Warning!
Right brain needed to appreciate the analogy, euphemism, and metaphor. Please skip if you need things to be black and white.
When I was selling furniture at IMM and Park Mall during my furniture salesman days in my mid-twenties, I have an older lady colleague who was in her mid-30s.
In her youth (she would probably give me a slap – 30s very old meh), she used to work in the high class fashion boutiques at Orchard Road. That’s why she looked so different from the “normal” furniture sales staff – always fully make-up with branded attire and never a hair out of place.
Oh the stories she would share on what goes on in the changing rooms between bored tai-tais and the male salespersons… (Of course I dare not ask her what she did with her male customers!)
Opps! That should be another post for another day.
This lady colleague was married to an insurance agency manager. And her plan was to retire with her husband in their early 40s.
She is rich; you should see her Chopard watch – the one with gemstones moving freely on the dial ;) She works merely to pass time.
One day, a drop dead gorgeous lady customer walked into our showroom. After this customer left, my lady colleague asked me who is prettier – she or the customer?
Ah ha! By now I knew how to speak “woman”. So I replied, “Her long hair very nice; but you prettier! Your skin so very de fair and your eyes so big big. Can hook any man’s soul!”
My lady colleague laughed. I can be very over the top!
She later revealed that lady customer was one of several ex-girlfriends of her husband. And on that day, I learned a lot about how some women got use strategy and tactic when it comes to “hooking” the significant other of their choice.
Her husband is very handsome. And together with a good career, it’s not surprising during their courtship, her husband did stray and became a playboy… Instead of throwing tantrums or breaking off in a huff, she let her then boyfriend “sow his wild oats” and patiently waited.
Needless to say, her brave contrarian bet paid off!? Once the playboy boyfriend had got his “excesses” out of his system, the desire to settle down to start a family and focus on his career took root.
And lo and behold! My lady colleague was there when her boyfriend came to his senses.
Sob, sob. How’s that for a fairy tale end?
OK, foreplay over.
When I read in the news of how powerful or rich guys get themselves into trouble over their inability to zip up, I always recall the above episode and what I’ve learnt from my lady colleague.
For young teenage girls, there’s this “convent girl syndrome” for girls that are too “repressed”.
For men in their 40s and 50s, there’s this lao hero mid-life crisis phase. Especially if they have been always the goody goody guy with no vices during their early manhood.
Imagine being in a position of authority and/or wealth during your middle age and find to your surprise that mei-meis are now “bumping” into you and “chatting” you up?
Never mind if you are short, fat, and ugly (OK, OK, I add in bald if you must insist).
All your life you have done the “right thing”. And now you tell yourself you “deserve” a little bit of fun and reward for all those years of hard slogging to get to where you are.
When I hear people say only buy blue chips, or dividend paying stocks are great, I smile when I recall what I've learned on that afternoon with my lady colleague.
So I’ll flirt with the S-chips and penny stocks today. You never know, one of them one day, may be the next great blue chip and dividend play of the decade!
Singapore Man of Leisure (welcome to my blog; just google it!)
