When you're my size having a good tailor is very important. Clothes are made for the average sized woman, which I am anything but. Thus, having a tailor is not only a good idea, it's a necessity.

When I lived in Ohio I went to a woman that I liked who charged me barely anything. Maybe that's why I liked her.

Then I moved to DC and I was appalled at the prices!! But seeing as my legs didn't get any longer, I paid them anyway.

Once I moved to Maryland, I found a guy that was reasonably priced and did a good job. Except for that one time when he hemmed one leg shorter than the other, but no one's perfect.

Then, I met Jerry.

Jerry puts all other tailors to shame. Walking in his quaint little house is like a step back in time. A time where local services reigned and the owner of such local services knew each customer by name. A time where you didn't rush in or rush out, but actually spent a few moments visiting and exchanging good news. A time where you were invited to the back garden to grab some of the overflowing bounty.

That's our Jerry.

If that wasn't enough, Jerry makes you feel like a million bucks the minute you walk through the door. He raves about the many wonderful things about you until you can't believe he likes any customer better than you. Then when you leave, he stands at the door and waves good-bye as if you were family.

The last time I went to see Jerry was simply to pick up a pair of pants. We talked for forty-five minutes. He told me about his love for potatoes and his hometown in Peru. He asked about the "men that come to call on me" until I assured him I would not make any decisions without first consulting with him. He told me how he met his wife, stories of their travels together and showed me pictures of his beautiful granddaughters. We shared his lifetime of experiences, my life of hopes and dreams and there was understanding.

Before I left, he said, "Remember this:" then he spouted off a beautiful message in Spanish which I wish I could have understood. I waited for his translation.

"If you want to cross the river, you have to be willing to get wet."

I've thought a lot about those few words in the past month, and the many ways it applies to my life right at this moment. It's given me a new perspective and is shaping the decisions I make every day, big and small.

And so it goes. Anyone can hem your pants. But there's only one Jerry.