"You're my best friend," - queen, shaun of the dead.

happy twenty-first vito for june 5, 2005.

here's the speech i wrote and gave on the night. there was plenty of slurring of words also, but this is pretty much how it went.
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first i'd like to thank everyone on my own behalf as well as vito and his family's. i know a lot of us have exams or whatever starting in the next few days, so it definitely does mean a lot that you're all here.

i know vito doesn't really like speeches so i've made it as short as possible.

i've known vito since about 1989 back at oakleigh primary school, but in my mind, while there have been countless experiences we've been through together - both good and bad - there is really only one that all others can be referred to.

it was in grade one were about 6 and had just gotten pupil of the week awards. they're these thing you get for doing just about anything at primary school and ironically vito's was for reading and writing, and mine was for drawing a demented horse.

the same day we had an excursion to the zoo and we had to catch the train as a class from oakleigh. on teh way back, vito and i thought it'd be kinda cool sit up the back of the carriage and act all cool and whatever.

there we sat, smiling stupidly with out purple ribbons pinned to our shirts when a train inspector came up to us. we didn't know what to do, were we in trouble? did she want our ribbons? we didn't know!

she then informed us that our entire class had already gotten off the train and that our grade one teacher, mrs. pisani was at oakleigh going out of her mind. i don't think we really understood the gravity of the situation as we just sat there, still with the stupid grins on our faces.

we never had any more experiences like that in primary school, but for the next two years we'd be drawing, playing in the sand pit, or debating about what colour the elbow pads were that the ninja turtles wore.

but then i came to school on the first day and grade 4 and vito was gone.

it wasn't until year 8 when i went to salesian that my saw him again, and it was as if we'd had always ben in contact and every thing was cool.

And now here we are, all growed up. I look back on my life and am just thankful that vito has been there pretty much the entire time. i know there have been times where i've put him through hell and he did nothing but listen and be a friend.

i won't be telling you anything you don't already know when i say vito is the guy who always puts his friends before himself. he's the guy with a heart of gold and is always ready to offer an ear to listen or a shoulder to cry on.

but something that a lot of us do, myself included sometimes, is under-estimate him. sure, he has the drawing ability of alex ross, and is the king of the editing room - and of course can drink plenty of beer. but he's also the guy whose always a kid, his imagination and his enthusiasm are things that i have always admired and have always tried to live up to. vito's the one who has the ability to lift people's spirits when they're down, and make someone feel good about themselves when everything seems to go to shit. and that, i think, is what being a super-hero is all about.

I look at us now and think back to that time we got lost on the train, and think to myself that we're still those two kids smiling stupidly (or drunkenly) at the back of the carriage. And even though we had no idea of where we were going, we at least we knew that we'd be venturing there together.

Thanks for everything you've done for me, or done for any of us. Thanks for always being prepared to give everything and expecting nothing in return.

there are plenty of uncertainties in life, but right now there are two things i'm absolutely sure of:

1. that i'm drunk, and
2. vito, you deserve the best fucking birthday ever!

happy twenty-first dude.

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-LOki