Reality bites, then gets a hug

I have had an especially tough week at work, and with guests and late nights in the office I've not been sleeping very well and feeling horribly tired as a result.

This morning I had a meeting with two of my favourite people at work, who run the part of our business that deals with our wealthiest clients. They are a lovely team, down to earth and very clever, and I get on very well with them.

As I walked into the meeting room, my coat was taken and I was asked how I was doing. Rather than being sweet and nice and saying very well blah blah, an unusual bout of workplace honesty befell me and I responded asking "Do you really want to know?". They both looked sympathetically at me and told me how miserable and hard their wives had found the last month, and to make sure I was getting lots of rest and not to work too hard.

In a Swiss bank we do not tend towards physical signs of affection, but I could have hugged them both.