Tailor Promises!!

Breaking a promise,going back on one’s words always causes irreparable damage to someone, somewhere.And people just commit things without a thought,without weighing the consequences,because it doesn’t affect them;they are not at the receiver end.After all ,kya farak padta hai?
And there is a special profession which is thriving on fake promises-that is tailoring.In India,specially for ladies Indian clothes,tailors are the messiahs, if not Gods.Because if you buy a saree, you need to get it hemmed and you need to get the blouse stitched and if you buy a stitched salwar-suit,there is a high probability that you will need to get it altered-even if its just a wee bit,1/2-1″ here and there..after all we are women.
And ladies,if you are short of time and its a last minute purchase for some special occasion,then start fasting and praying to God with all that you have to save your skin because the tailor already has you doomed.
This wisdom struck me this time while on my India trip for my brother’s wedding.Since I landed just 6 days before the wedding,I bought some things from Delhi to be altered in Roorkee.And this lady tailor had promised my mom that she would deliver on time.So it was peace of mind and the day I reached home I went to her and she promised to give it when I wanted.
That particular dress was for the haldi function and that evening I demand my dress and she says I had asked for the next day as I were a determined liar.I said what I could to her but then, I still had one dress for the mehendi function.So I made a mental calculation that I’ll swap the two..so all was not lost.And she again promised in all eagerness to give it the next morning.Next afternoon was the mehendi function and I appear before her in the morning and she still hasn’t done it because she had been sick and she was working on my blouse for the reception function in all her illness.I wanted to snatch it away from her and give to another tailor, but all the tailors in the town are busy for karva chauth dresses,so just wait patiently.Its always something with them tailors-Diwali,Eid,Raksha Bandhan,Karva Chauth :-(!!!!
So,I sulkily wear some old dress for the mehendi function.
In the end,she gave the blouse for the reception at least and I can’t thank my stars enough for that.
OK..maybe lady tailors are unprofessional and things don’t go wrong everytime.So this was after the wedding and there was ample time and I gave another two dresses to stitch to another reputed tailor,known to keep his word.He promised to deliver on 10/16 and I was to fly back on 10/18,so I had to be in Delhi on 10/17.So on the morning of 16th, I go to this guy’s shop to pick up my stuff and he said- Wo doosre bhaiyya ko diya hoga aapne, aaj ke liye to kuchh nahin dena tha.
Ok ,so give it back to me unstitched..No can’t be done..it was in some workshop already!!
This time I lost my cool and told him all blah,blah..why did you say yes if you could not and I am travelling out of town etc.And the amazing thing about these guys is that they keep listening and nodding and doing their job, all at the same time.
In the end of it,he said sheepishly-Madam,aur bhi kuchh kehna reh gaya kya?Kahan jaana hai aapko,agli baar aaoge to le lena.
Agli baar?
I told him I was leaving the country and not sure when will be the next visit.
Then he said-Are pehle kyun nahin bataya Amreeka jaana hai aapko,aaj dopahar tak le lena.
It seems I had to play the US card to get it done,something that I hate mentioning.Wish I had known that earlier,I still would have seeked Uncle Sam’s help,against any principles.And finally I got my dresses that afternoon.
But I learnt the hard way that whatever your dressing plans are,tailor is the final arbitrator.
A woman proposes,the darzi disposes.