Lucia in Shanghai

November 2002

A few days later I returned home. From my office in the UK, I called Lucia everyday, mainly to check progress, but also to see how she was. I actually wanted her to feel that she had my support.

It wasn’t long before I started to get a sense that all was not well. She didn’t seem to understand what was required, and I started getting calls from my Hong Kong colleagues expressing doubts about her ability. To make matters worse, she seemed to be having personal difficulties with Nicky, an accountant on loan to us from Hong Kong.

When I spoke to her, it was clear that she felt very unhappy.

After a couple of weeks, I booked another flight. I would return to Shanghai on 2nd December, and travel on to Hong Kong a week later.

Lucia’s mood lifted as soon as I gave here the news.

And Maggie was delighted, she told me I could call her 'Lo Paw'.