The Day I Spoke to Lao Hu Wu Si
The mission: to ask Tiger Woods one question at the press conference.One that would justify my company flying me all the way to Shanghai to cover a golf tournament.
The setting was daunting - 300-odd media members cramped into a small function room.
The photographers and tv crew had formed a ring around Tiger, and it didn't help that there were about 2-3 rows in front of the press reserved for HSBC big shots.
Showtime.
I wanted to be the first to fire away, but was narrowly beaten by a Chinese journalist.
How to catch Tiger's attention?
I did the unthinkable - I stood on a chair in my bright red shirt so he could see me behind the Great Wall of photographers and raised my hand.
He saw me - half the battle was won.
I shouted my question. He didn't hear it.
Thank God the mic came.
I belted out my question.
He replied.
As Lau Hu Wu Si (Tiger's Chinese name) looked straight at me and spoke to me, my legs started to tremble, and I could not concentrate.
Then, I went for No. 2 - "what about Singapore?"
He didn't hear me.
I repeated, he answered again.
I sat down next to my boss who was also there - hands trembling, legs wobbling from the tension.
Mission accomplished.
posted by Al @ 11:36 pm
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