Goodbye to a real gentleman

Today, a part of me passed away as I attended the funeral of my dear friend Leon Wickremasinghe.

My fond memories of him go back to our friendship 30 years ago in London where we were together in a company called "Eastern Marketing" that sold Air Ceylon/UTA tickets to mostly Sri Lankan travellers. We also worked on a movie together several years back.

Leon had a dry sense of humour which, slowly and softly, filtered out to an eventual robust laugh. He also had an old school command of the English language.

He was a great father to his toddler son. I had often passed him by on Horton Place where I observed him and his son taking a walk. The love, affection and pride, was exhilarating and obvious.

His greatest strength was his loyalty, which his close friends were aware of. He was generous with his credits to others.

Leon and I continued our friendship right up this New Year. I had the privilege of spending this last New Year’s Eve with Leon at the Swimming Club dance. We were both feeling a happy high as we dropped him off in the early hours of the Néw Year.

Here was a man who did not know how to lie. He was dangerous to have around, if one was to tell a story and distort the facts with a bias in the story teller’s favour; Leon would correct him and set the record straight.

Leon was a man who took numerous personal blows and still came with a certain comprehension and understanding that many, including myself would not have had.

He was my dear friend whom I enjoyed so much.

Goodbye to a real gentleman.