove hot cars and motorcycles so they had an awesome garage stocked with a big cabinet of Craftsmen brand tools. we had a family friend. he was a very pleasant fellow with kids our age.

the thing I remember most about him was working on his van in our uncle's garage. he would wear a white zip up suit (like Pete Townshend wears). He would spend the day in the garage working on his engine, humming, drinking tall glasses of Iced Tea and squirting his hands with a big tube of GOOP Hand Cleaner.

Here's the thing - no matter what he did he NEVER got a speck of grease on him or his white zip up suit. he could pull the engine. replace the oil, anything. never a speck. not once. for years.

he was a nice guy and a good friend to my uncles. I'm more than a little embarrassed that this is the thing I remember most about him.