Kingdom of Bahrain
30-Oct-2009
Celebrations, especially family functions remind me of two things - one, the paraphernalia attached to enjoyment, fun, reunion & merriment and; two, the dreadful running around, mostly till the eve of the function, transporting the dress materials (of the ladies in the family) for all kinds of alterations from tailor to tailor, back and forth ! Even if the tailor is the BEST in the town, I experienced, a last minute rush and eleventh-hour running is inevitable !
Let me share a tailor episode.
The most funniest episode of this genre, which I best remember is, the bride's mother herself anxiously waiting (on the eve of the wedding day) at the tailor shop, giving instructions to the tailor (or rather, shouting at him for his professional shortfalls) for possible alterations, just minutes before the "shop-close-time". The tailor - primarily, confused, now under tremendous pressure due to the customer LIVE in front of him had forgotten where he kept the raw stitching material when it was ordered for stitching a month back! Due to this "terrific environment", he wasted a lot of time searching for the material and thankfully, could start the related work a few hours before only ! An application of Boyle's law again, to make matters worse, probably because of this "bewilderment", he did the measurement and stitching on a wrong design, using a wrong material, at a wrong time, and delivered to a wrong customer ! Rest, like you guess, is the best history chapter for the poor tailor !!!
The below incident happened during one of our short vacations in hometown.
Due to some past bad tailoring experiences (or experiments, rather), this time, after a wide information exchange, Bindu aka my better half, decided to bank on a reasonable tailor in town.
Being the only driver available "on-call", I was "forcefully privileged" to take her to the tailor shop. Due to the parking restrictions, I preferred staying in the car, while Bindu stepped in to the shop for placing the stitching order. The order, I presume, must have been placed in detail, because it took more than half an hour for her to come back. Impatient and lazy, my nature have been, I waited in the car, counting each second, cursing my new mission !
Within a few days, there were a couple of follow on visits to the same tailor shop. This was, reportedly, done to ensure that the tailor's comprehension on the patterns/designs was error free.
Minutes, hours and days passed by. But, definitely, not weeks.
One Friday afternoon, when I was getting prepared for a quick slumber, post a sumptuous lunch, I received a call on my mobile - that call was from the tailor informing the readiness of the placed order. After some typical arguments, quite perturbed on the interrupted plans of a short nap, I was, once again, forced to take Bindu to the tailor shop.
This time, after parking the car at a comfortable place, I also got into the shop.
Minutes ticked by, there came the tailor, with the bag containing the stitched dresses.
Let me have a glass of water !
There was an absolute silence for a couple of minutes ! Then, Oh! my God!
A skirmish !!
The tailor, in spite of all these follow-on visits, had completely shattered his client's dreams. In a nut shell, the tailor had successfully stitched the dress materials in an unsuccessful manner ! Should I laugh out or burst out?
But, a silent spectator, I was !
When the pressure started to subside, the tailor produced the bill for this "catastrophe"! Yes, I admit, the amount displayed in the bill made me laugh and cry at the same time!
This "sarcastic" bill gave rise to further arguments. This time, I too joined, as I felt the pinch of it. I argued defensively, as my whole point was not to pay anything for this waste of time, energy and petrol !
My blood pressure shot up, on seeing the casual attitude of the main tailor.
Bygones are bygones! After a while, negotiations started, followed by bargaining. In order to accord a win-win situation, though not happy, we made the deal finally, to pay the tailor for his bad skills, but Rs. 150 less !
A mere Rs. 150??
Thoughts haunted, as we both felt that we could have bargained for more. We could have got the final price tag reduced a little more, but there were a few onlookers beside when the tug of war was in progress!
Frustrated and angry we were.
After a silent dinner, as a "routine procedure", Bindu started searching her mobile phone for setting the morning alarm.
Search continued, and, continued. Not in the dining room, not in the kitchen, not in the hall room, not in the car, not in the hand bag....
Hold on, "where is my hand bag"? she asked me.
In a typical male chauvinistic mode, I replied - "I don't know, I was not carrying it!"
Search resumed.
This time, a bonus search - for mobile phone PLUS hand bag. Again, not in the dining room, not in the kitchen, not in the hall room, not in the car ....
Frantic search, in vain !
I said with an experienced tone, "OK, OK, no problem, we will find it out. Just make a call to your number and see ..."
Dialed her mobile number, no response !
She told "I think, the phone was kept inside my hand bag"
To cut short the conversation and in an urge to hit the bed, I asked "Where is the hand bag, then? We will find out tomorrow! It should be somewhere here."
Not buying in my suggestion, Bindu continued - "I am worried on the missing hand bag."
"It is your carelessness! You should have always carried your mobile phone in hand and taken care of your hand bag. Anyway, we will find out." - I persuaded to stop the topic for the time being.
After a short while, Bindu told -"I think, the bangles we took from bank locker were kept inside the bag".
That comment had shot up my adrenalin. I shouted back - "What?"
"Yes, I think, it had some money also!"
This time, I blasted - "How much money is your some money? "
After arguments and exchange of "law points", it dawned on us that the hand bag in question, not only contained mobile phone, but also Rupees Twelve Thousand, some gold ornaments, and not to tell anyone, the ID cards too!
I am still unable to express my mind set at that point in time!
As an opportunity, I started to blame her carelessness and approach, but only for a very short time!
Bindu, then retaliated -"You were holding the hand bag while we were in the tailor's, you remember?"
I tried to remember and realized that she was RIGHT !
I reminisced. I ran through the events - yes, she gave me the hand bag when she went to the trial room ... and I must have kept it on tailor's cutting table, when I took my purse out from pocket for paying him!
I admitted my guilt and decided to act on it immediately, because the damage would be exorbitantly high, if I did not!
I rushed to the tailor shop, which was obviously closed. There were no contact numbers available with us - either of the tailor or of the shop owner. Thanks to the dim street lamp available, I noted down shop's telephone numbers from its sign board. But, what was the use of dialing the shop number at that part of the night?
Fortunately, I could see a mobile number on the right bottom of the sign board. Whose mobile number this could be? Tailor's or the shop owner's?
I was blank.
Very well knowing the implications of disturbing an unknown person, on his personal mobile, and that too, during late hours, I dialed out the number. After many rings, I heard a "Hello" from the other end. Lucky me, it was not the tailor, but the shop owner. If it was the tailor whom we fought with ....... I could not imagine how shameful would it have been!!
Myself, being at the receiving end, very humbly, narrated the whole story and my plight. He told me that there would not be any guarantee of the bag, as many customers could have visited the shop after we left from there. But, at the same time, he assured that if the hand bag was kept in the shop, and no customer had taken it, it should be safe. He conveyed his complete faith on his tailoring staff. To end the call, he pacified me and told us to come to the shop next day morning at nine itself, the time they open the shop for business.
Came home, quite disturbed, as the mission was incomplete. The only solace left, was just to wait patiently, for the sun to rise and the shop to be opened ! That particular night, both Bindu and myself felt each second like minutes; minutes like hours; and hours like years!! Pessimistic thoughts haunted us - how to make up the losses - money, gold, ID cards, Oh! my God!
Or, how sure were we, to say that the hand bag was kept at the shop itself? Was it misplaced somewhere on the road? Wild thoughts - but we held on to the belief that the hand bag would be in the shop itself; and nowhere else.
Govind, our son, continued enjoying the scene, not aware of the seriousness of the whole episode !! Lucky, kids!
For the first time during that short vacation, I woke up very early in the morning. I cannot say that I woke up, because I didn't sleep at all.
Killed time till 9 AM.
Restless, we were. Bindu and myself rushed to the shop before nine itself. The shop was just getting opened. I looked around for the main tailor.
"The main tailor normally comes only by 9.30 - 10, as he stays at a far off place" - the staff member who opened the shop told me.
"Whats the matter, Sir? Anything urgent?"
I did not want to tell the story again, but definitely, longed to hint him about the lost handbag.
"Well, we came here yesterday and were...."
The other person had a fictitious smile and stopped me - "Yes, I know.... I was here when you came to get the dresses ....."
"Brother, have you noticed any hand bag after we left from here yesterday?"
"I dont know, Sir".
We lost the little hope we had. Bindu and myself looked at each other. Did we feel dizzy?
"But I have seen the main tailor keeping something inside his almirah and locking it"
For a minute, I thought that I got my lost energy back. Was that our hand bag, or something else?
"Can you please check up whether that was our hand bag?"
"No, Sir. The almirah is locked and the key is with him. You will have to wait for the main tailor to come."
After a "long" wait for another 15 to 20 minutes, the main tailor came. To be honest, neither Bindu nor myself had the "valor" to face him, because of the acoustic exercise we had the day before. Also, we remembered, "announcing" that we would never ever step into his shop!
He smiled at us unconditionally, while fixing the stand of his motor bike. He must have forgotten our "announcement" we made, that we would never ever get into his shop!!
This is destiny!
I broke the silence - "Sorry, yesterday ..... well, we forgot to take our hand bag from here when we left. I remember keeping it on your table......"
The main tailor with another smile replied - "Yes, I noticed it, and by the time I came out of the shop to return it, you had gone..."
A "massive" sigh of relief. I got my missing breathe back! Bindu too.
He went to his room, unlocked the almirah and got us the hand bag.
"Please check everything is there. Madam, please be careful next time..."
Bindu respectfully got hold of the hand bag and had a "screening and security check" like we have in Airports.
Affirmative!
Thank God, and thanks, dear tailor. All the valuables were intact - money, gold, ID cards etc. etc.
"There are still some good people in this world", I said to myself.
That was definitely a bonus for our pessimistic thoughts. Wanted to thank the tailor profusely. But, then, it would not be nice to thank him alone, if it was somebody else who discovered the bag right there?
We must thank all of them. So, we gifted a bigger amount (much higher than Rs. 150, of course) and asked him to buy sweets for his team, as a part of our happiness!
Money matters? Or, is it happiness and peace of mind?
Yes, no, undecided, often, sometimes???
Every vacation, the tailor story continues....
We were happy and the tailor too!
Renjith Sarada
© 2009-2012 (Renjith P Sarada) All Rights Reserved
Due to some past bad tailoring experiences (or experiments, rather), this time, after a wide information exchange, Bindu aka my better half, decided to bank on a reasonable tailor in town.
Being the only driver available "on-call", I was "forcefully privileged" to take her to the tailor shop. Due to the parking restrictions, I preferred staying in the car, while Bindu stepped in to the shop for placing the stitching order. The order, I presume, must have been placed in detail, because it took more than half an hour for her to come back. Impatient and lazy, my nature have been, I waited in the car, counting each second, cursing my new mission !
Within a few days, there were a couple of follow on visits to the same tailor shop. This was, reportedly, done to ensure that the tailor's comprehension on the patterns/designs was error free.
Minutes, hours and days passed by. But, definitely, not weeks.
One Friday afternoon, when I was getting prepared for a quick slumber, post a sumptuous lunch, I received a call on my mobile - that call was from the tailor informing the readiness of the placed order. After some typical arguments, quite perturbed on the interrupted plans of a short nap, I was, once again, forced to take Bindu to the tailor shop.
This time, after parking the car at a comfortable place, I also got into the shop.
Minutes ticked by, there came the tailor, with the bag containing the stitched dresses.
Let me have a glass of water !
There was an absolute silence for a couple of minutes ! Then, Oh! my God!
A skirmish !!
The tailor, in spite of all these follow-on visits, had completely shattered his client's dreams. In a nut shell, the tailor had successfully stitched the dress materials in an unsuccessful manner ! Should I laugh out or burst out?
But, a silent spectator, I was !
When the pressure started to subside, the tailor produced the bill for this "catastrophe"! Yes, I admit, the amount displayed in the bill made me laugh and cry at the same time!
This "sarcastic" bill gave rise to further arguments. This time, I too joined, as I felt the pinch of it. I argued defensively, as my whole point was not to pay anything for this waste of time, energy and petrol !
My blood pressure shot up, on seeing the casual attitude of the main tailor.
Bygones are bygones! After a while, negotiations started, followed by bargaining. In order to accord a win-win situation, though not happy, we made the deal finally, to pay the tailor for his bad skills, but Rs. 150 less !
A mere Rs. 150??
Thoughts haunted, as we both felt that we could have bargained for more. We could have got the final price tag reduced a little more, but there were a few onlookers beside when the tug of war was in progress!
Frustrated and angry we were.
After a silent dinner, as a "routine procedure", Bindu started searching her mobile phone for setting the morning alarm.
Search continued, and, continued. Not in the dining room, not in the kitchen, not in the hall room, not in the car, not in the hand bag....
Hold on, "where is my hand bag"? she asked me.
In a typical male chauvinistic mode, I replied - "I don't know, I was not carrying it!"
Search resumed.
This time, a bonus search - for mobile phone PLUS hand bag. Again, not in the dining room, not in the kitchen, not in the hall room, not in the car ....
Frantic search, in vain !
I said with an experienced tone, "OK, OK, no problem, we will find it out. Just make a call to your number and see ..."
Dialed her mobile number, no response !
She told "I think, the phone was kept inside my hand bag"
To cut short the conversation and in an urge to hit the bed, I asked "Where is the hand bag, then? We will find out tomorrow! It should be somewhere here."
Not buying in my suggestion, Bindu continued - "I am worried on the missing hand bag."
"It is your carelessness! You should have always carried your mobile phone in hand and taken care of your hand bag. Anyway, we will find out." - I persuaded to stop the topic for the time being.
After a short while, Bindu told -"I think, the bangles we took from bank locker were kept inside the bag".
That comment had shot up my adrenalin. I shouted back - "What?"
"Yes, I think, it had some money also!"
This time, I blasted - "How much money is your some money? "
After arguments and exchange of "law points", it dawned on us that the hand bag in question, not only contained mobile phone, but also Rupees Twelve Thousand, some gold ornaments, and not to tell anyone, the ID cards too!
I am still unable to express my mind set at that point in time!
As an opportunity, I started to blame her carelessness and approach, but only for a very short time!
Bindu, then retaliated -"You were holding the hand bag while we were in the tailor's, you remember?"
I tried to remember and realized that she was RIGHT !
I reminisced. I ran through the events - yes, she gave me the hand bag when she went to the trial room ... and I must have kept it on tailor's cutting table, when I took my purse out from pocket for paying him!
I admitted my guilt and decided to act on it immediately, because the damage would be exorbitantly high, if I did not!
I rushed to the tailor shop, which was obviously closed. There were no contact numbers available with us - either of the tailor or of the shop owner. Thanks to the dim street lamp available, I noted down shop's telephone numbers from its sign board. But, what was the use of dialing the shop number at that part of the night?
Fortunately, I could see a mobile number on the right bottom of the sign board. Whose mobile number this could be? Tailor's or the shop owner's?
I was blank.
Very well knowing the implications of disturbing an unknown person, on his personal mobile, and that too, during late hours, I dialed out the number. After many rings, I heard a "Hello" from the other end. Lucky me, it was not the tailor, but the shop owner. If it was the tailor whom we fought with ....... I could not imagine how shameful would it have been!!
Myself, being at the receiving end, very humbly, narrated the whole story and my plight. He told me that there would not be any guarantee of the bag, as many customers could have visited the shop after we left from there. But, at the same time, he assured that if the hand bag was kept in the shop, and no customer had taken it, it should be safe. He conveyed his complete faith on his tailoring staff. To end the call, he pacified me and told us to come to the shop next day morning at nine itself, the time they open the shop for business.
Came home, quite disturbed, as the mission was incomplete. The only solace left, was just to wait patiently, for the sun to rise and the shop to be opened ! That particular night, both Bindu and myself felt each second like minutes; minutes like hours; and hours like years!! Pessimistic thoughts haunted us - how to make up the losses - money, gold, ID cards, Oh! my God!
Or, how sure were we, to say that the hand bag was kept at the shop itself? Was it misplaced somewhere on the road? Wild thoughts - but we held on to the belief that the hand bag would be in the shop itself; and nowhere else.
Govind, our son, continued enjoying the scene, not aware of the seriousness of the whole episode !! Lucky, kids!
For the first time during that short vacation, I woke up very early in the morning. I cannot say that I woke up, because I didn't sleep at all.
Killed time till 9 AM.
Restless, we were. Bindu and myself rushed to the shop before nine itself. The shop was just getting opened. I looked around for the main tailor.
"The main tailor normally comes only by 9.30 - 10, as he stays at a far off place" - the staff member who opened the shop told me.
"Whats the matter, Sir? Anything urgent?"
I did not want to tell the story again, but definitely, longed to hint him about the lost handbag.
"Well, we came here yesterday and were...."
The other person had a fictitious smile and stopped me - "Yes, I know.... I was here when you came to get the dresses ....."
"Brother, have you noticed any hand bag after we left from here yesterday?"
"I dont know, Sir".
We lost the little hope we had. Bindu and myself looked at each other. Did we feel dizzy?
"But I have seen the main tailor keeping something inside his almirah and locking it"
For a minute, I thought that I got my lost energy back. Was that our hand bag, or something else?
"Can you please check up whether that was our hand bag?"
"No, Sir. The almirah is locked and the key is with him. You will have to wait for the main tailor to come."
After a "long" wait for another 15 to 20 minutes, the main tailor came. To be honest, neither Bindu nor myself had the "valor" to face him, because of the acoustic exercise we had the day before. Also, we remembered, "announcing" that we would never ever step into his shop!
He smiled at us unconditionally, while fixing the stand of his motor bike. He must have forgotten our "announcement" we made, that we would never ever get into his shop!!
This is destiny!
I broke the silence - "Sorry, yesterday ..... well, we forgot to take our hand bag from here when we left. I remember keeping it on your table......"
The main tailor with another smile replied - "Yes, I noticed it, and by the time I came out of the shop to return it, you had gone..."
A "massive" sigh of relief. I got my missing breathe back! Bindu too.
He went to his room, unlocked the almirah and got us the hand bag.
"Please check everything is there. Madam, please be careful next time..."
Bindu respectfully got hold of the hand bag and had a "screening and security check" like we have in Airports.
Affirmative!
Thank God, and thanks, dear tailor. All the valuables were intact - money, gold, ID cards etc. etc.
"There are still some good people in this world", I said to myself.
That was definitely a bonus for our pessimistic thoughts. Wanted to thank the tailor profusely. But, then, it would not be nice to thank him alone, if it was somebody else who discovered the bag right there?
We must thank all of them. So, we gifted a bigger amount (much higher than Rs. 150, of course) and asked him to buy sweets for his team, as a part of our happiness!
Money matters? Or, is it happiness and peace of mind?
Yes, no, undecided, often, sometimes???
Every vacation, the tailor story continues....
We were happy and the tailor too!
Renjith Sarada
© 2009-2012 (Renjith P Sarada) All Rights Reserved
25 comments:
smiled all the way!!
Dear Prashanthi,
Really don't know who you are, because of the Blogger ID. Thanks for the first comment. To be honest, I am not confident in this blog!!
Kindly identify yourself.
Best Regards,
Renjith Sarada
Read your latest blog! the whole narration geled very well.simple exps of life !made a good impression
hi uncle ..how r u.. i was reading your blogs..its a nice blog and you got a nice way of presenting the stories and adventures
The tailor episodes are common in every Keralite household. I too have experienced many of them, though my wife is not yet invoilved in them. However, my sister still complains that her bridal wear was not upto the mark as our FAMILY TAILOR did an ERROR in stiching them, whenever my little niece opens her mother's marriage album.
Your latest addition is simply fantastic.I laughed all the way down till the end of the narration. I think this genre suits you the best as a writer[ so far]. Each time your creations are getting better and better and there is a plethora of topics in your treasure chest [we all have it, but only some of us are lucky to find out and put it across like this.] Best of luck with the next one.
That was fun reading .. especially the touch of dotted humour in parts..
HAving had near similar hits & misses ..must say the traits of tailors are in a class of their own..
On a brighter note..faith in mankind is indeed a great equalizer!!
Renjumamma,
A very common happening in our family...right???But just wondering,did you have all that patience to be with ammayi from the first to the last visit to the tailor...uhmmm...very less MEN in our family does that...Hats off to you on that...Liked the blog..and can see your writing skills are just rising higher and higher with high profile phrases and words...lol, even if the meanings came across with the context, still I had to literally / basically take out the dictionary to find the meanings of some of the words...
Remi
Dear Remitha,
Thank you for this special comment!
I am happy like the tailor!
Best Regards,
Renju Maman
Hi Renjith,
Like someone above here commented, this genre suits you best. Story telling and narration in elaborate detail. Maybe you should try your hand at a dialogue. It might just turn out hilarious. :-). Any maybe you shd try to post few ones in Malayalam. Chila kaaryangal Malayalathil paranjyale athinde sukham kittuvullu. :-) That's the beauty of the vernacular.
As for the episodes of tailoring...they are a breed I am positively scared of. :-) Finding a good tailor is like looking for a pin in a haystack. But your tailor's honesty is really heart warming and just reinforces the belief in the basic goodness of all human beings.
Do keep writing and as always will be there to read your narratives. Really do think that the narrative style of writing is your style. :-)
Warm regards,
Shalini
Dear Susan & Shalini,
Noted your similar comments!
Best Regards,
Renjith Sarada
Dear Renju,
Your blogs were read over to me by Preethi.I am very much impressed about your endeavour to unroll your past experiences and your vision and approach to the realities.
Your episode about your visit to Spain and especially the trian journey is interesting.Also your recollection about the visit of Cheshire home in Malaysia and your attitude towards its inmates is appreciable.
Your quality to recollect the past experiences and to reproduce them at the appropriate time is admirable and i wish you all success.Because of your blog,i am happy to recollect the good time we enjoyed at Sancta Maria old age home(Trivandrum)in september 2005 on my birthday.
Your language and presentation are simple and flawless,please keep the spirit moving further.
Your Daddy.
Dearest Daddy,
I am so happy to read this mail through Preethi.
I cannot control my happiness.
I love you so much. Thank you, Preethi for the initiative.
With lots of love & kisses,
yours, Renju
Dear Renjith,
I too read ur blog and I have also become a fan.It's a wonder how u make the simple things in life which many of us take for granted and make it into such interesting reading.Keep it up and let more things come out of that wonderful brain of yours. By the way I always read over and over again that album you gave me of uncle.
Aunty
Hi Renjith
Another interesting episode made more inteesting by your wit and humour. Looking forward to more of these.
Eatta... Wonderful...Wonderful...Wonderful... Now this gives me a warning on lots of things... will keep them in mind...how about posting the article I wrote to you in March 2003... you still have it with you ?
Dear All,
Thank you for the enterprising comments.
Dear Ranjit,
I still have it, but will not post it, as thats one episode I am trying to forget.
Best Regards,
Renjith Sarada
Dearest Renju,
Read ur latest blog abt the 'tailor'.Reading that,i doubt if that so called 'tailor' and the 'customer' remind me of some similar incident which happened a few years before,haha.Aanodaa?entho---hahhaaaaaa.Anyway,ur experiences are going on well and keep it up.
Talk about "Lost Items"..Recent experiences in a similar situation made me appreciate the true value of a "Good Samaritan"!
This is really good. personally, i love stories that end with a motto and i really liked yours that there are still good people in this world.. simple but meaningful :) thumbs up for this blog! Loved it
Wow!!! that was a good one. We really felt the tension you and Bindu went through. Enjoyed reading it.
kalakkkeeeeda monne....dineshaaaaa....wonderfull...many a time I broke into big laughter...Great gift....Thank godd....congrats....
Post a Comment