The Dark Underbelly of Life as an Employee - a compilation in progress 02

Setting:
Shanghai, 2001. It is summer. Temperatures reach 40 degrees celsius.

The Shanghai office of a HK design firm, opened in less than a year before Mai entered the firm. There are currently 5 members of the office.

It is so hot Mai has difficulty breathing, doesn't eat lunch because it involves crossing the street to the restaurant and an instant migraine. It is so hot Mai's lighter exploded on its own.

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Main Characters:
Mai - architect who has made the transition to the field of Interior Design. She's a project manager, but somehow she has ended up as a Senior Designer (OFW) in the Shanghai office of a HK firm. She's been in the company for about a month, doing design proposals and fixing the company profile.

Nan - admin officer / secretary, local Shanghainese, a sweet girl.

Wally - Senior Designer / Project Manager, HK Chinese. Mai's friend.

Paulie - Napoleonic Managing Director, short guy, full-of-himself, proud of his (1) British heritage, (2) skill in Arnis, a Philippine martial-art. Mai doesn't think too much of him.

Ginny - Pretty woman from Guangdong. Project Coordinator/ glorified exec secretary. At that time she was the girlfriend of Paulie. Allegedly skilled at coordinating because of her knowledge of Cantonese, Shanghainese, and Mandarin, but really Mai suspects it is a classic example of sleeping-your-way-to-the-top.

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Mai: (wakes up with a start) Eeeek! It's quarter to eight!!! I'm going to be late.

Mai rushes with her shower, throws on her clothes, runs to her office without grabbing her daily breakfast of 8 baozi's. She arrives at the office panting and out of breath.

Wally: (shakes head) You're dead. Ginny has been telling Paulie that you're disrespecting him by being late.

Mai: Eh? Why so?

Wally: (shrugs shoulders) The hell I know...

Nan: Pssst! Ginny has been telling Paul you're disresp....

Mai: Yeah yeah, I know...

Mai: (to herself) Grrrr!

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Ginny: (walks over to Mai) You're late.

Mai: Yes. I apologise. My alarm didn't go off and I woke up at a quarter to eight.

Ginny: Work starts at eight. You live 10 minutes away. Why were you late?

Mai: Umm, I had to take a shower and dress.

Ginny: You took a shower yesterday, didn't you.

Mai: Yes.

Ginny: You take a shower every day???

Mai: Yes.

Ginny: You take a shower everyday? YOU ARE WASTING THE WATER!!!