Ode to a friend

A close friend is starting a new job at a new place this week. It is the next phase in his career after being with his ex employer for a decade .

A true friend ,confidant ,coach and mentor . Knowing him for a decade, we have gone through some of the best and the worst time in a short career. It was a funny relationship, there is minimal off office contact as both of us are not the one wearing the pants at home. Our open house for raya n kong hei fatt choi ritual are so weird that it is not worth mentioning here.

Our diverse back ground and different school of thoughts makes the relationship colorful. While he is not a Buddhist through and through, I managed to impart some of Gautama's teaching to him(yes you are reading this right) and share the core Islamic values.
We never was on the same page on our political stance either. The NEP is the thorn that separate us immensely in our political outlook. While I am no supporter of the NEP(it is un fair therefore un Islamic), he brand me as a product of NEP thus contributing to the vicious discrimination cycle. I respect his opinion and openly debate on the issue in the privacy of our office.

Our office interaction was legendary. Playing pranks on visiting VPs, CIO, GMs that could get both of us fired.

We had some quality time abroad, while we never did travel together as often as we like, there were some trip that I will forever remember. The shanghai, Bangalore, Singapore and manila trips and the 3 months continuous travel to KL. We never went to US together but shared many shopping haunts that we frequent every time one of us visit any of the US major cities.

We shared similar liking for sports and of which we often indulge. It was him that force me to take up golf 8 years ago. He managed to get back an old set from another dear friend and all I had to do was paid RM80 for a full set, a bag, a shoe and a putter. Never mind it was an old Dunlop set in a beaten up Callaway bag; it was a show of love for a fellow brother of different mother and father that got me golfing. We continue our sport foray with tennis and last week we start 'squashing'. I never beat him on any of these sport matches, for he is he a born sportsman. Yes, a born sportsman !. I tried to beat him in Wii , a game we played often in the office, but also failed to overcome his in born talent.
I owe much of my professional growth to this man. And to him I would like to wish the very best of luck in the new company and I am sure he will continue to inspire others with his vision and 'in born sport talent'. My advice to him, maybe it is a good idea to let the new office mates win a little in Wii, it helps with the bonding.