The Whale that beached
Part I
Tan Kim Teck stood on the deck of the Blue Lagoon and took in the magnificent sight before him. Blue skies, brilliant sunshine, shimmering waters – the stuff of postcards. But all his colleagues had disappeared into the merry-making crowd after attending their company seminar on board the cruise ship. What should he do now?
He decided to return to the air-conditioned comfort of the ship. Once inside, he bumped into a group of middle-aged men and women who seemed to be in a hurry. Then it dawned on him that they were heading for the ship’s restaurant for a quick bite before returning to the Blue Lagoon’s prime attraction – the casino.
The only casino he had ever been to was Genting. Curious to see how this one compared, he walked in. It was much smaller but the trappings of luxury were there – brightly-lit chandeliers and heavily carpeted floors. It was a lazy afternoon, the crowd was sparse and he was bored. “Should he have a go?” “Why not?” He answered his own question.
Over the next two hours, he placed bets ranging from $100 to $500 a hand at the Blackjack table. And Lady Luck was beaming on him. He was winning more than he was losing. He felt a thrill of delight. A quick mental calculation showed that he was up $1,200; a 120% gain over his initial capital.
Tan Kim Teck’s mantra was “quit while you are ahead”. So after losing his next hand, he decided to redeem his chips. As he was waiting for the money, a soft voice called out behind him, “Excuse me, sir”. He turned round and was greeted by the sweet smile of a young lady wearing a green blazer. “I see you have done very well today, sir. You’re a good player.” He laughed, “Lucky, only lucky.” The lady’s smile grew sweeter. “A good player with exceptional luck. A rare breed indeed. Sir, do you know we have a VIP room specially for people of your calibre. Maybe I can show you the room?” Should he accept the offer? Then for the second time that afternoon, he answered his own question, “Why not?”
The Kwan Im Tong Hood Cho Temple in Singapore was famous for answering the prayers of believers. Tan Kim Teck was one of them. He prayed at the temple at least once a week, and on the morning of 7 December 1992, he was there again, head bowed and whispering a fervent prayer. He had a lot to be grateful for. Life had been good since that company-sponsored cruise three years ago. From monthly cruises, he had gone on to weekly ones, revelling in the ups and downs of gaming in these floating casinos. As a VIP guest, he enjoyed free cruises and was allowed a personal betting limit. Which was just as well because his stakes had risen from the casino common floor limit of $2,000 per box to $10,000 per box. But most importantly, he had been winning consistently. So much so that by the end of 1990, his bank balance had topped $210,000.
Then, there was that particularly satisfying cruise experience in April 1991, after which his bank balance swelled to $505,000. Tan Kim Teck always thought he would quit once his bank balance hit $500,000. “Quit while you are ahead” was his mantra and he had always taken pride in feeling that unlike others, he knew what he was doing and was always in control of the situation. But that night, as he lay in bed, he thought, “Now that I’ve $500,000, what next? Quit now or ride my luck for a little longer?” He had this feeling that he was good for another $300,000. He thought of the security that the extra money could buy for his family. He thought of his devil of a Managing Director. If he could add a bit more to that $500,000, he would not have to put up with that tyrant anymore. He could simply walk out. “Sack the boss,” as they put it. Tan Kim Teck licked his lips at the prospect. Yes, he would raise the bar to $800,000. Hit $800,000, and he would quit his job and his gambling.
Hitting the $800,000 mark proved no problem at all. More problematic was keeping to his promise to quit. Now that he had reached the mark, should he just walk away from it all or should he hang on for one last hurrah? “Quit or go for more?” It was as simple – and as difficult – as that. But once he thought of his obnoxious boss, it got very easy. He would quit alright – his job, that is. He would tell his boss to shaft the job down the toilet before slamming the door behind him. He was still smirking when the gentle voice of his female companion roused him from his reverie.
“Sir, what song would you like to sing?”
“The Hokkien number, Ai Piah Jia A Yiah.”
“What kind of song is that?”
“It’s a song about beating the odds. You’ve got to go for it and risk it all if you want to win.”
From now on, he would “piah” to “yiah” and once he had amassed a big enough fortune, he would exit in a blaze of glory.
21 July 1993 was a special day for Tan Kim Teck. He had chosen that day to retire as a high roller in style. That morning, he called the junket operator, Seng, to book his “lucky” ship. Having won three times in a row on this ship, it was only fitting that he should see out his career here.
As the ship reached international waters, he vowed, “Definitely my last fling!” His bank balance had exceeded the million dollar mark. He had resigned from his company. After this last cruise, he would take a six-month break before looking for a less stressful job. Yes, this was what he had wanted all along – retire at 40 and live a life of luxury and leisure.
But it was not to be. 21 July 1993 – the day that would mark his triumphant exit from the gambling world ended in clinical shock for Tan Kim Teck. From 10 pm to 6 am, in just 8 hours, he lost a whopping $750,000 – three-quarters of what he had won over the last four years. It was a disaster beyond his wildest imagination. Glassy-eyed and shell-shocked, he staggered off the ship like a punch-drunk boxer. What should he do now? He had no job and no retirement insurance. Then he remembered how he was always confident and in control of things. He would win yet again. As he reached his car, he swore he would win back everything that he had lost. He took out his handphone and called Ah Yong.
Quote a verse from the Bible:
Romans12: 6-8; "We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do cheerfully"