Name Cards

I remember when I was still a student, I saw working people exchanging their name-cards when they met each other. After all, a name card is a small gesture to inform the other party that this is your humbleself and forget me not. But, the name cards would be misplaced later if they did not land into the dustbins, unless that person is of great importance.

So when I started working, I did not place much importance to it either. I have been collecting numerous cards before but they were put aside to collect dust, and then true enough they were dropped into the dustbins over time. But the company wants me to have a card. Company policy. A Conventional practice. Easy to be recognised as a Valued Staff of the company. And Free too as paid for by the company.

The company's middle-aged administration manager called me into her office and asked for my Name ,Post, my direct phone-line, and Qualification to be put into the card. Gosh...."What got qualification to do to be in the card?"I asked her.

"Must have one. We want the whole world to know that our staff are educated and qualified one. Not cin-cai one. Kindly make sure that all these must be in Capital-letter...looks classy and very bold too." she said.

Okay, so I put my name in BOH TAH CHEK B AD .

"Hey, you young man.... why put B AD? No goodlah. You straight away tell people you're bad, you know."

"Where got? my qualifiaction is Business Administration - B Ad, correct what. Where got bad?" I asked.

"No-lah, cannot like that. Wait our customers all run away seeing your card. Put B BA-mah." she suggested.

"How can? I have no bachelor degree. Cannot put that. That's misleading. Wait people ask some deep theoritical and stastistical questions, I cannot answer, shylah." I said.

"Then go and study part-time at night and get the degree-lor. then people will also respect you." she said.

"Like that. I think I'll study very hard to make sure I get a master. Then see my card BOH TAH CHEK M AD." I joked.

"You're really mad. And you made me mad too. Teng-um-soon.( cannot tolerate) Okay lah wait your boss see that sure scold you. Don't say I didn't inform you." she said.

"Aiyah...people say-mah tok shee, tok dou chi-sin ( study until mad). So by master level, be mad, people inderstand."

"So, those study doctorate will be more mad than master-holder?" she cut in .

"It depends. If add in a Ph D, people would say you Permenant Head Damaged, wah...this is worse than 'chi-sin'. But uselah Doctrate will do. Then they will be okay again after the mad stage. see BOH TAH CHEK D AD. How can daddy be mad to frighten the innocent child?" I chipped in.

"I think you better go back to your place. Your boss will be looking for you." she just couldn't stop laughing.

I had just made a new friend in the administration department.