My Singapore Lover by Judy Chapman

Author:Judy Chapman
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9789814423397
Publisher: Monsoon Books Pte. Ltd.

Shattered Illusions

Red. Green. Yellow. Orange. Singapore is suddenly in full swing with the festivities of the Mooncake Season, the most colourful festival of the year. The streets are alive with thousands of cellophane lanterns shaped like dragons, butterflies and fish that sway in shop doorways. The foyers of hotels and restaurants and store entrances are decorated with vibrant offerings. Windows are stacked with pretty boxes full of sweet promises. Mooncakes are pastries shaped like the moon and filled with sugar, steamed egg yolk, lotus seed paste, nuts and red bean. They are dense and sweet and often decorated with the Chinese characters for ‘peace’ and ‘harmony.’ ‘Mooncake’ translates as ‘the day in the middle of autumn’ and is a time for family reunion.

For us at the publishing house, all is new too. New vice presidents. New policies. More protocols. The organization is expanding by the hour. New publications. New products. New experts. New consultants. Paul is pulling a team of expats together who have been with us less than a month and are being promoted above workers who have given the company their heart and soul for years. Loyalties shift by the hour and some days it feels as if there is nothing concrete to hold on to. But the southern wind has passed and Mr Ong has a smile on his face once more. As does Paul.

Monday comes around again and we are summoned to the boardroom for an emergency meeting about the company’s direction and expansion.

‘We need to take our company’s image to the next level,’ says one of the new vice presidents. He is a tall, well-built American who has been with us less than a month and attends work events with a different woman on his arm each time. ‘We need to define who we are and what we stand for in our vision and mission statement.’

‘We need fresh blood,’ Paul agrees.

I try not to look at Tammy sitting opposite me; I am sure she will be rolling her eyes as if to say: ‘We’ve heard this all before.’

I study Paul and the new American VP, both outfitted in Armani. That’s the thing about men who dress in designer suits: they dress for the game. It did not take them long to assume leadership and now they move through our offices as if they own the world. They play squash with each other on Tuesday nights and golf with Mr Ong on weekends. They speak a language I have not yet mastered.

Tammy sits upright in her chair: ‘We already have our mission statement,’ she says. ‘Are you saying you want to change it now?’

The American VP responds by pulling out graphics of the proposed new visuals for the company. They are a series of coloured photographs of luxury resorts, happy people lazing around pool villas with words like ‘unique’ and ‘boutique’ written underneath them in bold blue font.

Everyone in the room responds positively. Mr Ong beams at the enthusiasm in the room with a satisfied smile. But I know the way he thinks.

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