poem by Annette Grimaldi

CHRIS BAILY
RIP 6th-7th JUNE 2004

Chris-cross – well sometimes he was:
He would shout and have his strops.
But the Chris I will carry in my heart forever
Was noble and kind; erudite and funny; his gift of friendship boundless
Like his enormous collection of books!

His laugh made one more than laugh – it made one’s heart
Light up – his toothy grin for once bigger than his hair!
His memory! Wow he reminisced about day trips we went on long since past
With the detail of a child coming away from a party.

His wit was sharp – so were his black nails – he was keen to
Remind us that being schizophrenic was a full time career;
He appears to have taken early retirement.
My God I will miss that spirit, that talent, that
Man who sent me postcards just to let me know
That he was still there even if I didn’t see him –
Just like now really,
Chris would not want us to forget
But you wouldn’t forget him – not Chris –
Not Chris Baily!

by Annette Grimaldi
(read at Chris’s funeral)

Annette Grimaldi says: I knew Chris for 21 years and was his CPN (Community Psychiatric Nurse) for about 8 years. I felt a bond with him that surpassed a therapeutic one; he gave me his humour, his intellect and of his suffering, with honesty and warmth.