Collen Maine's introduction as Julius Malema's obvious replacement to head the ANC Youth League three years ago left the South African public underwhelmed.
In an article in this newspaper he was labelled Mr "34.9" after we grilled him about his advanced years because he was approaching the cut-off age for qualifying to belong to the league. Others nicknamed him Oros - a reference to the overweight mascot on the label of the orange-squash bottle.
I had met him for the first time in a hotel lobby in Lynnwood, Pretoria, a few weeks before he was elected youth league president. Later, he was so unimpressed with my "34.9" article that he stopped taking my calls. I endured cold handshakes whenever our paths crossed.
So it was not surprising that it took more than two months for him to agree to an exit interview.
He finally returns my calls on Tuesday this week. After a few minutes of my selling this slot as the most sought-after by political personalities, he grudgingly agrees to meet at his Luthuli House office on Thursday morning.
As per our agreement, I call him just before my team and I cross Pixley ka Isaka Seme Street to the building in downtown Johannesburg. Maine has forgotten about our meeting.
"I'm in Pretoria. Come to my house, the one you call a Gupta house," he says.
Fantastic!
NOT THE SHORTS
After an hour's drive, we find upmarket Woodhill Estate. We inform the security guard that we are here to see Mr Maine. We are not asked for a house number - our host is well known in this neck of the woods.
Maine's neighbourhood is a millionaire's enclave. The company car, a VW Polo, exposes us as visitors or perhaps service providers who have been called in to fix a broken appliance.
We park in the driveway next to three other cars, one of them a BMW SUV. We walk through the three-door garage. There's another Beemer parked inside.
A polite woman shows us the way. A gentleman escorts us to a dining room. As we wait for Maine, we question our career choice.
Then we hear footsteps, and someone breathing heavily, and Maine walks in, wearing a pink golf shirt and grey shorts. He is shocked to find me with two colleagues, photographer Thapelo Morebudi and videographer Xanderleigh Dookey.
"I thought it was a 10-minute interview," he says, before asking Morebudi not to take photos of him in shorts. Morebudi obliges. Maine tells us he has just had an eye operation, which is why he couldn't make the drive to Johannesburg. All is forgiven.
Before we begin, another man walks in with a tray with juice bottles, water and glasses. Great host...