'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.'