I think Nick has been in our lives for the last 15 years but it almost feels like he was always there. Nick Angel. Nick the Angel. With his skinny body and halo of phenomenal white hair, Nick was anything but an angel.  Enigma yes!  Angel no!

I think Nick was a bad boy before we knew him.  For sure Nick was a bad boy while we knew him.  He didn't fit the boxes. It was not for nothing that Nick called his dog Trouble. They were both trouble. Nick and Trouble cruised the roads of Givat Haim – slowly – and then later very slowly (Trouble having filled out on her diet of salami, cheese and chocolate.) The two of them were as unkempt and as scruffy as each other.

Despite the grumpy exterior, Nick could be perfectly charming, in fact really endearing – with that gently affectionate "Hello my love" of his, almost as though in some way you had a place in his heart. As for his heart, I think it was mostly occupied by Gareth, Ayelet, Daniel Nate and Brit.  They adopted him and I shall always be grateful and touched by the family who included that grumpy old man and this grumpy old woman (Liz) in Friday night Blob sessions.

Besides his occasional charm, he also had a very slushy sentimental spot – he adored animals –but very few people, postcards – and woe betide if you went abroad and didn't send him one – I got the ice treatment on a few occasions (Africa post being very slow and all that), his gold necklace which was lost and found, his lighter and CD collection – and  trivia quizzes.  I think his birthday quiz in the pub was a triumph, but I still got iced because it was delayed. He loved Toblereone if it came from Switzerland, but not the mini market one and X-Cel which was dependable – because it was Abigail's responsibility. And of course life was no life without a carton of his trusty green Noblesse.

Oh yes – his plastic grandmother in the rocking chair which we inadvertently broke when cleaning his room one very memorable and fateful day. Again the icy treatment with a hurricane included.

Night guarding he took with a deadly seriousness, by keeping "undesirables" including kibbutzniks and kibbutz workers at bay, and we can't forget his very special connection to kibbutz security management.

And finally of course, music!  The Music of the 50s and 60s that he was forever quizzing us on – Bobby Darrin, Roy Orbison, Paul Anka. Yesterday I was sorting out his discs trying to decide which song to play for him today. Finally I came across a singer that we always argued about. Neil Diamond. Nick loved him. I hated him.  With the exception of one song – we both agreed on – "Caroline" (which we will now play for you and him).

His old Kalnoa is currently parked in my garden.

And every time I pass it, I can see Nick lurched almost diagonally across the double seat, cigarette dangling ash in one hand, while the other hand pulls down his face as though trying to tear off the mask, waiting patiently for his Saturday morning coffee and the chance to test us on his latest trivia question or hold forth on the latest misguided kibbutz policy, with that piercing black humour, while his blue-blue eyes twinkle.

So long, Easy Rider.

היה איש

והוא הלך בתוכנו

עניו וצנוע היה

ונחבא אל הכלים,

צולע

עם כלב ישן מרוט

וסיגריה בפה.

כאילו העולם

ויתר עליו

זה מכבר.

ואז…

איש טוב דאג לו לעבודה

ואישה יפה –

לבית חם

וראה כי טוב.

והוא מת

זיוה רום