Years ago, my employer and I went to New York on business. During the trip, I invited my oldest friend to dinner, who I always considered to be the smartest fellow on Wall Street, Mike Metz.
Mike was an affluent fellow, certainly an understatement, who himself was understated, generally opting for the subway to work from his midtown home and carrying a simply manila envelope as a brief. My employer, as we used to say in my family, was one of the nouveau riche, and according to Mike Metz defined Oscar Wilde’s definition of a cynic, knowing the price of everything and value of nothing. However, my employer was never smart of to be cynic; a chameleon yes, as he could “cozy” up to any prospect or client and seal the deal.
At dinner, my employer pulled up his jacket and showed off his new $20,000+ watch, point out that he got a “great deal on it.” Mike, with the proverbial wry smile, pulled up his sleeve and proudly said, “This is my Co-RUM [with great emphasis on the last syllable; I got for $10 from a vendor in front of Gucci’s.” A $20k watch might have represented part of a week’s income from my modest friend, however, my employer went on about his homes and other acquisitions until Mike nodded to me.
Several months later, I left the firm I was with at time. This all comes to mind because I read an article discussing my former employer and his new coop in New York, quite pricey.
I was reminded of better times when society wore neither their wealth nor their religions on their sleeves.
