Desperately Seeking Plan B

T.M. Shine: The exodus began with the word "Bob."

"Bob, can I see you for a minute?" the boss had asked.

Within minutes, Bob was exiting the office with a wave and a "Nice working with everybody."

What the . . . ?

Instinctively, several employees followed Bob out to the parking lot.

"They told me not to say anything, but I'm not going to work with people for 13 years and not wave goodbye," Bob said as co-workers surrounded him before he could reach his car. Bearded, disheveled and wearing shirts that should have been retired in 1984, Bob is one of those beloved characters. When my teenage niece and a friend had visited the office, they'd simply said: "We like Bob. He reminds us of Jack Black."

Mor…