36 My mother used to say there are only two types of people in the
world. No, not people-who-say-there-are-only-two-types-of- people-in-the-world and people who don’t. Her pair was ‘drains
and radiators’: people who drain away your energy, and people who give you theirs. If that’s true then Geoff was definitely one of
life’s radiators. He listened to me moan on for a good fifteen minutes, just sipping his beer and lighting and relighting his roll-
up. Then, when I’d exhausted my whinge, he smiled wryly. 56
Geoff is not only a good listener but also a person to whom Ed can talk to. He can give some advice to solve the problems. Moreover, Geoff is always
available every time Ed needs him. Geoff listened without a word as I filled him in on the latest
installment of the soap that was my life. We were in a snug little pub he knew in Paddington. It was the end of a hard week and we
hadn’t met since I’d chucked him out of the hospital. I was starting to realize how much I’d come to rely on him-not just for advice,
but for a sympathetic ear, someone to really talk to. 126-127
Geoff does not complain even though during his meetings with Ed he just listens to Ed and never discusses himself. He still gives full attention to Ed and it
makes Ed start depending on him.
f. Straightforward and Talkative
Geoff has habits to speak straightforwardly and likes talking about Buddhism. It is seen through his speech and character as seen by others. When Ed
argues with Angie and she leaves him, Geoff does not ask him many questions about what they argue about, but he just asks him whether he loves her or not.
“Do you love her?’ Geoff asked. He had a habit of going straight to the heart of things” 127. As mentioned before, Geoff likes talking about Buddhism. He likes
37 to talk about it to his friends whether they are Buddhist or not. When he is died,
some of his friends give their testimonies at his funeral. “… As you know, Geoff was an extremely approachable and
friendly man, who loved to talk - especially about Buddhism. And I personally learned much from him about his faith, which I
promised him I would definitely embrace - in my next life.” 264
The quotation above is a testimony from one of Geoff’s friends. In her testimony, she mentions that Geoff is friendly and religious. His commitment to
Buddhism inspires her to embrace Buddhism. Geoff likes to talk about Buddhism to all people. “… and to everyone he talked about Buddhism - some directly,
some just through encouraging them to believe in themselves” 278. Not to all people does he talk about Buddhism explicitly. To common people, he talks about
Buddhism implicitly by encouraging them to be confident.
g. Encouraging
Geoff is also an encouraging person. It is seen through his speech. As stated previously, Geoff likes talking to people and encouraging them to be
confident. He treats Ed in the same way. He encourages Ed to get a new job when his company, ItsTheBusiness.com, goes bankrupt.
“So, first step,” said Geoff, “is you go back to Dora and get a job. Not just any old job. It’s got to be exactly what you need for your
life at this moment.” “I can’t.”
“Why not?” “I walked out on her. It’s embarrassing.”
Geoff smiled. “There’s a Buddhist saying, Ed.” I groaned
