Slice Of Life: ‘Loss of business from youngsters affects me’

I live in Tambaram and started selling flowers 40 years ago. I started doing this with my husband after my marriage. I have two daughters and both of them are married now. I buy flowers from a wholesale shop in Tambaram ever day morning and sell it near East Tambaram railway station’s entrance. I sit there from 6 am to 10 am and take a break before opening the shop again at 3 pm. I keep it open till 8 pm. I do the business alone as my children are married and settled. I have been selling flowers here for nearly 30 years. When I started the business, I used to earn much better. But my profits have gone down now. Nowadays, very few come to buy flowers. Also, more flower shops have mushroomed on the same stretch and the business is divided. There are a few regular customers for me and they have been buying flowers from me for years. I am running a day-to-day life with great difficulty. I try my best to not borrow money from anyone. My children help often but I don’t like to be depended on them. I want to stand on my on till my end. As everything is available online, youngsters don’t come out and it is the loss of small-time vendors like me.