Annual Dinner

Tonight is my E.'s company to have annual dinner (Chinese boss will have dinner with his/her co-workers to celebrate the coming Chinese New Year).  All the co-workers and their family members can participate as well.  I love annual dinner, cos they usually have lucky draw.  Last year we got a NT12,000+ coupon from an electric appliance shop.  To cash the coupon, my E got a PSP, I got an ipod nano, and Panasonic karaoke mic.  This year is our first time in China, so I feel excited as well, plus the restaurant is really nice and high-class here.

My maid can go to the dinner as well, cos her hubby is my E.'s company's security guard.  She is so happy about it, kept on talking about the dinner - where, when, lucky draw.... in these 2 weeks.  So my E asked me why she's so excited, just a dinner only.  

One day, I read the newspaper introducing a famous chained-restaurant in China, but I have no idea where it is, so I asked my maid; and she said she doesn't know, cos she won't have lunch/ dinner in restaurant, too expensive for her.  I felt regret after I heard what she told me, cos I didn't mean to hurt her feeling.  I'm ususally very careful not to talk about money in front of her.  (FYI : she only earns RMB1,200/ mth.)

I told my E. of this little story, and he understood then, cos my maid can only go to a really nice restaurant once a year.  That's fate, right?  I wonder what I'd be if I was born in a poor village like my maid, am I be the one to do the cleaning here?   That's why we need to be contented and happy of what we have now.