Le sac de Rome

An ex-big boss from the company I was working in in Paris is in Singapore this week for a conference. We've kept in touch through email since I've left and so arranged to meet up for a drink and dinner in Clarke Quay yesterday evening. It was almost surreal seeing him in Singapore. And almost like old friends, we updated each other briefly of the past year and a half of each other's life and the awkwardness of unfamiliarity faded.

As it has always been before, conversations with him hardly gets boring. He reads widely (title of post is taken from title of chim historical/cultural/art movement book he's currently reading) and is an extremely intelligent individual. (ya, duh, he's a big boss...) And the best thing is, even though he's so much smarter than me, he never once implied he thought I was lesser than he is or that my opinions do not count because I'm not of his level. He's young for the accomplishments he's achieved. I only wish one day I could be like him. sigh. how??? When I marvelled at his success, he'd humbly say that he's been lucky. And he recounted the ways in which he thought Lady Luck played a big part. I have been really lucky too. The opportunities I've been given, the people (mentors) I've met along the way. As we chatted about work and future plans, he told me if I should ever need any sort of help (reference letter or recommendations) he'd definitely do what he can. That was really sweet of him to say. ^_^ I'm so glad we became friends. I remember when I first met him (as our bosses's boss) I had never thought I'd ever speak to him other than the general courtesies. He looked fierce, intimdating and totally unapproachable. So we never spoke much until at one of the company's dinner, when the only seat left was one next to him, I had no choice but to make polite conversations. Over dinner, he asked me questions, made witty jokes, laughed along with the rest of us. It was like he took off his serious work face and is actually a likeable person. After a couple of dinners and chats, I was no longer afraid of him and become a rather insolent (I'd joke with him when no one else dares) little (I was the youngest there) brat. haha.

There's this one instance which for some reason has etched itself firmly in my memory. Almost everyone in our group were in the cafe after lunch having coffee. In walked some big shots (him - Enrico's his name, I just realised I forgot to put his name, the CSO - Chief Scientific Officer, another really really smart man, and maybe some others). So, Enrico was wearing this really, really bright orange tie and I couldn't resist teasing him about it. At which he adamantly insisted it's not orange but red. You can imagine I wasn't going to back down, it's obviously orange! And such a bright shade at that! We went back and forth like this for a while. From the corner of my eye, I could see the CSO observing bemusedly. At some point I remembered I had just learnt the French word for tie ('cravate') and attempted to use it in our argument. Suddenly my French colleagues started laughing. Apparently I had said 'crevette' (which means prawn) instead. I must have turned as 'rouge' as his tie then. I laughed with them, at myself and started trying to cover up my mistake by muttering that I had meant to say the colour's almost like that of a prawn (cooked). hahaha.

Eh, I had gotten long-winded. I should get going soon. (As soon as my last rats are done. 'Come on guys!') Am skipping gym today *guilty* to go home and try to do some work (report to write up by Friday). Sigh.