I'm very fussy and finicky about my likes and dislikes and am a creature of habit. My physician, tailor, beautician, dentist, baker are those I've been going to for years and I'm very comfortable and change resistant.
Every time I come down to India I go to my favorite saree shop and make a beeline to my tailor.
This blog is a salute to him. He's a wonderful charecter: crabby, irritable, and cantankerous and has a hell of a lot of attitude. He stitches the finest saree blouses ever and I'd heard of him and his disposition and was kinda apprehensive about going to him but his craft amazing enough to brave it.
I went to him for the first time 8 years ago. Mustered courage and timidly went up to him and braced myself for an onslaught based on his reputation. I found this little man with silver bristly hair and intense eyes seated behind a pokey desk. Told him my business, I was the recipient of an intense glare and he said, "I don't come cheap".
As he was measuring me, when it came to my back, I said I'd like the neck of the blouse deeper, he stops abruptly and straightens up and says, "why do you want to wear a blouse at all?"
Next, as he measures my shoulder, he asks me, "are you an athlete?" I said no. "Have you played any sport amatuer or professional?" No again. "so, you didn't have any inclination towards sports?" by now I'm really embarrassed and mumble an almost incoherent no.
That was it, the little man standing in front of me with a measuring tape simply lost it... He drew up to his full height of 5"2 and his eyes glittering with rage he said, "Exactly, because of people like you, India didn't win a gold in the Olympics 2004. Lazy people, you have the physique, what for? No interest in doing anything for the country... ofcourse, the only thing you want to do is to have a good time... it's all your fault, and people ask why India can't win a medal".
If I could, I would have crawled under a sewing machine and hemmed myself in cross stitch. Suitably chastised, I beat a hasty retreat. Over the years, we've struck quite a decent camaraderie and when I went to him day before yesterday, I was shocked to see him, he has shrunk, is almost skeletal, been unwell and told me he's winding up. As always he was heaping abuses at everyone from his doctor to his neighbors and all Indians in general. His ire and passion are still alive, and I enjoy our conversations, his irascibility and his dry as sandpaper wit.
It was sad to see him in this state and I did miss his, "ah, you are the reason we didn't win a medal in the 2012 Olympics.
3 comments:
Mel, he sounds like quite the character but sad to hear about his current state. Next time you go there, you should ask him what sport he played in his youth ;-)
Yeah Rosu... he is! A cantakerous grouch, proud atheist and a loner, he believes that dogs and cats are far superior to human beings... I have learned to admire him immensely despite his attributes that put off most people. My friends ask me if I like SM... :)
Hi Melita
Was browsing through and I stumbled upon your blog,and yes i liked it :) Your language and the presentation took me back to those days when you had taken English classes for us back in SDM :)
This article is quite hilarious too :)
Cheers!
Ashita
Post a Comment