Saturday 10 January 2009

Little Norm - RIP

Rare nowadays that my life ties in with events in the wider world but I had a most unwelcome contact this morning. I was reading through one of my forum where the humour is rude and raw and suddenly came across a news report from a Dallas newspaper.
May seem strange that I have referred to a 16 stone man of 6'4" as Little Norm. His father was of the same stamp and also a Norman so he was Big Norm. We served together in Benghazi, Northern Ireland and Hong Kong so my son grew up alongside Little Norm. After retirement, Big Norm went to America with his then wife who we visited and met up again with Little Norm and his wife. They were a lovely couple and it was clear that he had settled so very well into his life with Dallas Police.
The Big and Little bit was appropriate in matters other than just size. Big Norm was totally fearless and had two gallantry medals to prove it. He had the gift of relating to those with whom he came into what I suppose one must call confrontation and solved many hot spots with a rough quip and ready tongue. His own upbringing had been hard and Little Norm was treated fair but with no molly-coddling. It was reflected in his growing up in the mould of his father. Now that mould is broken.
It is a shitty world.

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