X couldn’t wait to watch me read the emailed offer.

“Look at this”, he enthused. “£1000 a day just to give advice. I can’t wait to get started on this project with you!”

Once again he had completely misunderstood. First, I was not interested in taking on any extra work, no matter how well paid. Second, without me nobody would appoint him to such a contract. Everyone knew who was really responsible for all the output of our supposed ‘partnership’. X’s hopes for a career in consulting were completely unrealistic.