"Over my dead body. You heard me ?"
They stood confronting each other across the table. The father and the son. "But dad," he protested, "We'll be finished if we don't move with the times. The competition will wipe us out. How long can we hold on ?" Smashing his fist on the table his dad retorted," So be it. So be it ! I'll take my chances. " Then trying to reason with his only son, his voice softened, "We've been in this business since grandfather's time. This shop, this enterprise, was set up by him. He came here with nothing, and built it up, almost brick by brick. With his sweat, toil and tears. It's lasted thru almost eighty years. Peoples' basic needs never change, so why should we ?"
"I'm not asking you to shut shop, dad. God forbid. All i'm asking is that we expand our wares. Make the whole place user and customer friendly. How long can we sell groceries, grains, over the counter ? With the malls coming in and offering huge discounts, we'll be wiped out. We have to rethink strategies, change our display and marketing strategies, offer discounts and gifts and reward customer loyalty, have competitions and games to draw the young generation. We have the space for it dad. I beseech you, listen to me. I have the whole plan right here. Just see the power point presentation i have on my laptop. If only you give me the go ahead, within the year i can double the business. Please dad, listen to me."
" I can see that the money i spent on your MBA was wasted. As was the time. The meeting is over." said his dad stonily. He picked up his bag and left. Sighing with frustration, the son picked up the phone which had been ringing for a while now. "Yes mom, " The voice of his mother on the other end, always soothing to him, was specially so now to his battle wearied ears. " No way, will he agree. " "Let me talk to him in some time. Maybe i can convince him." "It's no use mum, " he said. " He refuses to even listen to me. God knows i tried."
When the father went home that evening, his wife waved two tickets under his face. "We are going for a movie, tonight." He looked up at her,smiling fondly at his wife of thirty years, "You always know what i need, don't you. "
In the hall, he sat relaxed, glued to the movie unfolding before him. Often he reached out for his wife's hand, which was unusual for him. He was of the old school that hated public display of affection.
He sat wordlessly all the way home, lost in thought. Wisely, his wife left him alone. Once home, they went to bed, immediatly, both tired after a long day. She felt him toss in bed, thru the night, but thought it wise to keep her counsel.
She woke up in the morning to find him already dressed for work. Bewildered she looked askance at him. kissing her on the forehead he said, "Important meeting. I'll talk to you when its done. " So saying, he strode purposefully away.
"Ma. It's happened ! Dad has given me the go ahead. I've never seen him so energised, so determined before ! What on earth did you tell him last night ?" Smiling broadly, she replied, " Nothing. Not a word. We were at a movie, last night. Maybe that had something to do with it. " Curious he asked, "Which one ?"
"The Artist." replied his mum. Maybe you should go see it too.."
For the benefit of the reader, 'The Artist ' was the much acclaimed film, which lit up the Oscars this year. Surprisingly so because it was a silent film. the story goes like this : The film's hero is a renowned actor of the nineteen thirties, when all films were silent. With the coming of audio he is told to change, but arrogantly rebuffs his producers saying films could never be cacaphonous, and that they wouldn't run. He goes ahead to direct, produce and act in his own film, which releases at the same time as the first sound and light film. His film bombs at the box office while the other runs to packed houses. In the stock market crash that follows, he is reduced to penury and even tries to commit suicide, before he is saved by the actress who is famed for her roles in the new films. He then is persuaded to recapture his past glory by accepting the new films, the new times.
They stood confronting each other across the table. The father and the son. "But dad," he protested, "We'll be finished if we don't move with the times. The competition will wipe us out. How long can we hold on ?" Smashing his fist on the table his dad retorted," So be it. So be it ! I'll take my chances. " Then trying to reason with his only son, his voice softened, "We've been in this business since grandfather's time. This shop, this enterprise, was set up by him. He came here with nothing, and built it up, almost brick by brick. With his sweat, toil and tears. It's lasted thru almost eighty years. Peoples' basic needs never change, so why should we ?"
"I'm not asking you to shut shop, dad. God forbid. All i'm asking is that we expand our wares. Make the whole place user and customer friendly. How long can we sell groceries, grains, over the counter ? With the malls coming in and offering huge discounts, we'll be wiped out. We have to rethink strategies, change our display and marketing strategies, offer discounts and gifts and reward customer loyalty, have competitions and games to draw the young generation. We have the space for it dad. I beseech you, listen to me. I have the whole plan right here. Just see the power point presentation i have on my laptop. If only you give me the go ahead, within the year i can double the business. Please dad, listen to me."
" I can see that the money i spent on your MBA was wasted. As was the time. The meeting is over." said his dad stonily. He picked up his bag and left. Sighing with frustration, the son picked up the phone which had been ringing for a while now. "Yes mom, " The voice of his mother on the other end, always soothing to him, was specially so now to his battle wearied ears. " No way, will he agree. " "Let me talk to him in some time. Maybe i can convince him." "It's no use mum, " he said. " He refuses to even listen to me. God knows i tried."
When the father went home that evening, his wife waved two tickets under his face. "We are going for a movie, tonight." He looked up at her,smiling fondly at his wife of thirty years, "You always know what i need, don't you. "
In the hall, he sat relaxed, glued to the movie unfolding before him. Often he reached out for his wife's hand, which was unusual for him. He was of the old school that hated public display of affection.
He sat wordlessly all the way home, lost in thought. Wisely, his wife left him alone. Once home, they went to bed, immediatly, both tired after a long day. She felt him toss in bed, thru the night, but thought it wise to keep her counsel.
She woke up in the morning to find him already dressed for work. Bewildered she looked askance at him. kissing her on the forehead he said, "Important meeting. I'll talk to you when its done. " So saying, he strode purposefully away.
"Ma. It's happened ! Dad has given me the go ahead. I've never seen him so energised, so determined before ! What on earth did you tell him last night ?" Smiling broadly, she replied, " Nothing. Not a word. We were at a movie, last night. Maybe that had something to do with it. " Curious he asked, "Which one ?"
"The Artist." replied his mum. Maybe you should go see it too.."
For the benefit of the reader, 'The Artist ' was the much acclaimed film, which lit up the Oscars this year. Surprisingly so because it was a silent film. the story goes like this : The film's hero is a renowned actor of the nineteen thirties, when all films were silent. With the coming of audio he is told to change, but arrogantly rebuffs his producers saying films could never be cacaphonous, and that they wouldn't run. He goes ahead to direct, produce and act in his own film, which releases at the same time as the first sound and light film. His film bombs at the box office while the other runs to packed houses. In the stock market crash that follows, he is reduced to penury and even tries to commit suicide, before he is saved by the actress who is famed for her roles in the new films. He then is persuaded to recapture his past glory by accepting the new films, the new times.
splendid connect! wouldnt let the story pass without your personal touch would you?!
ReplyDelete