In celebration of Willie’s 10th birthday on June 24, we asked him to reflect on his time at PMI.
When I was a little less than three months old, a terrible thing happened in New York – today it’s referred to as 9/11. That night I remember my Mom and Dad (my human parents, that is) sitting around discussing the events of the day. My Mom said, “David,” that’s my human Dad, “you’re going to need something to boost the PMI staff morale tomorrow and I know just the thing—why don’t you take Willie to work with you?” As the discussion continued, my parents thought in case we needed protection from another terrorist attack, I would be the perfect animal to ward off such a threat to PMI and the city of Pittsburgh.
The rest, as they say, is history. The next day, my Dad strapped a harness on my back, loaded me into the car and away we went with my ears flapping in the breeze. As I hung my head proudly out the window of the car, I realized I was in for a BIG adventure. Of course, everything is big when you only stand 10-inches high and barely weigh 10-pounds. But I really didn’t care, because my personality more than made up for my size.
After almost ten years, I still come to work most every day my Dad does and visit with clients, make new friends on the streets, water and fertilize the little park in front of the Fairmont Hotel, clean up Market Square after the weekly farmer’s market, go from office to office looking for treats and, most importantly, take a nap on the sofa in my office. Dad likes to think it’s really his office, but I’ve heard him say I’m officially the President and CEO of PMI and he just hangs around to take care of me… So I guess that makes the office mine, I just let him use it occasionally.
Sometimes various staff members will ask to take me for a walk because Dad says, “Willie is a real babe magnet.” Then some of the cute women at PMI will escort me into the streets where I become a “man magnet.” Either way, I seem to have a very magnetic personality because everyone wants to be around me all the time.
If you don’t know me, ask to see me next time you come to PMI! I’d love to meet you and give you one of my infamous kisses. Incidentally, I don’t care if you’re a man or a woman – I’ll still kiss you. So get ready!
