One More Maid Anecdote

Another incident with the maid.  Having a maid, who comes twice a day to clean the flat, is a new experience (luxury) for us.  Back home in USA, a Mexican maid will come once a week to clean our home. We always wanted to keep our home (be owned or rented) neat and clean.

One day last week, my wife asked the maid to clean the lower edges of the living room (hall) wall.  Daily the maid will mop the floor but never the edges of the wall.  So there gathered lot of dust.  The maid replied:

This is not your own flat.  You have only rented this.  In addition, you are going to be here only for a short duration. So why are you so particular about keeping the flat clean?

My wife gave a big lecture how she always wanted to keep her home neat and clean.  The maid reluctantly cleaned the edges.

She is also nosy.  One day a friend of mine came to see me.  Since he was in a hurry to go, I came down to the street level and talked to him for a few minutes.  The maid asked me who was that.  I just ignored her and kept walking.

Now, the watchman in the building.  He is the husband of the maid.  I don’t know what kind of a security guy he is. I have seen him sound asleep by 9 pm (near the ground floor car park area).  Since he does odd and sundry chores for the residents (like paying the electricity and television bills, getting takeout food from restaurants, etc.), he tries to boss over everyone.

Since I am not used to this, I never ask him to do any extra work.  Therefore, I always put him in his right place.  Here is an example:

One day, he came to me and asked me to shut the elevator (lift) door with an extra push. He said otherwise the elevator will not work and other tenants are inconvenienced.  I asked him how long this  problem exists.  He said for the last 3 months.  I told him that, instead of telling me how to close the elevator door, he should tell the President of the flat owners association to call the elevator company mechanic to fix the problem.

Expert Now

I have become an expert now.  In what?

 

I came to Chennai 3 months ago.  I was terrified of crossing the streets.  So much oncoming traffic.  Trucks, cars, buses, autos, two wheelers, regular bicycles, dogs, cattle, and what else.  They never stop or even slow down for people crossing the street – even at the designated crossing spots.

 

I come from a place where the (California) law says the roads belong to pedestrians.  Motor vehicles MUST stop at all times when they see a pedestrian crossing the street – even if it is not the designated crossing spot.

 

In Chennai, while crossing the streets, I used to hide behind little old 90 year old ladies.  I used to keep them as human shields and cross the street.  Now, after 3 months of practice/experience, I have become an expert.  I no longer hide behind 90 year ladies.  Nowadays, I am leading even college boys while crossing the streets.  What is the trick I learnt?

 

Be patient at all times and wait for the right time to cross.

 

When your brain says cross the street, then do not hesitate.  Cross the street immediately.
 

(Courtesy: YouTube)