South Africa
Part 101
Based on emails from July, 2006.

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July 9, 2006.

Hey Gary,

A graphic for you. The background is a pic I took near Cody's rock. Well ... not so near. I had to walk a while to wait for the weather to clear decently. Weather was slightly overcast. He was there though. Watching me. Incredibly beautiful. I walked a good length of the range through the day and I didnt want to come down. Cried a lot just remembering how it was and wondering how it could have been. Trying to picture Cody a bit older. But hey Im sorry I didnt get this to you sooner. And Cody sends his love. How do I know that? There was a single blue heath flower blooming at his spot.
Take care and look after yourself.

Your friend and the Codemans
Steve

G'day Steve,

Thanks for writing, and the graphic. Now I understand why Mark was impressed by the view from Cody's special place.

Yep, it must be a lot different for you...you knew his voice, his laugh, his touch, his eyes and his mannerisms. Nonetheless, what I knew of the Codeman was more than sufficient to mark him as a person of profound importance, and one that will stay with me forever. Green Room will ensure he stays with lots more people. It's a story not just about him, but IS him.

I gave up on picturing an older Cody. That's rather like picturing Table Mountain in a few billion years. It doesn't matter. What you got you got. Those years you spent with Cody are now neatly framed and contained within that set period. None of us will ever meet another Cody, rest assured of that, but we will meet other people with whom we can relate on a particular level, not as a substitute but as separate rewarding experience.

I'm chuffed that you felt Code's presence on the mountain, and that you saw meaning in the blue heath flower. As soon as I saw those words, I found a pic of blue heath on Google. Blue was the color of the cactus he bought and named after me. I wonder if his folks still have it. It flowers at night, and only once a year. So that, to me, makes the blue color of the heath significant and I'm glad you mentioned it. Kinda like the time he made you aware of the beetle sounds on the trip back from the surfing carnival.

Not many people leave a profound impression like Cody did. He's a bit like ET hehe...came down here to mingle for a while and teach us a few things. Kinda like a scallywag version of Jesus. Cody even befriended the local fisherfolk, and took food to share with them.

You sound well, and I hope things are going well for you. You don't talk much about yourself these days...probably still paranoid about a team of press photographers outside your front door hehe. You're a worry, Steve.

Your friend and the Codeman's

Gary

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