My Meeting with Fred Wilpon

The meeting had been on the schedule for weeks. I knew the when and where. I had about 50 reminders set up in my calendar at work.

Last Friday, Fred Wilpon came to meet with a representative from my company. Knowing he was coming (see above), I asked an assistant if it would be just terribly unprofessional if I were to find myself loitering around the reception area around the time of his arrival? A baseball fan herself, she said why don't I go out and escort Mr. Wilpon from the elevator bank?

She didn't have to ask twice. I accepted immediately and bounded out toward the elevators. His trip up to our floor took longer than expected, and I paced as I waited, wondering what I should say. I knew my time would be brief, but if there was one thing I could say to the owner of my beloved New York Mets, what would it be?

I resolved to compliment him on the brain trust he and Sandy Alderson had been putting together. I figured that was as unambiguously positive a thing as I could say, and that he'd probably appreciate the sentiment.

The elevator buzzed and out walked, spryly, an older gentleman in a crisp suit with a familiar face. There was no mistaking him.

"Mr. Wilpon?"

"Yes," he said energetically.

"I'm [A.F.O.M.G.], I'll escort you back to your meeting," I said as we shook hands.

"I'm sorry, one more time, your name?"

"[A.F.O.M.G.]," I said was we continued our handshake. As we turned back toward the office, I decided to go there:

"So they let me escort you back as I'm the resident Mets fanatic."

"Oh that's great. You know, this is a magnificent building."

"Oh yeah, it's great, we've been here about a year now. Hey, you know I really wanted to compliment you on the braintru..."

"Wow would you look at that!" he said as he approached a vista window showing the Hudson River and Jersey City. It was a beautiful, Indian Summer kind of day and the view was clear as could be.

"Yeah. Great view, isn't it?"

"It's just spectacular, this whole building is really something."

By this point two things were clear. One, he didn't particularly want to talk about the Mets; two, he was really taken with my company's new building.

I suppose it was all fair enough. I'm sure the last thing he needs is another random person telling him his opinion about the Mets, particularly when so many of those opinions must be unfavorable.

Moreover, the guy's business today and even before the Mets was real estate. Our building was a natural thing for him to want to talk about.

Our time was drawing short. We exchanged pleasantries until I showed him to the office where his meeting would take place. We shook hands and parted ways. All-in, I had maybe 3 minutes with the guy. From the perspective of me wanting to talk about the Mets and him wanting to talk about real estate, I got completely steamrolled.

Oh well, I still got to meet the owner of the Mets. You can't say that every day.

- A.F.O.M.G.