Somehow it is hard to believe that David is gone. He was such a reassuring presence that one took it for granted that he would always be there. I owe him so much that it is hard to know where to begin. His intellectual qualities were, of course, formidable. It was a treat to watch him exercising his formidable critical skills in seminars and conferences. On such occasions, his were invariably the most incisive interventions. But for me, it was David's generosity, egalitarian outlook, and inimitable humour that set him apart. I shall miss him greatly. Prashant