Marathi household or not, I KNOW you instantly related to this.
Bollywood gives you an idea that a life partner is the most important person in your life. Jhoot kehte hai.
I've seen my mother Keep Calm and Function when my dad goes out on business trips but one day the maid takes a day off, she falls apart. Sorry dad.
No matter how alien we are to this idea, fact remains that our lives depend and revolve around our domestic help. So much so that you're willing to go to any extent to make sure she doesn't quit cause, " Aaj kal bharose wali bai milna kitna mushkil hai pata hai?"
I still remember when we moved to our new house 8 years ago, the first thing my mother asked my new neighbors after exchanging pleasantries was about the house help. No she didn't want to know about the malls in the vicinity or how friendly the neighborhood was. The Bai was my Aai's priority.
So while we sat awkwardly around the neighbor's house, offering awkward smiles from time to time to prevent ourselves from falling asleep, the ladies bonded over the Woes of Finding a Reliable Help.
The Aai insists that the Bai be treated with utmost care and respect, lest she get offended and leave. If my maid was a product, she'd come with a "DELICATE: HANDLE WITH CARE" label personally crafted and glued by my mother.
C'est la vie, mes amis. In a house that my father bought, with the salary that he shells out from his pocket, the Bai rules over us with such fluency and modesty, it's hard to tell who's employed whom.
She can come at 5pm and cook dinner that we won't be eating anytime before 9 pm, but hey, atleast she's working, what will we do without her?
This situation in my house (and I'm sure yours too) reminds me vaguely of a chapter I learned in Civics a couple of years ago (I hope my teachers are reading this and dabbing their eyes with joy) about there being a "Nominal Head" and a "Real Head." Who's who, really?
I'll leave you to figure that out. Meanwhile, I need to do the dishes. The Bai has a splitting headache that the Aai has already given medicines and a leave for. But come on ya, lets be considerate. What if she quits?
*shudder*
Bollywood gives you an idea that a life partner is the most important person in your life. Jhoot kehte hai.
I've seen my mother Keep Calm and Function when my dad goes out on business trips but one day the maid takes a day off, she falls apart. Sorry dad.
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| Picture Courtesy: MyIndiaPictures.com |
I still remember when we moved to our new house 8 years ago, the first thing my mother asked my new neighbors after exchanging pleasantries was about the house help. No she didn't want to know about the malls in the vicinity or how friendly the neighborhood was. The Bai was my Aai's priority.
So while we sat awkwardly around the neighbor's house, offering awkward smiles from time to time to prevent ourselves from falling asleep, the ladies bonded over the Woes of Finding a Reliable Help.
The Aai insists that the Bai be treated with utmost care and respect, lest she get offended and leave. If my maid was a product, she'd come with a "DELICATE: HANDLE WITH CARE" label personally crafted and glued by my mother.
C'est la vie, mes amis. In a house that my father bought, with the salary that he shells out from his pocket, the Bai rules over us with such fluency and modesty, it's hard to tell who's employed whom.
She can come at 5pm and cook dinner that we won't be eating anytime before 9 pm, but hey, atleast she's working, what will we do without her?
This situation in my house (and I'm sure yours too) reminds me vaguely of a chapter I learned in Civics a couple of years ago (I hope my teachers are reading this and dabbing their eyes with joy) about there being a "Nominal Head" and a "Real Head." Who's who, really?
I'll leave you to figure that out. Meanwhile, I need to do the dishes. The Bai has a splitting headache that the Aai has already given medicines and a leave for. But come on ya, lets be considerate. What if she quits?
*shudder*
Hahahhaa.
ReplyDeleteMade my mum read this. She frowned, scrunched her nose, and reluctantly admitted how true this is :P