Klarity and Kaos: Letter to Shanks

Dear Shanks,

I know you are going on this big adventure, and opening a really massive new chapter in your life. I wanted to tell you a couple of things that I thought of but just didn’t say, as I stood in Kim’s hallway and wondered what I should say to you. I ended up telling you I was proud of you. But it’s so much more than that.

I want to thank you for making friends with a complete stranger over the radio. For not caring about where I was from, or where I’d been, what I’d done, or what I’d seen. And for wanting to be my friend because of who I was on the inside.

I want to let you know that you moving to Melbourne was the kick start that I needed, helping me to understand that no-one is ultimately trapped in their situation. And I wanted to thank you for those lonely first weeks in this bloody cold place, where we sat in various pubs in the city, smoking our cigarettes and contemplating our existence. And not only bonding over this massive new adventure, but actually learning things about each other and becoming greater friends. Because the reality tied to this situation is that as much as we got along, we didn’t really know each other then.

And thankyou for the months that followed, picking up late night pizzas/kebabs/chinese and stumbling drunkenly home, getting lost while exploring the most random places, catching gigs, making new friends (and enemies! ...Ah that night on the tram on the way to Laundry, when we had a run-in with the junkies!) and always having yet another random Bikkies and Shanks adventure. And THANKYOU for taking Jimmy into your fold of friends as you did with me. Its like you passed the baton... and now he gets to hold my hair back when Im sick. Arent you glad you passed THAT baton on!? lol

We were flat broke together, starved together, and when we had cash... boy! did we live LARGE together. The memories are forever and incorruptible (except the ones where... you know... we don’t actually remember what happened. lol)

I am also grateful for having you round during the shitty nights, when I hated where I was and who I am. But you were always there, you taught me that it was ok to call someone a c*nt, if they were being one. And that Monday night drinking sessions were never worth it on Tuesday morning, but were necessary at the time, so that I could vent. You knew when I was having a rough time, and you were always there with bear-hugs. There were Luca-demons, the death of my friend, losing my little Conni, and crappy crappy work colleagues. There were also girl-dramas and cash-flow dramas. And icky icky come-downs. You also told me when I should just harden the fuck up... I really needed that too sometimes.

Seriously dude it has been 2 years of mayhem, chaos, pain, victory, growth, and maturity (who knew I could put those words in the same sentence!) and we’ve had a crazy crazy time. We have come to the end of an era, but not the end of a wicked friendship. Ultimately I am SO proud of you... I look back on me and think ‘Holy shit, look how far I’ve come’ but I’ve also looked back at you, and you’ve grown so much as a person too. I am so grateful for a best friend like you... one of the truest ones.

These next few years of your life are going to take you places you never would have believed possible, and you’ll see things and meet people who will constantly blow your mind (both good and bad). You are an awesome awesome person and I have not met one soul who doesnt get along with you. Dont bloody forget it, if theyve got a problem with you... its their problem. Youre just one of those people you know? You make friends easily, you go out of your way to help & understand people, and your a total trashbag (apparently people like that? ;p )

Please keep your wits about you, and for godsake keep your phone insured. Take LOTS of photos, keep in touch, keep true to yourself, drink things other than scotch, eat weird food (and get gastro), poke strange animals (but not strange people), learn swearwords in foreign languages, call me on Skype and teach me foreign swearwords, download lots of Oz hip hop to educate your fellow crew, and never ever forget how many people love the shit out of you back home.