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Final goodbye to Rob Dickens
I’ve been sitting in front of my computer for a few days now trying to decide where is best to start, and exactly what to say about my years of friendship with Rob yet words fail me, almost for the first time in my life!
I suppose something short and to the point will do:
We met 12 years ago at Gecko Lounge at some crazy o’clock of the morning – he was on his own and I was on my own and being pestered by some random dude, and when I went to sit down next to this ‘guy’ we got chatting and he offered to ‘be my boyfriend’ for the night in order for me to get rid of the ‘pest’.
Little did I know that we’d become extremely close friends, sharing many, many memories of happiness and sadness.
I don’t quite know where to start sharing these memories, but the ones that seem to be sticking out the most for me these days are:
- the time that Rob and I went bush diving after Georgia and Greg’s wedding – in our wedding attire – outside his apartment;
- me surprising him at Sushi Sunday for his birthday 2 years ago;
- and when he used to always mock me for not being able to speak properly – he had this thing about the way I said Drink and Drive, as if I was saying Jink and Jive. On arrival in Dubai the first thing he asked me was ‘Can you jink and jive’ in Dubai and it was like the past was the present… as if not a minute had passed since we had spent time jolling together.
What makes me most sad is that the week before his birthday when he was in Dubai (with work and me) he was his wonderful, normal self… the Rob I had jolled with years before. He kept telling me about all these plans that he had for 3 months time and “I’ll see what I can work out so that I can get out here!”… and the last thing he said to me as he walked through the airport check-in gates on 25th June was “I’ll see you in December – I’m coming back with Megs!”
How long had he had these thoughts… were they there while he was in Dubai? Or did the world just become too much for him in those last few days leading up to his birthday? Was this his final act of Emotional Rob vs Rational Rob?
Oh Rob, no-one will ever understand exactly why you chose this route, and you will never know how it has impacted all of our lives. All we can do now is hang onto all these amazing memories of you – a wonderful friend, brother, son, boyfriend.
You will always be missed Mr Dickens!
On Saturday 9th July a wake will be held for Rob at Turtle Creek, Sandton, Johannesburg. Thankfully, due to the wonders of technology (god how Rob would be laughing at this!!!) I am able to call in on Skype to take part in this final farewell to Rob as I am unfortunately not able to get there in person.
Robert Walker Dickens
This is not a happy post and everyone probably knows this news already, but I feel I have to just put something down here in writing, to my very dear friend Rob.
I will never forget the day we met at Gecko lounge, 12 years ago, and how you offered to ‘be my boyfriend’ for the night so that I could stop being harassed by some dude.
We shared so much in these years, so many jols together! There are so many memories that I will forever cherish. I am at a total loss for words and I wish I could have said more to you when you were out here…
I am so grateful that I got to spend such a great time with you before you decided to leave this world behind.
Robert Walker Dickens – you will be missed and loved always!
Love Hazy (widgie widgie widgie)
