It was early 1995 and we were preparing for the monumental task of vacating 800 Thomson Road, Singapore in preparation for a massive re-development program which, in partnership with Hong Kong developers, would give us a rebuilt headquarters, apartments for all our staff and a lot of money to be re-invested in facilities around the Asia Pacific region. As 800 in Chinese thinking is a … Continue reading My Facelift Experience
The sign on the way into the transit lounge at the airport said, “Inconvenience regretted,” and I instantly understood the reason the sign was in place. I was in a small airport in a topical location away from the major air transit routes. The heat was overpowering, and beat all of the passengers into lethargic submission causing us to head purposefully in the direction of … Continue reading INCONVENIENCE REGRETTED
Mohan rushed into my office past the startled secretary and stood looking at the desk in anger. His lips trembled as he tried to articulate the stress exercising his mind, and his fists clenched and unclenched in a strange rhythmic action. I waited for him to bring himself under some semblance of control, then motioned him to sit down as I transferred to the chair … Continue reading THE CHALLENGE
In the city of Mumbai I became acquainted with a very remarkable personality. While I’d like to share his name with you, prudence dictates that I refer to him as Ahmed. As his name suggests, he was a follower of The Prophet, and a very devoted one at that. Ahmed supported, and took an active interest in more charitable enterprises than I’ve seen any other … Continue reading AHMED’S GET RICH PLAN
I was standing listlessly at a vantage point near departure gates at Manila Domestic Airport terminal. It was a hot and steamy day outside and I had that unpleasant feeling of wet clinging clothes reminding me of my exertion in dragging heavy luggage to the check in counter outside departure lounge. I always liked to be at the airport before scheduled check in time as … Continue reading Cagayan de Oro
I’d just experienced one of those memorable once in a lifetime experiences and the awe of it all was still clear in mind as I negotiated Immigration and Customs lines in the shed that served as departure terminal in Yangon for the Socialist Republic of Myanmar. It was the 1970’s and I’d taken advantage of the customary twenty-four hour stopover permitted in those days en-route … Continue reading Aung San Suu Kyi
The year was 1985 and I was attending a convention in New Orleans. It was great to have family with me for a change and as the convention was winding down next day we took a little time out with friends for a cruise on the mighty Mississippi River, As our teenage girls thought it a bit of a bore to be out with “oldies” … Continue reading Changing Jobs
It was December 2004 and we were enjoying a warm balmy summer evening on the sub-tropical Sunshine Coast, Australia when the telephone chimed. Georgine grabbed the phone expectantly. “Probably one of the girls or a family member,” she said absently. “Thailand calling!” sang the charming voice of a long distance telephone operator. We were connected then to a strong male voice at the other end … Continue reading Kanchanaburi, Thailand
My Bombay Bombay of the 1960s was a very different place to the Mumbai of today. One could still see countless relics of a past colonial age peeping out from behind peeling fading paint, now sharing suburbs with crowded cement apartments and rows of compact concrete business enterprise. In Bombay at that time were the beginnings of a current era of downtown glass walled high … Continue reading Bombay Hamara
“I want you to go over to the back of the property and bring Flicker home.” I looked at my Father uncertainly. The word Flicker bought back memories I’d have preferred to keep as just memories. Flicker knew by instinct that I was a city kid transported by circumstances into farm life and he treated me with appropriate distain. I remembered my frustration when … Continue reading Bringing Flicker Home
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