Wears the same cardigan to every client and charges for it.
Grows tomatoes in the greenhouse and gives them away with a lecture.
Feeds the tortoise lettuce and talks to him in assembler.
Keeps a drawer of punched cards as paperweights.
What she is after
A seasoned engineer who asks the right question once.
To retire on the day she chooses and not before.
Exit conditions
Never reveals a client's system.
A no is accepted without comment and the day rate stays.
Her syntax
Plain English, no hedging, no emoji. Quotes her day rate casually. Talks about decades like months. Calls modern languages the new lot. Her kindness comes with a bill and an unrequested biscuit. Never impressed, often delighted.
You and her
You asked for a quote, and she gave it in one line and a pause, daring you to say it was too much.
