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A Tribute to a Friend Started by: TheSilkBruv on Mar 03, '17 02:44

There are a few reasons why I come back to this game after an extended period away. It can help me escape from reality if i'm having a bit of a pissy time in the real world. There's a couple of guys and gals here that I enjoy talking to, so finding out how they're getting along on the other side of the pond is always a nice catch-up too. I find myself returning sometimes because wondering what new threads are in the jail forum can keep me awake in the middle of the night. But when I think about it, what brings back me above all else is the fact that playing mafia helps me to fondly recall the memories of an old friend.

 

 

Ten years ago this week, William Crawford, known to many on the old game as Will-C, was laid to rest following his tragic death in a road traffic accident. He was 27 years old. It's a cliche but he really did have his life ahead of him. Will had became a father to a little boy for the first time about six weeks previously. His relationship with his new partner was just over a year old and he was embarking on a chef training course as he sought a new career path. Will was cruelly taken away at such a young age and the loss was deeply felt by his family and friends. Will wasn't just going to be missed by those that knew him best, he was going to be missed by those in the online mafia world.

 

 

I first met Will in 2002 when we worked together in a computer store. It was always good craic, especially out on deliveries. We would talk about the chances of getting frisky with a bored stay-at-home wife who was getting a shiny new PC delivered and installed (those chances happened to be slightly above zero by the way). I'd listen on as he trotted out the bullshit about how this computer was top of the line, when it probably would have struggled to run Command & Conquer. We had good times in store as well, and a lot of the fun came from our common addiction for the game that was then known as mafia.org. 

 

 

We sunk so much time into the game when we were meant to be working. It got to the stage where the majority of the display PCs on the shop floor had mafia running on them. It was funny sometimes seeing an uninitiated customer quizzically staring at the bulky monitor in front of them, wondering why there was a list of illegal drugs alongside their price in dollars. They probably thought that one of the staff was trying to buy drugs off of the internet. Lunatics, as if something like that could ever happen.

 

 

Unfortunately the store would be swimmin wit da fishes within a year. Of course, our occasional dabble with the game in work certainly had no part to play with the business' demise. We were lucky to find work in another store in my home town and Will moved from his town about 40 miles away. We got a house together and were able to have an awesome mafia set up. It was especially great as there was about 7 or 8 of our mates who played the game. We'd sit in our house and get stoned and play mafia, getting way too involved at times. If there was no music playing sometimes all you would hear was the incessant tapping of fingers on keyboards. Jesus, come to think of it we really were nerdy as fuck. Do these guys know how to party or what?!

 

 

For most of us in TSCOSP, as our little group became known, we played the game for the opportunity of getting to the top. That was achieved by ratSkcoR when under him TSCOSP had a crew in each of the four cities. Out of all of us, Will was definitely the one who really got involved in the community of the game. That's not to say he wasn't partial to a bit of bloodshed. He most certainly enjoyed that time and we had some deadly laughs along the way. Opening the store late at night so we had 6 machines on the go for a double rogue mission on the old wack answers. Will was only a pro'er but he was in his element polluting the streets with our propaganda, he loved getting into character. ApolloWeed his name was, heh he loved that night. I recall the night he purposely missed a shot on a Don when he was a Consig crewleader, knowing only too well that ratSkcoR would have to come into ours to shoot the lady in question four hours later. When he told me he'd took the shot he had a mischievous, cheeky look on his face that showed that he knew he had just caused all sorts of chaos. It was priceless. 

 

 

Probably the most enduring memory I have is of how Will's love affair with a lady mafioso came to an end. He met this woman through the game who lived about 50 miles away. They would chat for hours online and within a few weeks Will had basically moved in with her. I thought it was all a tad surreal and probably a bit rushed, but he was having fun so that's what counted. He would drive down and stay over, leaving at 7am the next morning to get back in time for the store opening. After two months I figured that Will was in a full-blown relationship. Evidently, so did she. Will, however had other plans. He decided to cut the chord one morning by taking all of his belongings and leaving for work as normal never to return. He didn't want to cause an emotional scene I guess, so he did what any caring male would have done and legged it for the high hills. I was in hysterics that morning when he told me of his flit at dawn. I asked the heartless git did he not even have the courtesy to leave her a note? "I'm not a total cunt," he replied. "I sent her a mobmail." A true Romeo indeed was our Will.

 

 

I visited Will's grave on Wednesday and I thought about how it would be if Will was here now. I thought about the joy he would have had with his son, teaching him to play football whenever he was able to start running about. Of the trips we would have had over to Manchester to see Man United play, getting properly pissed on Buckfast (a connoisseur's red wine to those not in the know). I wondered if he would perhaps have gotten married by now. I imagined what he would have thought to the idea that you could play mafia on your mobile phone. He would have thought that it was bloody brilliant. I have no doubt in my mind that he'd still be playing this game. In fact, screw teaching the kid football, he'd have him doing petty crimes by the time he was old enough to hold a mouse.

 

 

Will loved the game and everybody he talked to back then. I had an idea that Will was popular with those who played the game, but I wasn't prepared for the overwhelming amount of heartfelt replies to the thread that I had to post on the night of his untimely passing. It was clear that Will had touched a lot of people online. He was friendly and happy-go-lucky and the type of guy that stayed up to 5am chatting to fellow mafiosi on irc. I'm pretty sure he'd still be doing the same now, all the while writing crazy in-character threads on another monitor.

 

 

I'm not sure how many people even play the game nowadays that were around back in the old 02/03 days. Maybe you did and remember speaking to Will. Perhaps you were even in one of his families (TinyToons was his first if my hazy memory serves me well). Or maybe you've been thrown in the New York slammer here and seen that it is in memory of Will-C, wondering what he was like in person. Well he was an amazing, funny and genuine guy who unfortunately was taken away too soon. I'm thankful that this place helps me to reminisce about the great times we had, both in real life and in the crazy world of online mafia. This V-Day, it's only apt that I'll be shooting in honour of the big man.

 

 

I'll borrow a part of the epitaph from Will's grave to finish. It succinctly reads, Gone But Not Forgotten.

 

 

Rest in Peace brother.

 

 

Shane/Hulkster/Joao_Paiva

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What a wonderful tribute to someone I don't think MR will ever forget.

Rest in peace Will, always wonderful to hear stories like this. Thank you for coming out.
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It's funny to think that I'm now older than he was when he passed away. So many fond memories of the big man and we all still think of him to this day and the stories we have to share...

 

This one time, it was winter, me and a few of us thought it would be funny to go out and get some snowballs to throw at Will while he was sitting in the house on his computer playing a game, wonder which one..., and start pelting a few at him, he grabbed the closest thing he could find as a weapon, it was some sort of steel railing bar and he came running at his in hysterics with this metal bar all the way outside of the house. We ran so hard... lol

 

I think it's the main reason this game has always stayed with us because of him, although we did start playing it before we met him it was funny how he came to work at this computer shop with Shane and his family only to find out he also had been playing the game a lot longer than us and it strengthened our relationships together.

 

One night in the computer shop myself, Rockstar and Hulkster all went rogue and started shooting at the like of Ellis, Sweetums, MrEvilMan and we really shook the mafia world up that day, unfortunately it was my first Made Man account (hard to achieve that rank in those days :P ) and I possibly had the worst gun you could ever imagine so I didn't kill anyone. Will-C was everyone's prowacker that day and a good job he did. The memories are endless and a lot of them come through this Mafia game and that's why we all have fond memories of it and probably why we will return time and time again.

 

Will and myself had a little falling out on mafia prior to his death, it was something small and insignificant but the usual occurrence for us on the game and he knew I was gunna probably be gunning for him or at least appear like I was and I made one of my older character accounts called MetalSkeleton and had a funny little x-ray skeleton picture making a rude gesture and before he left on the morning of the accident he sent me a funny little mail that said "Cheeky picture ;)". When I got the call later on that day I laughed at my friend who rang me and didn't believe him it took such a long time for it to sink in that he was gone. I just wish he had of been around for my reply.

 

I still miss you William and still see your son from time to time, he doesn't look anything like you of that you will be surely glad... Only joking as always. Rest in Peace big man, never forgotten. 

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Thank you for bringing back a few memories of my own with Will... He truly was a great guy. Shortly before he died we'd had a bit of a row. A day before he passed he came to me and apologized. He wanted to mend our friendship. We'd planned on talking the following day. We never did get to talk again... 

Miss him still to this day. He's probably having a good laugh at us still playing this damn game honestly.

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What a fantastic way to remember such an awesome guy. I can't believe it's been 10 years this week, oh my time flies.

Rest in peace lar, gone but not forgotten for sure.
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Will-c will be missed, and much respect hulkster. I had a lot of chats with TSCOSP. Sometimes the memorys of old are some of the best, even just the online ones.

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I remember this like it was yesterday. Rest well Old Friend.

https://youtu.be/zBw8vUdtH2A 

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Rest in peace.

You were so lovely when I met you in Manchester after a Manchester United match. I can't believe it's been 10 years. May you live on forever in our memories and hearts.

The supreme council of smoking pipes. TSCOSP <3
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I can't believe ten years has gone since Will-C's passing. I still remember it like it was yesterday a real shock that a great guy in our community was suddenly taken.
RIP Will always remembered.
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This has literally brought a tear to my eye.

Always and forever Will.

TSCOSP BABY!!!
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http://jaundies.com/Gazette/2004/Feb2004/Issue146.htm

Love it. ❤️
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