HYDE PARK — Listen up. Especially if you’re new to consulting, or if you travel a lot on business.

A fellow called Tom Aiken (not the cook) taught me this important life lesson in a restaurant by the river in Philadephia… about 15 years ago.

I have always remembered.

“My wife and I have an agreement,” he said.  “When I am travelling on business and we talk on the phone, I am always ‘in my hotel room having a tuna fish sandwich’.”

“It’s just easier that way.”

With Skywalker-like devotion I have stuck to Tom’s rule.  Through three children and umpteen thousands of miles of travel it has always stood me in good stead.

Imagine the conversation otherwise:

You: “Baby?! You there?! Can you hear me?! Sorry about the noise!  You wouldn’t believe it… I’m, like, in the back of this big stretch limo, we’re going through Times Square… We just had this amazing meal… Robert De Niro was sitting beside us… and…. and in my hotel room, I’ve got a free loofa… it’s amazing!”

“Yea, yea. What’s up with you?”

“You’re… What?  Sorry?  You’re… standing in a flooded basement changing a nappy in the dark?”

“Oh.”

“How’s that going?”

Tuna fish.  Brown bread.  Nothing on the TV.

Trust me.

/df