No Name

GTE Government Systems in Mountain View, CA together with our team mates from another nearby company were a mighty force. The other guys were the team leader so four of us GTE guys went over to their place to get briefed. The big prize was an Air Force contract for a computer based training system.

After introductions all around, their head guy declared that so and so other company should have won this contract, but they had shit the bed. We all nodded knowingly and tried not to look askance. He assured us that, were there betting on such things, we would be the favorites. Provided, and this is important, that we also didn't shit the bed.

He briefed us on the customer and the system and answered our questions. He was thorough and managed to get in "shit the bed" whenever it seemed appropriate and even a few times when it didn't.

A week later was our big pitch at the customer's place, an Air Force base about 20 miles out of Boston. Our hotel was nearer to the customer's place than to the historic city. Since this was 1986, the skies were still relatively friendly and the flight uneventful, still we didn't check in to our hotel until late afternoon because of the time difference. Two meetings were scheduled for the hotel bar. In those days before text messaging and teleconferencing, you met in the bar, had a few drinks and talked about what you needed to talk about. Primitive, but it worked.

The first meeting was among us GTE guys and was set for just after we checked in and did what we had to do in our rooms. The second meeting was at 9 pm with our team mates from the other company. Why two meetings? Why not all meet when we got in? Big inter company intrigue? No. The other guys took a different flight. ETA unknown.

First thing was where to eat supper. Two guys voted for the No Name in Boston. I had never heard of it, but they made a hard sell so I wanted to eat there too. Don, our team leader said it was mostly an excellent plan, but it had a fatal flaw. It was unlikely we could make it to Boston, eat at the No Name and return in time for the big 9 pm meeting. Since we were out in the country, our choice was pretty well limited to the hotel dining room.

After dinner we congratulated ourselves on our prudence, if not our dining experience. In fact, those of us who had dessert had to take it to the bar in order to get there by 9. The other guys weren't there so we watched Monday night football. It starts at 9 on the east coast. Must make a long night for the players. By halftime the other guys still weren't there and we had had enough drinks that the bartender was willing to bring out the mixed nuts. They were quite good. Actually a cut above what we ate in the dining room. When the game ended, the bar closed and we went to our rooms.

Next morning we were back in the dining room for breakfast. The guys from the other company came in. Their leader apologized for not showing up last night. They had gone in to eat at the No Name and it was real late when they got back. Apology accepted. We went to the customer's place, made our pitch, had a nice lunch and got an afternoon flight to San Francisco. Because of the time difference, we were home in plenty of time for supper. That's it. End of story. What? What's that? Did we get the contract? No. We shit the bed.