Two lives destined to be joined as one

HIGH in the sky above Wan Chai, Hong Kong copyright specialist Stephanie Mitchell was toiling at her desk in one of the tallest buildings in the world. She wasn't feeling well, and decided to head home on the 'courtesy bus' that takes workers from the foot of Central Plaza to Central.

She took the lift down to earth and boarded the 6.15pm bus.

Although this was the last bus of the day, it was the first time she had taken it, since workaholics rarely finish as early as 6.15pm.

There was only one seat left, and she slid into it. Ten minutes later, the Central Plaza courtesy bus was wedged in a traffic jam.

It was a sweltering day in August, 1994, and she glanced at her neighbour. 'Hey - it's a white guy,' she thought, politically incorrectly.

Striking up conversation, she found out that her neighbour, Hans Goebel of Tela, a German reinsurance firm, was also a Central Plaza workaholic, and was also taking a rare 'early' departure from work.