Sometimes it's not easy being a tailor. Just ask poor Silas Marner, the tailor of Raveloe, who had his gold stolen and suffered at the hands of the local lads. Other times it's not quite so bad.
For years there were rumors that John Dean shopped at Brooks' Brothers during his gravy days chumming around in the Nixon White House before his sudden conversion into a bitter radical Sunday morning television guest spot addicted Democrat. Fat cat, but not too terribly stout, Massachusetts politicos flock to Louis on Boston's Newbury Street, depending on the parking, which is always as tight as they are loose with the taxpayers' money, in their search for upscale turnout. While West La and Brentwood preppies journey to the andover Shop on Colorado Boulevard in upscale San Marino, George Patton's birthplace, to grab their tennis sweaters, Harris tweed jackets and regimental ties.
Sometimes, because you think you're so terribly busy and you want to make sure that everybody in the office knows you're up to your eyeballs keeping the whole operation afloat, in the black, everyone in a job and the moolah rolling in on time, you call a traveling tailor to see you at the office. That way you never have to leave the phone, the computer, the Blackberry, cease ogling the secretary, stop keeping your eye on the kitchenette and the water cooler, and keep up on all the rest of the managerial skills which mark you as the true top dog and have your clothes measured while standing at your pulpit.
Of course, we've all heard about the legendary Savile Row bespoke needle-workers and costumiers and their fussy importance to the world and how they set all the key glowing trends--like double breasted and lapelled waistcoats, pegged pants, high collars and really wide ties. Of course, we're told that Roger Moore's look in many of James Bond films were perfectly to the liking of those in the know on Savile Row, many of whom had risen from drawing recherché and provocative figures on old envelopes in the risqué coffee houses in Stepney as lonely teens. But Geoffrey Rush was excellent playing a counterfeit Savile Row outfitter, with an emphatically opposing stud papa persona, in the Tailor of Panama.
Likewise, it has become apparent that the top tailor shop in the bustling Melody Market, located in the very heart of the new old Islamabad's Civic Center, noted for a trendy Holiday Inn, is unquestionably The Good Looks Fabrics and Tailors. Known to its many habitués as the GLF Tailors, its jocular and outgoing owner, Mr. Salahuddin abbassi, is recognized across the bustling metroplex by his loyal coterie of customers, many of whom are past and present high-ranking members of the Pakistani government.
Mr. abbassi recently told Dawn.com that he personally tended to the rig up which graced the sleek persona of Dr. abdul Qadeer Khan, Pakistan's once noted nuclear research scientist, who created that little bit of an international flap a few years ago about his offhand slipping of nuclear capabilities to Iran and Libya for a quick fee and who was recently pardoned by Mr. Pervez Musharraf. Mr. abbassi also explained that once Pakistan began their own nuclear testing in 1998, that Dr. Khan's lengthy visits abruptly ceased, though a large number of his referrals began appearing at GLF for suitings, ensembles and livery and, he explains, they all appeared quite happy with their choices in fabric.
In addition to Dr. Kahn's fine worsted wool wraps, it is also reported that President Musharraf's summer suits, polo outfits and military equipage were hand tailored at GLF, as well as the similar overclothes and toggery which were raveled together for retired general abdul Kakar, the former Pakistani army chief of staff. a high class clientele indeed--including the politically connected Mr. Kabir Wasti, who struts about in Mr. abbassi's trappings--and one Mr. abbassi noticeably is proud of and which he loves to chat about to all and sundry.
and then, like Silas Marner, he suffered dreadfully, his reputation was sullied, his good works were dragged under the IaEa microscope and through the quick sand of the international press, worries arose concerning the use of his shop to smuggle atomic secrets, the CIa was said to cease the passing of their own secrets to the Democrats long enough to examine his shop and customers, the NSa was ordered to listen in on his cell phone conversations if they could find the time between wire-tapping innocent americans and Cindy Sheehan, the French DGSE was said to be nosing around, rented automobiles full of westerners wearing sunglasses were seen following his employees and business was off--and the phone wasn't ringing as often as it should. Customers were looking all right--strange people from out of town wearing Budweiser caps, broadcasting loud cologne, sporting polo shirts with their collars up, ragged out in shorts without knee socks, turned out in pith helmets in the off-season, putting on phony British accents, dangling participles, confused by khaki color and khaki material--but not asking for a fitting.
In a feeble attempt to quell the growing concerns, Mr. abbassi removed the prized gold framed photograph of a smirking Dr. Khan from the well lit wall, which featured the happy faces of the many satisfied and powerful customers, noted for their big ju-ju, and replaced it with two large pictures-- one of John Wayne in western garb, and one of a youthful Donald Rumsfeld pitching horseshoes--a thoroughly disheartening experience, but one, he felt, had to be done for the sake of business. and still the problems multiplied like sand fleas or mosques in america's heartland.
You see, it has now come to light that Libya had surrendered the blueprints for a nuclear warhead, obtained courtesy of the oh, so obliging Dr. Khan and the installment plan, in January of 2004, in plastic bags clearly marked with the logo of the GLF Tailors. There could be no confusion about the origin of the bags in question, or about the gregarious and jocose owner of the tailor shop listed on them.
The growing evidence that Iran is working on atomic bombs comes to us courtesy of the accidental inclusion of the manufacturing techniques needed for enriched uranium hemispheres in papers unwittingly supplied to the IaEa by harried Iranian officials in an oversight of maddening and possibly fatal proportions for those in question and, of course, the lowdown on warhead construction found in Mr. abbassi's tailor-made plastic bags.
Mr. abbassi,, who first claimed he was in a state of shock when the unfortunate news of his shop's involvement in the growing furor surfaced, but has since changed his tune dramatically. "It was a great thing. I am thankful to God for the publicity," he proudly noted last week to the Daily Telegraph as things were rapidly returning to normal in the burgeoning shop in Melody Market as the old clients in their tailor-made suits begin to displace the poorly turned out foreign visitors in the aisles and racks.
However, Dr. Khan's picture and Dr. Khan still remain among the missing.
Pursuant to Title 17 U.S.C. 107, other copyrighted work is provided for educational purposes, research, critical comment, or debate without profit or payment. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for your own purposes beyond the 'fair use' exception, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. Views are those of authors and not necessarily those of Canada Free Press. Content is Copyright 1997-2024 the individual authors. Site Copyright 1997-2024 Canada Free Press.Com Privacy Statement