People Expect Me to be MAGIC

Excerpt from an actual conversation:

Client: This is simply too much money, we have to cut the cost.

Me: Not a problem, there are plenty of things we can remove to lower the cost.

Client: OH NOES!!!! All of those things have to be kept, but the price has to be cheaper.

Me: You want me to lower the cost WITHOUT removing anything from the project?

Client: You're the professional, that's your JOB!

Me: You do realize that these things are TANGIBLE items, they are not IMAGINARY?

Client: Why are you such a smartass?

Me: You are asking me to BE MAGIC.

Client: You have been up until NOW.

Please take the time to comment.