Dear Mick,

I don’t think I ever wrote to you before. So, I’ll write you now. I remember the first time you joined Lovell (first time I met you), you walked in and you got introduced to everyone. You spoke to me and what struck me most was you knew a little about everything. I was like, wow, what a brilliant man. Then you sat down behind me, your phone rang. You picked up the phone, leaned back and put your feet on the table (legend). I was flabbergasted. I was like “who is this dude”? COP, you walked out briskly, left your laptop on the table without a care in the world. You were “the LAW”! As the years rolled by, I learnt not to judge a book by it’s cover, but by its content. You were the loveliest person one could ever meet when they get to know you. When you became MD, you took your time to write a “thank you” in my increment letter. That personal touch was alien to me. I don’t know if you did that for everyone else, but I felt appreciated.

I remember your legendary Hawaiian shirts on Fridays and the last day I saw you before your surgery. I was told to watch out for you as you’d be coming to the office briefly. You went to the printer to print some documents. I offered you a cup of tea. You said No. I found out later you don’t drink tea. I wanted to ask you for a HUG, but I couldn’t get the words out. I regret that now.

Veni Vidi Vici, you did it your way! Goodbye!! Gone, but not forgotten!!!