President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn visited Helsinki, Finland in July of 1997. And Keijo Paajanen was there to present the Man from Plains with a Vulcain Cricket –
The presentation took place at the Ambassador’s residence, the ambassador at that time being Derek Shearer who now works at Occidental College in Eagle Rock, California.
When I spoke with Keijo Paajanen back in 2012, he had some very fond memories of that day, and suffice it to say, it wouldn’t surprise me if Jimmy Carter’s picture took pride of place in Keijo’s home office in later years –
JH – Who was the most interesting President/Vice President you have presented a Vulcain watch to?
KP – That must be Jimmy Carter I met personally. He was such a nice person. I also met his lovely wife Rosalynn.
And when I think back on my conversations with Keijo, it only seems right that the encounter that stuck with him the most was meeting a man who days after he took a nasty spill, got a black eye and took 14 stitches…
was back building homes for the poor and the homeless. Truly this is public service. And he truly typifies the very best of what the US still represents to many of us, and clearly to what the US meant to Keijo and his father Jouko, and why they felt so passionately about presenting a Vulcain Cricket to every US President who visited Helsinki.
Jimmy Carter is clearly a man from a different time and generation. Rather than dictate to a secretary or personal assistant, he wrote his own thank-you letter!
Tune in next time, as the Cricket fails to land on the wrist of a US President, a new owner takes over, and 2 Vulcain Crickets find their way to President Barack Obama.