Really, I Was the Governor

During the "dot com" craze, when internet related businesses were springing up everywhere and everyone had hopes of becoming an instant millionaire, I spent a couple of years working in one of those companies. I didn't make millions, or even many thousands, but it was a pretty fun environment and had its perks.

One of the responsibilities I had was to find new office space for our burgeoning enterprise. We were housed in a business incubator on the Northwestern campus in Evanston at the time, and I was intent on taking us to downtown Chicago. The process involved inspecting a lot of available downtown real estate, that was a story unto itself. maybe another time.

On one particular day, I had a series of inspections scheduled and was joined by the planning person, a lovely woman named Linnea. Linnea was born on the east coast and would eventually settle on the west coast, but for this period of time she was in Chicago. She obviously couldn't have had a native's perspective to the city, so on the day in question, as we tromped from building to building, I added some historical perspective and sidebar visits.

One of the visits was spending a few minutes inside the State of Illinois building, a.k.a. The Thompson Center. Like most people, Linnea was dazzled by the visuals inside and outside the building, a Helmut Jahn work of art (saddled with lots of operational problems like poor ventilation, lack of privacy, there was a whole series of events). We resumed our appointed rounds and strolled north on Wacker Drive, headed for the Sears Tower.

I told Linnea that the building was a somewhat self aggrandizing monument to its namesake, former Illinois governor Jim Thompson. As the words came from my mouth, who should come walking toward us but----Jim Thompson.

I motioned toward Mr. Thompson and greeted him with something like "Hello, governor, we were just talking about you". He stopped to chat and I told Linnea that this was the guy after whom the building had been named.

She looked at me, and then at Mr. Thompson, and responded with "Just how stupid do you two think I am? Pretty good improv, you guys, but puh-leeease!"

Thompson was clearly confused by this less than warm reception from Linnea, who obviously thought that this was some pal of mine who was quick on the uptake of a joke. I explained the same to him.

It is a fond memory indeed that I hold of the six foot six Thompson bending toward the barely five feet tall woman and in a tone somewhere between mildly offended and totally astounded explaining "Young lady, it's true, really, I was the governor".

Mr. Thompson continued on his way, appearing a bit vexed. We continued on ours, with Linnea still challenging me "Come on, the governor? The building? Give me a little credit. Not really that funny..."

As we entered the Sears Tower, I picked up a newspaper that serendipitously had a photo of Thompson on the front page, and held it up for my companion.

You can imagine the rest, 'cause it's beyond me to describe the look on Linnea's face.

He really was the governor, Linnea.