Alex took a last sip of Kopi-O kaw in an old, run-down kopitiam at the corner of a lorong in Penang Road. As he whiled away, he reflected on his life to date. He had just left his job as a Manager of a large manufacturing factory. Life for him can be very unpredictable, as he had just learned. One minute he was a ‘high-flyer’, full of confidence, and the next, out of a job, sitting alone at a kopitiam, wondering what had happened.
He was a ‘rising star’ manager, highly favored to be the next General Manager with an MNC automotive company. One day, he received an email stating that the new Managing Director wanted to meet with him. There was no agenda, which kept him wondering what it could be. He went up to the MD's Office at the stipulated time and was asked to take a seat. He waited patiently, feeling nervous.
‘Am I getting a promotion?’, he thought.
The boss came in, sat opposite him, and looked sternly in his eyes.
‘I want you to resign,’ his lips quivered, eyebrow squirmed.
Alex was shocked! Out of the blue, he was asked to resign.
'Why? " What have I done?" he asked, his heart pounding.
The new MD then explained that it was his performance.
Alex was not satisfied with the flimsy explanation. ‘ Please explain to me where and what I did wrong to deserve this?'
The MD kept quiet. His face was as stern as steel.
Someone must have backstab me, or he must have some hidden plan.' Alex thought. It's not unusual for such things to happen in the corporate world, especially when there is a takeover and infighting.
The company was undergoing a restructuring and reorganization exercise.
Alex recalled he was given an increment just six months ago in the recent performance appraisal by the previous MD. He knew his termination got to do with the reorganization.
He tried to argue, but found out it was pointless. The new MD was adamant.
He recalled he had a plaque hanging in his office that said:
Rule Number 1 - The boss is always right.
Rule Number 2 - If the boss is wrong, refer to Rule Number 1.
Without further arguing, he accepted the compensation and left.
xxx
The next week, Alex met an old colleague, Bok, who was a Senior Manager with an MNC company. He was sitting in a jewelry shop.
‘ What are you doing here?’ he asked.
‘ Oh, I’m helping my family in this shop,' Bok answered shyly.
‘My company offered me a VSS ( Voluntary Separation Scheme), I had to accept because I was considered as - ’ Over-the-Hill'. That was one of the criteria. ‘ Old cows produce no milk,’ he added with a smile.
With the advent of technology, more employees above 50 were finding it difficult to keep their jobs.
Alex then went for a haircut at his usual barber shop. As he entered the shop, he found that it was rather quiet.
Usually, Yee Huah, his barber, would be lazing in the barber's chair listening to his old classic Chinese songs.
‘ Where’s Yee Huah? ‘ he asked William, Yee Huah’s assistant.
‘Oh… He's gone!’
‘Gone…? Where!?’
‘He had a sudden heart attack last Thursday. They cremated him on Saturday.
Alex then crossed the street for his usual Teh Tarik at the Mamak. He bumped into another old friend who was also a ‘high-flyer’ in one of the banks. He invited Alex for a drink. At 54 years old, he was recently let off by the bank.
‘You know,’ said his friend, who had since become a preacher.
"I’d given up all earthly pursuits. No point. You work, struggle, and die. Then he quoted:
'God gives you the ability to change what you can;
the courage to accept what you cannot;
and the wisdom to see the difference.
Read the scriptures. It will give you comfort and peace of mind.'
That was a powerful short sermon. As they bade farewell, Alex pondered on what his friend said.
No matter how great you are, the final reward in life is death. The nurturing of soul and spirit is more important than the pursuit of worldly possessions.
As he walked past the nearby apartments, a familiar song lingered out of the window ;
' And when the night is cloudy,
there is still a light that shines on me.
Shine until tomorrow.
Let it be…'
That song resonated deeply with him as his spirit soared. He felt rejuvenated again.
From then onwards, he knew what he should do to live his life.
Let it be.
Jack Ung (jack.uct1953@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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