Friday, August 30, 2024

Absent Friends

Yes, that's Sunday's toast and it's only Friday but a friend, a wargaming and discoursing about history, miniature wargaming, life and various other topics, friend, David Wilson, has recently passed away. 

It was in the early 80's when I had just resigned my commission and had been talked into trying my hand as a shopkeeper at a new wargaming, D&D, miniatures, etc. store which I named The Tin Soldier, (As it turns out, my shopkeeper ancestors hadn't passed the right DNA to me and I was only saved by getting a temp. job that led to a job that led me to  find various unsuspected talents and a career). 

Anyway, this tall, thin, smart, mustachioed, educated, and slightly hippy-ish guy came in to look at the 15mm Napoleonics rack and we got chatting. Before long I had him joining into games as well as spending a lot of time talking over coffee or beer. Before the decade was over he decided to leave town to up his university degrees to Doctor of...various things. For a while he settled in Fredericton and, now and then, when I was there for work or visiting family, I occasionally dropped in for a chat if I had a chance.  Then I retired early, had my heart attack, Covid hit, and my trips to visit family became fewer and shorter and David and I lost contact.  

So it came as a shock recently to get the news that he had passed away, even though he was almost a decade older than me. I felt the need to make some remembrance of him, so I mounted one of my original figures with a few words in memory of our friendship and passed it to his partner. 




May David's spirit find someone to discourse with wherever it goes. 





9 comments:

  1. I shall raise a glass for him!

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  2. Sorry to hear the news. We had some good games with him.

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  3. Ross, I'm very sorry to hear about your friend's passing. I think that was a nice remembrance you've done with that figure.

    Eric

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  4. A very nice tribute Ross and a lovely remembrance figure.

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  5. Sorry to hear of his passing , a nice rememberance figure though.

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  6. Lovely words and a thoughtful gesture.
    Alan Tradgardland

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  7. Ross Mac,

    What a great tribute to a good friend and fellow wargamer.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  8. A tribute written from the heart is a fine thing. Beautifully done.
    James

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  9. A fine gesture and remembrance.

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