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what we expected, but is a beautiful gifting all the
same. Examples of these characteristics will be seen
in the following stories.
An amazing number of times someone will approach
me at Church, in a grocery store, or out in the
community and tell me how touched he or she
is to receive a card with a note in Keaton’s unique
handwriting. It could be in response to an illness,
a death in the family, or congratulations on an
achievement or event; maybe it is just because he is
thinking of them. He truly cares and is interested in
other people.
When there is to be a cook-out or a party of any
kind in our neighborhood he is more than willing to
make out one of his famous lists, and to contact each
person. Often times he places a remittance time limit
so he can keep track of responses, and can do a follow
up call or visit if he has not heard from them. He
considers himself co-hosting an event if he does the
inviting. He is especially fond of picnics and cook-
outs at his home. He does not always acknowledge
the monetary cost and actual work which such things
involve.
Today, for example, as my husband and I were taking
a coffee break at the YMCA a former teacher stopped
to talk with us. He told us that Keaton was “on stage”
this evening. When I looked somewhat confused, he
said that Keaton was to speak to his wife’s psychology
class at Radford University, something Keaton has
done each semester for several years. The former
teacher went on to tell us that he and his wife had
received a letter last week from Keaton. In his letter