“Come on, Kate. You’ve got to trust me. What concerns do you have? Please share with me. I would attend to your questions.” “Just between you and me, I’m sharing this with you… This investment is really worth considering. Many of my clients already signed up for this plan.” James tried to convince Kate. He raised both his palms with all his fingers wide opened.
Kate looked at him, calmly. She was not being flattered by his speech. She took a sip on her coffee. She sent him a gentle smile and said “I just want to study a bit more about it, for my own understanding.”
“…” James looked into her eyes and he went into a short silence moment. He lightly frowned his eyebrows but Kate still noticed this in him. James was so unbelievable that Kate didn’t buy his story at all. He leaned back onto his chair, rubbed his finger to his lips. He might be looked like he was speechless but in fact, in his mind, he was actually trying to find another way to convince (or lure?) this rather rich woman who has finally agreed to join him for a coffee after several invitations. He wasn’t giving up.
James worked as an insurance agent that handled a portfolio of investment funds, he has been enthusiastically hard-selling his ‘sure win’ investment plan that he was so confident in, to his clients.
Kate was the fifth client he shared his plan with. (What a cautious professional woman…) He thought to himself.
Kate kept her cool; continued enjoying her cappuccino, on this Saturday afternoon. She has been approached by some salesperson, both men and women. (It’s fine to understand what kind of investment plans in the market. But… to invest in one. It needs more study about it.) She wasn’t bothered by James’ urging talk at all. (I don’t see the rush. Take it easy.)
Beyond her control, her mind brought her through some flashback incidents that she has encountered, in her life.
1) Monthly Instalments?
“Kate, you’ve got to help your brother. They won’t have the money for this operation.” Kate’s father said to her, in begging tone.
A shocking news came to our family just right after we were over-joyed by the new born of my brother. My parents became grandparents for the first time. The three-day old niece of Kate was rushed to emergency hospital. She needed a colon operation immediately.
Both my brother and sister-in-law have just started a family and bought a house. Everything has progressing well. They have this cute little baby girl two years after marriage. Such a huge operation expenses, before they asking Kate for financial help, their parent acted in their place.
Kate, being the eldest child among the siblings, has been burdened with the responsibility to help her siblings. Their parents were from those older generation that not having savings habits or mindset. They just have enough to live their retired life; no spare funds for such emergency calls.
(Well… I don’t have that much savings too. Maybe I can call my credit card bank to let me apply for cash advance. Then I slowly pay back to bank, by monthly instalments. If I pay back on time, there shouldn’t be much interest imposed on me. I think this is doable.) Kate tried to find a way to overcome this emergency needs.
“Let me try call bank and see if I can get a loan…” She said to her father. Without further ado, she walked out from the hospital room, and immediately made a call to credit card helpdesk.
“Yes, please. So, I can use my credit card to pay the bill right away?” Kate confirmed the proper procedures with the bank helpdesk officer.
“Yes, madam. Half an hour later, you will get the credit limit increased.” Helpdesk officer affirmed Kate.
“Thank you.” Kate walked back to her family and told her father that she would do it with a cash loan from bank.
“Sis, thank you. We’d pay you back. Thank you.” Kate’s sister in-law walked to Kate, held on Kate’s hand and said this to her. Clara’s voice was still broken. She has mentally tortured by the cries from her child since last evening, at home. She has been crying after the doctor told them about the child’s situation. Kate’s brother also held his emotion at the hospital. “Thank you, sis.” Joe looked at Kate with tears in his eyes.
“Think positive! Never have a split of thoughts of losing your child, okay. Cannot! Baby can ‘sense’ it. So, as her parent, you must keep positive thinking and encourage her in your mind. Sending her good energy, and pray for her health, okay?” Kate advised both of them, although it was quite spiritual advise.
Whatever ways there might be, they want to try. What else can they do at a time of this. Doctor and nurses took charge of saving the child’s life in the operation room.
“Operation was successful. She was energetic and strong. She would be slowly woken up few hours after the numbness drug has subsided.” Doctor Huang said.
“Thank you, doctor! Thank you!” Joe shook Doctor Huang’s hand with both his hands. He thanked her over and over. We were so relief at that moment.
My parents looked ten years older, on this day. Through the window to the ICU, we saw the little one sleeping silently in the big square box that was equipped with wired and machines. (Stay strong, girl. We’re all here for you. Get well soon, okay?) Kate said to her niece, in her mind, 5D…
Three months later, Kate made a trip home. “Ah! Hehe… Ah.” Her healthy niece chuckled to her tease. Everything has back to normal. Joe started to repay Kate the medical expenses. “Every month RM500 then.” Kate said to them previously. She was too considerate to this young couple; she didn’t even mention about interest portion.
With such a small repayment amount, it would literally take years for Kate to get back those medical expenses in full. Kate didn’t think much. She repaid to credit card bank on time, with interest and the sort.
Who knows… The monthly instalment repayment from Joe wasn’t on time. Sometimes, paid in first week; sometimes, at the fourth week of the month… (What is this…) Kate looked at their repayment dates that she kept in record.
“Oh, sis, sorry, we have some expenses need to pay this month. Will transfer to you next week.” Clara said to Kate. (Oh… You guys decided and acted on it without even notifying me in the first place? You don’t even bother to ask for my permission?!? Oh wow… So, now, whatever your household expenses are more important than repaying the medical expenses, huh? Child has recovered, and this liability became secondary or even the last to be served? Very well…) Kate replied “First week of the month. I don’t want to see this delay trend again.” “Okay, okay, sorry sis.”
Now, Kate became the ‘bad person’ that ‘chases’ for payment; just like anyone that happened to lend others money. Who was the bad person in such case? (Shxt… No more next time. No more of me standing in front of everyone, taking the hit from the incident while everyone else forgets about their responsibility. Hero or heroine often dies first.) Kate made up her mind after seeing the real side of her siblings.
2) Why Me, Every Time?
“Kate, car license expired…”
“Kate, car broke down, need to repair…”
“Kate, medical fee for your mother…”
Those were the more or less the topics Kate will get whenever her father made a phone call to her. She knew him well, so well, as there won’t be any phone call from him or her parent in normal days. She would only be ‘remembered’ when money was needed on certain expenses.
Before Kate picked up the incoming phone call from her father, she took a deep breath… (Same thing this time…)
“Hello, pa…”
(Bingo.) Kate looked up to the sky from her room; continued listening to her father’s real objective behind that phone call.
“Pa… Why every time when this kind of expenses incurred, both your sons said no, they were unable to pay; you would accept their excuse as it is? And when it came to me, when I say no, you scold me for not caring for you and mum, instead?” Kate questioned her father; her voice was clear and firm.
“They have to pay for their mortgage loan and car instalments…” He repeated the reasons both his sons gave to him, to Kate.
“So, they need to serve their instalments and ignore the responsibilities on their parents’ living expenses, is that right? How selfish can they be? And allow them to do that. You know that in the end those house and car will be their property, right? So, to you and mum, I’m single, so I have to spend all my money on you guys. I don’t need to save for my own retirement? I don’t need to buy a house but renting a room, forever, is that it?!?” Kate raised her voice. She lost control. She lost her tempers that she has been held in her, for so long.
“You have three children, right? Why always me? Why they acted like they can’t pay the expenses, you and mum let them be? And I must be the one to pay it all? You guys should have given birth to ten children, you know, then you’d be rich!” She lashed out these words that she regretted not long after they hung up the phone call.
The morale upbringing in her was conflicting with her action and behaviour she demonstrated to her parents just now. Kate went into self-blamed mode for a period of time whenever she recalled that conversation with her father…
But to her surprise, her parents reduced the frequency of ‘asking for money’ phone calls to her. Perhaps her sharp words somewhat awaken her bias-mentality parents?
(Good then.)
3) Self-defense?
“Why did you say that to Seth when you knew that I didn’t involve in that project at all?” Kate confronted Jenny, one day, in the office. Jenny, her colleague for eight-year long; while Seth, their boss.
Never came across Kate’s mind that one day, a colleague of eight-year long, someone that almost like sisters in the office, would do that to her…
“Who did this project?” Seth asked.
“Kate did it.” Jenny said.
Just a ten-minute toilet break Kate excused herself for, and she overhead this conversation upon returning from the ladies, while she walked passed Seth’s office back to her own workstation.
(Hmm? Someone said my name? Let me see…) Kate stopped and u-turned into Seth’s office.
“Hey, I heard my name? What about?” Kate asked Seth. Jenny looked shocked but remained silence.
“We’re talking about project ABC. How come the computation as such?” Seth explained.
“Oh, that project? I didn’t involve. Not quite sure about it.” Kate explained. Seth looked to Jenny, but didn’t comment further.
(Oh… She pushed the blame on me. Bloody Mary…) Kate sensed the whole situation.
“I’d talk to engineering team about it later.” Seth said. And both women left his office.
Kate confronted Jenny on her dirty self-defense tricks that she used to cover for herself, with anger.
Jenny just looked away and walked back to her workstation. Not even an apology to Kate.
(Very well…) That was the surprises given by this ‘sister’. Disappointment overwhelmed Kate.
From there on, Kate learnt that ‘colleague, should kept as colleague level, will do. Don’t share too much as you won’t know how and when they would use it against you.’
Kate kept a ‘safe’ distance and surface level of colleague-ship with Jenny, thereafter.
(‘Sisters’? Don’t joke with me.)
4) You Still Angry At Me For That?