I first met Gravdigr when he was receiving an honorary doctorate in Chemical Pharmacology from St Cross College, Oxford. He was being recognised for his work in drug discovery and delivered an introduction to his groundbreaking paper comparing and contrasting developments in both the American and Afghan fields, sponsored by Dunkin Donuts.
Obviously he was mobbed by both Fellows and Dons at the reception held afterwards, and which I admit I actually gatecrashed. Well, crashed into really. I managed to recognise him too, and we had a spirited discussion about whether he had any further ground that need breaking, and where I might discover some available grass in the field.
I separated him from the mob, for which he showed great appreciation, and also provided him with paper during a sticky situation in the Gents. He decided to blow that buffet, although I think that might have been the vol-au-vents. As a result the evening ended with both of us being pulled from the
bed of Isis, whence we had descended via the
Bird and Baby.
His connections had him released hours before me, so it was a sodden and stumbling Sundae mourning. I hope to see him again, from the moment of our separation I missed his gravity, his grace and the grand I lent him to further his studies into pharmacology.