How do you know when you’re getting old? When you mistakenly invest $100 million in Bookface, a Cleveland-based book-sharing startup, instead of Facebook, the world-famous social-networking website based in Silicon Valley. Warren Buffett did just that, and while he’s bummed to have basically thrown away 100 mil, a couple college dropouts in Ohio are thrilled to have been handed a huge chunk of change with which to try to build their business.
“We’re not even sure how he found us,” said a naive Jimmy Thompson, one of Bookface’s cofounders. “I mean, we had a Kickstarter project, but I didn’t think anyone ever looked at it. I guess Mr. Buffett did, and he liked what he saw — I just hope we don’t let him down.”
Robert Hodge, Bookface’s other cofounder, was more realistic about how he and Thompson came to receive Buffett’s massive endowment. “It’s pretty clear what happened here,” Hodge admitted. “But there’s no way we’re giving the money back. I’ve already planned out how we’re going to spend 95% of it, and honestly I think Warren is going to be pleasantly surprised with the direction we’re taking Bookface in. I don’t want to give anything away, but let’s just say you might be seeing a Bookface ad on a certain Sunday in February…OK we’re buying a Super Bowl commercial spot!”
Since receiving Buffett’s misdirected investment, Thompson and Hodge have been bombarded with phone calls from Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who is demanding that he be given what he says is rightfully his. “It’s obvious who that capital was intended for, and it wasn’t the two posers in Pittsburgh or wherever they’re from,” Zuckerberg said. “Warren’s a huge Facebook fan — I know because he told me at the $1,000-a-plate dinner we both attended in October. Meanwhile I’ve never heard him say a word about this stupid book startup. Well I hope these guys have Facebook accounts, because I’ll be personally deleting them tonight.”
Despite Zuckerberg’s tough talk, a defiant Hodge said that he and Thompson will be holding their ground. “Zuckerberg can go ahead and delete our Facebooks,” Hodge said. “We’ll just go back to Myspace or Google+, or maybe check out Friendster — that’s Apple’s social network, right?”
Buffett reportedly intended to attempt to retrieve the funds but laid down for a nap and then forgot all about it.
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