John was quite anxious to return to the project. He had mulled over some ideas while in hospital and he wanted to discuss them with the rest of the team. His father, however, had other ideas.
“You can have your discussion,” he said. “And you can keep in touch and advise on the project, but I’m taking you off it full-time. I want you to help me more directly in future.”
John was angry. “Christ dad, what for? I’m good at that job and it’s really starting to take shape now. We’re a good team. We work well. I don’t want to be some kind of pin-striped administrator.” He rose to his theme. “In fact, I’m not going to be! I’ll do what I bloody well want.”
The memory of his young son throwing one of his occasional tantrums floated before Peter as John’s outburst went over the top, and he found i
