A GOAN
TAILOR IN MWANZA
(who was
this wonderful man, his name, his family etc?)
In Mwanza,
a town in Tanzania, there was a Goan tailor, Mr Alfonso. He made all the clothes
for the Indians and white Europeans, all of whom were from England. Mr Alfonso
also employed an African tailor to make clothes for his African customers.
Mr Alfonso had
a large house, the front of which was converted into his tailor’s shop. In the right-hand
corner was his sewing machine (probably a Singer sewing machine), which he operated
by a foot pedal, pretty common around Africa in those days.
All the
Indians and Europeans (white people anyway) went to the front of the shop to
get their clothes made, such as a pair of shorts, trousers, a suit, or a jacket.
As usual,
the tailor opened his large black book and recorded the measurements of his
customers, with the name of the customer and the date when the clothes would be
ready at the top of the page. Next, he removed the measuring tape from around
his neck and began measuring the required lengths of the suit, trousers, shirts
or whatever the customer required.
We kids
could not wait for our new clothes, and on the way to school, we would pop and
and ask if the clothes were ready. He would shoo us away, telling us to ask our
fathers. When the due date arrived, Dad took us to Mr Alphonso (always with his
measuring tape around his neck). He
picked out our clothes, showed them to us and as soon we finally got to yes, he
wrapped the clothes in a newspaper and handed them to us. Hanging to the package,
we rushed home and waited for the evening to put these new clothes on and go to
meet our friends to show off the new clothes at regular evening games.
Mr Alfonso
was always polite to both children or adults. All kids like him a lot.
Kersi
Rustomji.
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