Staunton

Staunton is the pub at mid level, just by the escalator.  It is close to the office, close to everywhere, we tend to meet friends there a lot.  One evening we were gathering in the pub again and I saw the table under the stairway is empty, I quickly came over to took a seat when a man from another group of 4 or 5 also reached the table almost at the same time.  I squinched my eyes and said "I saw this table first and got here before you" in a growling voice, he said "but your friends are not here yet, mine are.  Why don't we share the table".  I agreed and we started to chat.

Long term Hong Kong dweller (definition of long term is like more than 20 years), he is the supplier to the duty free shops in the airport.  Although 90% of what we pay on the price tag is going to the rent, he said the business is still profitable.  Yet he and his associate still cannot work out why women spend 500 USD for a jar of La Mer whereas the blind test shows that the over the counter Olay cream is just as good.  Nevertheless, he is happy that people spent money on that sort of stuff.  He told me that he couldn't understand jewelries either.  He once bought a set of jewelries on the duty free catalog shopping on the airplane, gift to his wife because he hasn't been home for a few weeks.  Gift well received, kiss on the cheek, thank you exchanged.  A few months later, he bought another set of jewelries on the airplane again and this time, his wife went blistered.  "This is exactly the same as the last one, and I didn't even like the first set!". 

Great guy to chat to, we were talking about what is the most valuable things in life if expensive jewelries and sports cars are simply a joke, he said, the number one is integrity and the second is friendship.