This 18-year-old boy knew a secret about Steve Jobs. And I managed to surprise him

“You can’t have any meat. I’ll give you a set list of what kind of food we want to serve. You can’t get off this list and every change we have to talk about in person.”. in 1981, Jonathan Rothenberg I’ve been negotiating for months with one of the most famous chefs in Boston, Odette Berry. Dinner should not contain the wrong dish. “Who’s coming? The boss?”. Rotenberg looked at her, somewhat nervous. “Steve Jobs number”.

The boy was only 18 years old, but he had a mind curious about computers and passionate about the world. Being still a teenager Founder of the Boston Computer History Society, which eventually became one of the largest PC user organizations in the world. At that time, few people talked about computers, and Rotenberg’s ability to bring together such disparate people attracted a lot of attention: among them were those who Bob Washburn – Regional Sales Manager who worked for an up-and-coming computer company called Apple Computer Inc.

“I want Steve Jobs and Wozniak to come.”

Rotenberg claimed that The founders of Apple They’ll be speaking at their brand-focused technology event, called “Applefest.” The boy organized everything at the age of 18 but that wasn’t just a thing: it was Apple’s first computer fair and the first platform through which IDG (International Data Group) launched something called MacWorld Expo. Did he ring a bell? It is the place where in 2007 Steve Jobs himself introduced the iPhone.

Apple’s visual chiefs weren’t the only big attendees of the event. Among them was Wall Street Journal technology editor Dick Shaffer. Bernie Goldhirsh magazine founder and technology reporter for The Boston Globe. However, the person Rotenberg studied in detail was Steve Jobs, his childhood idol. This is possible I arranged all this to meet him.

Chef Odette and that boy have organized a dinner for… Seven exquisitely elegant and innovative courses. An all-vegetarian menu tailored to functionality. “It won’t be a hippie vegetarian dinner. Every dish will be very elegant and unique.”.

Secret man of secrets

When the dinner began, Jobs realized that the 18-year-old He was not the typical boy for his age. your concerns and your curiosity and Being able to understand deviations and the bar is very high which he himself had caught his attention. His ambition and keen taste for detail, too.

The dishes on that menu were approx Poem To spring – fresh, fresh vegetables, fragrant … The chef and the organizer impressed the guests. but, Rotenberg had an ace up his sleeve. A secret about Steve Jobs that few knew at the time.

When Apple began to grow successfully, the name attracted a lot of attention. Apparently, naming a tech company after a fruit wasn’t very popular – thus popularizing the urban legend that apples were Steve Jobs’ favorite fruit. However, this was not entirely true (He loved them yes, but not as much as people thought): Despite the fact that Jobs was “fruitful” for several years, almost no one knew that his real favorite fruit was strawberries – which is a thing for a reason (Perhaps to continue feeding the ‘apple’ myths) They wore jobs secretly.

That’s why the boy asked the chef to get ready Something unique with strawberriesSomething creative: more like a small work of art made up of these fruits than a plate of food. When this dish arrived on the table, Rotenberg kept looking at Jobs’ face, who smiled broadly and looked at the boy when he saw it. “We heard you like strawberries…”, tell him. Then, Jobs put a generous helping on his plate, still smiling at the wink.

Picnic with Steve Jobs and meet in California

All this made Jobs realize that The courage and thoroughness of that boy. After dinner, the guests went to the home of Rotenberg’s parents on Beacon Hill. “For some liquor and some Biscotti, a classic after-dinner dessert”. In fact, young Jonathan’s plan was to find a moment to talk to Jobs alone, and the future of Apple Fest.

They walked together, and the 18-year-old stunned Jobs brutal From other vendors in the valley, while Listen to the challenges And all he could do if he allowed her to contact Apple’s marketing department. Jobs gave it Gold pen with Apple logo They took him by the shoulder as they walked down that street: “Can you call my assistant next week? I want you to fly to California so we can sit down and talk about this.” Jobs told him.

Three years later, the technology milestone of January 1984 – the Macintosh – was made His first public appearance in the world. And he was neither more nor less than he was at the Boston Computer History Society – with Jobs aplenty surrounded by his team of geniuses fighting against the blue giant. The friendship of Rotenberg and Jobs continues for several more years: about everything that happened between them at that time, Jonathan writes a book that will be published soon My teacher, Steve Jobs..

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