Locky

In your typical fashion, you have said goodbye without saying it and hoping that no one would make much of a fuss.

In staying true to myself my friend, I cannot let you go without saying at least a little something about you, our friendship, and what time together meant. I have known of you since I was fifteen, but didn’t know you until a couple of years later when circumstances brought us together. My body felt broken from a football injury and I was coming out of my casted hand after a good tilt with my abusive step-father. I was recovering and shown the door by my mother, which left me finding a place to sleep, whether it was on the street or at friend’s places….a friend asks me to cover for him at work because of his misfortune. That marked the beginning of our friendship and would start adventures that began with you launching your own company. Then, with your help, I followed your lead and started my own company. You have always managed to see the light and potential in people, and even our early up and downs you always believed and managed to see mine. There are not enough words to truly cover the foundation of friendship we built. Even though you have seen the light in others, you steered away from allowing yourself to fully embrace your own. I think you always believed that anything of value here, kept you away from being back with your mom. Another thing that brought us together in the early days, the tremendous loss we both experienced. I know you are back with your mom now and I’m keeping the faith that you are finally at peace my friend.

I still have the replica of the Braveheart sword you gave me, it's in my house for people to see. A conversation piece for most, but much more to me. A great story of an underdog involving a free heart. Something you always reminded me that I had and encouraged me to follow. I did and continue to, which may be the reason our paths would separate and then come back together as though no time had passed. Like the sword you gifted, our friendship always cut through the BS and we managed to get to the heart of the matter. I will miss our conversations.

When I’m missing you, I can always count on Floyd over the speakers to take me back.

I remember the first real conversation, It was fantastic and like we had known each other for centuries. Accented by Floyd and bad scotch…lol I will miss our laughs and we have had several over the years, but I’m going to keep those memories for myself. Your sense of humour was one of the amazing things not everyone got the privilege to enjoy. It will warm my thoughts when I stop to reflect. You will be missed, certainly not forgotten, and before we say goodbye there are a few things that need to be mentioned. Your strength spiritually, mentally, and yes physically. When I think back to the amount of work we did together and what we could accomplish as a team, it still brings me a sense of pride. Your work ethic and professionalism are second to none. Your heart and goodness gave you such unwavering ability to stand against tyranny, fight for what was right and face evil on any level. There is a handful of people that I would go through the gates of Hell with my friend, you are most definitely one of them.

So when I sit down to toast you, I will think of the work, our conversation, and the laughs fondly. Mostly the friendship that always seemed to be warmed by a foundation of common ground and mutual love with respect. Oh, yeah the Scotch will be a little better this time. I know you are smiling at that…I will see you again my friend, but for now, I'm going to keep fighting the good fight and striving to live my best life. When someone with your strength goes far too young, it should remind the rest of us to live each day to the fullest. Check-in once in a while…

There are only two people that addressed me as you did, I’m going to keep that secret and sign off in a typical boring fashion.

Goodbye Locky,

Den

LAUGHLAND GLENN McARTHUR 1967-2022