Was It Just a Dream?

(The following true story has never before been told.)

From 1982 – 1985, Steve held the dual roles of Chairman of the Board and of General Manager of the Mac Division. One day in the summer of 1984 Steve and Apple President John Sculley arrived unannounced at my office. This was not terribly unusual. But they didn’t sit down. Instead they said they wanted to talk to me about something. 

In those days, an important talk was accomplished by going outside and walking up and down the sidewalks on Bandley Drive in Cupertino. You knew something important was being discussed if you saw Steve walking down the sidewalk, waving his arms, while talking excitedly to an employee.

The three of us went outside. The weather was nice and we began our walk … and talk. Both Steve and John complimented me on the successful launch of the Mac (Jan. 24, 1984) and the ensuing marketing activities, including advertising, dealer training, third party software support, public relations, etc. Earlier in the year, our Mac marketing team had been awarded a coveted Apple Hero Award. 

John, a former marketing whiz at Pepsi, said it was the best marketing he had ever seen. I wondered, “Where is this conversation going? Rarely does one get sustained compliments like this at Apple.” 

Then Steve said, “John and I have been talking. Someday down the road (implying several years forward), John will retire as President. And we’ve decided that you’ll be the next president of Apple.” 

The world around me became suddenly still. There were no cars, no birds, no airplanes, no distractions, no nothing. Did I hear them correctly? I loved working at Apple and I loved what Apple stood for -- and simply couldn’t imagine that this would become my future role. They asked me what I thought. I told them that I was honored, excited and thrilled. They were pleased with my response. 

And then Steve said, “You can’t tell anyone about this conversation. It must remain secret.”

A few days later Steve called my wife Joyce and asked her to come to Apple so that they could go for a walk. As they walked he told her about his future plans for me. Joyce wanted to know what it would mean for us as a family. Steve went into a gentle, but effective sales mode and helped her overcome any worries.

Less than one year after this celestial conversation, Steve and John were at brutal war against each other. Apple was losing money and the company was in disarray. Egos were flaring, trusted relationships were fraying and it was survival of the fittest, or perhaps the sneakiest. 

As has been well documented in books and movies, the board of directors fired Steve at the end of May 1985, and in a deep funk I left Apple soon thereafter. 

And, like fall leaves in a hurricane, the words of that sidewalk conversation vaporized into the ether. Was it just a dream?