Steve and the Crazy Man

Everyone is reminiscing on their Steve Jobs stories. I have one to share too, but unlike the others, it's more about what didn't happen.

One little known fact is that I used to work at Apple, back when it was Apple Computer. I was a software engineer working for the International Text Group (ITG). I had been an Apple fanboy since I was a wee lad and this was pretty much a dream come true. I learned a ton: font formats, typography and daylight savings time just scratched the surface. Working at Apple was awesome.

(Sidenote: The reason why I try to keep this on the down-low is that people assume that since I worked at Apple and was a computer programmer, that someone how I could fix their computer. Does anyone ask the worker dishing up fries at McDonald's how to plant potatoes? How about asking a plumber about doing a colonoscopy? Do you have a problem with your computer? I might be able to help, but your best bet is to ask the Chipmunkgeek .)

Anyways, onto my encounter with Steve. I was leaving the office late one night. In those days, the ITG was located right above a top-secret area where a lot of top-secret secrets were kept very top-secretly. I knew it was top-secret because you needed a special key card to open the door to the area and everyone that entered into the area would do the "is-a-crazy-man-following-me" look-around before entering. Steve was waiting in the lobby right outside of the door to the top-secret area that evening. As I came out the elevator, I saw him fiddling with the iMac that they had on a desk for people to sign-in.

You know that crazy man that they're always looking for before they go into the top-secret area? At this point, I became that man. I thought to myself: "Hey, there's Steve Jobs! What if I went up to him and just started punching him in his face!?" I was seriously insane. It got even better worse. The crazy man continued: "Man, I'd be famous! I'd get on Slashdot and MacWorld." Fortunately, the conversation in my slowly-becoming-sane mind took a turn for the better:"Then I'd get arrested. I'd get fired. I'd spend a lot of time in court. Man, I'm hungry. I just want to get something to eat." So I quickly walked by Steve. I left him with his face intact; he left me with my life unscathed.

So there's my brush with greatness. Thanks Steve! Because of you I have no memories of going to court or spending time in jail.