This morning I received the sad news of the death of a Dutch hero, Mr Willy van der Kuijlen, a friend of my father's and the top scorer of all time in Holland's football league.
All during my childhood I thought of Willy as the most important man in Holland, who always made everyone happy on football days with his amazing talent. On other days, I sometimes had the honour of being around Willy and his beautiful family, and it always struck me this famous footballer had such kind eyes - hooded eyes with a soft, shy confidence, possibly not what you'd expect from an athlete with such killer instincts on the field.
Maybe that's what made him one of PSV's most beloved players ever - a once-in-a-lifetime talent magnified by the character of a great human being.
If you read about my youthful fashion dreams in my previous post, you may have concluded I dressed quite conservatively as teenager.
One day, however, I was spending the weekend at my far more adventurous cousin Ine's house. We were due to go to the kermis, and annual outdoor traveling fairground. Ine had all sorts of experimental clothes, and in preparation for going we tried on countless exciting combos. In the end, I decided on a long white eyelet skirt, with pink satin high top trainers, and a bright pink patterned jumper. My hair was huge and teased and I had clumsily applied far too much blush and lip goop.
I thought I was cooler than Molly Ringwald walking around that fair in Eindhoven, enjoying stares from the people who did not look like a mad peacock. The key to my confidence was in the fact that I didn't live in this town, and anyone who knew me was 30 kilometres south in a little village far far away.
It was great fun pretending to be someone outrageous and daring for an afternoon... until from the corner of my eye I spotted Mrs Nel van der Kuijlen, wife of famous Willy. I turned around and there was the whole family, including their lovely daughter Wendy, who was a bit younger than I was.
I froze and waited for a moment to speak, then uttered the words I've lost my cousin, and ran in the other direction faster than I had ever run before. As I thought of that moment this morning upon hearing the news of Willy's death, I wondered whether I ever told my parents about this, or if Mrs Van der Kuijlen had mentioned to my mum she'd seen me looking slightly unrecognisable.
My cousin and I walked home soon after and I turned back into the Dianne with the safe bourgeois clothes. Not quite ready yet to show off the other, more exuberant personality that was emerging somewhere inside of me.
Rest in Peace, Willy. Thank you for all the joy you have given to the world.
xxx
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