didn’t apply to him.
S:
Dad was very strict about money,
educating us on its importance and
insisting we work for it, but he also
believed in enjoying what he earned.
He wanted to buy a brand new car
every year. Soon after he passed away,
we found a speeding ticket that he had
hidden away. He lived life in the fast
lane… literally!
So it wasn’t a case of all work and
no play for your dad?
A:
Not at all! In fact, Dad’s peers
often described him as ‘larger than
life’ and the ‘life of the party.’ He
liked to have a good time.
S:
He was always telling jokes, which
made everyone laugh. As a rebellious
teenager, I didn’t want him to think
I found him funny. I remember him
asking me once why I never laughed
at his jokes. “Do you laugh in the
bathroom?” he wanted to know. He
was so sure of himself!
Behind every successful man is a
woman telling him he’s wrong. Was
this true for your parents?
S:
My mum is really glad that Dad
enjoyed his life. The thing is, my
father came from a poor family and
my mother still remembers very hard
times. What my dad made, he spent.
Mum never quite took that on. She
saw her role as to save and provide so
that her daughters would always have
enough.
What was your mum’s role in the
running of
Bookazine
? Is she still
actively involved?
A:
Our mum ran
Bookazine
when
it first opened in 1985. She hired
the staff, did all the purchasing
and helped my dad decide on new
locations. She continues to work in
the business and still deals with some
of our suppliers. I think they find her
softer than me. Our staff have a lot
of respect for her and sometimes will
only listen to her.
S:
She is still the big boss. Mum signs
the cheques and keeps us in check.
Some things never change!
What is it like, as sisters, to work
together?
A:
I love it!
S:
It’s no secret it’s sometimes hard
to work with family. I’m very hard on
myself and I see Arti as an extension
of myself, like a mother with her child.
So she gets all the criticism and rarely
the praise. At the same time, my
mother places greater responsibility
on me and is tougher with me, and
gentler with Arti.
More often than not, Arti and I
are on the same page, which makes
June 2015
37
