He said, “Bill, I want you to look at it this way, when I’m not here, you’re me.” And I said, “Dr. Osborn, I have real reservations about this position, but I have to say, if I take it when you’re not here, I’m me.” He laughed, thought it was wonderful. I said, that’s great. And we had a wonderful relationship. But Will Beebe didn’t think so. He didn’t think I should be director. And they sent me a telegram, an old fashioned telegram, which we’re not old-fashioned in those days from Simla, Trinidad and said, “A roth for the zoo, alas for the birds.” So that was his view of careers.
