Roland,
Mate it has been a couple of months now and like a lot of people I am still struggling to realize I won’t hear your loud boisterous laugh anymore. I miss you buddy.
It’s hard to pin down exactly when I first met you, it just seems like all of sudden you were there and we were great mates! To say that we were different in many ways would be a grave understatement yet there were so many things we learnt and loved about each other. Rollie had a way of bringing everybody from all walks of life together. But I must admit taking me along to Uni parties might have been a mistake……..let’s just say I have done and said some things to apparently nice people that I shouldn’t have. Just because we get along mate doesn’t mean myself and 100 other Uni students will. I can still hear him telling me off,
“now Cory this is probably going to be real funny tomorrow but right now you’d probably better leave”
Though staying out of trouble was something I couldn’t and never really wanted to teach Rollie, we all would have missed out on too many classic tales if this were the case.
Rollie once told me that he wished he could be more like me, level headed, never getting over the top excited or greatly disappointed. But I instantly disagreed with him and told him I wish I could feel as much as he did. Yes like most people he had his down times but the smile on his face when he was living the dream was something I have and will continue to aspire to.
The man lived an extraordinary life and has seen and achieved so many things many of us can only dream of. His monthly email of travelling stories were such a joy to read, I still laugh and shake my read when I read them. He could write a hell of a tale and as in person there was never any need to allow the truth to get in the way of a good yarn. Unfortunately the stories were always around 95% true.
I have so many fond memories hanging out on Cootchie with Rollie, Pop, Jusso and an assortment of other people over the years. Chilling at the beach drinking beers, playing golf, cooking morning, noon and night BBQ’s and trying to fit all that piss into the fridge on arrival was like playing Tetris! He never allowed me to grab a couple of local kids throw a XXXX stubby in their hands and take a picture of them with the “Blind Children Crossing” sign in the background……….apparently there was a limit your cheekiness. But then again we were sober every time I suggested it, later that evening though it was the best idea in the world! I am planning on completing the swim you owe me from the mainland to Cootchie also champ. It will be an honour to do so.
In my youth I had a limited vocabulary (or it was just all those years spent on mines) but that still didn’t stop your family from making me feel like one of the gang. One night in particular that we went to the Breakfast Creek Hotel after being at the Ashes all day cemented me to be known from then on by your family as “F#&king Cory”.
I’m thankful that I got to spend some time with you earlier this year mate, hanging out cooking meat, meat and more meat on the balcony, climbing Mount Coolum and sitting on top solving the world’s problems. Even my little man got to meet the best man I will ever know. One of the last things we did together was a sneaky late night mission to dump a washing machine into the local shops bins……..I was apprehensive about it but you were certain it was ok, until the rear door of the shop opened as we just got it up onto the lip of the bin! Kind of hard to pretend like there is nothing to see here, move along.
All though I am often filled with great sadness lately the good times and great man you were will always remain in my memories. Your with me for every stride when I’m out running, every stroke when swimming and every breathe of every day. It was and always will be a great honour to have known you Rolls. Rest easy now champ, look down and take care of those that love you.
F&^king Cory.
Beautifully said mate, and I can’t wait for the Big Swim!