I’m saddened to hear the news of Gord Downie’s passing. I have been a fan of his music and poetry since my teenage years. I feel very fortunate to have had the chance to meet Gord and his family briefly a few years back when we crossed paths due to my technical work and some related needs at his home in PEC. I thought i’d share an amusing anecdote about Gord.
Gord was a great conversationalist and had me in stitches while i was trying to work on a ladder at his house. He shared a tale with me of meeting one of my suppliers that stopped in to put a post in his yard for the satellite data dish i was installing.
Gord said he had a great chat with the guy and that the fella was quite a character to which i agreed knowing what the guy was like. Here’s the story as told by Gord to me..
Pole guy roles up in his truck and makes his way to the side door.
Gord answers the door and the guy says ” Hey hows it goin eh? I’m here to put a post in for your satellite dish, Wil sent me.
Gord says, thats great, i’ll show you where its going.
Pole guy says ” Hey I heard you were a musician eh? Would i have heard of yuh?.
Gord says ” You may have yep”
“What’s yer band’s name eh?” Says the guy.
With a straight face… Gord replies “Blue Rodeo”
It was at that point in the story i had to hang on tightly to the ladder so i wouldnt fall off.
I corresponded with Gord off and on over the last 10 years about the Jam for james efforts we had underway and sometimes just to say hey. He always had a kind word to say and usually ended his emails with “Happy days always…g”
When my brother James died, Gord’s words were some of the most poigniant that i received and it meant a lot to me that he took the time to say something during one of the darkest times in my life.
My heart felt condolences to his close friends and family during this hard time in their lives, Thanks Gord for all you did for music and helping with your art to make sense of this existence we all share.
“Water is stronger than rock. Water threatens to, at anytime, flood in and obliterate the chalk drawing. We leave a temporary impression similar to that of a hull on the surface of the sea.”- Gord Downie
Wil Rosenblath – Oct 2017
