In the optical industry, the line between the extraordinary and the ordinary often blurs. After my memorable encounter with Quiet Riot’s drummer, you’d think I’d be prepared for another rock star moment. But life has a way of keeping us humble.
It started as another routine day at the office. A new patient walked in, and as I reviewed his paperwork, I noticed “musician” listed as his occupation. Having learned my lesson from my previous rock star encounter, I maintained my professional composure while secretly wondering if this was another notable name from the music world.
I escorted him to the exam room and went about my usual duties – the pre-testing, the careful measurements, all the things that make up an optician’s day. It wasn’t until after the exam, while we were selecting frames, that Heather Locklear walked through the door. There stood Richie Sambora, Bon Jovi’s legendary guitarist, and his then-wife, one of television’s most recognizable faces.
What struck me most was their complete normalcy. There was no entourage, no special demands – just two people supporting each other during a routine eye appointment. At one point, Richie reached into his pocket for a Listerine strip, and I couldn’t help but smile. Here was a rock god worried about fresh breath, just like any of us might be.
When he returned to pick up his glasses, he graciously signed a photo with Heather and me – a moment I still treasure. But the story doesn’t end there. Some time later, I received a phone call that made my day. It was Richie, explaining he’d lost his glasses during a concert and needed a replacement pair. “Could you deliver them to my house?” he asked.
Could I deliver them to his house? Let me think about that for a second – YES!
Driving to a rock star’s house wasn’t exactly covered in my optician training, but it turned out to be one of those surreal moments that remind you how life can surprise you. There I was, making a house call to deliver eyewear to the guitarist whose solos I’d heard countless times on the radio.
What these experiences taught me was that beneath the glamour and fame, celebrities are just people who sometimes need their eyes checked, worry about their breath, and occasionally lose their glasses while rocking out on stage. They get prescription updates, need adjustments, and sometimes, just sometimes, they need their optician to go the extra mile – or several miles – to their house.
In the end, it’s these unexpected moments that make any job extraordinary. Whether you’re helping a local resident or a rock legend, good service is about treating everyone with the same care and respect. Though I must admit, not every pair of glasses I’ve dispensed has ended up on stage with Bon Jovi.
And Yes, I Did Keep that Signed Photo
