Super Bowl tickets are expensive in the nosebleed section. Super Bowl tickets in a box are insanely pricey. When you receive something like that as a gift, it’s not likely something you’d forget, and if you decide to re-gift them to someone else, you’d better have a backup plan for your alibi because someone is surely going to find out. This is that story, as told to an internedt forum.
Thank You
A man we’ll refer to as “Adam” used to work for an accounting firm that handled major clients with major cash flows. One of Adam’s clients knew he was a huge San Francisco 49ers fan. As a thank you for handling their account on a day-to-day basis, the client wanted to gift a set of Super Bowl tickets to Adam for box seats on the 30-yard line when the 49ers played.
Surprise Setup
Trying to ensure that Adam was surprised by the gift, the client handed them off to a partner on the account, whom we’ll call Eddie, to give to Adam as a surprise. Obviously, the client had the understanding that the tickets would get to Adam in plenty of time for him to prepare for and enjoy the Superbowl.
What?
When Adam met with the client for drinks after the game, he asked him, “Hey, by the way, why didn’t you go to the game? I heard someone else was in your seats.”
Clear Confusion
When Adam asked, “What game?” The client said, “The Super Bowl!” Confused, Adam answered, “I didn’t have seats in the Super Bowl?”
Understanding
The client informed Adam that he’d given a set of his company’s tickets to Eddie to give to Adam as a thank-you for all of his hard work on the company’s behalf. Adam was shocked and told the client he’d never had any idea about the Super Bowl tickets.
Ask Around
The client told Adam to inquire quietly about the tickets and get back to him. The next week Adam found out, through a secretary, that Eddie had given the tickets to another client as a thank-you from their company.
Let It Go
Adam says under different circumstances, he might have let the situation go to keep the peace, but that he was furious that he’d missed out on watching his favorite team in the Super Bowl and on the 30-yard line, no less.
Handled
Adam thought about confronting Eddie about the tickets but decided to let the client handle it, as he’d originally noticed that Adam hadn’t been at the Super Bowl. This would also minimize the blowback on Adam if there were any.
Seriously?
Adam texted the client, “Hey, I just wanted to thank you so much for thinking of me with those seats. It appears they were given to another of our firm’s clients.” The client’s response came quickly. “Are you SERIOUS!?” The client then added. “Pretend I never told you; let me handle this.”
Fly Out
The client requested that both Adam and Eddie attend a meeting in their offices, and the two hopped on a flight for the meeting. When they arrived, everyone they expected to attend was there, along with a woman in her 30s they didn’t recognize.
Introductions and Confrontations
The client quickly introduced the woman to Adam and Eddie and then said, “Oh, but you guys must already know her from the Super Bowl.” Stephanie quickly responded. “Oh, did we meet there? I’m sorry if I forgot.” The client then said, “Jeez, Steph, how much did you drink? They were sitting right next to you.”
Confessions
Adam looked at the client and Stephanie and said, “Sorry. I wasn’t there. Were you thinking of someone else?” Adam says that at this point, Eddie was looking extremely uncomfortable, and Stephanie adds, “No, “John and Alan” from X-company were in the other seats. I was wondering why we’d give them tickets. Are we working with them on a project?”
Pinned to the Wall
Eddie is bright red at this point, and the client asks, “Eddie, I have those tickets for Adam.” Eddie, who knows he’s caught, says, “Oh, well, Adam wasn’t able to make it, so he must have given the tickets away?” Adam says that Eddie was begging him with his eyes to cover for him.
Nailed
The client then said, “Eddie, those tickets were a personal thank you from me to Adam. Did you give them away to someone else? Was it a client?” Eddie replied sheepishly, “Oh, um, maybe something got mixed up in the office?”
Let’s Do Lunch
The client went quiet for what probably seemed like an eternity to Eddie. Then he said, “I think this meeting is over. Adam, it seems as if I owe you a thank-you gift; let’s go to lunch. Stephanie, you’re welcome to join us. Eddie, I need to evaluate our relationship; please go back home and expect to hear from us next week.”
Mend Fences
When Eddie asks to join them, presumably to do some damage control, Stephanie speaks up and says, “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Eddie was then escorted out, which got lots of laughs from Adam and Stephanie’s client.
Expectations
Adam got a desperate text from Eddie saying, “You need to cover for the firm.” Adam replied, “Yes, we need to talk, but I’ll see what I can do.” Then, he responded to Eddie some of the client’s demands to ‘make things right.’
Invoices and Apologies
The client’s list of expectations included the following, “1) To expect invoices for the resale value of the Super Bowl tickets (resale is WAY above face value, it was over $10K) as well as our lunch (he picked a pricey spot and made a big show of overspending) and that he expected them to be paid immediately, 2) Expected Adam to be given a direct apology, 3) Expected a written apology to his company for what he considered theft, and 4) He will only interact with me or another one of our firm’s partners, never again, Eddie.”
Salary Withholding
The other partners in the firm eventually found out about Eddie’s screwup and made him pay back the invoices out of his salary. The client switched to a different partner costing Eddie any profit for work he’d done for the client.
Time’s Up
Adam eventually took another position at a different company. The client also left, eventually going to work with one of Adam’s good friends at a competing firm. When Adam posted his story to an online forum, plenty of people commented on his missed opportunity.
Imagine
One forum contributor loved the client’s orchestration and execution of the revenge. “Imagine what sort of human being you have to be to essentially steal a set of $10,000 tickets from a worker. Disgusting, to say the least.
The level of orchestration and execution of this revenge was perfect, though.”
No Self-Awareness
Another person pointed out Eddie’s lack of awareness. “People like them are so firmly convinced that they are the main character that they have no self-awareness when it comes to others. As long as it made him look good, it seems that was all he cared about.”
Big Law 101
One individual thought this was likely a law firm. “I give near 100% odds this is a law firm. This sounds like big law 101.”
Stolen Property
Some believe in confession being good for the soul. “Dude should have had to tell whoever he gave the tickets to that he had stolen them.”
Understanding
One interested party shared a story that resonated along the lines of Adam’s ordeal. “I was having a look through some company accounts, and there was a line for gift certificates every month, a few thousand. We followed up to check and found it was for an employee thanks/bonus, but no one had ever received one. The CFO was pocketing them and would go shopping on her lunch breaks.”
Small Talk
One participant in the online forum imagined Adam relishing the idea of the planned revenge. “Imagine making small talk for days, and the plane ride there… just knowing what’s going to go down.”
Vicariously
A 49ers fan completely understood Adam’s fury. “As a 49er fan who will probably never see a Superbowl in person, I lived this whole story vicariously through you. Thank you, and I hope you get to go one year.”
Logic?
Someone else couldn’t imagine Eddie’s logic. “Holy crap, I can’t imagine the logic in giving the tickets to another client when the gifting company would likely have other staff in attendance.”
Adam’s Best Guess
Adam stopped by the forum comments to offer his take on Eddie’s misstep. “My best guess is that he’s not much of a sports fan and was kind of oblivious to how big of a deal Super Bowl tickets actually are. Either that, or he’s such a monumental pinhead that he thought he could get away with it.”
Best Response
Another commenter thinks Adam’s client is awesome. “I love your client so much. What a brilliant response.”
Human Ethics
It’s common for companies to ban their employees from accepting gifts, but it’s also common for big companies to allow their executives to receive bonuses and gifts. This is especially true for gifts that come directly from clients.
Eddie’s misstep was a massive breach of trust between him and Adam, him and his client, and him and his company. And then to have the nerve to ask Adam to “cover for the firm?” Adam’s client’s revenge plan was seamlessly perfect, and while the tickets and their value couldn’t be repaid, Eddie was rightfully made to pay the piper for his misdeed. Good on Adam’s company partners for making Eddie pay it out of his personal salary.
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