As I
write this article there are tears in my eyes. Tears for my dear friend Charles
Bruzon, tears for his beloved Marilou and his family and tears for Gibraltar,
which has lost a noble son, a person totally without “mala leche”.
I am
aware that those of you who are reading this have known Charles for far longer
than me. I have known of Charles Bruzon for many a year but we only met some 21
months ago. Yet in that time he became the dearest and closest of friends. So
whilst I feel acute pain and sadness at his passing I realise it can only be a
fraction of that being felt by his adoring family.
Charles
Bruzon was a gentle man but as strong as they come. You do not stand down from
the priesthood in what was then a very Conservative Catholic community unless
you have steel in your heart and a need to do what was right – and for love.
God blessed his decision some years later by matching Charles with Marilou.
Charles
Bruzon was a passionate man. I was with him on a number of occasions after he’d
spoken with people who had major housing and social problems. He felt and
shared their pain and anguish. That is why being Housing Minister was so
important to him as he was finally able to right all those wrongs. Sadly the
plans he laid he’ll never see through but rest assured others will do so in his
memory.
I
know of no other person who was better prepared to meet his maker than Charles
Bruzon. He may have left the priesthood but he never wavered in his Christian
faith. If there is indeed a Father, Son and Holy Ghost then Charles rests at
peace in their company.
It
always amazed me how Charles worked to connect his Christianity with his
Socialism. We would debate an issue from one perspective and then another. You
would know Charles had finally made the total connection when he would declare:
“Even Joe Bossano would support that!” Fabian Picardo never had a more loyal
minister than Charles Bruzon. However Charles was extremely close to Joe and
one of my treasured photographs is Charles and Joe face to face, beers in hand,
debating an issue of the day.
Some
time ago in Parliament the then Chief Minister taunted Charles that he’d never
be a true politician as he lacked “mala leche”. Well the then Chief Minister
would know all about “mala leche” as he had it by the bucket full. These
comments I won’t say worried Charles but they certainly irritated him. On a
number of occasions before the General Election he raised it with me as if
lacking “mala leche” was a weakness. Well Charles totally lacked “mala leche”
in his personal, Christian and Socialist life. If some saw it as a weakness it
was in fact what marked him out as a truly fine son of Gibraltar and
Parliamentarian.
I
have lunched with Charles many times. Sometimes they were simple lunches;
others were more elaborate with Marilou and yes a bottle or two of good wine.
I had
lunch with Charles in September when the first signs of what would turn out to
be cancer appeared. He didn’t know that then and he amused me because Charles
relayed in graphic detail, as only Charles could, his symptoms as we munched
our pub lunch.
I had
lunch with Charles and Marilou in December at the Rock Hotel after his
operation. He explained his decision to have chemo and radio therapy. He wanted
to make sure the cancer didn’t come back.
I had
planned to have lunch with Charles in March now the treatment was over. We
exchanged texts: Charles was excited he had much to discuss. Then a text came
saying he had a bad cold. Then the texts become more confused as Charles was
taken back to hospital for the last time.
At
this point I am going to take you to New York. In the early 1980s I had lunch
with another dear friend Walter Neiman. Walter was president of WQXR the radio
station of the New York Times. We crossed the street to the famous restaurant
Sardis and after we’d sat down, received our drinks Walter broke the news. This
would be our last lunch together. He had a heart complaint that was terminal
and it was a matter of weeks or months before it would beat its last. Curiously
it was a very good lunch, a final celebration of our friendship and it was only
when we’d finished that we left the restaurant, hugged and then I walked away
with tears in my eyes.
So
myself and Charles have unfinished business. We have to lunch. When the tears
have dried and the grief lessened I will meet with those who loved him most and
we shall eat and drink and celebrate his life. We shan’t be alone for Charles’
spirit will be with us of that I have no doubt. Together we shall honour this
most decent of men.
In
the days to come please pray for the soul of Charles Bruzon.
When
you find yourself with a full glass in your hand also toast this noble son of
Gibraltar, a man who spoke out for Gibraltar – toast the man who was “sin mala
leche”.
With
his passing we have all lost a dear friend.
