Methods problem

[CleverKnot]

I'm experienced but arguably more junior than most colleagues in the project team. My boss & the colleagues have mostly hands-off roles, they contribute some ideas few times a month, while basically I do 91% of all the work on own initiative (& 8% on their direction).

Colleague X quit his paid job months ago, missed many recent meetings. The others still want him to be involved. always invited, cc'd, deferred to, etc.

X had research idea-1 that made negligible progress for 18months until I wrestled it off of him. Me+Boss dreamt up research idea-2 in a new area for all of us (ie, I don't think anyone is more expert than me, truly). I went off & did lots of work on ideas1 & 2, today described progress to others. It's science so I expect (want) helpful criticism, but....

Today X was short with me, almost barking "I can't understand why you got results like that!" X had every opportunity to be more involved in last 3.5 yrs, take over, plan the research, direct me to do his way, but never did, now he's shirty at methods he doesn't like. Today's mtg was left a bit vague, I will "take on board" their critical comments.

I just wondered if anyone had dealt with an X type colleague. Feels like he's foisted on me but not helping. What strategy kept you sane?

He sounds awful. I tend to work alone or with one well-vetted colleague for this reason, I have worked on teams but always found there's a slacker who is not pulling their weight. I'm guessing there's little choice in your field though, so I'd get everything in writing- so summarize the meeting, the action points and the way ahead and say that any feedback should come to you in the next two weeks otherwise you'll assume that's fine to go ahead.

If it's already happened, then just make sure you are first author!

Ta 4 reply.
The uncertainty is I don't know if X will even mention all this again. Whether he'll attend next meeting, whether the others expect me to have a clear reply for his points. I'm trying to see him as the hostile-reviewer-in-waiting that I need responses for, I suppose. He seems to be moaning he doesn't have access to articles now that's not employed in a research institution; 3 pdfs he demanded I send him because he can't follow links in emails ... even though these pdfs were all open-access.

No replies to MS Word documents I send around; does that mean he doesn't have MS word at home, either? Pah.