Manager's Birthday

Last Friday was my manager’s birthday. The team decided to surprise her. We started collecting money. On that day, we bought 5 stalks of sunflowers and decorated her workstation with balloons. I brought camera to capture the event.

She was struck speechless when she came into the office to see all the decorations. Later we went for Italian lunch and at 3pm we sang birthday song and had two birthday cakes. Someone bought a really special candle. Upon lighting up, the candle blossom like a flower into 6 little candles and it played the “Happy Birthday” tune. It’s really cute.

On our birthdays, boss will always get a cake. It’s almost like a culture. What people do not know is that these expenses come from her own pocket. She can’t claim from the company. So, when it is her turn, we wanted to do something special for her. Unfortunately, not everyone was cooperative. My manager used to manage two teams. This year, she manages our team. For her birthday, we asked for rm20 contribution from people from both teams. Unfortunately, her previous team mates refused to contribute so much. They rather buy their own gifts. Cheaper they said. That made buying present, flowers and cake difficult. A few of us have to top up. Sometimes, I really wonder.. how come people don’t return the favour that other people do for them? Is it really the manager’s responsibilities to buy cakes for your birthday or is it really out of her own kindness? Sometimes, our manager will have party and barbeque in her house. Again these are expenses from her own pocket. I don’t know why but there are colleagues who just like to take things for granted. What a bunch of cheapskate.

Oh well.. there are different kind of people in the world eh?