As always I own nothing, make no money from this and bow before the genius that is Chuck Lorre, Bill Prady and all of the writers, actors and crew that bring the TBBT to life. Thank you.
Bring out the dancing bear, again.
Having weathered yet another public flogging, I was surprised when Dr. Blake asked me to attend this years donors reception. Apparently my presence had been requested by several of the University's wealthier patrons, so the invitation was really just notification that I was going. Dr. Blake softened this by pointing out that all of the bears would be dancing, not just me. Besides it gave me a chance to try out one of the new suits Sasha had talked me into buying.
The event was held in the Provost library which generally held up to 50 people and had plenty of tables for the buffet items. I was fashionably late and was approached by Dr. Blake as soon as I had taken off my coat (Pasadena is chilly in February but nothing like I was used to from New Jersey). Shaking my hand he began to lead me thru the crowd to one distinguished looking woman accompanied by a much younger woman dressed in business attire and with a shocking head of red hair (the piercing light blue eyes were disconcerting but that my have been because I was attracted to her).
I was introduced to Mrs. Latham and a Ms. Jerry Massey. Jerry extended and shook my hand. Mrs. Latham went right on the attack asking what I turned on first thing when I reached my lab. I knew her by reputation so I had done my homework. I let her know I turned on the helium neon laser she bought indirectly with her generous donation 2 years ago. I admitted turning on the coffee pot next because the laser needs time to warm up. I told her I then dusted of the workbench I intended to mount the new cryogenic centrifugal pump and molecular sieves, I was hoping she would donate this year, so I could use it for Liquid Xenon Purification in order to better detect gamma rays. I never got to the next sentence. She turned to Dr. Blake and told him I was as sharp as he had promised. She then did a surprising thing when she started to reaching toward me and asked permission to remove my glasses. I closed them tight and felt the glasses lift from my face. I then felt a soft touch along the scar and then on the fleshy fold on the right side of my eye. With equal delicacy she placed the glasses back on my face. She admitted that after hearing all about me she was interested to see how much was hype and how much was real. She also admitted to having me checked out to see if the "black" helicopter stories could be true. I told her that all I could say was that I was doing University authorized work for the DOD and was not at liberty to say anything. She smiled and turned to her companion to let her know we were to go mingle while she discussed things with Henry. He actually blushed.
Jerry and I wandered thru the party, meeting and greeting various donors and mingling with my fellow academics. Jerry did not say much just politely introduced herself to those presented. I did notice that she listened intently to the conversation but seldom participated. On one of our walks to the bar she stopped and took hold of my left hand. I realized then she was checking out the slightly tinged skin, smooth finger tips, and my lack of hair on my hand right up to the wrist. Waiting for a comment she instead just released my hand and ordered 2 long island ice teas from the bartender. She then steered me over two adjacent chairs and signaled me to sit. The offer was brief, the R&D division for one of Mrs. Latham's companies had run into serious problems with disruptive personnel, dead ended projects, and had no profitable designs in almost 2 years. They wanted me to take it over. I was stunned but immediately declined.
I told her that my successes were due to a small group of people with common goals but diverse interests. People came and people left. The success of my associates had nothing to do with me and everything to do with the group. She looked doubtful and told me that they had interviewed multiple groups working on projects around the University and while most thought i had little or no impact on their performance everyone they did credit with furthering their particular project was somehow tied into someone in my group or orbiting one of the members of my group. I again told her that my skills were in research not management. Instead I said that she needed to have a study done of the department before and after it had started to falter and see what events caused the decline in creativity. What she needed was a business person with a sociology background. Do not approach it as a human failure but as a environmental issue. She asked for more information but I told her most of what I told her were observations made by Dr. Yu in the sociology department. He and I had discussed how a toxic workplace could destroy a business and being a good speaker Dr. Yu had kept me interested long enough to give me a feel for what he was trying to do.
Jerry had a thoughtful look on her face and I then told her that instead of hiring Dr. Yu away from the University she may want to consider having the university study their problem child and offer internships to students in Dr. Yu classes to be his eyes on site. Once the problem(s) were identified and resolve her company would already have a pool of experts already familiar with the company that could be hired to maintain the environment needed to succeed. She stood up and thanked me. While the evening had not gone as she had planned, she found the end results very interesting.
Dr. Blake had come toward me as soon as Jerry had walked away. Apparently he had been appraised of Ms. Massey's agenda and had told Mrs. Latham that I would not leave the University because I enjoyed being around the students and interacting with fellow academics. She had bet I would take the money. I saw Jerry talking with Mrs. Latham with many a furitive look my way. Mrs. Latham had called one of the wait staff to her and set him on a task.
She then signaled us to come over. I was invited to dine with her on Sunday to discuss the funding I needed. I agreed and was told that her driver would pick me up at 7. Henry on the other hand got handed a black velvet bag that contained a bottle. He slid it out and his eyes lit up. It was not what he expected because the bag was only used by connoisseurs to transport expensive bottles. Held in his hand was a single malt scotch, casked in 1958 by the Macallan distillery. It was the perfect gift for a Scotch drinker. Dr. Blake was an avid fan. He looked to Mrs. Latham and before he could talk she told him that his arranging their meeting was worth that and a lot more. She then told him there was a case in it for him if "worderboys" plan worked. Saying goodnight she then took hold of Jerry's arm and went to thank the Provost and his family for a wonderful evening.
My dinner the next night with her was actually very enjoyable. We did talk about her funding a new lab for the physics department, but we also talked about some other requests she had received from other departments at CalTech.
She appreciated my candor and eventually our conversation turned from work to private life. She told me that she had grown up in Detroit and had come to California to become a movie star. That did not go well but she did get steady work as an extra for MGM. She told of the system where the studios owned the contracts of the people that worked for them and would lend out their stars for the right incentive. Then she had met Mr. Latham. He was smitten at first sight and began to woo her in the grandest fashion. She admitted marrying him for the money, but over the years developed a genuine fondness for him. When he had started showing the first stages of dementia he had wanted to be institutionalized. She refused and remodeled the sun room near the library into his new bedroom. It was always well lit during the day, and if the sundowners was particular bad they would move to the hot house and she would read the business news to him. He was never alone and those that cared for him when she was not there were well paid. It was a very rough time but she had never wavered. I was so moved by this story that I had walked over to her and offered my handkerchief. She dabbed here eyes and we decided to call it a night. On the ride home she admitted that her original interest in me was my remarkable likeness to a boy she had dated in her youth. If he had only had money what would have happened. I told her that that would have been a shame because the path she chose impacted so many lives positively that any other choice would have been a waste. She leaned forward and kissed me. I asked if it was for the one that go away. No she had said it was for the enjoyable evening.
In an aside 2 years later I heard from Jerry in the form of a check for $75k for consultancy fees. Apparently their R&D department was "doing the math". Dr. Blake got his case of Scotch, he told me he got the better deal.
Mrs. Latham and I had dinner twice a year. Always at the same restaurant and always on the same date. I found out later that one was her birthday and one was her anniversary. I only missed dinner with her twice in the next 12 years and both were because I was in jail for killing Sheldon.