> "Dave Wallace was not only a great writer. He was a great man; a funny, witty, wise man with a unique personality.
>
> I had him as my professor for Creative Writing Fiction at this time last year. I went through my old writing folder earlier and came across a story I submitted to our class for review on 9/12/07. It’s overwhelming to think that it was the beginning of his last year of life.
>
> He wore his bandana to class daily and was often wearing a tie-dyed Lord of the Rings shirt. It suited his awkward genius in a perfect way.
>
> It was a class of 10 and we all became close to him and to each other. In May, when I needed a recommendation letter, he wrote me one in two days, completely forgiving my inability to give him a time frame.
>
> When I sent him a reminder letter:
> Hey Dave,
> You told me to email you to remind you to write that letter. Here it is!
> That didn’t seem like sufficient content for an email though, so I thought about attaching a picture of a puppy, but then I didn’t.
> Kelly
>
>
> His response:
> K: The letter’s done and in the weird plastic box outside my door. Go pick it up ASAP — and don’t read it; just trust that it’s supportive. /dw/
>
> INCLUDED A PICTURE OF A PUPPY!
>
> I’ll always remember Dave telling us on the first day of class that it will take him time to learn our names, but that once he has, he will remember who we are for the rest of his life. Longer than we remember him.

(Dalla mailing list Wallace-l)