Sometimes comment maker Rob Paterson's recollections of family life growing up with money in Britain - and sometimes the colonies - are often an entertaining glimpse into another world but even this one about his father surprised me:

...Dad had set up a metals trading company called PISS , or Pillar International sales and services to buy metal for the group. They had become Alcan's largest client. They would have these marathon annual buying meetings in Bermuda with Alcan - part of the strategy was to wear the Alcan team down with no sleep and oceans of drink. He also set up a corporate account with the best "escort service" in London so that visitors would not have to sleep alone. It was called the "Culver Corporation" in honour of David. If you were a member you simply gave the madam a "Culver Corp" card and all the money aspects would be dealt with by Dad's secretary...

The tale's central character is like someone from a 19th century Russian novel.