Jos had been shopping his Cube Town idea around to various friends and contacts. He lamented the fact that he just hadn't found the right person yet to run with his idea. So one day he told me, "I've been convinced that I must go to business school and launch this idea myself." Apparently, he had talked to someone who led him to conclude that he, Jos, would have to get an MBA.
I thought it strange that Jos had been pursuaded by someone to do something; it was usually Jos who did the pursuading! I had a whole stack of GMAT books at home, so I told him I'd lend them to him. "That's great!" he exclaimed. "We'll be study partners."
I wasn't exactly looking for a study partner, but I knew Jos wouldn't be an ordinary study partner, so I agreed. "OK," I said. "But I can't start for a while because I'm really busy."
"No problem," Jos replied. "I'll review the books this week, then we'll get started next week." Then he walked away, grinning as though studying for the GMAT would be some great adventure.
I guess it wasn't. The next Monday, Jos brought that big stack of GMAT books back to me, packed in a box. It made a thud as he set it down.
"What's that?" I asked, pointing to the box.
"Oh, no," Jos insisted, as though he were in the middle of a different conversation. "Somebody else is going to have to go to business school." Then he walked away, grinning as he thought of his next idea!