One Picture.
One Moment.

The spoken recording remains the primary artifact. This transcript is preserved for accessibility, search, and the historical record. It has been lightly punctuated for readability.

You know, hundreds of times I walked through the doors of the New York Stock Exchange, and the first thing you see when you walk up is a giant flag.

Sometimes it's of a company that's going public that day. And those words at the top — New York Stock Exchange — they weigh heavy on you if you understand what it means.

Like, you'll think of this every time you go in. And every time I went in, I thought about it.

I would go in with Charlie. He had his badge. I'd clear security, and we'd go in there. And every time I was always honored, knew my place, tried to do the best business I could, represent our company, what we were doing, and to be the best visitor I could be at the New York Stock Exchange.

Charlie had generations there. His father was on the floor. I think his father before that was on the floor. You know, there's a little bit of history of the older people still left there — not many.

But one day, I was curious. I thought, you know, it's such a home to some of these people, I wonder if it even resonates to them.

So I walked up to a gentleman I knew. I didn't know him well, but he'd seen me, I saw him. He'd been there for like 40 years, was part of a specialist firm on the floor.

And I said, “Sir, may I ask you a question?” He said, “Sure.” I said, “When you come here, is this just like another place to you?”

And he sort of looked at me and he glared. He just said, “Son, do you know where you are?”

He goes, “I know you know where you are, because I see you with Charlie.”

I said, “Sir, understood, and thank you.”

That's all it took.