Une Envie de Sel

In continuation of my recent trip down memory lane...
...this is my beloved (late) grandfather, known to friends as Jack. His real name was Dutch, long, and difficult to pronounce on American tongues. So Jack became his moniker, aka "The Captain". My grandfather was a unique, elegant and honorable man. And I should add that this is not how he normally dressed. This was a facetious photo. Jack was one of the most diligent, serious and thoughtful men I've ever known. His personal style was much more pared-down and sober than this. Born in Holland, educated in England and Italy, he was an engineer and inventor who created one of the very first cooling systems for (then wall-sized) computers. He was a lifetime student of Buddhism, long before Buddhism became popular in the Western world. A fan of beautiful cars, ham radios, and winemaking . A devoted philanthropist, dedicated family man, generous and solicitous employer, and pillar of every community he lived in. My grandfather took nothing lightly, and thought deeply about every issue he encountered. I remember him as gentle, handsome, stylish, soft-spoken, and constantly at work. He remains a legend to all those who remember him.