Today's SCMP (paid, no link) reports a case that is now before the High Court in Hong Kong. The plaintiff is HSBC Private Bank Asia Regional Chief Executive Officer Monica Wong (left).Evidently, Ms Wong not only has a calculating mind, she also had a passion in her loins: for the cha cha, mambo and torrid tango of Latin Dance.
As they say, follow your passion. So, the prudent banker decided to take private lessons with Latin dancer Mirko Saccani and his wife Gaynor Fairweather. For the academic years 2004-7, Ms Wong paid HK$62 million for classes and competition fees. She also pre-paid a similar amount for the five years of 2007-12.
So far, so good. All went well until 25 August 2004, when Mr Saccani said unkind things in front of a crowd about Ms Wong's lack of posterior movement and called her a "lazy cow".
Mortified, Ms Wong tangoed off the dance floor. Now, she wants ALL her money -- $HK12O million (divide by fourteen for sterling equivalent) -- back.
The Latin Dance teachers are countersuing her for the balance of payment.
SCMP Business Post's Laisee has a back-of-the-envelope calculation: "Ms Wong was paying more than $HK41,000 per day for her eight-year tuition".
Mister B has been trying NOT to think about that daily rate and how much she actually earns over and above that, and what else that money could do. . . all day.
2 comments:
Reminds me of the old saying - a fool and her money are soon parted.
Cha cha ching!
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