Memories of John, Dionne Southwell
It has taken me a long time to write this, i wanted to say something profound, as John made a huge impact on my life, & i like to think I’m a better person for knowing him, but nothing i could say could get that across & he wouldn’t want me freaking out about it anyway. I never got to say thanks for showing me a life that i could & will live, one filled with colour, fun & a devil may care, “let’s do it now” attitude. A fragment of my memories of him would be… He was so much fun, The most unpretentious & generous person i’ve ever met, he introduced me to so much, without once making me, or ANYONE, feel out of place or stupid…meeting amazing people, his friends & family members, right across Australia, my first Great Ocean Rd trip, Modern art, steamed asparagus with balsamic & roasted capsicum, how to picnic, to pack a car for a long distance journey, to drink champagne & smoke, while swinging in a hammock, to answer calls from Sotheby’s in the middle of the night, wake him up then drink to the victory,( i was SO impressed) to listen to Quadrophenia, loud, whilst going to sleep, that Champagne is to be drunk for any reason & the man knew how to celebrate, how much he loved his cats & dogs,..& how Cupid the cocky use to terrrorise…everything!, how to decorate a bathroom,… how to decorate ANY room,(when he came in one hot night with a can of ochre paint, & said he wanted us to put hand prints, “thick at the bottom, graduating, thinner”, up his bedroom wall, i thought he was mad..but, of course, it looked fabulous) I remember every thing in his house,back then, he was fabulous & his place was fabulous & full up with his stories & history, What a life, I was the proud reciever of his old red couch, that was only recently put out to pasture, after a long and loved life, But more importantly, he shared his life (& family) with me when i really needed someone just like him…i always just assumed one day, we would catch up for a drink & i would have a chance to thank him, he ended up teaching me one last lesson. Never assume.
Thanks John, you Rock & i’m So sad your gone.
Dionne Southwell
