My Boss

I don't really remember when I went for interview for my current job. I only remember the first time I met him. His reactions & expressions told me that he was not convinced I could do the job. Well, in the end, it really took them a while to contact me to say that I got the job, hence I even forgot that I went for this interview.

Before this job, I have never really have an actual superior that I need to report to. As being so inexperienced, I know he was very skeptical to trust me to do anything. But he trained me well by giving bit by bit of tasks. I still remember after around half a year, he told me that he actually didn't want to take me in the first place. Then, I asked him if he would regret by doing so. He answered, "yea, a bit lo."

He was so cool & I didn't dare to speak to him much, but I had no choice because I report to him, the then Director of Operations. I asked my colleague & slowly got to know him & his working style. My colleague told me that he's actually not hard to please as long as I do my job. Well, that's actually the matter of fact.

Gradually, I began to gain his trust & he started to give me more responsibilities. Projects to handle, difficult tasks to complete. He is a perfectionist & workaholic. The amount of pressure he gave is not something everyone can take. Receiving midnight essay-like texts & weekend calls from him were routine; so are scolding from him.

But for me, I always see these as motivation for me to perform better. Somehow, I enjoy being scolded & lectured by him. I always felt bad when he shouted at me, because I knew he believed that I could do more & much better than I have. He gave me the momentum to push myself to higher limits & made me confident that I could actually do much better.

No matter how busy he is, he never failed to guide me whenever I needed his help, even though it could be the most petite things I asked. He would give me life advice, he never stinge on knowledge. Even when it's not my field of expertise, if I ask & am willing to learn, he would teach & explain to me from head to toe until I understand the whole thing.

The way he jokes in the most subtle yet hilarious way always make my day. Unexpected actions & lines that come out from him always surprise me & make me burst into laughter. Throughout these 2 years working for him, our relationship I believe has gone beyond just boss & employee. I see him as my mentor & father. The way he always protects & cares for us is indirect yet obvious. I really don't understand who will ever want to harm him & bring him down. I would anytime let him take credit for my works because I would not know how to do them without him teaching me. He could always come up with the most creative & amazing methods to teach us & make us remember what he has taught us.

I appreciate all the things he has done for us, all the efforts he has put for the company. Now he has decided to take a break. Though utmost sad, I have to start accepting the fact.

Come to think about it, he has started preparing us to be independent & get used to him not being around for the past couple of months. Without knowing what was happening, I just thought that he got tired of his job & wished to call in an early retirement. Of course, at his age, he knows that nothing can't be beaten by Time & we will definitely & eventually get used to him not being around anymore.

Now that it's official, I don't know how I can adjust to him not being there for me anymore. Covering my ass all the time, protecting me like a father. For a busy man like him, I never expected that he actually remembered & took the effort to buy thumb drives for us because Emily & I kept telling him that our thumb drives have gone missing. Though he got us all same colour, I will not borrow it to anyone because this is how much I cherish & appreciate the effort he took to get it for me. I felt so sweet when he came to give me the thumb drive & told me not to lose it. I want others to be jealous of me because I had the chance to be taught & guided by the greatest boss I have ever known. I tell all my staffs that you are the best boss ever. When I got to know your birthday this year, I was really excited & told myself we must plan a surprise for you even though I know you don't like it. I have marked your birthday in my calendar with no end date, but looks like we will not be able to celebrate your birthday next year.

I don't know who I can go bug later on whenever I feel bored. His room will be empty starting next month. I can no longer tell him to stop eating so much sweet stuffs. I can no longer receive intercom calls from him anymore. I can no longer look forward to seeing him every morning & greet him morning. I can no longer ask him if he misses me after I have gone for vacation. I can no longer hear him making fun & mocking me about how messy my table is & how annoying & noisy I am. 

I really miss those times that you would bring me anywhere you go for inspection in units, go see owners, site visits, inspection during constructions, walkabouts & experiments we do for preventive causes. Also, all those times that we argue due to different opinions & you will always let me go for trial & error & learn things the hard way. You were never afraid to admit you're wrong if I manage to prove it. From here, you have taught me humility that I will admit my mistakes wholeheartedly as well. He is so humble & listening all the time. He always gives me opportunity to give suggestions & if it's feasible, I can actually do it. He will only stop me when he is confident his way is the only & best solution. & I can tell you, he has never been wrong! & I know & trust him 200%, whatever he decides, there must be a solid good reason behind it & I will have absolutely no doubt about it.

He has never made it easy for us to take leave. It's never successful with first attempt. I know he will approve it eventually but from here, I learned that with the power he has given me, I have bigger responsibilities that taking leave just like that will affect many things. So when 2 days ago, he just signed my leave application without seeing when I am actually going on leave, it made me feel really sad. He used to mark his calendar whenever I was going on leave & everytime when I went on vacation, I would still receive texts or calls from him. But not this time, not my most recent Krabi trip.

Just this week Monday, I bought McD breakfast & the set came with coffee. Knowing that he likes to drink coffee all the time, I purposely kept it on his table with packets of cream & sugar just the way he likes it. I waited for him to come in, but he didn't turn up for the whole day. I started to wonder if he was on leave & feel sad that he no longer let me know that he's not coming in. I took up the phone & wanted to check with HR if he was on leave, but decided to put down after second thought. When I was about to throw the coffee away, he came in about 5 pm & I quickly stormed in his room telling him the coffee I got for him is wasted as it is already cold & I took up the cup. Then he immediately answered me that he will still drink it, so I said okay, put it back on his table & went back to my seat. When he came out from his room leaving to somewhere, he turned & told me again not to throw it away & he would come back to drink it. Though I don't know if he drank it afterwards, for me, that's enough. Nowadays I want to call him but I can no longer find anything to report to him. He no longer wants me to do anything for him. I am not used to it at all.

I keep his number on my phone's main page as direct dial. Now after 30th November 2014, I have to delete it, which I don't think I am prepared to do so. He has been so low energy & heartbroken lately & he has told me why. I just want him to know that I will always love him as my superior & respect him like a father. Whatever I said to him that I will not betray him or have second thought that he will ever harm us. If it's not for him, perhaps I would have left the company, but he doesn't believe it.

I have never taken a proper photo of him nor a photo with him as he doesn't like to take photos. I hope I can get some memorable photos with him before he leaves. It took me so long to persuade him to have farewell lunch with me. I just want to thank him for whatever he has done for us but he said he didn't do anything & doesn't owe me anything. My heart felt pain when he asked me jokingly if I am happy that he is leaving. I know he knows I am not happy & he wants to hear it from me.

The 1 ringgit that you gave me after losing in a bet, I think I have accidentally used it, but I will always remember it. I kept it in my diary for so long. I really want to always keep in touch with you if possible. But you are so secretive that you won't even tell me what your next plan is. & I know you can't save our numbers because of your wife, & you have to put so much effort to memorise all our numbers. I told you to tell your wife that you're old enough to be my father! But I don't know if that will help. How long will you remember my number after leaving? Will you come back to visit us? 

Things will not be the same without you being around, & I will have no idea who I can turn to whenever I need advice. Chatting with you always make me feel better & I know I will never find a boss like you anymore.

Anyway, Mr. Tan, all the best to you & you deserve this break. If you really plan to come back in March, please do! 

Thank you for these 2 years' experience. It has been hell of a ride & I will never forget you.