Of course, it is quite warm. And we all have problems with sweat when it gets warm. Some, of course, more than others.

Today, as I drove to work, the temperature read 24°. That’s at 7 in the morning.

As long as I don’t exert myself, I don’t have a great problem with sweating. And now that I’m in work, we have the air conditioning, so I’m fine.

We have a visitor today. A customer. We joke here that he’s pregnant, his belly being large and round and, well, exactly as if he were pregnant and almost due. His loose shirts cover his belly and then drop straight like he’s put a curtain round himself.

He comes from Northern Europe. It’s not as hot there, of course. But he’s not used to this weather. And, it seems he has a problem with sweating. When I greeted him downstairs, I didn’t really notice although as I shook his hand there was that damp feel to the shake.

I took him for coffee. I noticed, as we were having coffee that the front of his shirt, just below his breasts and where the shirt started to cling to the top of his belly, was damp. Normally you see this on men just under the armpit – and, for me, it’s not an attractive sight. Sometimes, I suffer from this myself and, knowing this, I really hate it but it’s life and I can’t do that much about it.

But to have such a large damp patch there was particularly unattractive.

We go back to the room. By the time our colleagues have joined us, there is a strip of dampness about a foot deep and spread across the whole of his belly. I feel physically quite sick.

I also feel quite sorry for him – but, really, if you have this problem, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! Like, for instance, get rid of the baby that you’ve been harbouring for a few years now!

I switch the air conditioning to the highest possible level. Both for him and for my colleagues, since I will be dipping out of the meeting whilst they talk the technical talk.

By the time I go back to offer him another coffee, a few moments ago, the air conditioning has done its work. Thank goodness.