![A whole fish lying on ice in a cooler. [Shutterstock - Roskoshniy]](https://images.dailycaller.com/image/width=960,height=411,fit=cover,f=auto/https://cdn01.dailycaller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/shutterstock_161808503-e1498161384820.jpg "A whole fish lying on ice in a cooler. [Shutterstock - Roskoshniy]")
The co-inventor of the revolutionary iPhone said Tuesday that Microsoft once tried to convince him to work for the tech company by sending him a “very large dead fish.”
Forstall says that, at the time (roughly 1992), he had just finished interviewing at both Microsoft, where he once served as an intern, and NeXT Computer, the startup that Apple co-founder Steve Jobs founded after he temporarily left the company.
“You know, I watched movies about the mafia,” Scott Forstall, a software engineer who worked alongside Jobs for years, recalls telling the recruiter, according to Business Insider. “What the hell?”
During his interview with NeXT, Jobs decided to interrupt and take over the process.
“I don’t care what anyone says the rest of the day, we’re giving you an offer. Pretend you care in the interviews, though,” Jobs told Forstall after about 15 minutes of intense questioning, reports Business Insider. “I’m giving you an offer, and I know you’re going to accept it.” (RELATED: Steve Jobs Created The iPhone Because ‘He Hated This Guy At Microsoft’)
He was right, as Forstall took the offer over Microsoft’s primarily due to the prospect of working with Jobs and his elite team of tech experts. Forstall also said that, while NeXT didn’t have many customers, its technology was highly impressive.
Microsoft, though, apparently couldn’t take “no” for an answer, so the company express shipped a large dead fish with ice and no accompanying message. Due to his bewilderment, Forstall called the recruiter, who explained that it was not meant to be an attempt at intimidation, but rather a symbolic gesture of what Seattle, Microsoft’s headquarters, had to offer. (RELATED: Microsoft Sends Out Terribly Awkward Email, Clearly Wants To Sit At The Cool Kids’ Table)
“I will clearly change my mind because there are no fish in the [San Francisco] Bay Area,” Forstall said facetiously, alluding to the fact that the wooer failed.
“I did barbecue it that night,” he said.
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