Plight of the Housewives

I wrote this piece for my college magazine when I was in first year. Enjoy!

While the rest of the world wakes up to the sweet ring of their alarm clocks (only to hit snooze again), I rise to the never-ending rattle between my granny and her nurse. Alarm clocks, bah, humbug!

I hear people talking about their caffeine addiction. But thanks to my maid’s scratchy vocals, I can’t go back to sleep anytime before the sun sets.

The best day of the week for me is Not Sunday. That’s the day when my maid goes about her social calendar leaving me and my mum to do all the house-work.

Then there’s the everyday ritual where all the maids sit together for tea to gossip about their employers’ lives, new clothes and daily fights. I say, who needs a mother-in-law when you have a maid like that back home?

What keeps confusing me is who employs who? Are they working for us or is it the other way around?

“Kal chhutti karoongi bhabhi, baad mein mat kehna bataya nahi.” “Hazar rupaya badao bhabhi, varna kal se chhutti.” “Itne mehmano ki khatir nahi hoti bhabhi, khud safai kar lena.” “Kuch kaam aap bhi to kar liya karo naa.” name one house that’s stranger to such dialogues.

Theft and sneaking stuff is their birthright, but you dare not complain to them about anything. They can be the savior of the law at times too.

Their beloved threats-will file reports in the police station/will complain to the NGOs for maids. Any misconduct on your part and you will be boycotted from the house-maid’s community forever.

Who said we get it easy?