Mate's passed on

[NoSleep]

Sorry to hear this. Sounded like a nice person.

[pigamus]

My best wishes and condolences Barry, I hope you've got people around you who can help you get through it

[bgmnts]

My condolences. Hope you come out of this alright.

[Ambient Sheep]

I dunno what to say that hasn't already been said, been lots of good words here about what your friendship clearly meant to him and how you should take the good out of that and look after yourself.

All I can say is that I wish you all the best and hope the pain eases soon.  Take care, Baz.

[Small Potatoes]

Ah, mate. Really sorry to hear this - sending some good vibes your way.

[Cerys]

Add my hugs to all the condolences already posted here.  It sucks.  It really does.

x

[Smeraldina Rima]

Condolences, BA. Hope you have people to talk to privately about the stuff you can't talk about here as it must be hard to deal with. x

[Mister Six]

Horrible, shitty news. So sorry, Neil. He was a lucky bloke to have you in his life, and whatever demons he had, you can be sure that you provided comfort and respite from them - and that you did all you can do. Take care, man.

[batwings]

That's terrible to hear, Neil. So sorry for your loss.

[king_tubby]

Sorry for your loss, Barry.

[petercussing]

That's terrible, so sorry to hear that. He sounds like he was a really lovely man.

Losing someone in such an unexpected way adds to the sheer level of pain, i have found, or at least is painful in a different way. Much love and hugs, buddy.

[Chedney Honks]

He sounds like a great fella and a lovely mate. Very sorry to hear about your loss, and keep talking here if it helps. Sending hugs. X

[H-O-W-L]

Sorry to hear. All the best.

[Jerzy Bondov]

He sounds like a good guy and you were a good friend to him when he needed it. Take care of yourself mate

[The Mollusk]

Ah, mate. Really sorry to hear this - sending some good vibes your way.

Don't listen to this guy, clearly potatoes cannot be trusted at this time.

Loads of love to you Big A, just echoing what others have said, that you're a wonderful compassionate person and your friend clearly saw that like the rest of us do. Sometimes even if a life is cut short it's the positives experienced in that lifetime that make all the difference.

Sorry got a rough as fuck head cold at the moment so that probably reads like a load of guff but I'm sure you get what I'm on about. Take care of yourself.

[Brian Freeze]

Can I echo what everyone else has said with bells on.

Take care Barry and cuddle the cat plenty.

[Barry Admin]

Thank you ❤️

This is clearly an omen, perhaps even a harbinger of doom. Secure any remaining vegetables.

Fucking terrified of our vegetable overlords, apparently. I've been getting jumpscares from Jelly sneezing or fireworks going off which kind of subsided, but the low rumble of that potato was so uncommon and weird that it shook me to my boots.

[flotemysost]

So sorry to hear this, sounds like he had a great friend in you. Look after yourself.

[earl_sleek]

Sorry to hear this Barry, awful news. Wishing you all the best.

[Elderly Sumo Prophecy]

I don't think I've ever dropped a potato to be honest, or had gravity act upon one. I'm imagining a sort of subsonic thud as it hits the floor. They are a very dense thing.

[Stoneage Dinosaurs]

Jeez that sucks, sorry to hear. Take care and I hope you hold up alright.

[Kelvin]

You seem to be having a run of shit luck, Neil, and I wish the universe would get it's fucking act together.

I'm sure your friend appreciated your time, humour, patience and insight, as all of us do.

[Thursday]

Sorry to hear that mate. Take care of yourself.

[buttgammon]

So sorry to hear this Neil. Friendships like that mean a lot and you must have meant a lot to him too.

[Thursday]

Maybe this feels sort of crass since it won't help with the loss, but good time to remind everyone of the tip jar https://ko-fi.com/cookdandbombd

[jobotic]

Aw it's horrible to lose a friend like that. Condolences and take care of yourself. x

[All Surrogate]

Really sorry to hear about this, Neil. Don't be afraid to keep talking.

[Barry Admin]

I just sat and cried all day, but I got out to get a pack of cigs and some air, was gonna try and knock his girlfriends daughter's door when I got back to offer my condolences. As it goes, she walked past me sitting on a rock while I was reading this thread, and so we had a long chat.  She's way more stoic than me, I had to keep wiping my fucking eyes like the big baby I am. And she lives right next door to him, and had to go in and see it all last night etc, poor woman. 

Needed that chat with her; it answered a lot of questions in my head.  He locked himself in his flat and went on a four week bender - eventually she mentioned he'd left a letter saying this is what he wanted, and he loves us.  He had been completely failed by the addiction and mental health services, repeatedly and comprehesively.  I hoped he was getting better - when he was in hospital about 6 months ago he was literally yellow and shaking like a leaf, but he'd seemed a lot better.  At one point he got me to try and buy him Librium and stuff online because he was so fucked off with the useless services that he was just gonna try and do another whole detox at home.

He phoned me a couple of weeks ago and I missed the call and phoned back within a few minutes.  I was worried cause he wouldn't usually phone late at night like that, but it just kept going to voice mail.  He wouldn't answer texts in the following days either - when someone is locked into a bender, that's it, but I'll always regret missing that call.  We're all going through that "what if" shit now, but we know deep down this is what he wanted.  Had his first drink when he was five years old ffs, alcoholic Mum, a lot of pain there, and I told him repeatedly I was always here for him - right next door, all he had to do was call. 

I tried to give him an old gaming console a few months back cause he loved driving games back in the day, and I said this would give him something to focus on as a displacement activity. He was all up for it.  So I went and dug it out and was at his door ten minutes later, but he'd already gone out and had no further interest in the console, and I knew he'd went and got a carry out.  He'd be all biz about me coming over to see the chinchilla or whatever, and then a lot of the time he'd just vanish, and that was that.

Poor fucker.  We loved him to bits, but you just can't help someone unless they really want to help themselves. 

I dunnno... thanks again, look after yourselves and those who depend on you, and those who you depend on. 

[Registering to lurk]

I'm really sorry to read your sad news. The depth of your relationship is clear from your words. It's obvious you meant a lot to each other and valued each other's friendship. Take care of yourself.

[Catalogue of ills]

Really sorry to hear about this Barry, it must be really hard. It's ok to keep crying, it's normal, it's a testament to your friend that you're so upset.