Slightly worn shoes. Long pants and legs that seemed to reach the sky. Always a shirt with buttons from his belly to his smile. Funny that he seemed so high up because once you reached the top button, occasionally adorned with a super cute bowtie, you could look up and see every detail within his kind eyes outlined by rectangular spectacles. Not those thin wiry ones, but the thick black ones with bushy eyebrows peeking just above the frames that struggled to contain a man curious of everything. His smile was always worn with a hint of mischief. He was majestic to watch. With big eyes peering around the hallway corners, I remember stretching around to watch and listen to him speak of wonders I'd yet to see and ideas I'd yet to know. He seemed a magician, for he could turn a person's face from mystery to delight. I often wished I could grab on to his coattails and secretly follow him throughout his days of adventures. The way he strode through corridors, greeting everyone as if they were all his very good friends, he seemed one of the most important wizards I'd ever seen. I remember sneaking into his office and finding books stacked so high I couldn't see where they stopped. I couldn't hide my look of wonder and amazement. Much to my surprise, this tall lanky man with a sweater, fuzzy eyebrows and a few hairs on either side of his head asked if I wanted to see any of the books. I was a bit shy but taken aback by such a man having interest in a little kid like me. He seemed so important that it was like having your hero stop everything to speak to you. I remember this being the first of many meetings with Bert. He was always Bert to me. Never Mr. Kaplan. Never Professor or Doctor so and so, just Bert. As I got older we would trade stories of school, grades, friends, religion, world cultures, politics and anything else we could find. I remember his curiosity being contagious and I loved him for it. I couldn't believe there was someone else in the world as curious as me! I will miss him greatly but I will forever remember the magical spark he places within me. I will take his stories and his curiosity with me wherever I go in this life. Thanks Bert, for keeping magic alive! 

-Stacy Keast

(daughter of Nancy Colvin)