My friend Ah Ngai is dead.

As if bad news are not enough from the China Earth Quake.

Today I have heard from Danny that our friend Ah Ngai is dead.

He passed away from a sleep / breathing related illness.  But I guess he wasn't suffer from a lot of pain as he passed away asleep.

I knew Ah NGAI from visiting / working with my college C-Hing Lester Lee last year.  But knew him I guess all in ll for two to three years between coming back to HK and UK in the last few years.  Although I don't know him for long, but we did talk a lot about life and work.

He was a super hard working photographic assistant.  

I have never seen anyone worked so hard and loyal working for someone for seven years.  His boss sure drived him very hard like most bosses in HK.  I guess the working culture really is bad in Hong Kong especially in advertising photography.  As a studio manager, I did try to change that having been working in Europe as a photographer.  The damn thing is everyone in the industry in Asia seem to want things done cheaper and quicker all the time but digital photography really has pushed the costs up.  So people like Ah NGAI was like some kind of sacrifice with so little people working on tighter and tighter schedule and cost project.

I saw him going through really bad patches last year and thought he acted very strange.  Well, long story short, his dad and grandmom were really ill and have to be in and out of hospital like crazy.  Eventually they both died and he wasn't really down and blame himself being unlucky to the family.  He hardly talks about his feeling at work but being a chatterbox, I always try to understand his problem (also being a studio manager).  I was trying to find a balance for everyone, but Lester just didn't understand my plan.  I know money is damn important, but also the wellfare of the staff (I guess it is a huge problem in Hong Kong and this is not a special case).  Without healthy and happy staff, work efficient will drop and moral will go down into BINS.  Of course people like Ah NGAI just wouldn't complain.  I remember he was going out with someone before I left, and he couldn't say he cannot work one weekend or leave a bit early (even though he must be working all hours most of the time - and of course hours are not being recorded and compensating properly). 

I used to sleep at the studio in Causeway Bay and Wanchai because I have probably the longest hours and I live in N.T.  Ah NGAI would told me to go home to sleep but I just couldn't bear traveling every day for 3 hours in total and the hours as a studio manager is just not possible with Lester.  But my wife agree with this method anyway, so I just told Ah NGAI that's really my way of working as I am new back to HK (so it is just a learning curve until I find a place in the ISLAND).  He really cared but couldn't stick up for himself (so really he wasn't spending a lot of time with his family). 

I wish I could have talk or see him before he passed away as I am very busy trying to piece my life in HK after 25 years in Europe and back in HK just about 10 months + his work hours are just INSANE.  This is my regret.

Anyway, now Ah NGAI is no longer with us.  He will be free from Causeway Bay, Chai Wan and all the damn places he need to be.  It's just a shame that his mom will be very sad with the family more less gone from her.

Let's hope our friend Flora, Dicky, Lester, Danny, Jason, I and many others who love him will help with his funeral.

He has lived short but worked very hard.  We shall miss him dearly.  Rest in peace!!!

C-Suk   WING LIU