Hey Google! can you come out and play?

I was talking to @evanish at an event recently and the subject came up about the conspicuous absence of Google at meetups or pretty much any start-up function held in the Boston area.  I don't go to every meetup in town but I am pretty sure that Jason does  (prove us wrong if you have a Goog siting experience). A quick search of the last Web Inno25 attendees came up with one Google employee, out of 500~. A business guy, Adam Compain, AdWords (Relationship Manager), Google

At the smaller meetups, we can not recall meeting anyone from the Goog. Is it because the majority of the best meetups are held at the NERD Center? That seems fixable.

Yes there is an occasional Rich Miner, from Google Ventures, siting around town. And maybe at a higher level, they have a presence, sponsoring the MITX Awards and Eric Schmidt briefing the press, but what about on the ground?

It would be great if they got involved in the Boston innovation economy at a "street level". It's like an elephant tip toeing through the tulips. I understand they are huge and could have a huge impact wherever they go so maybe they want to tread lightly and not overwhelm our little hamlet. But no involvement whatsoever seems like over compensation.

Now that they are loosening up here, as evidenced by actually putting up a shingle, maybe we will get to see more involvement. I mean come on guys, you are the company that every web geek aspires to become. Doesn't it make sense to get out into the community at the grass roots level.

I know you are hiring right now, so simply from a recruiting stand point, it would make sense to get out and mingle with the community. You have so much to give, and giving will in turn provide benefit to you. "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain" won't work. We know you are there.

We admire you, we want to be like you, so come on Google, can you please come out and play?

Thanks to Scott Kirsner for the photo.