Dave

 I met Dave at university. We are both studying for our PhDs. Dave was a year ahead of me. I joined the gym with my friend, Brenda. Dave was working there. He had come to study for a PhD from unemployment. It transpired that Dave was active in his church, that he helped out at the homeless, shelter, soup, kitchen that he gave talks on astrology to the brownies. Dave was a grafter. And he had the intellect to take a PhD. Back at my first university as an undergraduate I had had a long drunken discussion with my flatmate Ann. She asked me my ideal man. I said an intelligent grafter. She said that such a thing did not exist. And then there was Dave.

There was working at the gym in the mornings before going to the lab to complete his research. and giving in his spare time to community groups.

It took me a while to notice that the same song played every time that I went to the gym. I assume Dave was a fan of the Stereophonics. You’ve got a secret smile, and you save it only for me. Or something. It was playing every time I went to the gym. It took me a while to notice that Dave played this for me, and as I was fairly punctual, am I time I went to the gym in the morning, he could cue it up in time for my arrival.

Dave also tended to try and lift an impressive amount of weight whenever I was in. He had a way about him when you spoke to him, he was listening. When he presented his research work, I’dmake sure I attended. 

Over the Christmas of 1999, the universe T-shirt completely. It was the time of Y2K hysteria. There was a fear that all computers would think it was 1900 everything that was controlled by computer in university, with therefore fail. So the building was shut. 

Unbeknown to me, Dave went to help it a soup kitchen, feeding the homeless over Christmas. When I returned in January, there was news that a student had died. But this student was based in the department of biotechnology. Whereas Dave was in Biotech.

I made my way to the gym as usual. It was quiet. There was only one other person in there. He was an older man and he was unusually sweet towards me. I wasn’t sure why. Of course, he knew that David had just died and that we were special friends. I didn’t have a clue. 

When the penny dropped that the dead student from via technology was Dave from Biotech I was deeply upset. I didn’t make a lot of sense. I had only just seen him before Christmas and the building has been closed the whole time in between. This was the first time I could’ve seen him again anyway. 

Every gym visit, Dave would leave the gym, as I made my way back to my lab and say to me to take care and that he meant it.

The last thing that Dave had said to me in the gym, as when he came in the gym to see me, and he was dressed in a suit he has just become. Dr Dave as he had just passed his viva.

I mourned Dave for about 10 years. For the reminder, of my PhD, he was my passenger in my car. When we passed people needing help, we would stop and help. I felt like I was the person I wanted to be with him around.. I continue to hear, is encouragement in the gym. He was there in real life before he died when I took part in a rowing for charity event. Who was there when I took part in a human pyramid for charity event. He was there for the indoor triathlons. 

In my head he was there in the lab encourage me as I completed my research. When I returned to work, every single day, I envisioned him coming through the door into the office.

Mostly, I’d imagine that he was paralysed, or had experienced a lot of amputations. That he had pretended to be dead as such a life changing event to save him from the meningitis that actually killed him, meant he wanted to take himself out of the life and the people he had known I know he’s ready to come back and I was always very happy to see him again.

Dave’s funeral was packed. When Brenda and I arrived at the church, who was standing room only. We squeeze ourselves into the church match in the same way as you squeeze yourself onto a tube train on the London underground. I was evidently still in denial. I saw all of our mutual friends, friends of mine and Dave. I thought oh all her friends are here, so Dave must also be here somewhere. And I looked around for him. There was a big funeral affair and there was a choir. As I looked for Dave, they brought the coffin in. Dave was in a box. I fainted.

When I came to, I was sitting down on a church pew, and Dave’s mum was holding my hand. 

Brenda insisted that we do not go to the after funeral, snacks and sandwiches, but instead we went home and I sent them a thank you card.

Dave was a proud man. He had strong arms from his efforts in the gym. And thick glasses somewhat fitting his academic prowess. Dave died after his viva, but before his graduation. Graduation, he was awarded the prize for the best doctoral student posthumously.