Not just for a living

“In the past, I did this job to make a living. After a while, I love the job more. When I finish a product and see customers satisfied, I am also happy.” That is what Mr. Nguyen Quoc Hung (59 years old) shared, who works as a shoe repairman on Cach Mang Thang Tam Street, Tan Ninh Ward, Tay Ninh Province (old Gia Long Street). For more than 40 years, Mr. Hung has been diligently repairing old shoes with every needle and thread, helping customers save money or preserve unforgettable souvenirs. Every day, regardless of sun or rain, his rough, bumpy hands from frequent contact with glue, pliers, chisels, etc., are diligently repairing all kinds of shoes for customers.

Mr. Hung said: “Most of my customers are regulars. They know that I work carefully and at reasonable prices, so they often refer friends and relatives to come and repair shoes. No matter what job you do, you need to be diligent and hard-working. Most importantly, you need to love the job because only passion can help us have the motivation to overcome challenges.”

For Mr. Nguyen Quoc Hung, as long as customers still have needs, he will continue to work.

There were days when he had many orders, he only left his chair to have lunch and then continued working to deliver them on time to customers. Although his health was getting worse and his eyesight was getting worse, he still decided to follow the profession. For someone who loved the profession like Mr. Hung, as long as customers still needed him, he would continue to repair shoes. It was not only a way to make a living but also a habit and a love that he had been attached to for many years.

Amidst the wave of developing printing technology, with countless modern electronic billboards, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Bich (68 years old) - owner of Ngoc Bich sign painting shop on Truong Quyen street, Tan Ninh ward, has been diligently pursuing the profession of painting billboards for over 40 years.

Since he was a child, Mr. Bich has loved painting. In 1985, he opened a billboard painting shop at home, accepting paintings and portraits. According to Mr. Bich, the billboard painting profession was very developed in the past. Hand-painted artists sometimes worked day and night but still could not finish their work. Later, when the line of printed signs and computer-designed templates was born, the traditional types of signs that he used to paint gradually became a thing of the past. Many artists had to change jobs because they could no longer survive.

Mr. Bich confided: “To paint a complete signboard, it takes many steps, from framing, priming the background, dividing the letters, then painting and lacquering. This work usually takes a week, maybe more, depending on the size of the signboard. Handmade signs will make people feel close and real, at the same time, each artist will convey their own spirit, depending on the painting technique. I think that is the reason why many people still choose to use handmade billboards instead of electronic signs.”

Drawing a complete signboard must go through many stages.

At Ngoc Bich shop, although it is not as crowded as before, there are still many customers coming to order handmade advertising signs. Sometimes he has to try to finish them quickly for the shop owner in time for the opening day. Mr. Bich happily said: “Most of the people who come to order signs are old customers. Many people ask me to be the main artist because they think I draw well, helping the shop to prosper.”

For Mr. Dong Van Hoa (66 years old, living in Tan Ninh ward), the job of repairing clothes is not only a way to make a living, a matter of sewing or needlework, but also the joy of doing the job he loves. With a sewing machine and a few tools such as a ruler, scissors, needles, thread and a sign "Clothing Repair Accepted", Mr. Hoa has been attached to the job for more than 30 years. Having traveled everywhere, doing a number of different jobs, after many predestined circumstances, he came to the job of repairing clothes. Thanks to his efforts to learn and his passion since he was a child, in 1991, Mr. Hoa decided to choose this job to stick with for a long time.

Thanks to his responsible work, Mr. Dong Van Hoa has a steady stream of customers.

Throughout his house, in the closet, on the shelves, every corner are objects and accessories for clothing repair. Most of the customers who come to the shop are regulars, from students, to workers, to the elderly. The needs of customers are also diverse, repairing from ordinary to high-end items.

Thanks to his reputable and responsible work, one person introduced another, and over time the number of customers became more stable. Every day, he diligently worked on his old sewing machine, fixing every detail on the clothes according to the customer's request.

Mr. Hoa shared: “Making new clothes is difficult, altering clothes to satisfy customers is even more difficult. The tailor must have knowledge about fashion , grasp new trends to advise customers. We also have to understand the customer's characteristics such as sloping or horizontal shoulders, curved or straight legs, whether the upper and lower body are balanced or not to alter accordingly. Each type of clothing, design, and material also requires its own alteration secrets.”

For people like Mr. Hung, Mr. Bich or Mr. Hoa, working is not only to make a living but also to live with passion, so in the midst of a busy life, there are still people who keep their jobs as if keeping love and familiarity./.

Phuong Thao - Ha Quang

Source: https://baolongan.vn/khong-chi-la-muu-sinh-a202280.html