運命

In Hong Kong, you are constantly reminded why having money is a good thing. You see people with lifestyles that are on the extreme ends. On the taxi, the taxi driver expressed how the economy has been very bad and tough for them and how they are barely getting by. But in our family circle of friends, you see people who went on vacation 4 times this year. They take you out to member-only places to eat and openly tell you what incredible amount of stock gain they made just from the last few months of 2006 and how they reward themselves with it. Then on our way going from one place to another, you again see people at the bottom of the society... The next day, my well-to-do classmate showed me where you can buy some quiet moments after work in this densely packed city without any reservation, provided you can pay the price of course. She updated me on news about some of our classmates (some of them are very successful and you can see them on TV news as spokepersons for their respective industries - law, food and drug, investment banking, government. But one committed suicide ...) Later she took me to the cake shop in the middle of the financial district opened by our rich classmate a year ago and we also stopped by the Italian restaurant that my childhood friend took on as the interior designer. (How come they all seem to have more interesting job than I do) Then on my way home, I bumped into my high school English Literature teacher at the bank and I was shocked to see how small and tiny she is now. (She was a wonderfully unique teacher who recognized my strengths early on as a kid and had given me some life-long confidence in everything I do. Anyway...) I would love to say hi but she looked so deeply preoccupied and unhappy that I just could not bring myself to interrupt. Also the thought that it's always easier for students to remember their teachers than the reverse dominated my decision process...

Today I also ran into my boss' executive assistant E whom we used to work together at a startup company many, many years ago. Our boss C, who has proven herself time and again as a successful business entrepreneur, is now a mother of 2 and is opening a school for the gifted kids next year. E is still her trusted assistant doing all the operational execution work! C is one of the most witty, crazy, fun and world-rounded people (men included) I know with multiple Master degrees and E is one of the most dependable gals I know with a Master Degree from London School of Economics. I was their trusted CPA and we are all within 5 years apart in age. I have been desperately wanting to know their whereabouts for the last 10+ years when I left Apple and they also moved on to something else (work email was the only thing we use). E and I will be having dinner next week maybe together with C if she could make it in such short notice. And I just found out C lives at the building literally next to ours. If I can count the windows correctly at the right direction, I could see if she's home or not!! How exciting is Hong Kong Everyone leads such different lives and you could always see a familiar face among a sea of faces if you pay attention.