soul mate = older, married colleague... sigh!

[conundrum]

Recent excellent tales here have inspired me to revisit and write about the most memorable relationship of my own life.

Names, facts, and timelines have been subtly modified to ensure privacy. However, the underlying tale is true.

This comes to you in installments. Please up my points if you like it. No flaming or deductions please!

Here goes:

Background
Circa 1999 (i.e. not so long ago) in an office building in Raffles Place (or is it Suntec City?)…

I had just switch banking jobs, and, at 29, was suitably pleased at having climbed a further step in the corporate pecking order and salary scale.

While I found that most of my new colleagues were very welcoming and friendly, there was one – Monica – who particularly stood out as being stuck-up and unapproachable. Jack, a colleague, gave me the low-down on her over drinks one day. Apparently, Monica, was pretty much unfriendly to everyone. He succinctly summarized her with one simple equation:

“Brains + Good Looks + Pampered Lifestyle = One Mega Attitude Problem”

I couldn’t have put it better myself…

And to be fair, she did have it all. 43 years-old (looked 35), Director at a US bank, 160cm, athletically slim, mission school English with a slight American twang, all wrapped up in Armani skirt-suits and a 4-carat solitaire diamond on her left hand. Her husband was said to be an equally high-flier who had recently been promoted to regional head at a competing bank.


Anyway for the first three months, our paths rarely crossed. Our office was open-plan layout with everyone seated in cubicles with waist-high partitions. Monica sat 7 cubicles away and I would occasionally overhear snippets of her lilted American accent discussing bond yields with clients, or instructing her maid what to prepare for dinner. Perhaps once, she said a cold hello in the elevator…

Thinking back, did I entertain early fantasies of Monica? Well of course I did, just as any healthy virile male would! But to be honest, there was sufficient supply of far younger and superior eye-candy in the office to ogle, such as Mandy, Jess and Yumiko (our 22 year-old management trainee. More on Yumiko in another post!). But I digress…


One day I began prospecting a major new account for the bank. As per procedure, I compiled the client’s background info and went to brief my boss.

“I’d like you to bring Monica along to meet the Mr. Teo (the client). She’s friends with his wife, so I think you two could work together to get his business a lot more effectively. If that’s ok with you, of course?”

Of course. You don’t counter a new boss, even if he’s ‘asking’. But I certainly wasn’t thrilled about having to work with Miss Congeniality herself…

So the next morning, I popped by Monica’s cubicle.

“Hi Monica,” I said, putting on my forced-yet-seemingly-100%-genuine smile, “guess you saw Andrew’s e-mail asking us to work together on the Steven Teo account?”

To my surprise, or maybe she’s just as good at forced-smiling, her response was warm, bordering on effusive. “Yes Ian, thanks so much for agreeing to have me work with you on this one! I’ve been wanting to pitch for his business for a long time but never got the right opportunity.”

So we spent the next hour or so in the meeting room discussing our client acquisition strategy.

But what REALLY happened was we got talking, slowly earned each other’s respect, and set in motion events that would bring me to:

(1) my most exciting ‘taboo’ pursuit of a female quarry,

(2) June 22, 1999, aka the “Pinnacle”: without a doubt THE sexual moment of both our lives, one reason I’m glad I was born, and,

(3) perhaps, perhaps the great love of my life…

[nismo88]

Bro nice start to the story....
sounds like a long one too....
anyway will be looking forward to more of it...
43 yrs old... yummy...

[shadowlunar04]

Originally Posted by nismo88

Bro nice start to the story....
sounds like a long one too....

"The Memoirs of Conundrum"?

[nismo88]

Originally Posted by shadowlunar04

"The Memoirs of Conundrum"?

certainly looks like it....
well we will just sit n enjoy then......

[conundrum]

Ok here's installment 2.


But we’re getting ahead of ourselves here. Back in the office that day, we emerged from the meeting room as colleagues, warmed to each other, and eager to get down to business.

Two days later, Steven Teo’s secretary called to say that he would meet us the following day. However, due to his tight schedule, it would have to be late, at 9pm, and we should meet at the Ritz Carlton.

A little bit about Steven Teo. Today he’s a good friend and longstanding client. We play golf at least once a month, and my wife (no her name isn’t Monica) and I holiday with the Teo’s in Europe each year. Back then, though, Steven Teo was recent acquaintance with a reputation of being extremely hard on bankers prospecting his $150 million account.

So in the run-up to our 9pm meeting, Monica and I were understandably on-edge. We ran through the Powerpoint presentation too many times, fuelled ourselves with Spinelli’s coffee, and somehow forgot to grab dinner. I won’t bore you with the presentation itself, but when it was all over at around 10.30pm, Steven seemed reasonably impressed, and we were exhausted.

After Steven left, I said, “I’m starving. Wanna grab a bite here and we can review the meeting?”

“Actually no, let’s not review the meeting please? I’m too tired. But don’t worry about it. It went well. Trust this old lady on that!”

“Ok…”, I said with a grin and raised eyebrow.

Time to remind one-and-all of the context here, ok?
Me: 29, VP, single; She: 43, Director, 2 kids and that 4-carat rock on her hand.

“But I will join you for a pasta and a few martinis…”

[born_mean]

Originally Posted by nismo88

certainly looks like it....
well we will just sit n enjoy then......

*Take pillow...tibits...pitch tent*

Ok..i'm ready. Bro, MORE PLEEEAAASSSSEEE BM

*set up folding chair....bring beer cooler..plus keropok

[Toyota Honda]

A little bit about Steven Teo. Today he’s a good friend and longstanding client. We play golf at least once a month, and my wife (no her name isn’t Monica) and I holiday with the Teo’s in Europe each year.
After Steven left, I said, “I’m starving. Wanna grab a bite here and we can review the meeting?”

Time to remind one-and-all of the context here, ok?
Me: 29, VP, single;


Erm.. you single or married.. 29 become VP.. Not bad.. Way to go bro... am not even near you... slowly.. slowly....

[conundrum]

Originally Posted by Toyota Honda

Erm.. you single or married.. 29 become VP.. Not bad.. Way to go bro... am not even near you... slowly.. slowly....

dude... i was single THEN... married NOW...

[conundrum]

Chaps, some rep points might help this along...

[biker_man]

currently camping and waiting

MILF! MILF! MILF!

[nuclearkid]

Originally Posted by Toyota Honda

Erm.. you single or married.. 29 become VP.. Not bad.. Way to go bro... am not even near you... slowly.. slowly....

With no disrespect to our inspiring author, VPs are a dime a dozen in the banking sector, dude. When I was working for a government linked company, VPs were all over the shop, don't even know who is who. So, you ain't trailing far behind, just in case you were worried.

[ricardo]

wow so many fans think got chance earn some $$$

drinks, koropoh, kuiji, kopi-o
drinks, koropoh, kuiji, kopi-o
drinks, koropoh, kuiji, kopi-o

[sgiceboy]

COOL..................when the next instalment

[conundrum]

guys there seems to be a pretty long time delay between posting and actually appearing on the board. is this normal?