Thursday, September 2, 2010

A maid or a crab???

I think I should write a book called "Chronicals of the Maid"! My maid finally left me...like a crab walking sideways, she slid out of employment! I cannot even fathom why she could not simply tell us she's leaving and then leave! Her departure steps;

1. I will come twice a day instead of once ( I said no...once is bad enough considering the wait involved, twice would mean I would have to wait home all day)

2. I will bring my sister and we will share the chores ( after lengthy discussions of how the chores and payment should be divided between the two, this was okayed)

3. She turns up the next day with her "sister" and seems to be explaining all the duties to her. On questioning she says, she's going away to her village for a month so her "sister" will work this month and she will return to her duties here next month.

4. Then, it turns out the "sister" is uncomfortable about starting off all by herself so she is entreating this woman to come here with her for a few days...

5. Obviously we ask if she's not going to her village after all and she says no!

6. Finally we dumbos get the message that she wants to terminate her employment (grand words for a crab but I don't know what else to say! except may be that she's abandoning this hole!)

7. All this while my poor husband being the more proficient of us in the local language was trying to clarify the situation with these two women...and they were doing what women do best...fall into consulting each other on the silliest pretext and giggling endlessly...

8. When asked to clarify their relationship, both together reported with a straight face that they are "sisters"...the minute the previous maid left, the new one declared, "I am a Brahmin...we are Maharaj"...Ok I am really not interested in my maid's caste and lineage...I just want my Goddammmmm Work done...SISTERS my ass! They are not even remotely related... and the final touch...

9. My previous maid came by later for her salary and told us to call her if this maid doesn't do her job well...Phew!!

Man! I really didn't know how good I had it in America cleaning my own shit...

7 comments:

  1. Ha!Ha!Ha! I can't stop laughing...:D I can clearly picture those two behaving the way they did! Nicely written, Roona!!

    -Suchi.

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  2. Good One Roona... Can't stop smiling... :)

    - Shamini.

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  3. Dagnabbit! whatever happened to good 'help - at least she didn't ask for stock options ;0)

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  4. Long Live O Queen. Now you have Maharaj's for your service.

    ;)

    Suraj

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  5. This was great! Maybe your cook has a 'sister' too? ;)

    Vinay

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  6. Hillarious. My wife and I are relocating to India and I forwarded your blog so she can prepare herself. We will be in Ahmedabad for a short period before heading to Chennai. She had moved to US while she was in high school and had been here for 20+ years. I'm sure its going to take a lot of work to get adjusted to India.

    Ashok

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  7. Thanks Ashok...yes it will be one hell of a readjustment for both your wife and you! Feel free to contact us if you need some in person support while in Ahmedabad...

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