(Nevada) The magic of the HBS learning experience took another dimension last week, when some RC students discovered that, contrary to popular belief, what happens in Vegas doesn’t actually stay in Vegas. “Who’d have thought that my ‘new best friends’ in my section would kid about something like this?” nervously said one RC student that asked to remain anonymous, but that we all know by now is actually Jeff Swanson (NW). Swanson was referring to the fact that some of his section-mates “jokingly, I’m sure” told him that they had pictures of key events from his ill-fated Vegas weekend, and “sarcastically implied” that they “might” send out “one or two” of the pics to people they knew.
The e-mail, which Swanson is still vainly hoping doesn’t exist and which will be forwarded to you very soon, consists of a detailed account of Swanson’s Vegas exploits, focusing on over a dozen pictures of his energetic but poor attempts at “dancing” with a sixty-year old “hooker”.
Swanson disappeared with his dilapidated debutante at approximately 3 am, and was not seen again until the group reconvened for dinner the following evening. A full report, with many shocking and laugh-inducing details, accompanies the pictures.
“Then again, maybe I’m just being paranoid,” said Swanson, who isn’t being paranoid, “I mean, how many people can actually know? I’m sure that if the guys sent out any such message, they only sent it out to a close-knit circle of very trusted friends, in whom I can surely confide.”
These words were uttered as the e-mail made its way from “the guys” to study-groups to sections to the faculty i-site to the deans’ inboxes to Swanson’ former bosses to all recruiters in the Job Bank (past and present) within a matter of a few minutes.
Despite his doubts however, Swanson is trying to keep a positive attitude.
“Maybe not all is lost – I mean, even if the e-mail’s been bounced around a bit, how many people can actually have heard this story, right? My only hope is that Jenny [Rothman, Swanson’s fianc‚e who lives in New York, received the pictures in her inbox before Swanson had even returned to Boston, and is currently trying to pawn her engagement ring] doesn’t find out!”
Swanson then continued: “The timing of this whole thing is especially harsh, since we’ve been in sections just long enough to get to know each other, but not long enough so that the others know that I’m normally an ethical, skank-free guy.”
Swanson’s professors also expressed disappointment about the timing of the Vegas weekend. “If only this would have happened at the end of September!” Swanson’s Marketing professor complained, “I would have totally cold-called him in the PSI case, and deliberately asked him why he thought that Raja condoms sold so well.” The professor then thought about referring to Swanson as “our own little Raja” for the rest of the semester, and snickered.
