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Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Genusfrog [ 3:08 pm ] | 1 comments

ON LOOKING DEPRESSING

If you don't know who this guy is, he is michael owen. that's 2008 ashen-faced bedraggled-looking 5 o'clock shadow michael owen. it's incredible what a few years in the wilderness can do to your countenance. in 2000, this same michael owen was the fresh-faced beacon of hope for english football, the darling of liverpool.

what changed?

ambition, perhaps. after the 2004 season, owen would ask to be transferred to the bloated real madrid. liverpool received pittance for what was their biggest star but one season later would win the european cup while owen watched from a tv set somewhere in spain. he would spend most of his time in madrid sitting down and eventually moved to newcastle, where he is now.

there's just something about post-madrid owen that doesn't look right. maybe it's something that the mid-20s does to someone. or maybe bad decisions leaves a shade of defeat on the faces of some people. maybe it's just the really uninspiring photoshoot that the fools at newcastle fc put together for their new home kit. can someone please explain how what was once england's most exciting young striker can look so depressing at what should be the peak of his career?

i had a friend once, this girl, who used to be a bit like a young michael owen. she was really on fire. she served at her church, had a gigantic singing voice, and always sounded either thoughtful or excited. she loved GMB, the indonesian worship band, and used to tell me that i should jam with her one day so she can sing some "raawk" songs. once i sent her home from somewhere and she played a cd and sang really loudly over it - a really passionate person she was. this was in 2004. then i lost touch with her.

this year, i discovered that she lives in the same apartment block that i live in. a few floors up. i see her sometimes, waiting outside or walking to the lift. and when i do, i stop and talk to her. most of the time, she has very few words to say. busy. project. tiring. but you know what? it's not even about not having time or energy. like owen at newcastle, something about this friend has been taken away from her. once she was really spunky. now everything about her seems dead. as a friend - or an old friend - i really don't know what to do.

yesterday was day 12 of my give me 40 days. i prayed first for her. then i prayed, funnily enough, for michael owen. i hope both of them find their feet and start to get some joy into themselves soon. lord knows, if anyone saw me last year, they'd have thought the same thing.

Labels: defeat, football, growing old