THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: “In the past, I had been able to complete the work in time. Now, it has become not that easy. But they are ready to cooperate with me,” he said. “Only once Aryadan and K C Joseph took the clothes back in anger for not keeping the deadline. But they returned later. Now they have no complaints,” he said. Rural Development Minister K C Joseph has admitted that he will be at ease only if the shirt is stitched by Gomez.“It was like that from my student days, when I landed in the capital city. Sadasivan Nair was a humourist, enticing one and all with his words. His stitching centre was a reckoner for the dress measurements and code of almost all Congressmen,” he recalls. Martin would charge only `90 per shirt from the leaders, whereas he charges `10 more from others.What is special about his stitching? “I would wash and press the khadi clothes before stitching to avoid shrinkage. And the leaders don’t have to come for taking measurements as I always keep their measurements by heart,” he discloses a trade secret. Now Aryadan Mohammed is giving him some trouble as his waist has expanded by two inches lately. “In case of change in measurement they would call me,” he said.Not only reigning MLAs and ministers are fond of Martin’s work, but also ex-MLAs.Joseph M Puthussery, former MLA representing the Kerala Congress, said, “The immaculate attire prepared by him has charmed me for more than three decades ever since I was introduced by my seniors in the party to him.”.On whether he had sought any favour from the ministers and leaders, he says, “Only very rarely I have asked for help. And they tried to help me.”Among the young generation leaders, Chennithala is his favourite. “Once I went to his house. He gave me tea and took me in his car and dropped me at my work place,” Gomez said.In spite of all such high contacts, he has not made any fortune for himself. He is living a peaceful life with wife Katherine and two children. He followed the calling of his father Achayai from the age 14 and became a tailor.But his children have no interest in toeing him. Martin has no shop of his own. His mentor Sadasivan Nair’s son got a shop at Saphalyam complex when their shop was demolished for road widening.As he had been close to his mentor, his son provided a slot for his tailoring machine in front of his cyber cafe.
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