El presidente

Today's Chinese factory audit was quite an interesting departure from the typical factory visit. It was clear from the very beginning that it would be a different kind of visit when the car pulled up on a very grand marble driveway, to an entrance that befit a five-star hotel more than a garment factory.

The factory's lobby was a huge, spacious atrium with three oversized chandeliers, a stately seating area, an ornate table made of petrified wood, a fountain, a piano, drum kit and ... a Mercedes! Even with all these obviously expensive objects in the lobby, it still felt spacious and airy - that's how big it was.

We were greeted by the factory "president" who was a skinny Chinese fellow with tar-black gums and brown teeth. His fuzzy hair had been recently lightened, creating a nice two-tone effect from his black roots and orange tips. On his wrist was the gaudiest watch I've ever seen. It was completely encrusted in diamonds and blinded me anytime it caught light. And on that same hand was a gold ring, also completely encrusted with little diamonds.

Mr. President was very proud of his factory and eager to show us around. And I'll admit it was a very nice factory. As we walked through the lobby to his office, he explained that the marble floor was Indian red marble - much more expensive than regular marble.

In his office, which was about the size of my San Francisco apartment, was one of the largest televisions I've ever seen, across from a ridiculously giant desk. The office also had a roomy sitting area, a wall of closed-circuit televisions to monitor the factory, a bathroom and built-in shelves that featured photos of his family all over the world.

He also explained that he has four children, brazenly opposing the government's one-child policy. I guess he had enough money to pay the three fines and enough money to send his eldest two children to Australia and Canada for ther educations. The next two were destined to study in the UK and America when they're old enough.

At the obligatory lunch, the president smoked a few cigarettes, but no one seemed to mind, so I concealed my true thoughts. I did, however enjoy my lunch...

I made an offhand comment about the opulence of the lobby to the vendor's representative, a woman who came from Hong Kong to help lead the tour. [On a side note, we realized I met the vendor representative four years ago when I visited another of their factories! I guess it's a small industry, after all.] And she responded, "In China everyone was poor, then in the last two decades some of them got very rich and they feel like they have to show off and be glamorous." I guess she was calling him nouveau-riche!

And that mercedes in the lobby? It turns out that was the first mercedes he bought, once the money started rolling in. For sentimental reasons, he couldn't bear to part with it, so it's now showcased in his factory lobby!