Sunday, December 28, 2014

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.

27 comments:

  1. This is the problem in India in general.To get a little bit of personal benefits, they are ready to sacrifice the general cause.

    Maids don't touch corners,edges,area under the furniture etc.until uness we demand it.

    These are trivial things in the view of some people.You have brought out the fact SG. Really useful thoughts on a significant topic.

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  2. Wanting know more personal info about us happens at all levels in India. Nobody seems to consider that imprudence!

    Destination Infinity

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  3. Thanks for your comments Sarala. You are correct. Some of our relatives have wondered why we make a big deal about having a neat and clean flat.

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  4. Thanks for your comments Rajesh. Looks like these people are more concerend about what is happening in other people's lives.

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  5. realistic post its same in every society in India
    Happy new year to you

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  6. You do seem to meet the most interesting 'samples' of humanity! So which nationality is the maid and her NRI husband?

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  7. Thanks for your comments Sweety. The maid and her husband are both Indians - from Chennai. They both speak Chennai Tamil, which is a topic for another interesting post.

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  8. Thanks for your comments sm. Happy new year to you and your family.

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  9. Don't know when that 'Chaltha hai' attitude has come to us... No no, to the maids. Probably there is a feel that they needn't be prompt in doing others' works... It is the same case in villages too. They work only in front of their boss...

    Happy New Calendar Year in Advance SG :)

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  10. hahah! this post made me laugh! This is a common issue in India, most people are by nature, nosy and interfering! that maid is really audacious! lol :D

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  11. Thanks for your comments Sindhu. Agree. They need close supervision.

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  12. Thanks for your comments Ankita. May be I will miss these after returning back to California.

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  13. When I hear people complaining about their maids, I feel really grateful to God to have given me very good, and honest maids, whenever I had any maids. For 20 years or so I never kept any maids to do the basic work too, for I felt they would never be able to do the work as well as I do.
    However, after moving to Whitefield, I just couldn't manage doing all the work, I had to keep a maid. Luckily, I got a good person who had never worked with anybody and learnt everything my way. I think basically she is also a very neat person that is why she could easily do the work just the way I used to do.
    However, since you are here only for sometime, it makes sense to make the best of it.
    A Very Happy New Year to you and wife!

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  14. Unlike in the US, here maids and security guards are inalienable parts of our lives. Some of them are good and kind; some others bad and rude.

    Many of them don't have refined habits or urban etiquettes. Nor they have had good education.

    The growing city population employs them to help with their household work and errands, while for these maids and security guards, it's an opportunity to earn their livelihood and give their children a new life.

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  15. Hasn't it got more to do with communication skills with unskilled labour?

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  16. :) Welcome to indiaaaa ..

    so i guess you are having a good time back home he he he he he :)

    everyone is nosy sir, they all want to know what is going on in others home .. not sure if they are that much curious on what is going in their own homes :)

    wishing you and everyone around you a very happy new year

    Bikram's

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  17. This is an inevitable part of the Indian Lifestyle.

    Here toh if you have a maid, you have the story of the entire colony subscribed and you have to be extra careful nothing leaks out from your home as well, Sometimes Maids are the source of all sorts of unwanted gyan .

    Security guys have always been helpful, even though there are some exceptions everywhere .

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  18. Thanks for your comments Rama. And, Happy New Year to you and your family. Yes, this luxury is only temporary.

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  19. Thanks for your comments Pradeep. I am not complaining. We are enjoying because these are unusual experience for us. Will miss when we go back.

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  20. Thanks for your comments Mr. Chowla. If I have to communicate effectively in Chennai with an unskilled laborer, I should start speaking in Chennai Tamil. I am afraid I may learn this language and use everywhere. For example. Chennai Tamil has no "respectful" word. For example, there is only "thum" and no "aap" in this Chennai language.

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  21. Thanks for your comments Bikram. I am enjoying my short stay here.

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  22. Thanks for your comments MM. We learned our lesson very fast. As I wrote in one of my previous post, the maid started to participate in our conversation. We immediately stopped talking whenever she is in the flat.

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  23. Aah! The maids are the same everywhere. If you want to get something specific to be cleaned, you have to tell them. Honest work is not their cup of tea!

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  24. Aah! The maids are the same everywhere! Honest and sincere work is not their cup of tea!

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  25. Haha.. Interesting incidents...
    Thanks for sharing! :)

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  26. Do not like the over efficiency and personal questions from maids and guards.
    Some few months ago I was playing tennis with my brother (learning to play actually) and the guard on duty started laughing saying "Baji ko khelna ata nae phir bhe khel rae hai."
    (She doesnt know how to play still playing)
    My brother (instead of laughing at me which he usually does) scolded the guard and told him to mind his own business.
    -_-

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  27. Very relatable posts. Watchman doing other sundry jobs. Our watchman buys milk too!!
    Maids- Watchman & Drivers- they are up to date with our immediate surroundings. We have to take all care what we speak in front of them.

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