A Richard Gottlieb Story
The first time I saw it I was confused. It was a Skype call (yes, before Zoom) with a new client. Richard and I. Richard was the proud owner of a cat. But it was mostly a black cat. Halfway through the call a Cat’s Paw mysteriously started creeping into frame. It was white.
The Cat’s Paw apparently was also plush and on a stick. And that’s how it started. Periodically, on some normal calls and also on important ones, the Cat Paw would show up in the corner of the frame or come down from above slowly creeping down. It was typically subtle and I couldn’t help but secretly laugh but sometimes that was a challenge. Then one day on a call with a potential client from Japan, an important one, the Paw once again appeared. I made subtle gestures like my finger swiping across my throat, and Richard just smiled with a gleeful glint in his eye and kept on sneaking the Cat’s Paw into the frame.
No client ever mentioned the Paw. But it became a staple of our calls, never knowing when it would appear, and looking back it is the perfect metaphor for the joy and humor with which Richard viewed life. The grown adult who never lost his playfulness.
Which brings up one more story. And one of the wittiest lines I’ve ever heard.
Richard and his wonderful wife Wendy live in a high rise NY apartment. When you buy things in NY, you carry them to the elevator and take whatever you have to your floor. One day a lady got on the elevator carrying a full-length mirror. Richard had never met her. After a few floors, Richard looked at the lady and said “You are probably the most narcissistic person I have ever met”.
Drop the mic. While we mourn Richard’s passing, I celebrate the playfulness, wit and wisdom that made him a very special person.
Happy Holidays to all and hug those loved ones!
Steve Velte
Partner, Friend and Cat’s Paw Expert
Global Toy Experts
Love the “mirror story” Steve. Richard was one-of-a-kind and LOVED the Toy Industry! He will be missed. Thanks for sharing.