last time I saw Steve (left) in London 2019 with my friend Michael

My friend Steve Pay has died. He has had various health issues over the years and then was diagnosed with spinal melanocytoma. The other day he moved into a nursing home but, as his wife Sara told us on his Facebook page, it was still unexpected. Everyone thought he had a bit more time.

I first “met” Steve on an online forum called H2g2, originally started by Douglass Adams and, after his death, taken over by the BBC. That’s when I came in… maybe around 2002? Anyhow, the site was meant to be an online “Hitchhikers Guide” with people contributing articles about subjects they were knowledgeable on., kind of like a pre-Wikipedia. The forum was there for members to discuss… well, whatever. I had a look around before venturing in but then popped into one of the forums “GOD – FACT OR FICTION?” without realising my life was about to change.

It was there that I not only met Steve (aka Blues Shark), but also Peter and a host of other colourful characters, some colourful in a good way, others not so much. Anyhow, lots of discussion ensued on these forums, or as much as dial-up would allow, which ended up with Steve coming down to Sevilla for a week or two in the summer of (I think) 2003 and renting out one of the spare rooms in the apartment next door. I think that short holiday sealed the deal for Steve… he totally fell in love with Sevilla.

The next summer Peter also came down for a holiday and, well, never left. Several other h2g2 pals also made their way down to “Casa Az” to visit over the years. Then one day Steve met Sara, and they started coming down together. Some pics below of them on various visits. But the last time I saw them was on a trip to London a few years ago and then in 2019 I met up with Steve and my friend Michael for lunch at Darjeeling Express, and that was the last time I saw him in person. We kept up a bit on Facebook (really the worst social media platform for me, I lose touch with so many people who only use FB) so I wasn’t really aware of how serious his condition had become. And now he’s gone.

We shared a love of cats, music (esp blues), good food and wine… and chat. That guy loved to talk. Much love to Sara, perhaps one day she will make it back to Sevilla and we can go have a glass of his favourite sangría together. Hasta siempre, amigo mio. 💙 🦈

click to enlarge photo