The Day I've Met Mr. Bill Gates!

Yes, I actually had the opportunity to meet with Mr. Bill Gates in the spring of 1993 at a Microsoft Tech-Ed conference in Orlando Florida located near Disney's Epcot Center.

At that time, I was working for a large high-end OEM PC manufacturer (Sidus Systems); I remember that Windows 3.1 was Microsoft’s flagship operating system and Windows NT was also released in July of that year.?I was selling mostly high-end multi-processors servers and custom-built branded desktop computers, networking hardware, PC networks (Banyan and Windows NT), and other Microsoft software licenses.

I was at the VIP lounge during the Tech-Ed event and luckily I noticed Bill Gates enjoying a cognac and a few other gentlemen; I was told later that Microsoft's co-founder Mr. Paul Allen was one of these gentlemen. These were exciting times, there were over 3,000 attendees during the event.

I was meeting a very important client who flew from Vancouver to meet with me to discuss a large deal involving Microsoft licensing. Being a forward type of guy, I approached Mr. Gates and introduced myself. I explained to him that I was conducting some very important business and how I would appreciate it if he could just throw a quick "Hello Phil" at me when I was with my client.

He agreed. Ten minutes later while I was conversing with my client, I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was Bill Gates. I turned around and looked up at him. He said, "Hi Phil, what's happening?" To which I replied:

“Not now, Bill. Can’t you see I’m with somebody?”

;-)

This joke was inspired by larger-than-life entertainer Don Rickles's classic prank he did on Frank Sinatra. He was one of my favorite offending comics while growing up. He passed away two years ago in April 2017.

Here's the classic story told by Don Rickles to John Carson that famously left Carson helpless with laughter:?“Sinatra was headlining at the Sands (Las Vagas' resort), and I was with this girl having dinner in the lounge. She wasn’t anybody I would bring home to my mother, but I really wanted to score big. Frank was in the lounge at his table with Lena Horne and some other celebrities and all his security guards. And my date says, ‘My God, there’s Frank Sinatra! Do you know him?’

“I said, ‘Sure, he’s a friend of mine.’ Which he was. But I made it sound like my whole life. ‘We’re like brothers!’ She didn’t believe me. So I said, ‘Wait here, sweetheart,’ and I went over to Frank’s table. ‘What do you want, Bullethead?’ he said. That was his nickname for me. I told him I was trying to impress this girl and would he do me a very big favor and come over and just say hello. He said, ‘For you, Bullethead, I’ll do it.’”

Five minutes later, Sinatra strolled over and said, “Don, how the hell are you?”

And Don Rickles looked up and replied, “Not?now,?Frank. Can’t you see I’m with somebody?”

Rest in peace Don Rickles.