I didn’t really know Jim.
Not ‘him’.
Well…….
That’s not really true,
I just didn’t have the whole view,
Just the bits of the jigsaw I was allowed to see.
But….
If you look behind what you know
Or think you know….
If you read between the lines……
…..and don’t ignore the signs….
You see the ‘man’
The more you look the more you see.
But not that crooked gait
He hid that
You didn’t notice that…..
….it remained unsaid, because….
You were too busy looking at the man.
He saw to that.
To me….
He was a tall strong man.
A man who ‘can’.
A man who ‘did’.
And a big heart and a cheery smile,
Someone with whom you’d want to spend a while,
And talk about cricket,
Or archeological digs
Or Rugby……hmmm….
…….do you know…….
…….if he could have had a runner like he did in cricket…..
He’d have played Rugby!
(Rules were not to be obeyed!)
Not for him. Not for Jim!
(James to his Mother)
Not for the man that bought noisy Christmas presents
For his nephew.
He smiled! No……he chuckled!
And then accepted the ban from buying toys
That made a noise.
Each has his or her little tale
And when recalled
It cannot fail
To raise a smile…..a chuckle….a memory.
Smile with fondness
Chuckle with fondness
Remember with fondness.
To you he was a Brother
To you an Uncle
To you a Son
To me…..
He was just my friend
……but, then
…….he was that to us all!

Born, loved, wed;

Worked, spent, bred.

What credentials do I have to write anything about Steve Farrish? After all, I am only the person that nodded and smiled at him in the Dolphin. I am the person that acknowledged his presence in the Millstone, or the Waters Green Tavern, or the Nag’s Head. I am the person who guarded his trombone case while he played tricks on his friend Gary. Aren’t many of us a bit like that in relation to Steve.
Well no……..some were privileged to call him a friend.
To write a poem in memory of Steve Farrish that conforms to Rhyme or Meter seems to belie the very nature of the man. Pace is the key issue.
Pace and Pauses.
So here goes………to be read or said at pace!!

Steve Farrish
Gawsworth parish
A 1968-er
And later…………a brother and a sister.

So eat your food
And eat it fast
A healthy appetite

An individual
Undaunted
Completely himself
The way he wanted

Zorro at 8 years old……and then
Star Wars, live
Space 1999
Babylon 5
….and Star Trek
Aeronauticals……..
At British Aerospace
Machines for Nissan
An electrician
A programmer
A biker….

Horror and sci-fi
Music lover………..musician. 

Kawasaki
Tarpaulin surfing
Paint balling

Then….electrician……..again

Then……..something to do with computers

The next night out
A pub……..bars
A chilled night out listening to a band
Meals with a friend

A hearty social appetite
A hearty appetite
No ready meals for him
On his beloved boat…..

His beloved boat
A proud boater
Boating community
Boaters rights
‘Boats are people’s homes’

He loved a party
Family or friends
With cousins, aunties and uncles…..
Games…..Cheating…….

One word?…..one word only?
Music………

Piano
(anyone can learn the piano)
PIANO not keyboards
Trombone
Plastic trombone
Accordion
Plastic trumpet
…..and various bands

…..varied musical tastes
Minor keys not major…..

John Barry
Musicals
Rocky Horror Show
La La Land
David Bowie
The Eagles
The Who…..

But….
Who was he? 

Private
Almost ‘secretive’
Shy?
Living ‘off grid’
Helpful
A true gentleman with a dash of vinegar. 

But……aah….that smile

Honest
Witty
Mischievous sense of humour
Generous
Encouraging friend
Natural piano teacher.
Joker
Warm aura…..

And….aah…..that friendly smile

And endless conversation
The finest Social chameleon

Operated alone,
Travelled alone
But…..
…..he was never alone

Aah……that friendly smile

Put the kettle on
Another bacon buttie, please
Strangely frugal
Strangely private

Bloody stubborn

That extra flair for the ridiculous
Stunning musical talent

That tragic Friday night
Those unsaid moments
His ever present smile
The conversations we didn’t need to have
These are the things that we already miss about him.

And finally……….and I quote…..unashamedly

Just as music hangs in the space between notes
Or persists in the silence after the final note at the end of a song

He also will always be here.

So…..Hi Steve.