I had just touched down in Singapore for a quick work trip. After checking in to my hotel, I decided to go out for a night of karaoke with some of my colleagues.
We found our way to a local KTV, and the hostess welcomed us in with a smile and a wink.
I was feeling a bit reckless, so when the KTV hostess came around with her tray of drinks, I decided to slip her a $10 bill in between her cleavage.
I did it as a joke and expected her to laugh it off, but instead, she scolded me for being a cheapskate.
It was a bit embarrassing, but I couldn’t help but be amused. Here I was, a grown man trying to show off with a $10 bill, and the KTV hostess was not having it. She told me in no uncertain terms that she expected more from her customers, and she let me know that if I wanted to make a good impression, I would have to do better.
I took her advice to heart and pulled out a $20 bill. She started to say that the minimum is $50, I had no idea how it worked and my colleagues were too busy touching the girls to teach me.
The rest of the night went off without a hitch, and I had a great time singing and dancing with my colleagues. As I was leaving, the KTV hostess gave me a friendly pat on the back and thanked me for being a gentleman.
That experience taught me a valuable lesson. Money may not buy happiness, but it can certainly buy respect. I’ve never made the same mistake again, and I always make sure to be generous when I’m out and about.