The Besh Moments In Life

Only my second note to Besh, but hopefully more to come.  As much as this blog is a place to remember things I might otherwise forget (or want to forget–yes, I’m looking at you Poop in a Boot and My Tummy Hurts), it’s also a place to write some notes to Besh in the hopes he’ll get/want to read this all someday.

When your mom and I were getting married I was informed of the Southern tradition of the groom’s cake at a wedding.  Typically chocolate, it usually took some amusing shape that meant something to the groom.  Since your mom and I both worked in our college computing labs as undergrads and spent a lot of time on the old Macs, ychatting away, I told our baker that I’d like the groom’s cake to be in the shape of a Mac Classic (as they were then called).

For some reason, our baker was highly concerned about intellectual property laws.  Apparently under the impression that a covert team of Apple trademark policemen roamed the country, stopping into random synagogues to make sure no groom’s cakes infringed on their IP.  Despite our best attempts to persuade him, he said he wouldn’t do it unless he had something on official Apple letterhead giving us permission.

Maybe it was his way of not doing the cake, but I took the task to heart.  Unfortunately, I had no contacts.  But I took a chance and reached out to Guy Kawasaki, then the official evangelist for Apple.  He actually read my request and got me in touch with an in-house counsel at Apple.  I told him of my situation, and he agreed that he hadn’t heard such a request before but he would look into it.  A few days later, the following letter arrived on official Apple letterhead.  It was so awesome, we framed it and put it next to the cake.

—

Dear Ryan,

This letter is to confirm that Apple Computer, Inc. grants permission to you to use the Apple, Apple logo and Macintosh trademarks (the “Apple Marks”).

Permission is granted for a one-time use of the Apple Marks in connection with your upcoming wedding (there better not be a need to use them a second ime).  Your use of the Apple Marks will be on a wedding cake, and guests are allowed to destroy the trademarks by devouring pieces.  While we might ordinarily require that you refrain from serving Windows users, we acknowledge that it is a festive occasion and everybody is allowed to eat.

Good luck with your wedding, and feel free to contact me at the below number if you have any questions.

—

Although I didn’t realize it back then, the letter really made an impression on me.  First, the variety of things an in-house counsel can be asked to do.  And second, that you can be pretty cool as an in-house counsel.  It’s a lesson I’ve taken to heart in my own in-house career.  However, I have yet to field a request for a wedding cake with our marks.