“Hey, are you free?” Came the text.

“Hi. I am expensive,” I responded.

“XXX is MIA. Can you help and be my referral? The recruiter will call soon,” she asked.

On the eve of a public holiday and the recruiter will call after office hours? Sure……….

The last time she approached me with the same request, I was honest with the recruiter. I said I’ve never worked directly with her and I am not the best person to answer questions like if I would work with her again.

The second time this request came in, I said I am in a meeting. I really wanted to get myself out this time too because I don’t want to be the cause of her not being hired.

She was my ex colleague in the first bank I worked in and we were in the same lunch group. Recently, we reconnected again and I was just trying to be funny with the reply.

Fact is, she was on hospitalisation leave for more than two months from a fracture, got married in between and even asked if she can utilised the marriage leave and extend her hospitalisation. She left her job soon after too. Personally, I really wouldn’t do that but maybe it is a legitimate request. Never try, never know.

I remembered her always complaining about her work and manager. She quit because she thought her manager was targeting her.

She went on to do contract jobs after quitting and complained about every job and boss and lamented on not being converted into permanent employee until I asked her to shut up and stop spreading negative energy in the group chat after the sixth contract.

During her first year in the marriage, she asked me about annulment which I shared. Apparently the husband left his civil service job without discussing with her and she is now the breadwinner and it wasn’t what she signed up for and she did not think it is going to work in the long term.

I remembered telling her to leave before they have a child or it will be complicated.

Soon after, she popped one kid. I guess things are okay now. If you are really considering leaving the marriage I don’t think you will be sexually active and go on and have a child right?

Several times in between the second and third child, “Can you help recommend and help me look for a place?”

I did and received no commission for all the work because she either entered the deal without an agent or got another agent to help. Never mind, I didn’t bother asking because we don’t put a price on friendship right?

Then, “Can you help to answer what happens to our place if we get a divorce?”

I really should just give her HDB and CPF website to read, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it since I got to know she is really leaving the marriage this time.

Can you help? How can I help?

I ended up picking up the recruiter’s call and she got hired.

You are welcome.