Our Dearest Shulian, It’s been very difficult to put my thoughts into words. I think, like many, it stills comes as a shock when I realise your not going to just walk down the corridor and sit at your desk. I have lost such a dearest and caring friend. It’s now one month on and I feel strong enough to put me thoughts down on paper. You and I hadn’t worked together for long before you started calling me “David” by accident, which ended up becoming your nickname for me. I rewarded you with your own nickname of “Buttercup”, mostly because you had misunderstood something that was said (which is not difficult as I talk in Yorkshire a lot), so our nicknames stuck. I know you weren’t always found of driving over to Bradford in your own car, but parking in space 8 in the car park helped you cope a little better. I’m sure you used to arrive before 7am some mornings (especially on Mondays) just so you’d be here before space 8 was taken. I know how important the number 8 was to you (which is why I post this today). Monday mornings were some how made easier knowing you’d already be at your desk and waiting for our “Monday Must Do” weekly team meeting. Over lunch we would often have long conversations about business and politics, and differences between east and west. Although, I don’t think you ever believed me when I said I had no intention of visiting China as it is not in Yorkshire. But you eventually realised what I meant no offence. Remember what I told you “If it aint in’t Yorkshire it aint worth going”! In truth we had fun at work. I know, I know I used the word fun and work in the same sentence, which was something we eventually agreed was missing from all the books you’d read and research you’d done on business. We worked hard, but still did it with a sense of humour. Although, it took you a long time for you to understand when I was been sarcastic and would say “Very funny David”, when you eventually got it. To help us both out we started using the “Sarc Mark” especially when e-mailing each other, although we used to also draw the mark in the air during conversations to emphasise the point. I still have the “Sarc Marc” ready to go at a moments notice. Before you left us, you had become a bit of an expert at the old sarcasm thing and got me back on a number of occasion by lulling me in with an innocent tone and tip of your head. You even planned a practical joke on me when I came back from Holiday in August (this year) by asking me for a Kit-Kat and recording my reaction as I went to my draw to find it bursting with Kit-Kats you, Jeremy and Margaret had planted during my leave. Good one……. The short time we knew each other has etched itself my memory and I will never forget you. I’ll remember forever the “Yellow Card” you gave me. I will remember the sushi you brought in to work on your birthday. I will remember and always be inspired by the passion you showed for work, life and family. I will remember your smile. I will remember your giggle. I will always remember our little “Buttercup”. “David” (or should I say Dean)