Dawood Bahrain

During the hour we had (until he told me it was time to go because now there was 24 hours left) was strange and wonderful. We shared memories and crazy stories, I had brought greetings from many friends and read them aloud, and he gave me a tie with Asterix & Obelix and some other stuff that meant something between us.

Then he somehow – without me really noticing it – repeated something he’d been saying in the weeks leading up to 1st February 2006 – he counted to three with his fingers while saying “one-two-six”.

The OakTable Network, by the way, held a global 5 minutes quiet at the moment Lex died and had email contact throughout, sharing thoughts and memories. That was very emotional.

Two mornings later my wife came down and said she’d dreamed she had had a long conversation with Lex and he had explained what he meant by 1-2-6: It’s 42 (the answer to Life, the Universe and Everything) times three (because he was big on three-valued logic).

I called Juliette and told her. She in turn told me that Lex’ oldest daughter had had the exactly experience the same night.

Now, leaving a riddle that you’re pretty sure your friends and family will eventually figure out is cool beyond cool.

With Respect and Fondness -

Mogens

Later that year, I carried one of his mini Oak Tables to the top of Kala Pattar (5595 meters) in the Himalayas. When I took it out of my pack to get a picture, Papa Dawa (our climbing guide) looked puzzled until I explained that this was in honor of a great man and friend who was going to pass beyond.

Thank you Juliette for your hospitality last year. Being able to visit Lex’s final resting place was special.

His spirit and teachings live on in those who taught and those whom he called friend and colleague.

I didn’t know Lex as well as you, or many of the other folks posting and reading here, but, Lex had the ability to make even a new acquaintance feel like a friend he had known for years. I chatted w/ Lex via email a few times, and I think I met him in person, briefly at Hotsos (can’t remember which year) and at one or two UKOUG conferences, but I’ll always be thankful that I made the Utrecht trip in 2005. I had a chance to spend more than a few brief minutes with him, see his home, and meet Juliette. Though it was not known to me at the time, that was to be our last meeting.

If folks are interested, some photos from the 2005 trip are on my flickr account, available here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21775127@N04/sets/72157603437255876/

-Mark

I concur with Juliette: Lex told me the “bumping into french blond women on purpose” story too. And I’m sure he chose nothing but the really, really pretty ones for you :-)

The memory with Lex that pops into my mind right now is that “bad and good news” day sometime at the end of summer 2005. The day that he visited me and brought both the awfull news of his disease, as well as the good news of wanting to write one more book. And of course the many meetings that followed in the months thereafter while working on this book project (during one of which he told me the gare-du-nord story).

Needless to say, Lex definitely made a difference for me as well. Without the book, I might never have started the RuleGen adventure.

(Lex’ last project member) Toon

Juliette told me about your blog and it made me tear up completely. It makes me so happy to know there are still people that miss my dad just as I do.
I also remember the part with the cane at the hospital, he said lots of the deepest most wonderful stuff at the end. I will never forget.
I really miss him, but I know that I am not alone.
Thank you for keeping his memory alive.

Heleen

I’m moved by the fact that you are keeping Lex’s memory alive. I really appreciate that. Three years may sound long to outsiders, but for us, (me,his wife and you, one of his real friends) it feels like it was yeasterday. I still remember that Lex told me the story of what had happened at Gare du Nord in Paris that day. You have changed that story a little I have to say. So I will tell the whole story on your blog now. Lex told me that you had asked him to help you bumping into tall, young and beautiful blondes as a part of your training. With no succes as I understood. So next time Harald, please tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth :-)
Yesterday we have talked to each other on the phone for over half an hour and and at the end we both agreed on the fact that at least for us, Lex has made a difference.

Juliette