Thinking About Dead People .....

  As one's supposed to, this night. As I tend to do, each year. Only, christ; The fucking list is getting ridiculous nowadays. So many of the people I've known. Now gone.

 But, anyway, that's not actually ~ really ~ what I wanted to talk about. Not really. It was something that occurred to me last night.

 I was round Dean O's, see. I'd only brought one film with me, because the other one hasn't arrived yet. I buy a couple a week, off Amazon. That's our Boys Night In entertainment. 

 I've been buying films pretty much since the DVD shop in town closed down. More so since Eirecon announced they were going to aggressively pursue anyone using Bit Torrent sites to down load films.

 Dean O'd only just got into that game when the letter came through. One fucking thing after another! At least no cunt can stop me scouring Amazon and paying good money.

 So, last night, Dean O' slings me a fifty quidder and says to use it to buy some more films. Him feeling that I'm doing all the paying here now. Wanted to pull some weight of his own. Fair play to the guy. Not that I was complaining.

 And that's why I was on Amazon again, later that night. Only, I wound up buying two 'films', which I paid for out of my own pocket, again.

 Why? Simple! I buy them. I own them. They come home and stay on my shelf. What ever I get with Dean O's fifty will, of course, become his property and stay at his place. And I've quite gotten into owning my own 'little' library of films now. Never really had one before.

 And, getting round to the point of all this ..... The first 'film' I bought was " Out ". Tom Bell. Anyone remember that? It was a TV series, back in the 70's. Fucking good, as I remember. Reviews of today seem to agree. I want that on my own shelf.

 And, digging around down the memory lanes of Google, I was horrified to learn that Tom Bell died some years ago. I didn't know that. I've been completely out of touch for the last decade now. No media input. I liked Tom Bell.

 And, that brought me to thinking about George Sewell. Fucking good actor. Looked a right villain ~ so they always cast him as a Detective! Face as craggy and pitted as a rock escarpment. And, fuck me; He's gone too, now.

 Met the bloke, once. Straight up! I was sitting on a precinct bench in Southsea, Portsmouth. Had my old ferret hob with me. " Pot ". Used to take him out for a bit of a summer time leg stretch.

  Of course, this being long before 'walking ferrets' became the rage, I was well used to people stopping to enquire. So, when I heard this voice say, " My, my, my; He's a great little fellow, isn't he?! " I just glanced up, quite casually.

 Then my mind's like; " OMG! OMG! OMG! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! It's ....."  Yeppers. Craggy face himself. George Sewell. I nearly farted!

 What a fucking lovely bloke he was too. Stood and chatted to me for a good few minutes. Me, heart in my mouth. Trying not to stare, or break into Norwegian ~ I mean; This is a bloke I'd seen shit loads of, on TV. And I liked the roles he played. I was a Fan, FFS!

 I somehow managed not to embarrass myself. Mr Sewell took obvious pleasure in meeting Pot. Then he excused himself and paced off in the direction he'd been heading, obviously making his way to some engagement.

 And now he too is gone. Lost to us. Great shame.

 I treated myself to the whole series of " Fox " too. 80's TV. Remember that one? Brought Ray Winston to our attention. And, of course, the inimitable and menacing Peter Vaughan! Fucking Love that guys characters! 

 The patriarch in " Straw Dogs " to the patriarch, " (King) Billy Fox ". Absolutely fucking brilliant!

 And now, what? Well into his eighties? Will he still be with us next year? Will I, come to that?! FFS!

 I dunno. The longer we live, the more good people we see slipping out the back door.

 My thoughts on this night, anyway.