Christopher Pyne showed no sign of nerves - or even awareness - that he was about to address the House for the final time.
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As the last question time before the election careered to a close, the Defence Minister giggled with Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and talked nonchalantly to Prime Minister Scott Morrison. He tapped his foot in time to the Dorothy Dixers and gleefully heckled the Labor benches. Then, after a quick sip of water, Pyne was at the despatch box.
"To the chagrin of a few, and the joy of many, maybe even some in this place, I am retiring from the Australian Parliament," he began.
After 26 years in politics, Pyne will not recontest the upcoming federal election. He arrived in Canberra as a 25-year-old upstart and leaves with a string of ministerial jobs - from education to industry, ageing and defence - to his name. Three prime ministers appointed him leader of the house.
And yet, despite such lofty heights, the spirit of that young upstart is never far away.
"I am going to miss the stage that the despatch box gives you for some amateur thespianism," Pyne told the House, clearly relishing the laughs that easily accompanied the line.
Riffing on Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the Bible, Pyne spoke of how he believed those with great opportunity should work to give others the same chance. But even when explaining his political philosophy, the member for Sturt could not resist the lure of the audience in front of him.
"Mr Speaker, I've had a fortunate life. I don't have a log cabin story like so many people in this place ... although I once did have to get my own lemon for a gin and tonic."
Morrison put his head in his hands as if he could not believe what he just heard.
Pyne, who was devastated when Malcolm Turnbull was axed last year, also leaves Parliament with a few scars from leadership spills past.
While fellow moderate Trade Minister Simon Birmingham came over from the Senate to hear his colleague speak, Julie Bishop left the House in the split second between question time finishing and Pyne's valedictory beginning. Tony Abbott also appeared to find Pyne's jokes far less hilarious than the other MPs around him.
Undeterred, the member for Sturt still namechecked his former leader towards the end of his remarks.
"As the member for Warringah is fond of saying, 'You win the lottery of life when you are born in Australia' ... That didn't happen by accident. It happened because of good governments and good men and women trying to do their best."
And it was here that the moment finally caught up with Pyne, who at 51, will now turn his back on the job that has consumed his life for decades and instead look to a career in business.
"I've relished the opportunity to attempt great deeds in the one forum that in our democracy allows every Australian the chance to do so – the House of Representatives," he said, his voice breaking up at rapid pace.
So much so that Pyne could barely get the final "thankyou, goodbye and good luck" out and into the Hansard. The fixer had finally met his match.
