Tony

“You are a character yourself, and I will remember you.” – Tony, on his last night in Saudi. The one who got kicked out of the kingdom. The lad from Dublin. When he said Dublin, the travel agency heard Durban and said: “You don’t mind flying via Joburg?” Imagine flying to Dublin via Joburg!

Tony was not the most popular guy around. He even got mé annoyed at one point. I referred to him as a liability. He forgets where he’s going. Forgets what he wanted to say or why he was saying something. Gets lost – all the time. I once had to sub for him whilst he quickly popped over to the hospital. He wandered out the wrong gate without his gate pass and couldn’t get back in. The 10 minutes turned into an hour.

Another time we were standing in the shop during our lunch break. He was meant to be on duty during the second half of it. At the cashier he kept being Mr Nice Guy and letting people push in. I shouted to him from the back, “Tony, these people write from the wrong side, they also queue from the wrong side!” He told me to see the humour in it. “Tony, I’m not going to think it’s bloody funny if I’m the one you’re meant to relieve!”

But Tony was a character. He certainly was that. For medical reasons, cause of his epilepsy, they didn’t want him to stay. He’s over his anger now. He is resigned to his fate. Saji, William and me gave him a farewell. We entertained each other and laughed and joked and had such a great evening together. He will remember it with fondness. We will too.

He will be leaving at 5 o’clock tomorrow morning.