Many years ago, I had a client who was off his face on drugs. Initially I had no idea that he was affected as he just seemed out of it. There was a lot of weirdness about him. I’d end up waiting for him to rock up to appointments made; he’d forget or he’d call me at all hours of the night sometimes lucid, sometimes not. Sometimes anxious about the work, other times calm. Making appointments that he’d always miss.

He was a trader and I had to create a trading course for him. He had this small school and he wanted to create an online course he could sell. However, he was “out of it” most of the time so he insisted we meet in the late afternoons (as he told me he slept during the day as he was trading late into the night). He would insist we meet at local cafes, empty bars & restaurants while he had his first coffee in the afternoon.

He annoyed me because he was so unpredictable. I’d end up waiting for hours for him. One day I remember sitting outside his school for ages calling him but he wouldn’t pick up. When he’d finally pick up, he’d beg me to stay there to meet with him so I’d wait again. He’d rock up late and then we would walk over to a local cafe where he would have his coffee and smoke and just look out onto the street. I had no idea why I was even there half the time.

I’d tell him to get his shit together because he was wasting my time. (In those exact words). I’d get annoyed because I could spend an entire afternoon with him and I wouldn’t have got any information from him about developing his course.

Every time I told him off though, he just asked for me through my boss, to continue working on his course. I had to pick his brain to create the content but it was all gobbledygook. Nothing he ever said to me about share trading made sense to me. I remember him saying to me that I wouldn’t make a good trader because I’m not a gambler. I’m risk averse. I’d shrug my shoulder and retort “as if I care about that.”

I told my boss at the time that he was a difficult client and that I was just wasting my time. I couldn’t get anything from him to create any content. I simply couldn’t do my work. But the client constantly kept asking for me – and he paid really well. All upfront.

So I was told “do your best”. Just take it on the chin for the company.

So guess what I did.

I actually taught myself how to trade stocks. How to recognise long and short trades. I bought books, read up and then it sounded as if I knew what was going on – and created the course.

The client was rapt about it. However the instant that job finished. I forgot everything about trading. I can’t remember what happened to the client either. Once the course was finished, my boss took over and took all his calls and soon after I lost contact with him thankfully.

I have no idea why I remembered this client today. I wonder if he’s still alive?

That’s my weird client story for today. I think he liked me because we were both of Greek background. Maybe he liked someone to tell things to him straight. Maybe he was just really tired of working into the night. Maybe it was me who didn’t understand him?

I spent HOURS at cafes with him just sitting there, smoking and me thinking, “what the hell is this space cadet on?” but he’d pay for everything. Meals, drinks, coffees…so I stayed. Together we watched people in silence. Part of me impatient to start (and finish his project) but another part of me feeling like I was helping him in some weird way.

At least he gave me a story to remember. I’m thankful for that.