Random Expressions

If there is one woe common in India (and extended to Nepal since I have stayed there too) it’s that of the maids - especially those who work for bachelors, staying alone. I know the NRI’s will snigger that at least we get them pretty inexpensive here (unlike abroad, where they skim off your wallet by the hour!). But given the fact that labor is cheap here, and home-help is indeed abundant, let’s not deviate too much, and accept that hiring a maid is a necessary evil than luxury.

But their irregularity irritates & irks. And when they work for bachelors the excuse for not turning up is uncannily similar and non-innovative all across (at least it has been through the three cities that I have stayed) - ‘ we came but you had left by then!’ Simple! Who’s going to check whether they actually came or not! I don’t really keep a time-guard or attendance register outside my home.

In Agra, the first maid made a wholesome career out of this excuse. And that,when I used to leave for office pretty late (since it was a mere five minute drive). On days at length, she’d make this silly excuse till the time I sent her packing off. Mercifully, the second one was more time-conscious.

In Nepal, I worked from home. Yet, weirdly & by some strange insight into my schedule, she chose to get late on the very days that I had morning client meetings to attend. That is, other than the innumerable festivals and temples and family gatherings that she had to attend and consequently, skip work.

In Mumbai, finding a maid was tougher than obtaining the house. But when I found one, I heaved a sigh of relief. She looked sincere, and over the past two months, I must emphatically admit her work is indeed so. Hence, I was taken aback that the next day after she took a day off without any prior intimation, when she arrived all apologetic and sorry-looking, her first words were - ‘ Mai aai thi, par aap jaa chuke the’ ( I had come but you had left ). Touche!

Despite my anger, I just couldn’t help but smile. I reckon, some things do not change across cities -and perhaps this one is uniform for all maid in India…

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This entry was posted on Sunday, April 27th, 2008 at 5:33 pm and is filed under General, Life. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.