[fraserphysics]

Tracy Kidder's father and grandfather (Henry M. and Henry M. Jr.) were partners in the law firm that's now Seward and Kissel. My great grandfather was a partner in the firm when he died in 1935. I've heard that everyone liked and admired my great grandfather. The Kidders took care of his descendants for the next say 65 years. In 1977 when I got a Bachelors degree in Physics, HMK Jr. wrote a will for me. We met at the Seward and Kissel office to get it signed and notarized, and HMK Jr. took me to lunch at a fancy club downtown. After some martinis, he told me that there'd been two generations of losers in my family, and that everyone thought with my degree in Physics, I could pick up the mantle.

Then he said that he wished his son, Tracy, had an interest in real science like me. When I asked what Tracy was doing, Henry described a silly project of hanging out with computer engineers.

I enjoyed "The Soul of a New Machine" when it came out. I always hoped that I could meet Tracy someday. I guess not. He did great work, I hope his father learned to be proud.