“Every now and then when your life gets complicated and the weasels start closing in, the only cure is to load up on heinous chemicals and then drive like a bastard from Hollywood to Las Vegas ... with the music at top volume and at least a pint of ether.”

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Football season is over...

Despite the initial excitement of creating a blog that may help to collate a list of Aussie Hunter fans over the coming months, I haven't felt like posting much lately and there is a reason for that. Tonight however, in a quiet moment, I began thinking of Hunter. Or more specifically, what Hunter was thinking on that fateful day in February 2005. "Football season is over...."

I have spent the past fortnight watching a close friend
of over twenty five years - indeed, one of the good old boys - go through the agonising diagnosis of a terminal illness which has taken the sparkle and lifeblood from him at the speed of lightning. From being his old self to The End in a period of a month perhaps, and in the most horrid state of suffering. The shockwaves have penetrated my closest circle of friends and we are all in a state of disbelief and numbness. Which brings me back to Hunter.

I often read Anita's blog and can still feel her pain; the inconsolable loss of her best friend and husband. To have the additional stress of knowing that her beloved Hunter took his own life must have sometimes been almost too much to bear and yet, in seeing how my friend's spirit is disintegrating so rapidly, I wonder how I would react in his, or Hunter's, situation. I read somewhere on a website tonight that Hunter had terminal cancer and that contributed to his final decision. I am not sure if that is true. I simply thought that he wanted to end his pain, his anger at the world and needless to say, other more personal battles.

Hunter's suicide note read: "
Football season is over.... No More Games. No More Bombs. No More Walking. No More Fun. No More Swimming. 67. That is 17 years past 50. 17 more than I needed or wanted. Boring. I am always bitchy. No Fun -- for anybody. 67. You are getting Greedy. Act your old age. Relax -- This won't hurt."

Many of us still mourn Hunter who even in his own eyes lived 17 years more than he needed. My friend is 51.... just 51. I mourn for him because unless a miracle occurs, he won't even see 52 let alone 67. Football season for him also, is over. And the irony there, the crazy mad AFL (Australian Football League) supporter that he is, his team may as well stop playing for season 2008, they have no chance. And so it seems, nor does he.

I cannot be judgemental on what Hunter did. I admire him far too much to criticise his actions. If there is a Heaven though, I do hope that Hunter is the doorman at the Pearly Gates - with a few glasses of whiskey in hand. One each for the two good old boys. Selah....

POSTSCRIPT AUGUST 17, 2008. My friend Mark passed away on August 13th after a tragic month long battle with cancer. May he rest in peace.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sorry to hear about your friend. Stories like that really put things in perspective.

freakpower66 said...

Thanks Ron - and yes it does. Amazing how life can be taken away so cruelly, in a matter of a mere month. I think I understand what Hunter did better than I ever did before.