Tribute to Gene....

I have no idea what led me to touch base again with my badminton buddies. I hadn't seen them for a long time and naturally hadn't kept in touch during that time. But then refuting my first statement think I know what made me kept in touch right back with them again. My buddy's wife died and I guess I hate to say it's a wakeup call with regards to the getting-in-touch part of life.




Well the sadder part, and I hate to say there is a more melancholic event than his wife's passing, is that I just learned that my best bud in the badminton circles, my doubles partner and one who was always ready to go in for the kill when my game was falling apart, had died several months ago without my knowing it until now!




This is depressing for me because the closeness was not that apparent but there was definitely a bond there. I knew we could have been closer if I had chosen to but I chose not to because of confidence that time was on my side. It's like teetering close to the edge of a cliff knowing that you can make it if you jump but not jumping because you know the gap will always be there for you. It doesn't make much sense now but even this event doesn't make much sense to me. He was relatively young, sprite, athletic and very personable. I knew little of his off-court activities and I am not one who would snoop around so I always assumed he was as contented in his personal life as he looked to me whenever we were playing.




He was a personality unto himself. He was funny, loud, hilarious, driven, strong, dynamic and his stamina was unforgiving. I would find myself gasping for breath between long points and he made everything seem easy. And the thing beautiful about him is he never placed any restraint unto himself when he was in action. He would scream like woman if he felt like it! Haha. It was funny how many looks we got from within the gymnasium when we played because of how flamboyant and noisy we were as a pair. He was also very encouraging and positive-spirited. Always motivated to win, he would play every point with so much vigor and energy that it was infectious...




We never really talked a lot when we were not playing but the few derivatives I have off of his personal life is that he was as fascinated with guys as he was with women! I could talk to him about this cutie I wanted to see or this hottie I just laid my eyes on and he would tell me an experience of significant equivalence to what I just mentioned. We talked about men mostly and I never really got to know his beloved other except for when my friends had already told me. But he was a beautiful personality I believe when you really came to know him and was never judgmental. He was always curious about my transitioning and my surgeries and the MEN that i see and how we should sexually categorise them haha! It's probably just as weighty as the curiosity of people who really want to know me but I guess he added his own personal touch to it.




He was always encouraging me to join tournaments with him. I think that was one of the major disappointments about our being doubles partners because we were really good when it came to the game. I guess my competitive nerves when I'm around with people I do not know was the main reason. He knew I had talent and he knew I could compete and that makes him such an excellent partner. He believed I was capable of giving more and achieving more probably. Well I can tell him if we ever met again in the second life...no hesitations this time! We will down the competition!!!




I will miss you my giant killer of a partner, a most infectiously optimistic being and a humble character with lots of positive attributes that will surely be yearned for and deeply missed by many of his peers. Stay happy as i have always remembered you to be....