The Genuineness of Claude

I love Claude's sense of humor. The above photo and the note of "appreciation," which appeared on the back of the photograph, give us an idea of his humor upon his retirement from Questar. Moreover, it demonstrates that Claude is not afraid to be himself. He is comfortable with himself and who he is becoming. In a world where many things are fake, Claude is very genuine. He is without guile. Wonderfully I never have to second guess his motives or his desires--what you see is what you get with Claude.

Claude was not afraid to be himself when he was directing a session of a family investment club. The club lasted for a few years, from the late 1990s through the early 2000s, and included a monthly meeting to discuss stocks in which the family might invest. One particular stock caught Claude's attention like no other. His excitement of the stocks history and potential success elicited this response from him: "Great guns in the morning!" It was a classic line that included waving arms and profound study of the stock with bifocals locked onto the stock sheet. Meanwhile, the rest of the family enjoyed a great chorus of laughter. Claude did not mind the guffaws, he enjoyed the experience like the rest of us.

Finally, an aspect of Claude's genuineness is his gratitude. He frequently expresses his gratitude to me for the small amount that I do for him. He expresses his gratitude for doing yard work at his home, for helping him get some food at a family party, for helping his wife, or for simply visiting or being with him. His example of gratitude is worth following.
--Matt Crawford