Like me, Jon was a contrarian.

He delighted in taking a position in opposition, just to see how it created that positive tension he so relished.  And inevitably get to a better, more informed, maybe even risk-free place.  Whether that was in debates about movies (we really connected on John Wick), the minimum requirements of utility in footwear*, the secret of good relationships, perspectives on life's curveballs, approaches to business... He most recently tried to take semiotic issue with my insistence on the colour orange as the corporate colour of my new business. God love him.

As a lifelong advocate for the humble consumer, I was once in a business meeting with Jon among others, holding forth about the consumer-under-siege on a tech strategy matter.  

Jon politely let me finish, sat back, arched a brow and casually unpinned a grenade to roll it before me:

'F**k the consumer!'

From that day Jon was always 'f**k the consumer' to me - or FTC (for those who blush).

At a certain age, I believe each of us develops a voice in our head: that person who has earned the right to be the at-once both irritating and essential tap on the shoulder from a better devil you know.  The voice which challenges our assumptions, questions our logic, offers an entirely reasonable and consistently incisive counter view.  

FTC became that voice for me.

I ask myself 'What would Jon say?'

Jon always has an answer.

Jon is not gone.

He remains in my head.

As loud, brilliant and necessary as ever. 

*He would have both loved and hated the shoes I wore to his remarkable send off yesterday.

Just for you big guy.

Scroggalogadingdong