How To Lose Your Money In 4 Hours (Or Less)

SHOPPING.

It was 6:13pm on my cellphone clock when Brad, a good friend of mine who is in HK for business, called. I was in Central, doing my errands.

"Dinner at 8:30?" he asked. Well, more of demanded confirmation.

How the hell could I have forgotten? Damn! "I'm just doing my errands, I'll be done by then. So yes, dinner at 8:30. But nothing fancy, ok? I'm in a tank top and cargos. And trainers! But if you insist on a fancy dinner, I'll just go and get some really nice shirt."

"Cool. Find yourself a nice shirt then meet me at Bo Innovation. 8:30. See you, buddy!"

Wait, Brad! I was kidding when I said that I will go and get some really nice shirt! "Ok. See you. Bye!"

A little short of an hour later, I had everything I went to Central for. Time to decide where to get a nice but inexpensive shirt for dinner. I walked down Li Yuen Street, and as soon as I reached Queen's Road Central, a red and black logo greeted me:

See, I'm not really a fan of H&M. I think the idea of H&M is cool. They have really, really stylish stuff from street wear to chic casual. They have bags, belts, shoes, accessories and underwear. Their image model, who happens to be one of their designers as well, is Madonna. And they're very, very affordable!

But that's where the problem begins. They're so affordable and stylish, they're just too available for everyone. Nothing wrong with that, I agree. I just don't like it when I see somebody on the street wearing the same outfit that I am wearing. I do have H&M stuff, I just don't wear them where I'm very likely to see another being that would look like my fashion clone. And that's basically EVERYWHERE in HK.

At that moment, though, I thought.. what the heck! I just needed something I would look presentable in at 8:30.

So I walked in the store and headed straight to the basement --- the men's section. I saw a really nice white pin-striped dress shirt with a nicely standing collar and tuxedo sleeves. Very clean-looking. I could wear it with light denim jeans (which I intended to get there too), and my trainers. Presentably casual. Cool.

As I was heading to where the jeans were stacked, I saw the shirt that I was holding on the mannequin. No. Not the "shirt du jour'. So i searched and found another shirt. Very simple. Very basic. It could be anything other than H&M. Black, cotton, slim fit shirt. I tried it on. Perfect. So then, what to look for next? Simple dress pants with a nice silhouette. Found them instantly. Grayish-brown, slim cut, flat-front, 98% cotton, 2% spandex, with sublte plaid prints. Elegant-looking, flattering and again, nothing extraordinary. It could be anything.

I was already in the queue to the cashier when I realized I needed shoes to go with them. Size 44. Black. Leather boots. All set!

By 7:40, I was in the public toilet off Hollywood Road, just a few steps away from Volume, getting changed.

I walked down Hollywood Road through Wyndham Street and found no one dressed the same way I was. Whew! Well, somebody must've seen me and said, "I have those too!" I don't care. I finished my emergency shopping without the slightest bit of stress I thought would have.

It was about 8:20. I was climbing the tall, steep concrete staircase to Lower Albert Road when I realized I didn't get a belt. And my shirt was freakin tucked!

god give me a belt!

to be continued...