Most people say to believe in mythical creatures is a children’s game. They insist the strange characters and colourful souls from folklore tales and old legends are just that, figments from old stories. That has most definitely not been my experience. If you ask me, the Big Friendly Giants are not yet all lost, and some still roam this good earth.
There is no specific point in my memory where Seppe enters the scene. More than a sudden appearance he has played the role of a continual presence in most good stories and chapters of my life. And despite his height, which forces him to endlessly look down upon mere mortals such as myself, he lacks the airs or arrogance many an old giant was once known for. Instead, he has a talent for cracking humorous jokes and bringing cold beers to friendly hangouts.
One night, while drunk beyond reason on some Croatian island, the Big Friendly Giant collected all the coins we could scavenge together from our dusty pockets and disappeared into the darkness, on a quest for drinks. While staring out over the unmoving Mediterranean, he reappeared, no beers to show for his adventures, but he had passed through most of the massive resorts along this stretch of the coast, and acquired a rich variety of pepper grinders from the freshly prepared breakfast halls. That morning, our omelette had lacked pepper. Tomorrow that would not be the case.
Of course the adventures of nights out dancing in Scotland or passing through glacial rivers and over sharp mountains passes in the Caucasus wait eagerly to be told. Instead I shall mention a more important event of our friendship. One barely a week old.
Almost on a whim I had decided to visit my girlfriend Indi and fly to Venice. I had a twelve day pause during my exams, and her roommates would be gone for a couple of days. There only remained the challenge of the early morning flight, departing just after seven in the morning, before the first train would arrive.
So the evening before, shortly before midnight, Seppe arrived at my place in Leuven, still sore from his basket training, and hungry for some pancakes I had prepared. We headed to sleep immediately, and barely five hours later awoke again to set off towards the airport. While driving he told me about the exams he would attend the next two weeks, and with the sunrise I waved goodbye as I headed to my plane, and he to his bed, presumably.
When I asked for his help, he replied without pause. “Of course man, I would do anything for a friend like you.” Well, there is no one as lucky as I am, with friends such as Seppe. One day, or better, every day, I hope to meet him with the same sense of devoted friendship.
