Vale Dean Dowling

Found out this evening of the sudden death of an acquaintance.
He worked as a guard at my workplace for several years along with a team of other regulars who I'd see every day I worked. Some I'd got to know better than others - Dean was one of the more outgoing ones.
I only ever knew him as "Dean". He knew me as "mate". We'd say our "G'day" and "See ya later" interspersed with short conversations about the usual topics people share in passing: the weather, football. This was always the Australian variety; so those particular exchanges were always one-sided as I know nothing about the game. I could not hold a conversation, while Dean was an avid AFL fan and a Richmond supporter. During these conversations I'd just smile, nod and agree, unless I'd picked up the odd relevant bit of information that morning from the ABC Sports news.  A former supervisor of mine was also a Richmond fan so I remembered this as Richmond supporters seem to be a fairly rare species at work. The other frequent topic of conversation Dean and I shared concerned Dean's involvement with a local Wombat-care voluntary organisation. I used to buy two of their calendars each year from Dean. One I would hang on my wall in my office and the other I'd give to my daughter.
Dean was a cheerful, chirpy, helpful and friendly little bloke. He died suddenly on 6 May and I will miss him. He was six months older than me.