My minister just sent me this quote, and it really reflects how I feel. Maybe it would be helpful to some of Bevan's other friends.

Words of John of Chrysontom:

He whom we love and lose
is no longer where he was before.
He is now wherever we are

— Becky

Hi. I am a friend from Bevan's childhood. I am not able to come to Bevan's funeral, and I would be grateful if you could share this Bevanism with his friends and family.

Three years ago during one of his visits home for the holidays, my brother and I hung out with Bevan at a local Toys R Us. We went with the idea of looking to get a present for my brother's son, but of course had our own agendas. This would not be the first time my brother and I went to a toy store with Bevan. We looked at a lot of toys and videogames, and talked a lot about toys and videogames. This was an often visited conversation for us. Looking back, I think this was a way for us to talk about the future. An optimistic utopia that each of us hoped for, and in some ways made for ourselves. Essentially, I think toys and videogames came out of a shared desire for the good life.

Bevan, my brother and I walked by some scooters, the kind with two wheels and a handlebar. "I have one of those," Bevan said. "I ride mine when I go to Boston. Out East, people ride these things in their offices. You should get one. You need one." His eyes twinkled.

A side note: at this time I had just gotten my dream job at an internet consultancy doing interactive design, and I was still getting used to the professional world, a world I feared would make me dull. I must add that I would not have gotten the job if it were not for Bevan's help and advise.

Anyway, I went home with a new scooter.

The following week, I brought my new scooter into my office. It was not so much a toy, but a practical mode of transportation. So I said to myself. My office was the product of the dot-com boom, which meant that it was big. Big floors, big ceilings, big ducts. Bevan would have approved. The scooter was actually very handy. What would take an unassisted biped 5 minutes to walk to the other side of the building, I could do in 2. Needless to say, my productivity increased by significant amount. Who was I kidding? This was fun. And I had Bevan to thank for this.

A couple months went by, and the scooter got much use. My co-workers would borrow it from time to time. It brought us great pleasure, which was much needed during this time when our dot-com world was just beginning to crumble. Then the day came when my CFO stopped me gliding past him down the hallway. "WALK this way," he said, pulling me with his index finger into his office. "Do you think this is a playground? How old are you? You can't bring that thing in here anymore." His eyes were red. He made me feel awful. In hindsight, I think anger displacement was at work. At any rate, the scooter was no more.

The irony of the situation is not lost on me. This was a job that I got with the help of Bevan's advise. And this was a job that I nearly lost through Bevan's advise. I always smile thinking about this.

I did not get fired. I am an art director now, doing very much the same thing Bevan did. Like Bevan, I strive for excellence in my work and my career. And like Bevan, I will continue to talk about toys and videogames. His influence on my life continues.

Thanks for everything, Bevan.

— George