From Howard (Mini U-Turn and other stories)
October 7, 2011 | Howard Leedham
I’m still thinking about your man a lot. Pete from the UK sends his condolences. He remembers Vince wearing his furry hat at marching display party. Then Vince turned up the next day and helped us clear up the carnage in the house.
I also spoke with Gary Eberley. He recalls Vince an I pulling up to his house in Vince’s Mini Cooper. Gary had just built a new double garage. Vince entered one door, threw a U-turn in the garage and exited the other door! We were crying with laughter while Gary stood by staring in shock! He simply thought we were about to demolish his new structure. Happy memories!
For some reason, Vince and I just hit it off right from the start. We were very different people but I guess that was because both of us were well traveled and that gave us a view of life that some aren’t afforded. If I could sum Vince up using British vernacular it would not be difficult to do. He was, in all respects, just a thoroughly “good bloke.” His air of calm somewhat concealed his impetuous sense of humor, but once he opened up it was guttural laughs all the way. Of course you know all this much more than me, but it had to be said. Vince and I stayed in contact despite my global geographics, and he even emailed me just a few weeks before he died.
When I returned from Pakistan I bought just three hats to bring with me as gifts. Perhaps the fact that I bought one for Vince tells its own story. I must admit I got the biggest kick out of it when he drove past me in his Mini one day and he was actually wearing it!!! I just laughed like a drain! (That said, the “Pakol” as they are called, are very warm and surprisingly waterproof).
The death of Steve Jobs reminded me about Vince making fun of my laptop of the time many years ago and telling me to get with the “in-people” and get an Apple. He said that even though I might not have a clue about computers, with a Mac, every idiot would assume that I did! Vince was solely responsible for me gaining enough understanding of the “Mac” to switch, and as he used to say, “Once you go Mac you’ll never go back.” (Not sure where he picked up that saying!;-))) Anyway suffice to say - I haven’t gone back and am writing this email on my second Macbook Pro! I’d like to think Vince got a Mini Cooper because of my reciprocal ravings, but I think that would be stretching it a bit!
As for Vince and his passing, I hope he is pleasantly surprised on the other side. At the end of the day, all we can hope for is that we leave this world having had a positive impact on the people we came into contact with, and the people we leave behind. We are, more often than not, what our parents make us; Vince’s mother and father should be so proud of the man they made; it is no exaggeration to say, he was as good as it gets. I’ll miss my friend Vince.
Howard Leedham, a good friend and previous neighbor of Vince’s (with a cool accent) from 2000 to present.