TRAITS

Reminiscences and memoirs comprise a special kind of fiction with lies and boasts unavoidable. The latter were disgusting for A. D. to an extent that leaves no room for envying the authors who provide their written recollections about A. D. It happened so that I had a privilege and honor of constant communication with A. D. from the end of the 1970s up to his death. Writing reminiscences is by far much easier after many years' elapsing. However, my elder friends had managed to convince me to reflect some details of the Siberian period of A. D.'s life.

I have many opportunities of writing about A. D. in the traditional (and not fully traditional) forms of scientific publicism. I am happy that he never reproached me for this, and so I guess that I may skip the task of surveying his scientific contribution. Many events in which I observed A. D. and sometimes participated in secondary roles were not so long ago as to become an impartial history. Not all of them deserve inspecting over for revival and plunging into once again. Perusing my personal archives, I decided to select just a few items reflecting those traits of A. D.'s personality that were revealed in our contacts.

I will be glad if the lessons of A. D.'s life help someone to hold on or to settle some pending crisis as they have readily done for me...