A tale from 2003

Back in 2003, I made a trip back to Adelaide to see family and friends. After a night spent at the Exeter pub with a few mates I was making my way back to the train station when I spotted someone who looked familiar. I realised it was a cyclist I'd seen on TV quite a bit.
It was probably the beers that made me go up to him and say hi, but he didn't seem to mind. He talked to me about his racing - he'd recently won a world championship in the keirin event - and was telling me about his training. He even asked if I raced.
All I was expecting was a quick exchange - one of those awkward "Good on ya mate, love your work" type exchanges you have with celebs. But he was a nice guy, and he walked along with me for a good 10 minutes. Chatting like we'd known each other for years.
A couple of hours ago, the cyclist Jobie Dajka, was found dead in his house. Aged 27. News reports say he battled depression, aggression and with the bottle. But that night I met a really down-to-earth, well adjusted guy.