Growing Old...er...

Yesterday, I met with a manager of a bank to discuss some restructuring options for my personal finance. Siti is her name... very pleasant and helpful lady who's expecting her third child end of this month. When I arrived at the bank Siti was busy with another customer so the teller attended to me first and I gave my business card requesting to see the manager. The teller went to Siti and gave my card and Siti probably told the teller that she'll attend to me as soon as she finishes what she was doing. All this while she never did glance around the bank. The bank is pretty small and you can see everyone in one sweeping glance. So, I took a seat and waited.

Not long after, Siti finished and glanced around the bank 'looking' for me... she couldn't make out which was me from my business card so she asked the teller. The teller points to me and Siti hollers me over to go to her office. The guard opens the door and I went in. Siti apologises as she was busy then she went on to say that my card read 'Hotel Manager' as the designation so she was expecting someone older thus she didn't realise I was seated there all along. I responded...

Well, I am old actually...

No... what are you? Early thirties? Mid thirties at the most!

How about 39?

No way! You don't look 39! What's your secret? Can share with my husband.

Ummm... I dunno. 

(In my thoughts, I was thinking.... I have a young girlfriend. Are you sure you want your husband to know my secret? Hahaha...

Anyway, a similar thing happened when I was interviewing my Human Resource Manager candidate Maley. I got to know Maley through a friend who had spoken to Maley over the phone and said that she sounded pleasant and was very helpful. Maley worked in the Sheraton Langkawi. So, I did a cold call and asked her if she was interested to meet up. She was... she recommended a place to meet and it was all set. We have not met nor have I seen her resume... like I said, it was a cold call. When I arrived at the restaurant there was only one person there. A lady... looked Chinese and had her back facing the entrance. She was talking on the phone. As I entered this lady turned around and saw me and she looked like she was asking herself... is this the interviewer? And it also seemed like she dismissed that idea and continued talking on the phone and faced forward. Maley's name suggested she was Indian so I was expecting to see someone else too but since I was about 3 minutes late I had to make sure I was not making any mistakes. So, after just standing there for about 10 seconds and making sure there was no one else, I walked to the front so I could face this lady who was still talking on the phone. She notices me and tells the person on the line to hold on and I asked her... Are you Maley? She confirms and asks me back... Mr. Botak? I said Yes. She ends her conversation on the phone and apologises as she was expecting someone older when I walked in and that I sounded older on the phone. By the way, Maley is not a Chindian... she's of Thai descendant.

So, I don't look my age it seem but I will hit the big 4 next year... in 10 months time. Frankly, I don't feel old but it does get scary. I've known people who just dropped dead in their mid 30s. Really scary... and that is why I was at the bank today. Planning my future... both long term and short term and taking best case scenario and worst case scenario into consideration.

Time really flies... seems like it was just last month when I was getting drunk every day. How old do I really look like? Were they just being nice? Hmmm...