I, Gordon – Daniel 55

[For a quick guide go here: Quick guide.]

[Old back story is here: Story so far at 30 Nov 2020 and read more recent Daniel episodes especially this one.]

[Other back story through in-links.]

Enough was enough. Daniel had spent a long time trying to satisfy everyone and now it was beginning to grate. He didn’t mind running around after Daisy, that was fine. He wanted her to be happy and whatever that took he would do. He didn’t really mind chasing after new clients and customers to get involved with Together… Apart. It was, after all, his job and it was still quite an enjoyable one. But he did draw the line at running around after people with whom he’d already sorted deal. People who clearly didn’t know when to stop or when they were over-stepping the mark.

He and Gordon didn’t get on. That was clear. It was also clear that he and Gordon did have some things in common, but it wasn’t a reason for Gordon to dictate what he should do. Nor should the deal they’d struck between his bread company and Together… Apart be a reason for other activities.

A few weeks ago, when Gordon had first ordered the virtual online statue, Daniel was bemused by the man. Then Gordon had taken him out for a drink or two – first in a park, then in a cafe - and that was sort of OK. He’d felt a bit put out by the occasion when Gordon had seen him dressed as the Easter Bunny but even that had been sort of OK as it had been entirely understandable what he’d been trying to do, why and for whom. But now there was no doubt about it. Gordon regarded Daniel as a good friend and Daniel did not feel this was OK. In short, he needed to get Gordon off his back.

Unfortunately getting Gordon off his back wasn’t going to be the easiest of things, and the fall out could go further than he wanted it to. Could he really justify cutting off good funding for the app because he just couldn’t take their relationship any more? 

He flicked through a few of web pages of local coffee bars as Gordon was now a weekly fixture and he was bored of going to the same old place. Bored because they’d have the same stilted conversation about work and kids and the apparent impossibility of families. He’d feel they were finishing up and then Gordon would ask if he wanted another coffee and he’d accept because it would seem rude not to. And then Daniel would feel overly anxious through the heady mix of too much coffee, too little to say and not enough time to do any significant work for the rest of the day.

And so instead of sending Gordon an invite today, he sent him a new clearly stated contract with the following new clauses in:

- There will be only one coffee meet-up per fortnight and only one hot drink to be consumed at that time.

- I, Gordon, will not try and alter these numbers by offering to pay.

- I will not try and turn coffee into lunch.

- I recognise that I tried putting a virtual statue on the app site and it didn’t work and I will never try anything like that again. 

- I will never tell anyone about the Easter Bunny I saw.

- If I’ve gone on about either children or bread for long enough I given Daniel the right to tell me to shut up and move on.

Daniel struck out the last one but kept the rest. It was, he felt, fair enough.

He emailed it to Gordon with a note explaining that he often sent these out to other clients because sometimes his ‘partnership’ way of working could become a little cumbersome and difficult and get in the way of the work they were doing between them. It was, of course, definitely not the kind of thing he sent out for any other clients ever. Gordon was definitely a one off, and, he hoped, would stay as a one off in his working life.

Unfortunately it wasn’t Gordon who came back to him and complained.

“This Gordon bloke from the bread makjers,” said Trinny on the phone under an hour later, “He want’s to pull out. Like everything. No advertising no affiliatin, nothing. Says he’s going to find another food/dating app crossover.”

“Well, good luck to him,” said Daniel.

He explained the situation finally saying: “you have to ask yourself, do you really want that kind of trouble?”

There was a pause. 

“Honestly, yes,” said Trinny.  “For the money I’d take that trouble and a fair bit more.”

Daniel didn't argue. With the call ended he half-heartedly logged onto LinkedIn to see if any of his contacts were doing anything interesting.