Nothing would make me happier than to become a tailor after seeing tailors sitting crisscross on the floor running their sewing machines. It was just stunning; they adored themselves in white clothes, hair oily and shiny; it seemed a perfect lifestyle. The scenery took control of my imagination, and my desire to become like them evolved at that moment. The question was why become a tailor, not an engineer, nor a doctor, but a tailor. Even though I was a child, my desire to learn tailoring deepened.

It was my mother’s aunt who rented a room in her house facing towards the road to some local tailors. My mother visited her aunt; she took me with her. For my mother, it was just a visit, but she was unaware of the impact her visit would have on her child. I looked at the tailors from a distance, wishing to be like them, while my mother called upon me to return home with her. I left the place with the imagination of being a tailor one day.

Letting my parents know my desire to learn tailoring was too big of an ask and an inappropriate demand for my age. They wouldn’t let me stay in the store with other tailors, nor would the tailor accept an apprentice of such age. I knew that fact, so I kept the desire in my heart and waited until I was ten. Deciding at that age would have some weight; in some cases, the parents would measure a child's maturity if they plan at such a young age.

Anyway, as soon as I reached the age of acceptance, I called out to my mom. She accepted, even though my father was hesitant to approve my decision to learn tailoring. I started to learn tailoring, and quickly, I was able to master the skills to make local apparel. Soon, I moved to a big city named Jalalabad in Afghanistan. There, I learned how to make foreign clothes, like shirts, pants, jackets, etc.

After immigrating to the US, I found an alteration job with a tailor in Albany that lasted for more than five years. My tailoring experience honed quickly in the US. They would let me fit clothes for customers, give them prices, and then work on their dresses. There, I maintained a trustworthy relationship with the owner, and later, he appointed me as the manager of tailors and other employees.

Here was the fun part, working with anxious brides and bridesmaids was fun; fitting their clothes was not easy, especially with those whose deadlines were close or their clothes wouldn’t fit them as they liked. I assure them that their clothes will fit perfectly on the next visit. Mostly, they would look into my eyes with a look full of doubts, like I can’t trust you; you are lying!

Here is one amazing story, once, a bride brought a wedding gown that couldn’t even go down below the chest. She was highly anxious, saying that she ordered the dress from a tailor who makes to-measure dresses. She gave the tailor her measurements, but the gown didn’t fit, and only one month was left before her wedding. Also, to add to the irony, the wedding was in England. I looked at her dress and explained what we would do to make her dress work for her. She agreed to the terms, and I assigned one of the best tailors to work on her dress. When she came for the first fitting, her body accepted the dress, and I assured her that the rest of the job would be as she desired. Her face illuminated, and she left the store smiling. When she returned to pick up her dress, I could not recognize her because she looked about ten years younger than I had seen her last time. She explained that it was her anxiety and stress that changed her face into an old lady than she was.

There had to happen; many of the clothes wouldn’t fit in multiple fittings, and I could see frustrations building on their face, but in the end, never a customer left our store without a broader smile on their face, nor did we ever make their outfit later than the promised due date.

I am grateful to have this skill, which has brought me joy. I have added and will add more fun to my customer's weddings, festivities, and other celebrations. I enjoy my job, and making my customers happy is my goal. It gives me happiness and sustenance for my family.