Yeah, you read that right.
I was approached about three weeks ago by a guy called John, asking if I might be interested in writing a book for him.
For him ? With him ?
About him ? By him ?
Well, all of the above really ..
He was a prospective candidate in the last general election - and the youngest in the country - and he's a black guy, originally born in Uganda though he's lived here since he was four. He stood in London, in Peckham, and though he lost he wants to run again in 2020 and he wants to write a book about his experiences.
He's been keeping a loose kind of diary along the way and when we first started exchanging emails he was extolling the virtues of Obama's book, Dreams From My Father. He said it had a profound effect on him and he feels a lot of parallels with the POTUS and his journey to the top.
I was going to write "to power" but I realised that would the wrong phrase because neither man seems particularly hell-bent on being the top dog in the way that someone like Donald Trump or Vladimir Putin is.
Both men have a lot of humility (I'm talking about Barrack and John when I say that, not the other two) and he's an interesting character.
I've not met him personally yet but I'm trying to set something up before Xmas. I've suggested I come up to London and we hook up for a meal or some beers or possibly both and talk things through. I have no idea how it'll work - he's in his early twenties and has a job, so I won't be getting paid much I don't think - but he's very ambitious and wants to get cracking so it should be interesting if nothing else.
I've never really been driven to do anything in particular so I am always fascinated by people who are.
Some people are just tuned that way .. focused .. centred on their "goals" .. god, I hate that word in a work/life sense.
I've always just meandered along the path of least resistance ..
Anyway .. I've only spoken to a couple of people about it, but I'm excited.
Could be a good project for me.
If it works out and I successfully "ghost write" the guy's story, I could maybe worm my way into football biographies.
Anyone got Lee Bowyer's number ??
