years

He never resists to give me a comment about my smile. No matter where or when we talk, although we don't that often. It's usually just Hi and Goodbye. We have worked in the same lab for a few years now, seen each other on easy and difficult days and given one another a pat on the back when needed.

He'll be defending on Friday and then soon after he'll be gone ... I told him today that I can't make it to his defence session. He said: "I'll miss you" and then he went on "You know I'll miss you a lot. You're the most cheerful person I have ever known. You make me smile and that is very rare. There is only one other person in the world who does that, my two year old son."

He had told me before that when I laugh in the lab it is so joyful that everyone smiles, others nodded and I took it as if they all agreed. But I never knew it was so important to him. This last comment of his made my day. It's great to know you can make a difference, that you can make someone happier. I told him that I will try to come by to cheer him up before his defence, I can probably say Hi to his wife and kids too ...