Not trying to be a PITA myself, but what I'm asking is for you to speculate what thought process HE went through... I do get the steps you went through, and the specific defining moments, but what I'm asking is not what did you do differently, but what INTERNAL REACTION did your actions set off in him...
IOW what was his internal process in response to what you did.
And if you can diagram that first sentence, I'll email you a 32-ounce margarita!
P.S. And I'm not even asking WHY it "worked," but just what excatly (in your opinion) "clicked" in him. Thanks for your patience while I scratch my head...