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It was 6:30 in the evening, and i was driving with my dad sitting upright, clinging to the handrails, and scowling under his breath at my seemingly pathetic driving skills. We were heading towards the Palace of the Golden Horses (PGH), where the dinner would take place.
How my dad got the invitation, i do not know (i couldn't bothered to ask). Both my parents thought it would be "good education" for me, so instead of the usual 'mum and dad going out for dinner and me staying at home with my brother wrecking down the house', they decided to let me go with my dad.
There was supposed to be a talk, so i thought it would be a big event, like the last one i went with my dad, with fashion shows and sorts. But when we finally found the place after walking through a maze in the PGH, i was utterly disappointed to find a small room with only a round table with ten seats. A man walked towards us and shook my dad's hand, then he turned to me, shook mine, and asked who i was. I didn't know how to introduce myself (it wouldn't be appropriate to say, hello i am he xin, would it? i mean, he wouldn't even bothered to remember right?). Luckily my dad came to my rescue. "She my daughter." There. Done.
A few more people arrive, and all started to exchange name cards. Everything was very formal, and i tried to put on my best and smiled to everyone, even though i started to think, what the hell am i doing here, a rebellious teen with a bunch of business people? I started to understand why most rich kids turn rebellious. With all the tension in the air, i couldn't help but act like one
too.
It wasn't until 7:30 that all of them finally arrive, and the man who asked my name started to give his presentation. Halfway through the speech, i finally begun to understand what a fund manager is and why we were there. To cut it short, he was persuading us (actually it's just my dad, and another two business owners, as the others were the fund manager's dealers) to hand over our money to him to "invest" in the stock market.
The food finally came at eight thirty. It was a Chinese restaurant, yet everything came in plates served individually. Appetizer, shark fin soup, oyster, ostrich, prawns, fish and all sorts were served. Frankly, it made me feel like becoming a vegetarian. I mean, i appreciate it as everything was made with extra 'fineness', but i could have enjoyed a Char Koay Teow much more. At least i don't have to eat without talking and making no noise with the cutlery.
I spent most of my time staring blankly at them, nodding once or twice, imagining what they are like at home. I noticed that most of the fund managers and dealers or whatever were rather uneasy, trying to behave in good manner while the other two bosses (which are their potential clients) were being boss-like, ever so skeptical, full of themselves, and shooting many questions to the fund manager. My dad, on the other hand, was rather laid-back. Even the FM paid not much attention to him. I guess he knew than it's a waste of time to talk someone much more experience than him to hand over his assets.
He seem to have more interest in me though. After hearing me saying i wanted to study economics, he took it as a personal interest to dissuade me, saying he was tricked into studying that subject and find it useless.
All in all, it was an extremely uncomfortable dinner, it made my mood go all the way to the floor ( plus the fact that i did very badly in my stupid AS economics exam in the morning), and i hope i would never be the one giving that kind of presentation in the future.
How my dad got the invitation, i do not know (i couldn't bothered to ask). Both my parents thought it would be "good education" for me, so instead of the usual 'mum and dad going out for dinner and me staying at home with my brother wrecking down the house', they decided to let me go with my dad.
There was supposed to be a talk, so i thought it would be a big event, like the last one i went with my dad, with fashion shows and sorts. But when we finally found the place after walking through a maze in the PGH, i was utterly disappointed to find a small room with only a round table with ten seats. A man walked towards us and shook my dad's hand, then he turned to me, shook mine, and asked who i was. I didn't know how to introduce myself (it wouldn't be appropriate to say, hello i am he xin, would it? i mean, he wouldn't even bothered to remember right?). Luckily my dad came to my rescue. "She my daughter." There. Done.
A few more people arrive, and all started to exchange name cards. Everything was very formal, and i tried to put on my best and smiled to everyone, even though i started to think, what the hell am i doing here, a rebellious teen with a bunch of business people? I started to understand why most rich kids turn rebellious. With all the tension in the air, i couldn't help but act like one
too.
It wasn't until 7:30 that all of them finally arrive, and the man who asked my name started to give his presentation. Halfway through the speech, i finally begun to understand what a fund manager is and why we were there. To cut it short, he was persuading us (actually it's just my dad, and another two business owners, as the others were the fund manager's dealers) to hand over our money to him to "invest" in the stock market.
The food finally came at eight thirty. It was a Chinese restaurant, yet everything came in plates served individually. Appetizer, shark fin soup, oyster, ostrich, prawns, fish and all sorts were served. Frankly, it made me feel like becoming a vegetarian. I mean, i appreciate it as everything was made with extra 'fineness', but i could have enjoyed a Char Koay Teow much more. At least i don't have to eat without talking and making no noise with the cutlery.
I spent most of my time staring blankly at them, nodding once or twice, imagining what they are like at home. I noticed that most of the fund managers and dealers or whatever were rather uneasy, trying to behave in good manner while the other two bosses (which are their potential clients) were being boss-like, ever so skeptical, full of themselves, and shooting many questions to the fund manager. My dad, on the other hand, was rather laid-back. Even the FM paid not much attention to him. I guess he knew than it's a waste of time to talk someone much more experience than him to hand over his assets.
He seem to have more interest in me though. After hearing me saying i wanted to study economics, he took it as a personal interest to dissuade me, saying he was tricked into studying that subject and find it useless.
All in all, it was an extremely uncomfortable dinner, it made my mood go all the way to the floor ( plus the fact that i did very badly in my stupid AS economics exam in the morning), and i hope i would never be the one giving that kind of presentation in the future.
