Tailor extraordinaire, Uri
“No problem.” This the refrain you’ll hear my tailor, Uri, say in his thick Russian accent when he’s dealing with various customers at the local dry cleaners.
He’s got a small nook in their space right in the front window and he’s been a fixture there for decades even getting passed down from one owner to the next. I have known Uri for over 14 years and while I have worked with him a bit one-on-one during that time, I’ve gotten to know him on a personal level while waiting to pick up my dry cleaning.
He’s always got a welcome smile for me when I squeeze me way into the tiny dry cleaners’ space.
We always wish each other well on Jewish holidays.
He asks me, “How’s business?” referring to my shows, which is cute because no one else refers to them like that.
I always make sure to stop in on his birthday to wish him, “Happy Birthday” and, without fail, his face lights up. (We’re not Facebook friends. I have a reminder on my phone.)
On the rare time that he looks up from his old-school Singer sewing machine, I always wave to him in the window as I pass by and he smiles and waves back.
I love the simple yet friendly connection that we have.
I love his warmth, his kindness, his strong work ethic, his craftsmanship and, of course, his reliability.
Usually when I pick something up at the dry cleaners whether Uri has worked on it or not, I check it to make sure the stain came out or the problem has been resolved.
It can take a little bit of time because of the way they wrap up the clothes, but there have been a few occasions when a stain didn’t come out and needed to be worked on again.
In those times, I’m glad that I check their work. I’d rather show it to them in the moment than bring it back later and have to explain that I hadn’t worn it yet, etc.
But yesterday was different.
It took a while for them to find my coat and when they finally brought it up, I reached for the clear bag out of habit and stopped myself.
I thought, “Do I trust Uri?” The answer was a resounding yes.
Then, I decided to test myself and not check his work. Instead, I paid, grabbed the bag and left.
Was it because there was a long line of people waiting? Maybe.
Did I resist the urge because of this challenge? 100%
Would I have given it a second thought if I weren’t doing this challenge? Absolutely not.
Was the coat fixed to my liking? As far as I can tell, yes. (I didn’t try it on yet, but from the looks of it, it’s all good.)
Am I glad I took a small risk? Definitely. it saved me time and taught me a lesson.
Will I do it with others? It depends on the circumstance, but at least I’m open to the idea. :)
Will I trust Uri again? Of course, or as he would put it, “No problem.”
Do you double-check your clothes at the dry cleaners? Your order when you get food to go? Other items in your life? Tell me below. I’d love to know I’m not alone. ;)