Through the PA system, “All staff members are invited to the event if you have nothing on..”
The phrase “if you have nothing on” dulls every other thing. I only remember that phrase and decided to make myself look busy (as if got something on) or just disappear from the near-by scene for good.
It was not that I 耍大牌.
But I’m just not into such function, where all of us will be merely seating there listening to speeches (of people you usually don't know well) and clapping accordingly (when names of people you are usually not-too-familiar with were called upon). It was not even an event to celebrate success, but just a handing-over ceremony with so many people from different places invited.
Some people may believe such ceremony is (very) important, for it marks the beginning of the operational readiness of a new team. A little cynical side of me reminds me that it is going to be a new team (yes) under the direction of the same-old powerful and watchful management/leadership. :p
The limitation is mine, I can't see or feel the difference (yet).
But again.. somehow, if the characters of the main focus (of such event) are whom I know well, I may actually quite enjoy being there. It is quite a different story to see our friends beaming with pride.
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I also recalled a past invitation to a talk/forum/dialogue.
That invitation was more formally done. A letter was drafted and sent out to thousands of us.
It read, “ … you are cordially invited to … ”
Only “cordially invited” and not “compulsory”.
You know what?! Only about half of the entire cohort turned up. The big auditorium looked quite empty.
Erm.. It was supposed to be a forum (or dialogue) between a minister and the thousands of us. And again, I conveniently absent myself.
Oh, we had a long tongue-lashing session from the organizer first thing in the morning on the next working day. The organizer was again stressing how important the forum (or dialogue) was. And how dare we absent ourselves when the minister (our big boss) was invited.
I admit I wasn’t right, in certain social context. But.. Ha.. I think I am not made for important things. Heh..
By the way, the organizer learnt their lesson. For the subsequent talks/forums/dialogues, the phrase “cordinally invited” was dropped from the invitation letter. It was replaced by “attendance is compulsory”. Indeed, they took attendance before and after such sessions.
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