Good bye Buddy!
By Chandroo D.
It’s a very sad day today 17th December 2011. I just received news that my buddy Captain Cyril Dawson passed away. He had been under medical care for quite some time and was hanging on well but it seems like he gave up hope all of a sudden and released his soul.
I will miss my buddy not because of the close and good rapport we had together, ever since young days, but also all the fun, jokes and laughter we shared as bachelors and even after we went our separate ways with our spouses.
During the past few years, we would meet up in Hong Kong, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. In Hong Kong, we would be clubbing till the wee hours. In Singapore, he would stay at my apartment and relax most of the time because by that time, he had cut down on his drinking and night life style, abiding by his doctor’s advice. My last meeting with him was in Kuala Lumpur. I invited him to my hotel where we had a delicious Chinese dim sum together and got engrossed in reminiscing about our yesteryears. His stories were always interesting as he had travelled the world as a Captain of his ship and therefore had seen the real tough life at sea and at the same time the enjoyable life at every port. One drink I learned to drink with him was ‘Brandy Dry’. During cool winter days in Hong Kong, in order to warm ourselves he would order his regular ‘brandy and dry’ for us. Being on the cold winter rough seas many a times, he himself picked it up from his British crew members. Aside from training many ignorant bartenders on how to make it, the drink sure kept our tummies warm!
A few years ago, we both travelled back to Rangoon, Burma, our home town to walk down memory lanes. It was the most enjoyable and memorable time of our life. It was literally like going back in time and being young again! Unforgettable!
During his recent bout with his ill health, he managed to visit his daughter in Jordan. Being with his immediate family and especially his grandchildren was a great shot of happiness in his life. His health not only improved but he lost a lot of weight – which his doctor had recommended.
I guess it was his destiny when he returned back to Kuala Lumpur where he had settled down for the past few years since retiring. His last email was a simple thank you note to all his close friends for thinking of him and his health and that he was doing fine and finally released from the hospital. I called him up on the same day to check if all was really ok and whether he was being taken care of well by the pretty nurses and needed any assistance. His last words were to check on our close friend in Australia, since there was no news on his health after his bypass and also urged me to visit Thailand to meet up with our yet another close friend. We joked and parted with our usual laughter. Today, a week later, I received a call from a close friend informing me that he passed away. I now wonder if he really knew that his time was up and was trying to close up all chapters of his life.
In one of my last articles, I had mentioned that he was not supposed to beam up to the pearly gates before me. It is I, who has to be up first to wait for him with double Bs – Beer (Blue Girl) and Blondes! Unfortunately, he has beaten me to it.
Farewell Captain Cyril Dawson. It will not be easy for me to find another buddy like you. You will however, always be on my mind when I pick up a Brandy Dry during the winters. May your Soul rest in peace.