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ASML Executive, Thunderstruck by Malaysian Plane Tragedy

On a flight out of San Diego, I spoke to Claus, first, I’m sure.  I don’t know what precisely about him said to me that it was OK for me to break the ice with a little conversation.  He had a friendly air, even though he appeared engaged with work on board the cross-country flight to Newark, New Jersey, where I would was to connect to my flight to long awaited, romanticized, and idealized PARIS.  He was busy being productive, clicking screens, texting with the air of business drive.  We were seated in the business section, after all.  So I felt compelled to write about my departure and surroundings, noting every fluctuation in group mood and seat mate’s work flow.  Charts and graphs, very important looking, lit up his lap-top screen.  I watched him work with growing fascination.  Taking a few notes about, “productivity,” and “dynamic people,” inspired by watching Claus blaze from file to file, taking in what looked like highly complex information, at a super quick rate.  I’m always curious about fellow travelers.  Yet, I don’t always engage others in conversation.  This was special.

He was wearing the black sports uniform of an affluent man.  He looked ready for a run in any of San Diego’s frightfully exclusive neighborhoods.  I felt an instant kinship with this man.  He being a “Road Warrior,” as I am well acquainted with his ilk of being constantly going, moving, creating, leading, and facing the ups and downs that life hurls at us all.  My husband is such a man and this man’s energy was much like that of my beloved Dr. Hartmuth C. Kolb.

In our initial banter, Claus made the following comment: “The stock market is where the world decides what is important.”  He was referring to his company’s performance as a world leader in high-tech semi-conductor business (forgive me if I failed to understand Claus’s business exactly, I’m sure that there will be corrections made to this initial draft, thank you for understanding).  His savvy comment really got my full attention.  I enjoy (for conversations sake) a good, solid blanket statement! I thought to myself, “What an interesting person!  I’d like to know more about him,” Thus began an unofficial, off-the-record interview with this tall, fit, senior executive at ASML.

I asked:

“How old were you when you built your first computer?”

In a blink and with a boyish smile, “Eight!” He answered and then his grin broadened and he said, “but it did not work!” with a laugh, he continued… “I just loved building things, taking things apart.”  We both laughed appreciating the beautify of assembling and disassembling, creating and erasing.

Then I asked Claus,

“So how old were you when you built your first working computer?”

“Over 18, in college, it was an assignment or something… but that was easy, by then I really had a sense for how these machines worked.”  Listening to him a felt a familiar rush of admiration, because I have nothing but affection and respect for intelligent people, the ones that invest their youth in learning, becoming social leaders and thereby providing jobs, products, and services to the world.

So, feeling this way, I asked him, “What three acts define you?”

Easily he answered, “One is building machines, the second is exercise/sports/fitness, the third is fuzzy… but clearly, his relationship to wife and child… filled the plane with warmth for his work, recreation, and family.  I felt myself to be in the company of a man much like my adorable husband. Therefore, I mentioned to Claus, that he reminded me of my Dreamboat.  They have much in common since my husband built his first working computer at age 18, while in the army, inside his private locker, for relaxation.  Ha!

Then I asked him, on a lark, “IF you were to get a tattoo what would it be?”

“I’d want a crude dagger henna tattoo, noting permanent!”  We both laughed again at his quick reply.

Then he gave me a HOT San Diego Tip: Go to Whole Foods in Del Mar at 1pm on Saturday, during the Del Mar racing season, which is now, and prepared to be amazed by all the BEAUTIFUL WOMEN!

Being that I love looking, I made a note of that and everything else Claus said.  He was funny, entertaining and then he went on, “These are not first wives…”  Hah!  “This are the second and third wives, the Mistresses, they are AMAZING!”  I thought, “WOW!  I really have to make a point of seeing this spectacle of fine females on parade while organic grocery shopping in one of Souther California’s most desirable locations.

“You know how you can tell that they are second and third wives, not the first time around?”  He asked me.  I answered, “Because they are way too beautiful to be affordable by young men, these are the trophy wives of the triumphant males.”  He seemed even more amused that I was not under any illusions about the facts of youthful beauty and its exulted status among those that can command dreams and shape the world to fit their fancies.  We laughed a little more, savoring the fact of knowing a thing or two about life and yet not feeling cynical about our own lives, observing the patterns of others.  Then he went on, “They say that the first wife is for love, the second for hope over experience, the third is a choice between rental and retail.”  Again we chuckled, because we have in common knowing these facts to be true for many, yet not having fallen for the social traps, since we are both happily married to our one-and-only first spouses with whom we have our respective children, a source of pride and outstanding joy.

Thus, he told me of his son’s computer building antics and the boy’s delight at bossing father, Claus, around.

I enjoyed every second of our jovial conversation.  Yet, just as we were parting, having turned on our phones to communicate with the world, Claus’s entire demeanor changed.  The Malaysia Airlines flight had some of his companies’ employees on it.  Claus was immediately crushed by the news.  I was there to witness his sudden encounter with life’s bitter, cruel, edge… taking notes and talking come naturally to me.  This person’s pain hurts me, too, and brings home the fact that we are all connected, involved, and politically intertwined ONE people of the world, wherever our location our lives are intertwined with those of others, around the world, through commerce and culture.

I send condolences to the Dutch people (I have family in Amsterdam).  I send condolences to all those affected by this senseless tragedy.