RIP Terry Pratchett

In 1990 my dad queued up at book signing in Leeds for the latest Discworld book, Eric - one of the first presents he bought to impress his new girlfriend (who had grown up to love the series through her brother). Seven years later I came along and then in another 10 years my uncle gave me a bag of his old books. So at the age when Tiffany first picked up her frying pan, I diverted myself into a Discworld and discovered Pratchett.

I read Amazing Maurice first I think (the names of the rodents still crack me up), after I moved onto the stories of Tiffany and The Wee Free Men and then all the rest (including my mums copy of Eric). It was Tiffany who particularly struck a chord with me, my idol and hero who sparked many garden adventures the cat (reluctantly) got dragged into - from crawling under the hedge to find monsters in the neighbors pond to burring parcels of string and small IKEA pencils under the hedge in the hope of attracting my own clan of Feegles.

To this day I always carry a piece of string, I have adopted Tiffany’s love for big sturdy boots and Pratchett’s love for hats. No only has my outside changed but my inside too - I can honestly say Pratchett has helped me shape the ‘me’ I am happy with. He taught me more than even many relatives have; from the importance of carrying a mental frying pan to the power of magic to make sense of the world and strength of comedy for healing. Twain said “truth is stranger than fiction” but I believe few things posses more power than it.

Tonight I came home and went into the kitchen to find not only was it courgette pasta for tea, but that one of my favorite authors had just died. So I went outside and I sat by the hedge and I unearthed a small bundle of string and IKEA pencils that had lay untouched for five years and cried for a world carried on the shoulders of four elephants on the back of a gigantic turtle and the tangible memories of my childhood that returned with it.

Its shit that so many great minds seem to die before they've even had enough time to get some good use out if their senior citizens bus pass, still it is with great reluctance I say goodbye and thank you, Terry Pratchett, for playing a role in my life and childhood that extends far beyond just words on a page.

“AT LAST, SIR TERRY, WE MUST WALK TOGETHER.”

Terry took Death’s arm and followed him through the doors and on to the black desert under the endless night.

The End.”

 - Announcement of Sir Terry Pratchett’s death from his Twitter