Last night we met up with an old friend, well to be exact my oldest friend, to see a band in a tiny pub in Midsomer Norton. I’ve known Ian since I was around 4 years of age, so amazingly it’s over 40 years of friendship that we have to call on. Because we live on opposite sides of town, we only tend to catch up with each other 3 or 4 times a year but when we do the bond is re-established with effortless ease. How lovely it is to have a friendship such as that.

Imagine then the feelings going through my brain when I received a shocking phone call at home today from one of my colleges. Just over a year ago, two chaps joined us who not only went all through nursery and school together, they have also worked with one another in seven different jobs as well as making music together. All told they have racked up around 25 years of the best sort of friendship. Today one of them turned up at work complaining of feeling unwell during the night, a feeling that had carried on into the morning. He left work with instructions from his long time friend to get things checked, sadly he went straight home and then suddenly had a massive heart attack which has taken Terry from us.

At work I sit next to his long time friend Kevin, so it was clear for me to see the fabulous bond that these two guys had, Given my joy at catching up with my old friend last night, the shattering sense of loss which must be going through Kevin struck me hard. I roughly knew where Kev lives so on the off chance that he would be there; I drove down to see if I could catch up with him. As luck would have it I caught sight of him outside his house so was able to go in and spend a short while with him and his family as they struggled to come to terms with this mornings events.

As always on these sorts of occasions there were tears and laughter as stories were told of events from the past. Last night they had been working together and Kevin’s brother said that he still had the image in his head of Terry getting the crowd going as he took control of the mic to show his MC skills. Tomorrow Terry was due to be taking some local kids that he coached at football to see his beloved Arsenal, so sad that this terrible blow couldn’t have waited at least a few more days, if it had to fall so soon in his life.

Truly a man who was part of his community, I’m sure that many, many people will miss him and his infectious chuckle. Terry’s struggles to stay awake at team meetings and presentations were always a source of amusement to the rest of us, sadly we’ve lost him to a sleep that he won’t suddenly jerk out of.

A few months ago I was sitting next to Terry on a short coach journey back from a meeting, unusually rather than my normal inane chat about football and music we discussed things of a more spiritual nature. Whilst I stated my opinion that death brings an end to everything, he was quite sure that something else would follow and that he had high hope for one that would bring him. I’m sure that he didn’t envisage making the journey so soon but for his sake I hope that his vision of the future is right this time.

Terry Young R.I.P.