From Chris Mosier
====== Stories of James
James was one of the first people I remember meeting when I starting playing
with Strange Blue in the fall of 1996. I was looking lost on a side street
somewhere between Jesus College and downtown when I recognized the blue
bandana-ed fellow on a bike headed towards me (His picture, the black and
White of him landing with the disc, was featured in the University's Student
Activities Handbook). He told me to follow him and he lead me to the pitch.
He had a gift at bringing people together. As brash as his talk may be on
the field, he could talk to anyone and get them to share stories no matter
how shy they might be. He was a good teacher of the game and a tremendous
player with great spirit.
His energy was infectious. I remember him egging on the tired players
during practice, trading strategy with Matt R. or Chris, poking fun at
Graham after Graham had just laid out and missed the disc and always
cracking a smile. It felt like he enjoyed every minute we played out there.
I hope this story is suitable for the recollections, I always smile thinking
about it. While changing shoes getting ready for practice on the Jesus
Green one day, James relayed to me this story:
He had been dating this girl for a while. It was her birthday and they went
out along with some of her friends. There was gift opening and card
reading, as she read one of the cards it opened with something to the effect
of, "On your 20th birthday..." and James interrupted her and said "Hold on
then, You're turning 20? I thought you were 18." It should be noted that
James had just turned 16 himself. "Yes, Its my 20th birthday. How old are
you?," she asked. James was caught off guard and answered, "Sixteen". "I
thought you were 18," she said. An awkward moment of silence followed, and
then James replied, "Well age doesn't really matter then, does it?"
Chris Mosier