Harleyriders' passing

tony wrote:Yesterday I lost a good friend to an illness from which he never recovered, I knew him as ‘Harleyrider’ and Steve, and many called him Jacko. We met here on this forum years ago and got together because he lived so close to me in Manchester.

Like all novices in Bonsai Steve was hungry of information, wanted lots of trees and to improve his skills. On his first visit to my garden he fell in love with a lovely Chuhin Yamadori yew, he did not come with the intention of buying anything. I said “just give me the change in your pocket” and he took the tree away with him. I knew this little tree would fire him up and set him on the road to creating beautiful bonsai.

He was sarcasm personified; we became good friends as we shared the same sense of humour. Steve was blown away when I asked him to join me on a visit and to collect with our great friend Pavel Slovak in Czech Republic, a memorable trip for so many reasons… one being going out of our way to dine at a Harley themed restaurant in Slovakia.

One sunny day in my garden with a group of Bonsai friends and… as is the way of things somebody made a rude comment about me. I pointed at Steve and said “hit him for me Harleyrider” Steve’s response “why does everyone who meets me for the first time think I am aggressive?” Steve was not aggressive is the slightest, he was a gentleman in every sense of the word; with piercings and a body almost covered in tattoos he did however cut a startling figure.

In the few short years that I knew Steve we became good friends, I will miss his humour his putdowns and his warmth and humanity, Harleyrider I salute you mate… please make sure that you leave a few yamadori up there for me to collect seeing as you got on the hill way too early!