Last night, I was pondering the lives of successful people in the past. People who lived in the 30s, 40s & 50s, in amazing wealth. My family is lucky to know most of Malaysia's influential families, and so we have gained insight to their lifestyles.
When I asked my Grandmother of 71 about how the elite used to live, she told me "They lived carefree lives, never having to worry about monetary funds or responsibility. They were impulse buyers at best, as someone I knew bought 3 Mercedes-Benz convertible cars just because she couldn't decide on a colour. Their lives were fantastic to say the least."
But what about when it came to security? Surely a canvas-top convertible isn't the safest thing on earth?
"Alah, masa dulu mana ada all these crazy people threatening to kidnap, kill and bomb. The influential people of Malaya were well respected, and as such, most didn't bother them. Not to say they didn't have any security, but it was usually limited to maybe one security guard and a dog."
"Bukan macam sekarang, dengan armoured motorcars and bodyguards."
That sent a chill down my spine.
I'm happy to say that I have befriended many a socialite, most of them very well to do when it comes to liquid assets. (How I came to be within their company is a tale within itself. Maybe I'll tell you about it some other time). And many times, I have witnessed rather outlandish approaches to security, with one friend sending 4 armed guards in advance to take up positions in trees. When I ask about these gunned monkeys, my friend just laughed and said that he never goes anywhere without them. "I used to laugh at them, until they told me that my pointing would give them away. Now I just bite my tongue and get on with it."
More recently, a friend of mine expressed annoyance over the rather alarming number of bodyguards that tail her every move in & out of the country, with the numbers rising into double-digits. Including one that follows this friend into the bathroom.
Yes people, I am genuinely shocked.
Whatever happened to that picture-perfect image of the wealthy family, the 'go anywhere, do anything' persona, and carefree life? It seems to me that us plain Joes are luckier, in the sense that we don't have shadow-cars and such. To think that while we just hop onto a bus and head down to KL for a walkabout, they'd have to plan excursions in advance.
Sounds a little drab, don't you think?
Let me just mention the few things I've done that no one with their status could ever do. They'd probably never see our talented buskers in Central Market. They'd probably never go camping. You think any of them would be able to see our 'entertainers' with their imaginary worlds?
(Call me heartless, but the clinically insane are a hoot to watch, especially when what little sanity they have left is focused on directing traffic here & there.)
One of my most prized memories is when I came back from a corporate treasure hunt (of which I was an organiser) in God knows where, and I took the coastal road back to KL. I took a right turn somewhere, and I landed in a small, sleepy town called Sungai Lembing. I stopped the car, and I took a walk around, mingling with the locals (average age: 73) and taking in the lovely scenery. I was quickly accepted into the community within about 15-minutes, and I spent 1 1/2 hours after that having a lazy coffee in a classic kopitiam.
Now imagine: If I had pulled up in a motorcade of expensive automobiles, with uniformed guards following my every move, do you think I'd have gotten the treatment that I did?
What I'm trying to say is that the world has evolved into a truly disgusting place over the past few decades. From carefree to paranoid, there is no room for ordinary pleasures when you're one of the creme-de la-creme.
When in actuality, its those little things that make life beautiful.
Fun or happiness doesn't come from 5-star hotels or chartered yachts. It comes from having a laugh with the elderly in Sungai Lembing, or getting freaked out by the old clinic with the sinister past in Papan.
Or walking around in Kuala Selangor.
Life is beautiful. Truly & utterly beautiful.
But what beauty can you see through 3-inch thick glass? Or wrought iron bars?
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone
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