My relief and happiness that my friend Leilah came through surgery and has a positive initial prognosis has been tempered by receiving word that a friend from the UK died last Thursday.
Winston François was a wonderfully kind and generous man. I worked with him in sales support at Newbridge/Alcatel from 1998 to 2001. I never saw him in a flap nor did I ever hear him diss anyone—even when dissing was entirely called for.
I could go to Win for questions about customers or technologies and he always made time for me. He also cleared the way for me to speak with other technical staff.
When I first went over there in August of 1998 to go through the formal interview process, Win spent an evening taking me round estate agent offices in Reading to get an idea of what was available to rent. When I said the approach on this side of the pond was to go to an agency/landlord and state my requirements and ask what they have that meets it, he advised me (accurately, as it turns out) that over there you walk into an agent’s and ask, “Whatta ya got?”
I also remember him calming me down after one frustrating incident, telling me, “Horses for courses, [Bas Bleu], horses for courses.”
Win had a wife and five daughters. He built a conservatory onto their house by himself. He was one of the first to welcome me to the UK and one of the last to see me off. He was a terrific friend and I believe the world is darker for not having this smile in it any more.
Winston François was a wonderfully kind and generous man. I worked with him in sales support at Newbridge/Alcatel from 1998 to 2001. I never saw him in a flap nor did I ever hear him diss anyone—even when dissing was entirely called for.
I could go to Win for questions about customers or technologies and he always made time for me. He also cleared the way for me to speak with other technical staff.
When I first went over there in August of 1998 to go through the formal interview process, Win spent an evening taking me round estate agent offices in Reading to get an idea of what was available to rent. When I said the approach on this side of the pond was to go to an agency/landlord and state my requirements and ask what they have that meets it, he advised me (accurately, as it turns out) that over there you walk into an agent’s and ask, “Whatta ya got?”
I also remember him calming me down after one frustrating incident, telling me, “Horses for courses, [Bas Bleu], horses for courses.”
Win had a wife and five daughters. He built a conservatory onto their house by himself. He was one of the first to welcome me to the UK and one of the last to see me off. He was a terrific friend and I believe the world is darker for not having this smile in it any more.
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