I returned home from my jaunt to Finland and Sweden last week but couldn’t help posting this comment on my good friend David.
I saw David the other day in Stockholm and met him again in Helsingborg after staying with Johanna and Millis. David is totally bald now but has an energy of youth that many youngsters would be lucky to ever grasp. He is an enigma that bestows confidence, kind heart, positivity, opportunity and drama, and he is only too happy to share it with everyone, even if with a wisp of irony to keep us all thinking.
“I am thinking of growing my hair long again David” I once had for only a few years long golden curly locks that dangled from my head to my shoulder, dancing as I moved. On a stormy day I loved standing with my back to the wind feeling the ringlets bounce around and touch my face. For sure I suit short hair more than I do long, but it has been some time and I feel that having a ginger mop suits my character somehow more. “The thing is, I think I’m going a little bald and am not sure if it would look OK.” At this moment most of my friends would confirm my doubts and take great pleasure in mocking my fantasy and insecurity in one fell swoop.
David on the other hand is a different story. He is driving the car and looks over at me and begins his flamboyant oratory with Swedish melody “Oh Jamie, you are an artist and can get away with anything, you would look amazing with a bald ginger hair bouncing everywhere.” He then braces me with his keen eyes and gives a conspiratory chuckle whilst tapping on the steering wheel. I laugh at this ridiculous parody and remark “Together David we are unstoppable, I think we could conquer the world!” And I think with David that would be possible, I could just see us growing our balding heads just to see how it would be received and taking great humour in it. We once picked up a friend Tilly from an airport who had brought with him his pal John that had never been out of England before. For the occasion we borrowed some of his mothers dresses with flowery prints and greeted the boys as Swedish aupairs prepared with a song and guitar. I had my long hair in question up in two afro pigtails and David had on a Scottish red wig. Unfortunately the flight was delayed an hour, so we took great pleasure in entertaining the bemused airport with songs and pantomime; the security had a good sence of humour and we no limits. When Tilly and John arrived we dashed up to them like dogs on heat and chanted in our best mock Swedish falsetto “Welcome to Sweden, my name is Inga and this is Olga, we have a song to sing for you!” And, so we sang and everyone else listened, it was an unusual evening for airport arrivals that day. Tilly’s poor friend John must have though he was on another planet and kept saying that he desperately needed a cigarette.
David and I at the airport waiting for Tilly and John
It is good to have friends that keep you grounded but also some that lift you and inspire new heights which is typical of David. I feel refreshed having seen him. It is an uncommon thing for two guys to be able to hit the dance floor as soon as they enter the place with no qualm of self, closing down more than a handful of parties in one night and then rolling in at 5am. It is probably a good thing that we do not get together too often as it would probably be an unbearable burden for the world to bare. Perhaps I should keep my hair short just for the moment.
Jamie
