I recall there were some issues with graduating with his MSEE right up to the point that I met him–or else he was still talking about his interactions with the head office there. . His university was Virginia Tech and he had been hired for his first job at Texas Instruments. I think he told me that he had flown out to a couple other places to interview–Florida perhaps and maybe Dayton.
My understanding is that he had an apartment first, then may have had the opportunity to transfer to a different part of TI where the work was in McKinney. So, his parents helped finance a house that was within walking distance of work. Imagine if you will, the future Kurt, who is “Married with Children” whose wife walks with the children to stand across the road waiting for him to come home FOR LUNCH. He walks to his home for lunch with the family and returns to work. Repeat at the end of the work day. Family comes to greet you, shading their eyes to see a tiny figure leave the distant building to come home for the day. So Leave It to Beaver of an existence. We loved it. But these pix are before we knew each other existed.
One of his favorite stories to recount when the owner was showing the house, was when he took Kurt around the side outside the master bedroom and pointed to a tree. “Know what kinda tree that is?” he asks Kurt. In his best “southern drawl” Kurt replies, ” Why, I do think that’s a magnolia.” Man: “That’s right. Most damn Yankees don’t know a thing about it.”
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- New homeowner
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- Sreet views
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- Gate to the backyard and to sliding doors to family room
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- An alley ran behind the houses. Peace roses.
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- Really into the wolfman look then
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- The parlor facing the street
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- 1960’s orange kitche-loved it
I visited Kurt twice at that house. Once in the summer of 1984 and then the spring of 1992. In 1984, it was his “bachelor pad”. In 1992, it was Kurt and Sue’s family home with kids. Quite the difference watching as my High School buddy was now a happily married family man. He’d grown up, I don’t think I ever did but it didn’t matter, I felt at home both times. The 1984 summer heat was unreal. I remember getting into the car to go to the F-1 race. The car was in the garage and when I got in, I complained on how hot it was. Kurt didn’t say anything, he knew it was only going to get hotter that day. It did! At the end of the day when he pulled into the garage and closed the door, I remember getting out and it felt like the A/C system was on! Kurt just gave me one of his looks that said, ” Well? Now do you understand?”. I also remember asking why all the houses and buildings were mostly one story. One word, Heat! Then the explanation as usual with Kurt and I learned some more from Kurt. Dr. Dunkum had been right all those years ago!