An old client

Today I saw a man (David) who once made me cry. That was more than 20 years ago.

At that time, he was the owner of a company that manufactured lighting fixtures. They were also the distributors of European light fittings. He inherited the business from his father, so he was well-traveled, well-off (he drove a Sports Beemer) and spent many hours playing golf at SICC (prestigious golf club). At 40+, he was tall, dark, handsome and athletic. He had a beautiful wife and two kids. His world seemed so perfect.

I was merely in my early 20s, fresh-faced and starting out in my career. We had just formed our graphic design firm and he was one of my first clients. Whenever they developed a new product, his secretary would summon me down to work on the product catalogue.

I was quite terrified of him because of his stern and no-nonsense demeanour. He can be gruff and blunt. I was also in awe because he reminded me of my father. During one project meeting, he raised his voice at me and sent me off. When I walked out of the office building, I burst into tears. I felt terribly hurt and wished I never had to return again.

As we did more projects for him, I came to realise that he was a good man who contributed alot to charity. I also saw him as a reluctant business owner. He might have been happier being a professional golfer or something.

With the rising cost, they eventually relocated their business to Malaysia. We lost touch after that.

This morning, while I was buying my cuppa at the food centre, it was his wife who caught my eye. No wonder this beautiful lady, who is in her sixties, looked familiar. The man sitting beside her still has the tanned complexion and physique of a sportsman. He looked relaxed and happy, certainly nothing to be fearful of.

I couldn't decide whether to go over to greet him or not. Eventually I chickened out and moved to another part of the food centre. By the time I built up the courage, they had already left.

Oh well. Maybe if I'm lucky, I might see them again.