Live From the Chemo Room 28

Technically, not from the Chemo Room this time, just from Dr. Z's office. Routine follow-up. No news, just scheduling the next scan and getting a shot of my bone booster.

BTW, it finally happened. My former business partner and childhood friend is the mayor of this newish city where Dr. Z's office is located. We'd had a falling out years ago, one of those business and friendships don't usually mix well stories. It's been many years since I'd seen Mike, but he was coming out of the bakery this morning as I was headed in to pick up a couple of the World's Best Store-Made Challahs. We chatted. He'd not heard I was going through treatment again. I'd heard he was divorced, so I knew not to ask about his wife.

It was all very civil, and also a little strange.

Logo, circa 1998

Twenty years ago I left a promising career in a big public accounting firm to join Mike's little startup. Our lives were completely intertwined. We were in each other's weddings, knew each other's families, came into the office together on weekends to catch up on billings, etc. We grew the company, and learned what we were each good at. Mike was a relationship guy, I was more technical. We brought in a third partner, Neil, who was our sales guy. We opened an office in another city, then merged with another similar firm with two offices out west, adding two more partners. We had over 60 employees in the late 90's. Then the post-Y2K dip hit, and the differences between the partners became obvious. After a lot of 4 to 1 votes, we all realized it was time for the "1" to move on.

Mike was hurt by our decision, and predictably, that lead to our personal relationship declining. Then came same legal issues, and that was pretty much the end. He went on to start another firm doing similar work a couple years later, and a few of our former employees joined him after my remaining partners and I sold off the business. That was in 2005, 6 months after my first brush with cancer.

So now we come full circle.

It's been a while since I'd thought about Mike, and all the other folks from Lighthouse Group. Neil and I remain friends, but we've not been as close as I'd like. I saw my partner Tom a couple years ago when he came through town, but I haven't talked to Jerry in forever, although his wife Maria is the most reliable sender of birthday cards I've ever known. I hear something about one or two former employees from time to time, but not often enough. Looking back, we had a great team, we had a lot of fun, made tons of mistakes, and, I'd like to think, learned a great deal about how to be a better business person.

Maybe even a better person.