*Names have been changed to protect their identity. Before reading, please open
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"This is from Ringo, a 26 year old illustrator from Kent....Ringo was 19 when he first met Crats and it was love at first sight, he was handsome and intelligent with a wittyness to match. They chatted that first night at a party, and though Crats was otherwise pre-occupied, dancing with ties on his head...Ringo remembers he had already decided that one day they would be married.
From that day onwards she was like his shadow, faithfully trailing after him throughout college, asking for help with even the most simplest of things on her computer, just to hear his voice, just to be with him.
Ringo took every opportunity to woo him but Crats was oblivious to the feelings that Ringo held for him.
It wasn't until 6 years later that Ringo finally plucked up the courage to make her move. After a combination of a beautiful day, leading to a beautiful evening, she plied him with as much alcohol as she could before taking the plunge.
It was the finest night of Young Ringo's as her emotions for Crats poured out into one physical expression of devotion.
They both decided to go freelance at the same time, Crats successfully sold 8 childrens entertainment shows to network television while Ringo carried on drawing, their tender young love continued for several months, enjoying happy times, but soon tradegy was to follow.
It was while on location, filming his latest light entertainment show "Diddlers", that Ringo's world came crashing down around her feet. The evening had been going so well, the audience screaming "Diddling" for more, but little did they know that it was all to end so soon.
They'd reached the segment of the show when Paul Chuckle was to jump the River Thames in the Chucklemobile™, swapping driving positions with Barry Chuckle whilst in midair. Unfortunately, Barry knocked the steering, affecting the aerodynamics, sending the Chucklemobile™ crashing into the watching happy couple.
They spent 8 months in hosiptal, Ringo going through 16 operations of corrective surgery and Crats deep in a coma. He never came through, leaving a devastated Ringo to wheel out of hospital, heartbroken.
Six Months later, there is not one day where I don't think of him and those happy days and evenings we spent out together. I just hope that he's up there somewhere... ...diddling.
This is for you Crats.
Dete Poherty and the Shambles - Down in the Isle of Dogs
