Gorillas and Wine

Bob Jachino was nervous pretty much all the time. 

He was CEO of Bowmar/Noble, a publisher I worked for early in my career. Bob was not the most popular guy in our group. What he could claim was a wonderful secretary, Laureen, who was determined to help him celebrate his birthday.   

She located a company that supplied costumed characters, including gorillas, that could be rented for special occasions. Laureen figured it would be perfect.   

On the big day, she met the gorilla at the front door and led him upstairs, while the rest of the staff watched. Jachino sat in an executive chair with his back turned, talking on the telephone. Laureen backed off and nodded to the gorilla, who approached Jachino’s chair and began making gorilla sounds.  

Jachino whirled his chair around, eyes wide with fright, and kicked him in the chest. The last we saw of the gorilla, he was limping out the front door, head under his arm.

I have to give Jachino credit for another occasion. He held a banquet in honor of some sales goal or other. A secret Anglophile, he started the evening with his version of Noel Coward songs. Later, when he woke us up, he congratulated the group on meeting our sales goal. Then he ended by raising his glass and barking, “We salute you!”

Next we enjoyed a delicious dinner, followed by something most of us had never tried: Chateau d’Yquiem, a very expensive sauterne wine considered by some to be the finest wine in the world. For years after that, Yvonne and I exchanged bottles of Chateau d’Yquiem on special occasions, followed by “We salute you!”  

Whenever we did, we would remember Bob Jachino, the nervous, slightly crazy CEO. I wonder whatever happened to that guy.