'I know about all that. Accountancy and computers are so intertwined now the Institute ought to play more of a role, not leave it to the suppliers to make all the running. They are the independent body, they are supposed to look after the interests of the profession, and that is precisely what I am suggesting they start to do. Let me have what you can put together in the next hour. Then, will you be able to come into the partners' meeting this afternoon? I want to convince them we have to stop the Institute dragging its feet.'
'Yes, but... I'm not sure what use I'll be. The partners won't be interested in anything too technical.'
'You're right about that, no techno-babble, keep everything in layman's terms. My secretary will ring you when the item comes up for discussion. Should be between three and three- thirty to judge from where it is on the agenda, but be on standby from two-thirty. Keep the whole afternoon free if you can. Is that likely to be a problem?'
'No, no, I'll be waiting for the call.'
'Excellent.' He rushed off again, leaving me bewildered. Even if there were good arguments for what he was suggesting - and I myself was not convinced - an hour was not long enough for me to write a coherent well argued case. What I gave to his secretary was a hotchpotch. The thought of him putting his proposals to the partners without a lot more work, and thoroughly softening them up beforehand, appalled me.
Worried about making a fool of myself in the afternoon for the third time that day I rang Lizetta to ask if she had any idea why he had suddenly become so interested in engaging the Institute on computer system standards.
'There are rumours flying around that the knives are out for Peter. A lot of it is probably exaggerated, but let's meet for lunch and I'll tell you what I know.'
We went to our usual sandwich bar where she ordered her soup and roll. Preoccupied with the misfortunes of the day, although my appetite had recovered after the morning's nausea I ordered the same. We sat at one of the little chrome tables, eating with our elbows tucked in so as not to jab people nearby. My soup and roll lasted about five minutes, whilst Lizetta, busy telling me what she had heard, made hers last a full half hour.
'This is rumour, you understand, and I'm putting together bits from different sources, some of it from Caroline, some from elsewhere. You've probably heard most of it already.'