Overwhelming Care – OC 1

The scent of incense filled the air leading to the temple. As Fu Kwan approached the building, he was greeted by a throng of devotees. He had been a regular visitor of the place since becoming an insurance agent. Fresh from completing his National Service, Fu Kwan had decided to embark on a career in the insurance industry after attending an inspiring talk by some agents who had made it. The idea of going to a place of worship to canvas for prospective clients came naturally to him since he was a Buddhist. Other than seeking blessings from the divine, he would take the opportunity to enlarge his pool of potential clients. He would approach young men and ladies on the pretext of conducting a survey and gather information regarding their general interests and more importantly their financial health. He would then invite them to join him for a drink to further the discussion on their financial commitments. However, most of the time, his invitation would be declined. It was tough work but to Fu Kwan the cold calling exercise had helped to boost his confidence in dealing with people from all walks of life.

Fu Kwan was also an active RC member in his estate. He would spend much time each week to help out with the various activities that were being organised. Again, other than extending a helping hand, he would give out his name card while getting to know the residents better. One of the RC's tasks was to conduct house visits to offer any assistance that the residents, especially those living in smaller flats, might need. It was through one of these house visits that Fu Kwan got to know Lillian.

Lillian lived in a one-room rental flat with her grandmother and two younger siblings. She was an ITE student and worked part time at a nearby fast food restaurant. Her mother had been jailed for shoplifting while her dad had been placed in a rehab centre for his drug addiction. Life wasn't easy for the family of four who survived on the three hundred dollars that they received from a couple of welfare organisations. It was tough making ends meet on the meagre amount and at times, Lillian had to attend school on an empty stomach. Things got slightly better after Lillian started working. Unfortunately, her grandmother had to be hospitalised for a fall she sustained when she slipped in the toilet. Luckily, the RC chipped in to settle the bulk of the hospital bills of about a thousand dollars and that was when Fu Kwan first met Lillian.

Due to his flexible working hours, Fu Kwan volunteered to shuttle the elderly lady to and forth the hospital for her follow-up treatments while the children were in school. Eventually, Fu Kwan became a regular visitor and Lillian began to take notice of him. Prior to that, he was just another RC member but after the incident Lillian couldn't help seeing him in a different light. Fu Kwan, on the other hand, too had changed his perception of the pitiful gal from one of sympathy to one of admiration. He respected her for her ability to withstand the hardship of a dysfunctional family while taking care of her grandmother and siblings, on top of her studies and work. He became interested in getting to know her better and hoped to eventually become a close friend.