Serendipity

Serendipity has always been my friend.  Before Thanksgiving CSUS hosted an alumni party at Orson, a very hip watering hole in San Francisco in the trendy South of Market area on 4th.  In fact the place is an old warehouse that was gutted and fixed up to hipster hype and opened to the thirsty cognosciente.  Alison and I walked down the long entrance hall to the main bar which was full of after work revelers.  After a few moments of not recognizing a soul, we asked a waitress where the Crystal event was: upstairs was the answer.  Up we went to find our party. On the way up I saw Tiffany Chow '03.  "So, what are you doing here, Mr. Draper?"  Total disbelief.  She had missed the invitation to our event but was enjoying an after work party with her company, Six Degrees Apart.  I knew that Chris Alden '88 was the CEO of the blog start up, and I asked if he were at the party.  There was Chris down in the main part of the establishment surrounded by a number of his happy employees.

The next alumni serendipity occurred  in the Bankers Club on the 82 floor of 555 California--a definitely upscale address.  What a difference.  My car was searched for before I could park in the underground garage, and I had a special name tag made before I could ride the elevator to the top.  The view from the 82 floor is stunning, and the planned giving seminar on "charitable remainder annuity trusts" was...well, interesting.  My new job at Crystal as Philanthropy Advisor requires that I acquire a good understanding of some very arcane tax advantaged strategies that will be helpful to donors and our school.  Now, here comes the serendipity thing.  Leslie Bishop '84 Franco heard my voice in the crowded room--imagine that!  As soon as the conference ended we were chatting and laughing about the old days when Draper was dean and how I "let her into Crystal" when I was doing admissions.  But it gets better.  "Noah Zim works on the 72 floor--let's call him." In ten minutes Noah arrived on the top floor with a huge smile and a warm hug.  Talk about serendipity--there we were, the three of us rambling back over the years.  Oh yes, I do remember the day they took off from school to buy Stones concert tickets and the fabulous hoax when the Mansion was for sale.  

The good old days?  Perhaps, but things are still good at Crystal.  Stay tuned for more from Draper's First Draft.