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Sunday Aug 26, 2013's interesting case
"I work very hard to raise and educate 3 daughters," the 67-year-old optometrist who used to work from 9 am to 9 pm said to me. "Now, two are married and I don't get a cent from them!"
His 3rd daughter who is slim and good-looking, wearing dual-colour short pants laughed. "Do you really expect the younger generation to give parents some money from their earnings every month?"
"I read of many Americans living with their parents nowadays, owing to economic downturn," I commiserated with him. "They have different values as regards filial piety which includes caring for aged parents.
During a tour, the Norweigian tour guide told me that her son left home when he was 18 years old to share a rental apartment with friends. The government would employ him. She lived alone as a widow."
If they don't need your money as adults, you should consider yourself fortunate!"
Nowadays he closes his shop whenever he likes because his rental in downtown Orchard Road is around $4,000 while the other shop rentals in other malls were charging $8,000 - $20,000 rental per month.
"I do not charge clients who are poor," he declared to me. "There was one who asked me if he could pay by installments. His family member has cancer and so I said that he could pay me when he was able to do so."
"Would you be giving free spectacles if your rental was $15,000/month?" I asked.
"Well, the clients who need free spectacles will not step into such posh shops."
His 3rd daughter, in her late 20s had brought in a 13-year-old cat for me to remove an ingrown toe nail. She had phoned me at 10pm yesterday, as the cat's paw was bleeding. I had suggested that she bandaged the foot and bring the cat in today, in order to save on after-hour emergency bills which would come to over $300.
So, here she was, with her father. She would not bear to see her cat's ingrown toe nail being cut off in her presence. So she left the operation room when I did it.
"My cat claws me all the time at home," she warned me. So I expected a ferocious lion all ready to swing her claws at me. But she was as quiet as a church mouse, so there was no need for a sedative. She just lied quietly and patiently on the surgery table. I took the chance to take some images for this story.
"Since you have worked for so many years, you must have lots of clients," I said to the father. "Is your children taking over your business?"
"No, my children are not interested," he had already given up on his 2 older daughters and this younger one was working happily in an events marketing company in publishing.
"I am interested," the 3rd daughter said she had spoken to him and would not mind attending the compulsory optometry course to be accredited. He had not groomed the 3rd daughter.
"Rentals will not stay at $4,000/month forever," he had no confidence in his children to compete and bring his clientele business to a higher level.
"Have you got a website?" I scrutinised his name card as he said my spectacles were out-dated and old fashioned. "My spectacles are branded 'Gap'," I said. "The thick black frames were admittedly, not modern looking.
His 3rd daughter laughed as she knew that her father had no website. She is from this internet generation who appreciates websites and know the leveling power of the social media.
Maybe the father knows that one-man-operator optometrist practice is a dying business but I don't think so. Many such shops hire people who come and go and there is a niche for proprietors who provide personalised service and is available over the years as the family members grow up.
My baby-boomer generation has many who ignore social media for branding and marketing, but not the 3rd daughter who represents the internet savvy millenials and Generation Z.
"Of course, the internet generation may not be loyal clients when they shop for the cheapest product," I said to the father. "Some do go for fanciful renovations and pay high prices. I believe there is a place for a niche optometry personalised service with the same optrometrist servicing them. Nowadays some do value experience over glamourous set ups and this is where your daughter will shine"
The father was unconvinced. It is 2021 now. I don't know whether the 3rd daughter had become an optrometrist now that there are more competitive shops like OWNDAYS Optical Shops from Japan with simple all-in-one prices.
