Waiting for Superman...

This is for Ty...My Defence Lab Monkey...

You know when you were younger and you used to watch those shows on SABC? There's one that used to particularly grate me...Touched By an Angel. I used to think it was ridiculous, people don't go about with their heads glowing and performing miracles that make others change, and I bet Monica's hair wasn't naturally THAT red. Growing up, my view has changed. They may not have their own theme song, or light up like a Christmas tree, but there are people that can touch you and have such a huge impact on your life that you have no idea how you managed before them.

Tyson was one of those people...

He'd hate it when I got sentimental and he was the only one who could make me feel like an idiot for bawling like a baby...but that's who he was.

I "met" Tyson on Facebook, and back then I knew he was different. Meeting him was another story. He was the most happy-go-lucky, optimistic, pain in the ass I've ever met! But he managed to help me and change me in ways that I myself couldn't fathom until now. Ty had no shame, no sense of pride and humility to spare. He shared with me his love for defence lab (though I proved to have no hand-eye co ordination whatsoever, he still laughed with me), his passion for writing (though his hand writing was terrible, almost as bad as mine! But I was special enough for him to show it only to me) and allowed me to open up and understand myself in ways that, I now know, no one else ever could. He had problems and issues like every other person, but one of his most admirable qualities is that he was always positive about it. He could smile, make people happy through his pain and we were never the wiser. It's a once in a millennia thing that you meet someone like that, but there he was.

Whether it was pulling me to dance in the rain like a retard, calling and messaging me at awkward times, talking absolute nonsense with me, making me exercise and "be healthy" with him, whether he was singing for me, spending time with me or just telling me about his projects and plans, sharing his hopes and dreams; He was very special to me. He brought light and laughter in my life when I needed it most and I am ashamed to say that we lost contact and I was so busy trying to deal with my own life, I neglected him. I look at the photos, listen to the voice notes, read the messages, watch the videos and up till now I can't accept that he isn't here. I don't want to. It's hard to let go of things that have the most value to you, and worst of all, knowing that you can't have it again...

My only regret is that I never spent as much time with him as he tried, but the memories I do have will always be cherished...