Thinking back to my time at MIT, I am often struck by how generous you were with your time. You not only met with me regularly, but also read and commented on my drafts. You were always on time and always had lots of comments. I am forever thankful for how accommodating you were with my schedule (because I had to graduate before the summer). I remember fondly all the appointments Hamida and I had with you—thinking that we could argue with you on equal footing if there were the two of us against you.
I am honoured to have been your bodyguard in Beijing—despite of my size, I could still help you escape from the crowd (sometimes together with security and police escorts) and from all the people who were eager to take pictures with you. I also remember your 2011 visit to Leiden. We walked through the Van der Werf park and you patiently listened to my 9-year-old son explaining the siege of Leiden in the 16th century by the Spaniards. You probably also remember walking through a small street to a restaurant in Leiden when a cyclist yelled out: “Welcome to Leiden, Professor Chomsky!”
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