Just how big was Jim?
There are so many things that I could say about Jim but the memory that is foremost in my mind at the moment is just how blooming big he was!
I’m sure that it can’t of escaped the attention of many people that he was physically big and I’m assuming that this was somewhat of a blessing and a curse – I can certainly testify that his size didn’t make it easy to ‘help’ him home one chilly night on a recent trip to Poland… On the other hand he was always easy to spot in a crowd and could reach things from shelves I couldn’t possibly dream of reaching without the aid of a harness and serious mountaineering gear!
His ‘bigness’ went further than that though. He had a colossal personality that more than outshone his physical build! He was open and honest, warm and welcoming, funny and charming, knowledgeable and generous, kind and charismatic and just plain lovely.
I, like many others, will miss James terribly and I’m certain that I’ll never be able to fill the big gap he has left, but I feel fortunate to have known him and I’m thankful for the time I was able to spend with him. James you truly were a terrific bloke.
Jim sent me this poem on the 3 March 2006. Hopeful is what came to my mind…
Coming.
On longer evenings,
Light, shill and yellow,
Bathes the serene
Foreheads of houses.
A thrush sings,
Laurel-surrounded
In the deep bare garden,
Its fresh-peeled voice
Astonishing the brickwork.
It will be spring soon,
It will be spring soon -
And I, whose childhood
Is a forgotten boredom,
Feel like a child
Who comes on a scene
Of adult reconciling,
And can understand nothing
But the unusual laughter,
And starts to be happy.
Philip Larkin.
My lasting memory of Jim - a smile on his face, a drink in his hand and a mischievous twinkle in his eye…
Rachel.
3 Comments:
I am very grateful for your posting this. In recent months I have noticed changes in my younger brother. His outlook had clearly matured and this was evidenced by his recent taking out pension policies etc. Needless to say this hadn't dulled his social enthusiasm and so signs would have been outwardly subtle but he seemed generally enthused by work and life in general. This poem rings a deep chord with me in respect to this. With this poem I hope and feel that Jim had more insight than I gave him credit for. He was growing into a great man. I have always been proud of Jim, I just wish I could have had the opportunity to tell him.
Some would say he was 6 foot 5 inches, I would say he was immeasurable
Interestingly, Larkin wrote this poem himself in his late 20s (a fact Jim would have known of course). Agree with Rich - has really helped me too.
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