Sadly Christmas 2017 and March 15th  2018, left a lot to be desired ....  I wasn't able to celibrate them with my wonderful friend Greg Chessum... We had celibrated them together so many times in the past!

Previously I had mentioned that Greg and I were both born on March 15th... 17 years apart....  and both of us at the Ottawa Civic Hospital...

- Greg passed away on March 23rd.....  My daughter Terri-Lyn's birthday is March 23rd    - I missed calling her on the 15th...  I called her 2 days later in Ottawa...

RIP Greg...  You will never be forgotten!   - Your friend of many years - Patrick Tyson                             

So one year I was racking my brain as to what I could get Greg for Christmas when I walked passed a Build-a-Bear workshop in the mall. Standing tall in the window was a bear wearing none other than a Harley Davidson leather jacket, Aviator sunglasses and stradling a stuffed Harley Motorcycle. One look at that bear and light bulbs started going off and I rushed into the store to make Greg his very own Harley Davidson bear, equiped with the leather jacket and Aviator glasses. 

I will never forget the look of confusion on Gregs face when I handed him a Build-a-Bear box for Christmas! That confusion turned into joy and amusement when he opened up the box and revealed his furry sidekick all dressed and ready for a ride. 

The bear still sits beside his bed today :) 

A memory that will forever be charished. 

-Fiona 

Dec. 3rd 2016 - I was standing in line at Value Village waiting to pay for a picture frame. A tall large gentlleman in a very expensive multi colored leather jacket, hair trimmed close at the sides and a pony tail was standing behind me...  I thought he must have been a Harley guy.. When he said "Is that shopping cart yours - brother" I knew he was a Harley guy! I left the line for a few minutes and when I came back I was now standing in line behind the tall stranger... We exchanged small Christmas time talk... and I noticed one of the CD's in the cart was a Harlley CD   When he place his glass mugs and CD's on the counter I picked up a few top CD's to reveal the cover of the Harley CD.... I told him that "he had a winner there" and that I had a good friend in Ajax who would love that CD...  He paid for his purchases and while I was getting ready to pay for mine, he reached into his bag, pulled out the Harley CD, handed it to me saying "Mary Christmas brother"  I thanked him and he was gone... After I paid for my purchases I looked for him in the parking lot but to no avail...

Once at home I phoned Greg telling him what had happened and about the wonderful tall stranger and that I had his Christmas present.  The CD was a compilation of Harley road songs and as I mentioned some of the songs on the CD, Greg knew who the artists were...  Billy Idol, The Greatful Dead and Bob Seager to name a few... A wonderfully sensitive stranger had made that Christmas very special for Greg and I...  I hope that someday I will meet him again!

A small Harley Davidson metal crest found at a Flea Market barn north east of Peterborough...-  A small Harley Davidson toy motorcycle found at Value Village + some wood, glue and black paint...  and I had a small one of a kind birthday gift for my friend Greg!  - The time I spent putting it together for Greg was pure joy! - I looked forward to seeing the look on his face when he opened my gift!  - Anything Harley was a sure hit!

When things were slow in the graphics department I would some times help Greg build his showroom displays. We worked well together, had lots of fun and even got paid for our time together... Irwin Toy at the end was on its way out and we some times had to wait weeks and even months to get paid... But that was all part of what I know now as my friendship journey with Greg!   - Gone but NEVER forgotten!

I was freelancing at the Irwin Toy graphics department when Greg arrived and we soon struck up a friendship... when things were slow in the graphics area i quite often helped Greg building hisdesigned showroom displays...

We soon discovered that we not only shared the same birthday (16 years apart) but that we were also born at the same Ottawa Civic Hospital... We had quite a few chuckles thinking about the possibilities of his parents renting the same home that my parents had rented...

Over the 20 years plus we helped each other many times with home renovations, auto body work...  we cut down countless trees at his home and mine... Often he helped me open and close my pool...And more often than not, we enjoyed a cool one after our work!

We enjoyed countless birthday and Christmas get togethers...  We went to Home Depot, Rona, Millwork, CTC, Habitat for Humanity, Salvation Army, Harveys, Tim Hortons and more....

Greg's passing has left an awful void in my quality of life...  Not to enjoy a "cup of beans" as he called a cup of coffee, in his home or to hear him say "Where art thou" on my answering machine weighs heavy!

Greg is gone now... but will never be forgotten!

Greg showed my lady Judy (Keefe) a good time!

She had previously been on motorcycles in England, but never on a Harley...  and was all excited when Greg offered to take her for a ride!  - They left saying "We'll be back in a little while"  - Once on the open roads of Durham they were gone for a long, long, long, long time!  LOL  - They eventually returned!  - A very memorable fun time!   - Patrick