In remembrance of an old friend, my reasonsFollow

I get asked by my friends pretty often, "Why do you even bother and waste your time on that...why do you bother dying for a subpar party". I guess I am one of those silly fellows that will get down from a chocobo halfway to heal someone in need or to answer to request for raise. I make it a point to allocate a bit of time every week hanging around dunes, qufim or kazham....not for any reasons but simply to help out whenever I can. A lot of my friends find it a waste of time...well I have my reasons I guess. When I PT, I don't chicken out when the puller gets a bad link...if I need to die for the PT so that the rest can live to fight, I will. Sure it can get frustrating at times, I get killed many a times for the worst of reasons...pullers playing a fool and aggro more than we can handle (ya, even with sleep and all u have).

I remember being a newbie once, when making it alive running from Bastok to Dunes was a big personal accomplishment. I remember looking at folks in AF and thinking to myself that it must take forever to don my af. I guess it gets to me once in awhile, thinking and remembering friends I once had in the game.

I was 15 then, struggling to keep myself alive and subjob quest seemed like the biggest thing to me then. That was when I met my friend. He had levelled an advanced job to decent level then and was just playing a mage for the fun of it. We were in a PT then...call it goodluck (I knew him cos of this) or badluck, I never had the luck for lots on subjob items. He saw my distress and told me one line..."I was a newbie once, I know how you feel...I can't bring you along all the way...but I will carry you along till you can stand on your own"

We went many places...he burnt midnight oil just to make sure I get all my subjob items...and when I was levelling my subjob and had a problem getting PT (was level 10 seeking PT in dunes...u know how bad it can be), he made his way from Jeuno just to PL me to a decent level 11 so that I could seek PT faster. When I finally hit 30, he went with me to get my advanced job. He died 3 times in the process but he never lost his temper nor willingness to help me.

I remembered the joy I had when I finally got my paladin subjob. I nearly cried. That was the last time I saw him. I was so grateful to him then...I wanted to do something for him in return. But all he wanted from me was simple..."when you are able in the future, I just ask that you help those in need the way I had helped you. If you can do that, you would have 'repay' me many times over"

I remembered the day when I had all my AF, all I really wanted to do was to see him and kneel respectfully infront of him. It was him that gave a human touch to this game for me. It was him that taught me that sometimes, the reason for helping is simply because you are helping out, you don't need a reason for that.

I never see him again but his gallant spirit stays in me.

I hope that this post will remind all of the times when we were still newbie. When I was still in the military, my superior had said this to us once, "Never forget you were once a newbie when you get your rank someday".





Edited, Thu Mar 24 03:59:53 2005 by Takumisan

I know exactly what you mean...there was a movie that I am trying to find that will touch your heart...it is so awesome.

That is why I do just about every G-1 run that comes along. I have now done 78 in the last 48 days. Mostly people needing paper. If someone asks for help and I know it's not out of my league I'll do it, or find someone that will.

I run by a lot of lower zones and I get waves all the time and I think to myself, where do I know this person from...someone even called me legendary the other day. That was a first.

Edited, Thu Mar 24 08:15:22 2005 by UNCTGTG

Tiffie, I for one have heard people talk about you and how you have helped them countless times along their in their journey. It is so funny when your running by in jueno and see someone that you have heard so much about. :)