Vivian ran into my office the other day

Flushed with excitement

“It’s $159!” she blurts.

“What’s $159”?

“The Zune, on Amazon!”

“Wasn’t it $249 a couple weeks ago?” I rub my chin thoughfully. “Ya’ think customers will start requesting a credit at the Microsoft store?”

She laughs, crows actually, and begins to pale. Fortunately I’ve positioned my oak credenza (next promotion I get cherry) to catch her 90 pound frame if she faints.

Piper encourages employees to pursue outside interests, which run the usual range, from adopting foreign-born children and building Habitat homes in Minnetonka to serving the homeless at the Dorothy Day Center. Viv’s latest is penning a book with the working title Zuned: Another Microsoft Hardware Blunder. I wish I’d had the idea. Sure to be a bestseller in the business category. Microsoft stuff is far more entertaining than fiction.

“How’s that going?"

“Swimmingly. 72,344 words, but the Amazon price cut adds at least 71.” Her eyes narrow smugly. “I’ve moved “A to Z: Big Product Naming Mistake” to chapter three. Did you know Zune is listed LAST on the alphabetical MP3 player product list on Amazon? Customers never even get down to that link!”

“Yeah, what were they thinking?” I chide.

“And,” Viv shoots off rapid-fire, “guess who’s  listed FIRST?”

“No idea.” (not)

“Apple iPod!”

“Well, there you go Viv. I can’t wait to read that chapter.”

“Gene, you’re gonna love it. I’m off to call my agent.”

“Agent?” Geez, this is more serious than I thought.

She reddens. “OK, he doesn’t know he’s my agent yet. But when I drop the fact I work with Gene Munster, oh, it's a slam dunk. I mean, gosh almighty, you even know Jim Cramer!”

“Right.”

She spins on her heel and heads for the door, then stops.

“Oh, by the way -- great tie.”

“Thanks Viv.”