Dear Johnathan Joshua Fernandes,
You will never read this because you are dead.
I can't remember the last thing I said to you or that you said to me. It could have been "see you" or "bye".
That isn't important. What is important is who you were. I'm sorry that you died in a "car accident". At the time of my writing this, I don't know the circumstances surrounding your death but I imagine that it wasn't your fault and it wasn't suicide.
I didn't know you for very long. You were a senior to me. You competed against me in a comic book quiz contest. You had dreadlocks in college. Like me, you studied for a BMM degree. Unlike me, you were effortlessly cool. Unlike me, you were a drummer (and a good one at that). Unlike me, you were friendly from the get-go. Maybe it was the musician in you that made you so amiable but I can't imagine you had any enemies. I can't imagine anybody disliking you or you disliking them for that matter.
I am one of the many who will remember my own experiences with you. How Aditya Paul (Adi) and you had coaxed Francis and a few friends to take part in Polaris (or was it just Francis and me?). I remember how you told me that if I met some girl (whose name I can't remember) that I should just mention you sent me and she would let us through. I remember the look on her face as she asked me a little about you. She seemed smitten.
I remember you asked me to come over to your place to watch you, Jeremy and Kenny practise punk rock songs for some event at St. Andrews. I remember how you then sprung it on me that you wanted me to sing. I remember trying and being awful and nervous and forgetting the words despite it being a song I liked (Dammit - Blink 182). I remember chickening out and saying that I had to leave and then I left and you were all disappointed. I'm sorry but I can't sing. I would have frustrated you guys and wasted your time if I stayed. I didn't want you frustrated, you had been a nice guy to me.
I remember meeting you at the Santacruz jam room before it was demolished. I remember seeing you on stage for a Channel V show held at some open space in Andheri (Launchpad?). I think I last saw you at that Santacruz jam room. I remember all the things I heard about you. About how our dean Mascarenhas (Masci) didn't approve of your hair. I heard the rumour that he looked at your dreadlocks and told you to take off your hat and you told him that it wasn't a hat, it was your hair. I'm pretty sure that it wasn't true but it was funny.
You reminded me of my brother. Nobody dislikes him either. He too has this natural cool about him.
And you were young. For future purposes, I'm going to say 'were' instead of 'are'. You were not two years older than me when you met with your "accident". You went abroad to study too. You were one of the good ones and a lot of people are going to miss you.
Wherever you are, Rest in Peace.
Richard Fernandes
You will never read this because you are dead.
I can't remember the last thing I said to you or that you said to me. It could have been "see you" or "bye".
That isn't important. What is important is who you were. I'm sorry that you died in a "car accident". At the time of my writing this, I don't know the circumstances surrounding your death but I imagine that it wasn't your fault and it wasn't suicide.
I didn't know you for very long. You were a senior to me. You competed against me in a comic book quiz contest. You had dreadlocks in college. Like me, you studied for a BMM degree. Unlike me, you were effortlessly cool. Unlike me, you were a drummer (and a good one at that). Unlike me, you were friendly from the get-go. Maybe it was the musician in you that made you so amiable but I can't imagine you had any enemies. I can't imagine anybody disliking you or you disliking them for that matter.
I am one of the many who will remember my own experiences with you. How Aditya Paul (Adi) and you had coaxed Francis and a few friends to take part in Polaris (or was it just Francis and me?). I remember how you told me that if I met some girl (whose name I can't remember) that I should just mention you sent me and she would let us through. I remember the look on her face as she asked me a little about you. She seemed smitten.
I remember you asked me to come over to your place to watch you, Jeremy and Kenny practise punk rock songs for some event at St. Andrews. I remember how you then sprung it on me that you wanted me to sing. I remember trying and being awful and nervous and forgetting the words despite it being a song I liked (Dammit - Blink 182). I remember chickening out and saying that I had to leave and then I left and you were all disappointed. I'm sorry but I can't sing. I would have frustrated you guys and wasted your time if I stayed. I didn't want you frustrated, you had been a nice guy to me.
I remember meeting you at the Santacruz jam room before it was demolished. I remember seeing you on stage for a Channel V show held at some open space in Andheri (Launchpad?). I think I last saw you at that Santacruz jam room. I remember all the things I heard about you. About how our dean Mascarenhas (Masci) didn't approve of your hair. I heard the rumour that he looked at your dreadlocks and told you to take off your hat and you told him that it wasn't a hat, it was your hair. I'm pretty sure that it wasn't true but it was funny.
You reminded me of my brother. Nobody dislikes him either. He too has this natural cool about him.
And you were young. For future purposes, I'm going to say 'were' instead of 'are'. You were not two years older than me when you met with your "accident". You went abroad to study too. You were one of the good ones and a lot of people are going to miss you.
Wherever you are, Rest in Peace.
Richard Fernandes
2 comments:
I've had very few interactions with him, but whenever I did, it was always with a heartfelt smile and a warm hug. A good drummer, but more importantly a good person, we'll miss you Johnathan.
R.I.P. Bro. \m/
Rylan
Rest in piece
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