A light rain didn't stop Brightview West End resident Paul E. from showing off his new, sleek, black Tesla. The inside still had that new car smell.
"I used to own a Prius," Paul began. "I owned a Jaguar Roadster before that. The Tesla does many things I can't do and is safe. It also has some of the technology I worked on throughout my electrical engineering career – at MIT, Bell Labs, Mitre, and COMSAT."
"Like the collision avoidance system you developed so planes stopped crashing into each other," his wife of almost 53 years, Jenny chimed in, proudly. She was working at Harvard, teaching elementary school students French for a research study, when they met in the 60’s.
Paul explained the request from the FAA to build the aircraft collision avoidance device and then talked about the three patents under his name.
“It is electrical engineering, modems, early computing devices,” continued Paul. “Math and physics based. And the technology has developed and improved. Most importantly, it keeps us safe in the car. It practically drives itself. It parks itself.”
He’s now studying gravity and the expansion of the universe, but quickly turned to another passion.
“I’ve played the French Horn after starting on the trumpet when I was young,” Paul added. “When we lived in Rockville and McLean, Virginia, I performed in many bands – the Rockville City Municipal Band, the Falls Church Band, the Main Street Band in Fairfax, and the D.C. Community Orchestra. Since we’ve lived at Brightview, I’ve played for residents during special monthly breakfasts – French Horns and French Toast – as well as in Wellspring Village™. I really enjoy it.”
Paul is also captivated by puzzles, especially the ones made with twisted nails or wrought iron.