The flight was rough—turbulent enough that I managed to spill coffee all over my beige suit… in exactly the worst place possible. I was flying in to see my friend Rick, who picked me up at the airport and drove me straight to the station. Back at the station, Rick drove the President to the airport while I cooled my heels in a conference room. As he dropped me off at the airport, Rick casually mentioned that the President had given him the okay to offer me the job. I feel incredibly blessed to have been part of this amazing ride, all of which started with a cup of spilled coffee on a blustery morning in January 1996.