Everyone wants to know what's happening -- this is rushed since we are late for a wedding BUT...
The maid is now under virtual house arrest until we figure something out. Her aunt doesn't want to take responsibility for her and I won't toss her out on the street (and I also don't have anyone until April 1) so she now sleeps in Naya's room at night. Of course, Naya is still with us...
AND in better news... Naya got into Sardar Patel! We applied to five, she had been rejected from four so this was the last... We are happy and somewhat redeemed but are worried about a few things. It is Hindi medium (although they dont read and write next year anyway so maybe that's okay) and the hours are long (8 am-2 pm, I HATE the mornings with a kid)... But I think compared to the American School, it is a better option? I just worry about her going to school in a place that looks more Dubuque than Delhi. But maybe I am misguided. We are going to check them out this week. I find it so strange that the shortage of schools here forces parents to select a place sight unseen.
Showing posts with label servants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label servants. Show all posts
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
Love?
Every time I write about servant woes, I know I lose at least one reader - my friend Manish. But since his blog has about a million times the hits of this humble project, I will plod on...
We think our temporary maid is having an affair with the servant downstairs. A week ago, when I was in Mumbai, the maid from the ground floor (yes, the whole building is involved) rang the doorbell and told Nitin to follow her. She led Nitin to the door of the boy -- closed. Nitin knocked and our maid answered, while the boy was covered up with a sheet. Nitin said, "Is there a problem?"
She said no. Nitin came back downstairs.
AND DID NOT TELL ME TILL A WEEK LATER. And he happened to tell me on the day that she didn't report for duty until a few hours later. Before calling her aunt (who works for a friend of mine) to check on her whereabouts, I told Nitin to go check upstairs. He found her in the guy's room again. But to be fair, he said the door was open and she was just standing there...
When she came down, she seemed breathless and she had lipstick on. Again to be fair, I often look the same way (but she is half my age and much more svelte...)
I was torn between telling on her and taking her aside and saying 18-year-olds will be 18-year-olds but don't do anything stupid. I did look at her and say "If you ever let anyone in here like that guy, you are in big trouble. I will kill you if anything happens to Naya."
OK, so maybe not the most mature thing to say but I got worried... And I needed her to know that I knew but I didn't want her to run away.
She didn't respond.
A petty aside -- I have been noticing that when we make a meat dish like keema or mutton curry, it seems to go really quick... Is it just a coincidence that this male servant works for a strictly vegetarian family? (Remember I once commited the grave sin of asking the neighbours for an egg when we were baking.)
Anyway, the friend we got the maid from was very helpful. I explained that Felicia will be back in April and that the care Naya has gotten has been good and that I didnt know if I should care what the maid does in her love life -- but she is 18 and in my care so... The friend gave me good advice, saying we need to be responsible and she'd talk to the aunt... And so the aunt is supposed to come by tomorrow to give the maid a talking to. I wonder if she will take her back and if she will resent that I snitched her out...
We think our temporary maid is having an affair with the servant downstairs. A week ago, when I was in Mumbai, the maid from the ground floor (yes, the whole building is involved) rang the doorbell and told Nitin to follow her. She led Nitin to the door of the boy -- closed. Nitin knocked and our maid answered, while the boy was covered up with a sheet. Nitin said, "Is there a problem?"
She said no. Nitin came back downstairs.
AND DID NOT TELL ME TILL A WEEK LATER. And he happened to tell me on the day that she didn't report for duty until a few hours later. Before calling her aunt (who works for a friend of mine) to check on her whereabouts, I told Nitin to go check upstairs. He found her in the guy's room again. But to be fair, he said the door was open and she was just standing there...
When she came down, she seemed breathless and she had lipstick on. Again to be fair, I often look the same way (but she is half my age and much more svelte...)
I was torn between telling on her and taking her aside and saying 18-year-olds will be 18-year-olds but don't do anything stupid. I did look at her and say "If you ever let anyone in here like that guy, you are in big trouble. I will kill you if anything happens to Naya."
OK, so maybe not the most mature thing to say but I got worried... And I needed her to know that I knew but I didn't want her to run away.
She didn't respond.
A petty aside -- I have been noticing that when we make a meat dish like keema or mutton curry, it seems to go really quick... Is it just a coincidence that this male servant works for a strictly vegetarian family? (Remember I once commited the grave sin of asking the neighbours for an egg when we were baking.)
Anyway, the friend we got the maid from was very helpful. I explained that Felicia will be back in April and that the care Naya has gotten has been good and that I didnt know if I should care what the maid does in her love life -- but she is 18 and in my care so... The friend gave me good advice, saying we need to be responsible and she'd talk to the aunt... And so the aunt is supposed to come by tomorrow to give the maid a talking to. I wonder if she will take her back and if she will resent that I snitched her out...
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Felicia and the dishes
My dear friend Manish said he stopped reading this blog once I complained about servants. I don't think he was entirely right but what's accuracy to a bunch of desiwriters like us? Anyway, this isn't a complaint but a random observation. When people come over, Felicia has a hierarchy of dishes that she has devised. The woman who threads and waxes and massages gets her tea and snacks in plastic-like dishes. The driver's is in stainless steel. On a daialy basis, me and Nit get the crockery from Dilli Haat. Our guests get the imported blue plates from the US.
Before Manish flogs me, I should say that my mum has a similar system with her china for guests, ranging from VIPs to drop-ins -- but servants don't figure anywhere in that. The cleaning lady -- like us -- always got her lunch served up on Corningware. (As an aside, once my parents told the cleaning lady to help herself to orange juice and toast when she showed up in the morning. The woman (who was Polish and I say that as fact) must not have completely understood because she took the whole half-gallon container and the half-loaf home!)
Before Manish flogs me, I should say that my mum has a similar system with her china for guests, ranging from VIPs to drop-ins -- but servants don't figure anywhere in that. The cleaning lady -- like us -- always got her lunch served up on Corningware. (As an aside, once my parents told the cleaning lady to help herself to orange juice and toast when she showed up in the morning. The woman (who was Polish and I say that as fact) must not have completely understood because she took the whole half-gallon container and the half-loaf home!)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)