[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
my hopes for the evening grew. Lindler & Haliburton is a firm of accountants, yes, but I m
one of the support staff, in the information technology unit.
Good... an important job, good money I ll bet, even if you re not one of the accountants.
Perks?
Company car. A Vauxhall, nothing special.
Special enough compared to one of my old vans. He went on to ask me lots of questions
about the job; there was a rhythm to his speech that was mildly hypnotic. Normally people
change the subject if I mention computers and accountancy, but he was keen to hear about
the office computer network, my past promotions, and somehow he got me to tell him about
Peter and the swimming sessions with some of the senior partners. At the mention of
swimming he raised a finger and looked at Tom, That s something you re keen on, isn t it?
I go to the baths most weeks, a couple of times if I can, like to keep fit.
You certainly look fit, I said, glad to say something to him after answering Andrew s
questions and wanting to make clear to him that he attracted me. I bought a round of drinks,
and having returned was about to ask Tom if he had anywhere in mind for his holiday when
Andrew resumed his interrogation. He asked about my personal life, where I lived, what I did
in my spare time, and about my family background. Somehow everything came out, that my
parents were killed in a car crash, that my sister and I saw each other once or twice a year,
that the money inherited from my parents had paid for my flat in Chiswick, that I had a
degree in computer science, was definitely gay, not bisexual or undecided, and did not
currently have a boyfriend.
You make me envious, he said thoughtfully. You ve plenty going for you, nobody could
deny that. He sat back, rubbed his chin, and seemed to have run out of questions.
Tom, who had sat silent again since the interrogation resumed, asked: Have you finished
16
asking him for his life story?
Almost. Only a couple more things. So what about future plans? Hoping for a relationship?
Anything else?
I don t know.
Oh, come on. Promotion? Bigger flat? Better car?
Sometimes I think it would be nice to get together enough money to leave the firm and go
into something completely different.
Ever thought of starting your own business?
There are lots of self-employed consultant types in computer services. Or I could become
a financial adviser, making use of some of the knowledge of investment I ve picked up at the
firm. Maybe that s not all that much of a change though.
Aha! A gay financial services company? Perhaps... others seem to have done well out of it.
A gay business of some kind might not be a bad idea. Or just a job with other gay men.
What else is there? Running a pub or a club might be hard going if you ve no experience.
There seem to be more and more estate agencies about, how about one specializing in places
for gays?
Isn t there one already? Anyway, not sure if it s me. Not that I m ruling anything out. For a
long time to come Lindler & Haliburton, or somewhere very similar, is likely to be my lot.
Well maybe. But you re right to think about making a change. When to leap and which
way... a difficult judgement. One final thing before I go, the very last question. This chap
Peter you mentioned, the partner. Is there any chance of meeting him sometime? There s an
exhibition coming up at Olympia in a few weeks. I m sharing a stand with a furniture supplier,
not the domestic market, business requirements offices, hotels, restaurants, anything
commercial. It s their exhibition stand really, but I m providing them with flowers and a few
house plants, and helping to man it. If I send you a few complimentary tickets, do you think
you could get him to pay us a visit?
He s not responsible for office services or the plants or anything, to be honest I think it s a
bit unlikely.
Business contacts, especially a senior man, are always useful. If you get the chance, you
could simply say a couple of free tickets had turned up in the post. I m not going to pester
him, don t be concerned about that, well maybe as far as to say hello, shake hands, and
exchange business cards. I ll send you a few tickets; if you want to come along with Peter or
bring someone else with you, or come on your own, make use of them. If not throw them in
the bin.
He had so far prevented me from exchanging more than a few words with the man who
was my reason for being in the Beckford Arms. At last Tom broke into the conversation again.
You ve been talking business and asking him questions all evening, Andrew. Mark s come in
for a quiet drink, he doesn t want to hear about no trade exhibition.
You re right. Forget I mentioned it. Let me get the next round. He bought drinks for Tom [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl exclamation.htw.pl
my hopes for the evening grew. Lindler & Haliburton is a firm of accountants, yes, but I m
one of the support staff, in the information technology unit.
Good... an important job, good money I ll bet, even if you re not one of the accountants.
Perks?
Company car. A Vauxhall, nothing special.
Special enough compared to one of my old vans. He went on to ask me lots of questions
about the job; there was a rhythm to his speech that was mildly hypnotic. Normally people
change the subject if I mention computers and accountancy, but he was keen to hear about
the office computer network, my past promotions, and somehow he got me to tell him about
Peter and the swimming sessions with some of the senior partners. At the mention of
swimming he raised a finger and looked at Tom, That s something you re keen on, isn t it?
I go to the baths most weeks, a couple of times if I can, like to keep fit.
You certainly look fit, I said, glad to say something to him after answering Andrew s
questions and wanting to make clear to him that he attracted me. I bought a round of drinks,
and having returned was about to ask Tom if he had anywhere in mind for his holiday when
Andrew resumed his interrogation. He asked about my personal life, where I lived, what I did
in my spare time, and about my family background. Somehow everything came out, that my
parents were killed in a car crash, that my sister and I saw each other once or twice a year,
that the money inherited from my parents had paid for my flat in Chiswick, that I had a
degree in computer science, was definitely gay, not bisexual or undecided, and did not
currently have a boyfriend.
You make me envious, he said thoughtfully. You ve plenty going for you, nobody could
deny that. He sat back, rubbed his chin, and seemed to have run out of questions.
Tom, who had sat silent again since the interrogation resumed, asked: Have you finished
16
asking him for his life story?
Almost. Only a couple more things. So what about future plans? Hoping for a relationship?
Anything else?
I don t know.
Oh, come on. Promotion? Bigger flat? Better car?
Sometimes I think it would be nice to get together enough money to leave the firm and go
into something completely different.
Ever thought of starting your own business?
There are lots of self-employed consultant types in computer services. Or I could become
a financial adviser, making use of some of the knowledge of investment I ve picked up at the
firm. Maybe that s not all that much of a change though.
Aha! A gay financial services company? Perhaps... others seem to have done well out of it.
A gay business of some kind might not be a bad idea. Or just a job with other gay men.
What else is there? Running a pub or a club might be hard going if you ve no experience.
There seem to be more and more estate agencies about, how about one specializing in places
for gays?
Isn t there one already? Anyway, not sure if it s me. Not that I m ruling anything out. For a
long time to come Lindler & Haliburton, or somewhere very similar, is likely to be my lot.
Well maybe. But you re right to think about making a change. When to leap and which
way... a difficult judgement. One final thing before I go, the very last question. This chap
Peter you mentioned, the partner. Is there any chance of meeting him sometime? There s an
exhibition coming up at Olympia in a few weeks. I m sharing a stand with a furniture supplier,
not the domestic market, business requirements offices, hotels, restaurants, anything
commercial. It s their exhibition stand really, but I m providing them with flowers and a few
house plants, and helping to man it. If I send you a few complimentary tickets, do you think
you could get him to pay us a visit?
He s not responsible for office services or the plants or anything, to be honest I think it s a
bit unlikely.
Business contacts, especially a senior man, are always useful. If you get the chance, you
could simply say a couple of free tickets had turned up in the post. I m not going to pester
him, don t be concerned about that, well maybe as far as to say hello, shake hands, and
exchange business cards. I ll send you a few tickets; if you want to come along with Peter or
bring someone else with you, or come on your own, make use of them. If not throw them in
the bin.
He had so far prevented me from exchanging more than a few words with the man who
was my reason for being in the Beckford Arms. At last Tom broke into the conversation again.
You ve been talking business and asking him questions all evening, Andrew. Mark s come in
for a quiet drink, he doesn t want to hear about no trade exhibition.
You re right. Forget I mentioned it. Let me get the next round. He bought drinks for Tom [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]