I Realised Through Him I Was in Control of My Own Life

Patrick and Stephanie influenced, without intention, many people over the years.  Here’s a pair of letters from Robin Malyon in India explaining how he was so positively affected by them, and some of his memories.

thank you for the message, i had become aware something was up a few weeks ago as i had not heard form Patrick so i had checked the online obituary and had seen what had happened.

i first met Patrick in 1983 at the tender age of 18 as i had just read the White Goddess by Robert Grave which affected me greatly so decided with hardly any money to go to Deia with my then girlfriend and see what was there.

i met Patrick in the local bar ( i remember the cowboy hat!) and we hit it off straight way. i then went to stay with both Patrick and Stephanie and over the next fifteen years spent every year staying at the house. I have not been to Deia over the last eight years as i now have a business in India and spend a lot of time there. I did speak with Pat about this and he wanted to come, its a shame he never made it.

Your Father made a massive impression on me, i realised through him I was in control of my own life and could do with it as i want and not to be constrained by society, he will always be in my thoughts and that time in Deia changed my life.

I am coming to Deia on the 13th of July for three days to pay my respects and to take some time to think about your father, although this will be a sad time i also look forward to revisiting the special memories i have of this time

your Father was a very special man

After I wrote to thank him for his letter, he replied:

Thanks for your speedy reply. i have also had a couple of calls today from people your email must have reached and our conversations, the first in years have only been about how Patrick and of course Stephanie affected us all.

You are more than welcome to use my previous email and today watching the You Tube service and looking at the web page brought back many memories. Taking tickets for the piano concerto that they had put on at the La Residencia, (i must of been about twenty one?) or watching a string quartet play Mozart by fire light on a beach somewhere near Deia. Driving in his old Renault five car to Palma with my then girlfriend drinking and having fun or hearing Stephanie burst into song at one in the morning so they could express their happiness. i now realise both Patrick and Stephanie never patronised me at this time as i was quite young and they just felt like good friends.

I look forward to going to Deia in July although i have felt over the years its gentrification has affected the place and took some of the “Minoan” magic, but this might also be me looking at the place through my then youthful eyes.

I am sorry to hear about the pain Patrick was going through and hope he found some peace at the end