The famous mid-twentieth century philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein noted that signs are not self-interpretive.  We have to be taught by a community of interpreters that to stick out one's hand is a form of greeting.  Any foreigner who has attempted to navigate the British Isles will probably agree with his claim; and incidentally, Wittgenstein emigrated from Austria to teach in the philosophy department at Cambridge.

          On the door frame to Van's office hangs a peculiar sign: it is a round circle with the word "tuit" inside.  This particular sign allows for at least three readings.  (1) It could say "around to it" as in "I'll do it when I get around to it." (2) It could also be read to say "into it" as in "I'm really into it".  Finally, (3) it could say "intuit" as in "I am an intuitive thinker".  Since this sign is located at a significant place--that is, at the entrance to his office--perhaps it might reveal something about Van if we consider his life in its light.  To that purpose, I propose to call to mind events that occurred during our family reunion on the Greek Island of Santorini.

          By all accounts, it was a fine Greek summer night!  Jim had spent the evening informing me of the various visible constellations, and it came time to rest from the day's activities.  Van, Grandie, Tim, Katie, and I, occupied one of the two villas our family had rented.  Jim, Peggy, and my parents were in the other. I was simply too excited to sleep and this proved to be a blessing, for had Morpheus visited me I would not have been able to tell you what happened next.  Around midnight, I heard the soft shuffle of feet heading for the bathroom.  Then I heard a dull thud and, subsequently, a prolonged groan emanating from the vicinity of the bathroom.  After having completed the pressing task, the person with the shuffling feet returned, though I could not tell to which bedroom.  The morning revealed the following evidence: a blood-stain with three hairs stuck on the top post of the door to the bathroom.  To this day, I have been unable to ascertain the owner of the three hairs.

          They must have impressed Van, however, because by mid-day the top-posts of every door had been marked with balloons and/or a piece of paper hanging down, serving as an effective warning to those wishing to go through it unharmed. This simple solution to a potentially painful problem displays the distinguishing features of the same person who installed an early warning system for visitors arriving by car at 3470 Waynoka Avenue, one of the first home alarms systems on the block, and an automatic lawn watering system.  In short, it is vintage Van.

          Aside from also being a sign at the top of a door-post, the round circle with the words "intuit" inside can help us identify aspects of Van's character displayed in his solution.  (1) Not daring to tempt the Fates further, Van got "around to it" and made solving the problem a pressing order of the day.  (2) Once arrived at, the solution was implemented throughout the entire house by someone who must have been really "into it." And (3) the solution displays the ability to predict future events and the willingness to work with material at hand, both hallmarks of "intuitive" thinking.  This, then, is my conclusion: Van is someone who gets "a round tuit."