SUNDAY, MAY 05, 2024
Sandhya Vasudev
Domestic helpers have been existent from hundreds of years, with the gentry predominantly using their services. The joint family system which was our culture a few decades ago witnessed the chores being divided amongst the ladies, and the household being run smoothly more often than not.
With jobs spreading outside the native place, this culture saw a decline and the age of the nuclear family dawned, with the burden on the lone housewife. As the pocket got fatter the need for a helper became pronounced and the breed named “servant” was reborn. Nowadays with most of both spouses working and tired out, the maid is a logical adjunct. I have had my share of maids over the years and as a full time career person, danced to their tunes because losing a maid meant a catastrophe until another was found. After quitting a full time job, I rejoiced that I could then hire a maid without getting into panic mode. In reality my new stature gave ample scope for flexibility for the maid instead, and she utilized this to the hilt!
If I fixed her timing an hour before I left for work, she would turn up an hour after I returned when I was in the midst of my lunch, saying nonchalantly that she had some urgent work earlier on. This happened quite often and if I uttered a word in protest she would ask sarcastically as to why I was so particular about timing, implying my day should be devoted to waiting for her. I would patiently explain that I had a schedule for the day and she could not disturb it as per her will. When she regularly failed to understand this, I let her go and welcomed another.
The years rolled by and when I gave up my part time job, waiting for the servant to turn up morphed into a full time job for me. The fact that I was at home seemed to give her the liberty to change the timings on a daily basis, depending on her mood. I was at her mercy once again. Each time, the earlier one seemed better. I have learnt that one can improve on skills of patience and tolerance with a maid around. One can also meet the mundane challenges of life better, being exposed to low grade anxiety on a daily basis.
My latest maid has taken the honours amongst all. We had left for an overseas stay of six months assuring her of the full regular salary for a minimum maintenance of the compound premises. She gave her word that she would be available for special cleaning for a couple of days soon after my return.
Upon arrival, I got to know that she had delegated the work to her teenage son who had done slipshod work with many of my plants having withered. After doing some reluctant work for an hour on the first day she gave me a jolt the next day by calling to inform me that she was at another town due to a relative's sudden illness and would not be back for ten days. She had no regret while delivering the thunderbolt to a jetlagged senior. No wonder, as Shakespeare did lament, ingratitude is sharper than a serpent's tooth!
