OBITUARY | Fredrick Rocque Rocky was a rock Michael Fisher fisherted...@gmail.com
Fredrick Rocque (Rocky) began his journalism career in the Navhind Times in Goa when he was in his 20s in the late 1970s. In 1980, he left Goa for Bombay to work with The Daily, a fiesty new tabloid then launched by Russy Karanjia, which was also known as the Bull Dog from its mascot that appeared on its masthead. Since then he has been a copy-editor and front page layout design expert. On 31 December 1982, The Daily carried a Fredrick Rocque bylined report on the front page: Priest Skips Last Rights for Christmas Party. While the news shocked the Catholic community, the reporting fraternity got the feel what Rocky could be, if he chose to. His first byline report was in the Navhind Times: Learn to Walk, recalls crime reporter Jamal. Fermin D'Souza who was his neighbour in Bahrain and in Canada, writes: "Frederick Rocque was known to all his close friends as Rock or Rocky, sometimes Freddy. His mile-wide smile that could light up a room telegraphed his joyous nature. Rock loved a good party and was never one to say no to a good bash. He was usually the catalyst to pull old friends together, especially those from his time in Bahrain who are now settled in Canada." Quick with a joke, Rock loved puns -- both in his work as a journalist as well as in his private life. Like the time when George W. Bush won in the US, Rock was working in magazines but couldn't resist calling up the newspaper (Gulf Daily News in Bahrain) editor to suggest this heading: By George, it's Bush! And that was the front page heading the next morning. Rock was also able to laugh at himself. It was a tough task to get under his skin with even merciless barbs. He laughed at his stature, his girt (not that he had any), his brain-power (or lack thereof), the list could go on. You just couldn't get him irritated. Rock was also the first to lend a helping hand when one was needed -- even when it was not needed. One of the last things he told a friend (that's me) about a couple of weeks before he fell to a cardiac arrest 18 months ago was: "... you make me laugh." Keep that laugh and that smile going, Rocky. -- Michael Fisher is a based journalist, who has worked with a range of newspapers within and outside India, and is now back in Goa.