Vic-K

[pigfender]

Some of you may have noticed that the boards here on the forum have been missing the zesty spice of our good friend vic-k recently. I’ve just learnt the sad news as to why.

Vic passed away at the end of May. His funeral notice confirmed that he died peacefully, which is some comfort for those of us that had assumed that protesting in the nude outside the ex-Red Lion (now a Tesco store) in the North of England with nothing but a KiWCS for warmth and modesty would eventually do him in.

I never got the chance to meet him in person, but he and I emailed reasonably regularly and it’s clear to me that he was one of life’s good people. When I lost my job a few years back, he managed to find the perfect balance of support and teasing to keep my spirits up. His own struggles, he never complained about.

I am very sad today. I don’t know what Vic’s beliefs were, but it’s sure nice to imagine him sitting somewhere with Fluff and continuing to read forum posts on the astral iPad they’ve borrowed from Pangur Ban. ‘Tch! Tch! See this, mousehound? Pffffrrrrrrrtttttt!!!’

I’ll sign off with Vic’s first ever words on the forum.

“God Bless the Good Ship Scrivener, and the happy band of Scrivenerati who sail in her. Greetings and best wishes to all.”

Thanks, Vic. Bless you too.

Take care.

[Jaysen]

Right when 2020 seemed to be looking upward, it goes and kicks me in the nuts!

I did have the privilege of meeting Mr K in person. My son and I actually visited him for a week, in his home, in Manchester way back in the early 2010s. To suggest that Pigfender is correct with the statement

he was one of life’s good people

is like suggesting that the sky might be blue. Victor was twice as funny, three times as quick witted and ten times as caring in person as he was on this forum. My son still mentions "dad's crazy friend in Manchester" when talking about things we can do again.

I don't know that I will ever live up to the one thing he told me I needed to do... "just sit down and decide who you are... then be you". In all of his struggles with personal health (he was open on the forum) he never complained or led with his discomfort. He was quick to lift up and encourage others in their times of discomfort and need. That was who HE wanted to be. Vic lived the advice he gave me.

I will likely never find another man who will impact me the way Vic did. I don't know that I need one. I do know that Vic inspired me to be true to myself while setting an example of graciousness and acceptance. He reminded me that even hairy arsed welders cry. I think he would smile at the wet puddles on my desk that have formed since Pigfender contacted me privately. He would know why they appeared and would tell me "Thanks for thinking of me... NOW GET BACK TO FECKING WRITING!!"

I will miss him.

[KB]

Thank you, Pigfender, for the notice. This is incredibly sad news. Vic-k (along with his slightly jaded cat, Fluff) has been a regular on these forums since the early days, making ship-based puns and injecting a much-needed dose of surreal humour (when he wasn't hiding under the table at the Red Lion of course).

I'm sorry I missed the chance to meet him a few years ago, when Jaysen was visiting the UK, but will always be grateful for his contributions here. He was a big part of the early community that grew around Scriv and made this job such a joy.

The three word story will never be the same, and the good ship Scrivener will be much diminished without him.

With much sadness,
Keith

P.S. Pigfender suggested we make vic-k a moderator of the "And Now for that Latte" forum in memoriam. I have duly done so, so that his name will live on here where he brought us so much entertainment.

[Jaysen]

From his stats...

Joined:Fri Apr 27, 2007 4:23 am
Last active:Thu Dec 26, 2019 1:01 pm
Total posts:7135 | Search user’s posts
(2.36% of all posts / 1.48 posts per day)

Vic-k was such a prolific poster that we would lose 2% of the forum.
He had been less active due to his health.
I am privileged to have known him.

[Kinsey]

Very sad news. I always enjoyed his contributions here, which were always lighthearted, kind and funny. Exactly the kind of person you’d like to have frequent an internet forum. Sounds like he was a fantastic person to know in the flesh also.

[lunk]

Sad news, but the sadness is comforting because it means that we miss him, which means it was a person who we valued to have contact with. So being sad is positive in this case.

[rdale]

He was so kind to me when I posted about the loss of my dog. He shared condolences in private messages, and it was so comforting to exchange words about our furry companion animals.

I've been missing his oddball humor for a while now, and I'm sad to learn of the reason why.

[scshrugged]

Never talked substantively to Vic. I imagine he and I would disagree on a thing or three but I trust that it would be disagreement expressed rationally. In addition to the expert-at-banter that he was, I perceived a man of great depth; a human who chose to think and one who did so to the best of his ability. Certainly his “butterfly’s wings” affected many’s personal weather. I’ll miss him.


To those who knew him, I’m sorry for your loss.

[AmberV]

I still easily remember the day Vic-K first showed up around here. It wasn’t but a few hours before his brand of wit and gentle ribbing became a mainstay ingredient in the culture of this forum. His playful spirit was never punctured by anyone, and I lost track of how many times he would put out a thread fire with a deceptively simple line or two, often bringing arguments back into the realm of friendly conversation. But he knew when and how to dish it out with surgical precision, when that’s what was needed as well!

I mourned when his master, Fluff, passed away, and now it is time to mourn the giver of food and back scratches, himself. I like to think that somewhere there’s a cat’s spirit purring up against the leg of person who brought nothing but creativity and joy to this board.

So long, Vic-K. I only wish I could have shared these thoughts when you were still around.

[JimRac]

I don’t know what Vic’s beliefs were, but it’s sure nice to imagine him sitting somewhere with Fluff and continuing to read forum posts on the astral iPad they’ve borrowed from Pangur Ban. ‘Tch! Tch! See this, mousehound? Pffffrrrrrrrtttttt!!!’

Or perhaps he's with the Great Photographer In The Sky, at the other end of a wormhole, as mentioned in his last ever post here.

Thus, the Great Photographer In The Sky, is at the other end of a wormhole, in a Parallel Universe .... hmmmm, sounds reasonable.

My condolences to those who knew him. I miss his posts.

[devinganger]

I am very sad today. I don’t know what Vic’s beliefs were, but it’s sure nice to imagine him sitting somewhere with Fluff and continuing to read forum posts on the astral iPad they’ve borrowed from Pangur Ban. ‘Tch! Tch! See this, mousehound? Pffffrrrrrrrtttttt!!!’

I’ll sign off with Vic’s first ever words on the forum.

“God Bless the Good Ship Scrivener, and the happy band of Scrivenerati who sail in her. Greetings and best wishes to all.”

Thanks, Vic. Bless you too.

Fair winds and following seas, Vic. We will not see your like again.

[Ahab]

Vic was truly the heart of this community for most of its existence, a relentless encourager, a gentle puncturer of egos, a defuser of unnecessary conflict. Whenever the entitled and the rude pee in our conversation pool, I always imagine a sharp scratch from Fluff and a rollicking piratical from ol' Vic K.

[Foxtrot]

Very very sad news.

He was very much a central character of the board and I had a number of pleasant interactions on here with him though never met him; probably because he never came to my house and knocked the door as I was/am unlikely to make any sort of effort to meet anyone!

Marvellous achievement though how he got Fluff typing and interacting with the board members.

RIP Vic-K

[shorn]

Thanks Pigfender for letting us know. I had been worrying about his absence.

And thank you Vic-K.

Simon

[mbbntu]

I'm very sorry to hear this. Back in the early days, the forum was a very special community, and Vic was one of its most distinctive characters. He helped make it a community, because that was how he viewed it, in an unmistakeable, northern English way. I think his first post shows his approach -- embracing what he took to be an environment of fellowship and camaraderie in a warm and inclusive style. And the humour was always there. I recall that in some exchange about hair styles he referred to himself as an "eggshell blond" who limited himself to a quick polish now and again. He will be impossible to forget, and impossible to replace. He will be missed. Condolences to all associated with him.