Silent Sam
Silent Sam. That is what the employees called him. From the top of the hierarchy in the C-suite down to the cleaners, not in a derogatory manner. Just a neutral, friendly nickname for the security guard who went about his job competently, and never an ugly word for anyone in the office.
If you came across him along Orchard Road on a Saturday afternoon, his purposeful strides and confident look strike you as someone who knows his own self-worth and came from a reasonably affluent family. Down to his casual shoes, he did not appear to be overdressed to impress.
The Fred Perry polo shirts and his Nike trainers were about as standard as any other locals who thronging the streets with him. His stuff was not expensive, but they were tastefully fitted and colour-coordinated. As a total package, he did not fit the mould of a security guard for a high tech factory in an industrial area. The dichotomy between his personality and his job function is obvious but not taken too seriously by his colleagues.
Sam Chua exuded an air of professionalism and dedication that sets him slightly apart from his colleagues. It’s clear that he took pride in his appearance and strived to maintain a neat image, even in a seemingly mundane job. This unexpected contrast adds an intriguing layer to his overall personna.
The rest of the staff sometimes joked about whether he really needed the money. This was sometimes fuelled by Silent Sam’s dedication to his personal fitness. They observed him pushing himself to the limits, never settling for less than a gruelling workout, It was as if he was channelling all his energy and frustrations during those intense gym sessions, leaving his colleagues to wonder what drove him to such extremes.
Word of Sam’s resignation from the company swept through the company. Or was he fired? If so, what was the cause? Whatever the case, Sam was gone. No one saw him in the factory ever again. Interest in the matter died within a few days; he was not some high level manager worth gossipping about.
A few months later, the company issued a memo saying that major changes were being put in place. A new management team will take over the general running of the company. There would be some management shares transfers among the directors but nothing much to worry about for the rest of the staff. The new Managing Director will be Mr Chua Chen Yang.
The sudden change in management teams unsettled the staff, most of whom were very comfortable working there. Now, they have to worry about whether any restructuring or changes in management would result in their jobs disappearing. There will be a formal unveiling of the new management team and their new plans. They eagerly awaited Mr Chua’s arrival next week.
The gathered staff in the big air conditioned canteen waited, not knowing what or how to feel. Extensive searches on social media yielded nothing on Mr Chua Chen Yang. Competitors in other companies did not report any impending departures by senior management staff either.
Banter and laughter were becoming louder from outside the canteen. All eyes focused on the door. The doors slided to one side as a familiar walk greeted their eyes. It was Silent Sam striding confidently in. Not in his security guard uniform but in a smartly tailored short sleeved shirt, with what looked like shiny fine crocodile skin shoes on his feet.
He confidently stepped to the podium which was set up earlier that morning. His charismatic presence was obvious. It took a little while for the whispering to die down before silence reigned. It finally fell totally silent and he started to address the curious and puzzled staff. “Hi, my name is Chua Chen Yang and I am your new CEO. I am also the major shareholder of the company now.” Gasps were felt all round.
HIs father was the co-founder of the company with Mr Lim, who is standing beside him. The failing health of his father dictated that he had to step down to move to a temperate country where heat won’t affect his health. Mr Chua then explained that he had been on drugs on and off for a few years in the past and his father did not trust him to take over to help run the business. He was told to prove himself by going clean. His arrogant behaviour not very different to those featured in the CRAZY RICH ASIANS also had to stop. Finally, he was told that if he could stick to the job as a security guard for five years and Mr Lim felt that he was ready to take over his father’s role, he would be installed as CEO. Hence the nature of his behavior over the past five years.
He took questions from those who were still curious. “Why did you disappear suddenly without a word? Then, just as suddenly, re-appear?” He untangled the mystery of the past few months. “I had to get out of character for the past five years! Even now, I am not so confident that I can do it. So, for a start all of you need to help me get rid of my nickname, Silent Sam.”
The staff gasped collectively. Then laughed nervously before finally breaking out into applause to release the tension.
He had known all along the nickname they bestowed on him!
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