Arrogant frog

Indian Ink on Paper - 420x297mm - 2015

I was going through a rough transition in life when I first met Favo. He and a fellow named Manny were in the backyard of the house I was living in at the time, and drinking with my housemates, whom they were\still are friends with. I was keen to make friends with Manny because he was a stylish, funny dude. Favo put me off because I had never heard a Montreal\English accent before, he sounded like a drunken pirate and at the time I wasn’t in the mood for drunken pirates. Even though he wasn’t drunk. Or a pirate. Also, I’m a fucken jerk who writes people off without ever really getting to know them. One thing that did strike me about my first meeting with Favo was his happy enthusiasm. I do really enjoy happy enthusiasm.

Over the course of 2014 I can remember becoming friends with Manny but I never really saw too much of Favo. When I did see him I never really got the chance to have a proper talk to him. When I finally got through my rough transition and was back to living with my friends, Favo was away working\being exploited on a farm as part of his visa. He was having a rough time on the farm (to put it lightly), he had a week of vacation and he spent it on our couch. After hearing how shit of a time he was having I tried to go out of my way to make him as welcome and taken care of as possible. This was due to lessons I had learned from Ryota taking care of me earlier in that year. We bonded a little during that period. At least I think we did. That whole time of my life was a haze of partying.

I can’t remember at what period it happened, but I eventually saw Favo for the honest sweetheart that he is. He’s a person that I feel completely at ease talking to which isn’t something I can say about a lot of people, but it’s always a clear indication of when someone has become a good friend of mine. Lots of drunken laughs, exchanging of music and interesting stories that always gave me a bit more perspective on life are all hallmarks of times with Favo. Randomly phoning him to tell him how sexy he is, was also fun. I’m in no way sexually attracted to Favo but he does have some outstandingly sexy chest hair. This photo of him demonstrates his raw sexiness.

He also makes a killer hot sauce. When I went to Montreal for the second time he asked me to take over some of his hot sauce of his friends, I asked that he package them up so I don’t hot sauce all of my stuff. The wrapping looked like a stereotype of a drug package. I’m sure the customs person in the states who opened them up to find hot sauce was a bit disappointed. His friends in Montreal weren’t disappointed though, it’s damn good hot sauce.

Also, anyone that wants to hear The Exploited – Maggie while drinking is okay in my books.

Around the end of 2015 Favo was having a drink at my place and talking about how he had finally gotten a sweet new room at a squat, he decided to call it ‘The Arrogant Frog’ and wanted a frog drawing on the wall. As he was saying that he didn’t know who to ask to draw the frog I walked into the bar and my housemates turned around and looked at me. I was very keen to do it, because he was the first friend that had actually wanted me to draw a frog. Up to the point I had always gotten requests for other things.

The drawing is a frog sitting on his throne trying to grab the sun which is burning a hole in his hand, the frog is so fixated on the sun he hasn’t noticed it’s also burning from below. I probably should have practiced drawing a sun first instead of brushing away hoping it would all turn out fine. Oh well. I’m stoked on how the frog and the throne look.

Unfortunately, I was working a lot at the time, and when I finally had free time to finish the drawing to be painted Favo was about to leave the country. I never got to do the painting. Still I’m happy I was able to do the drawing for him. It’s rare that I will do a drawing for a friend, I wish I did more, so it makes me feel good knowing I could do something for him. He’s travelling around at the moment, but eventually wants to return to live in Australia, so I’m holding onto it until he returns. I look forward to the day I can give it to him along with a hug.

I’ve recently made a few new friends that are also friends of Favo and I always enjoy hearing their endearing stories of him. Even though he isn’t presently around in my life, he’s still bringing me joy. His friendship is a reminder that I shouldn’t write people off before I get to know them.