firing the maid

The story on why I fired my last maid, Lata. Besides the fact that she was a terrible maid, she didn’t do half of what she was supposed to unless I was here to tell her to do it, she never came on time, and left early daily. Well it also came to my attention that she was not very honest. There were a few incidents that I let slide, but after discovering that two of my MAC eye shadows were missing I just couldn’t stand by and let her stay here.
The first minor incident: One day I noticed an empty box of masala chai (tea) in the trash, but I knew I had never opened it and hadn’t used it yet, so wondered where it went. Ok. fine if she is taking food, I can deal with it because she’s not cooking, so there isn’t much here to take.
Second incident: Folo’s brother had left 500 rupees on the table under a note to us. I just left it there, waiting to pay the tailor for them. Finally I went to get it and realized it was gone. I looked all over, folo said he didn’t take it, and i didn’t, so I called Lata. She said “oh its in the drawer”. I looked in the drawer and couldn’t find it. It was folded up in a piece of paper near the back…. hmm. quite odd. If she just wanted it out of sight, you just put it in, on top. I felt this was a test to see if we noticed, if we didn’t then she would take it. So i became a bit more paranoid. I locked up all my jewelry and all the money laying around the house.
But then I left for a work trip and I left her 200 rupees on the counter to buy anything for the house if she needed to and when I came home it was still there. Odd.. since she doesn’t “like” having money in plain sight.
And then after about a week after my trip to Rajasthan I noticed that 2 of my favorite eyeshadow’s were missing. I had them in Rajasthan and I knew I had them since returning, so the only person who could have them would be the maid. I called her to see if she might have put them somewhere that I didn’t know, but she said no. I was furious all night. The two of them cost about 1600 rupees - which is quite a bit of money here - half of her monthly salary!
So then on Monday (2 days after the makeup incident) she came 30 min late and tried to leave early so I told her that if she left she shouldn’t come back. She said ok and left. That was easy. It’s never easy for me to fire someone, so I was glad it was easy.
Now today, tonight, I started cleaning out my closet to fit in my new clothes and realized that my favorite black skirt was missing. I went crazy looking for it everywhere. I cleaned all the closets, etc. Nothing. SO i called Lata and she said “Ma'am I just wash and then fold and put in closet”. I said, well its not here. Did you happen to iron it and it burned? so you threw it out? “no ma'am. I don’t know. I don’t remember” (her favorite line!). So I told her that taking into account all of the things she’s done here - broken folo’s guitar which equals 15,000 rupees, make up missing = 1,600 rupees and now this skirt = 2000 rupees, she owes us lots of money and I am going to file a police complaint against her. She hung up on me.
Then 5 minutes later she calls me and says “Ma'am I took your skirt to the cleaners” I said I went to the cleaners and there is nothing there of mine. So which cleaners did you take it to? she said ” Oh, it is here at my cleaners by my house”. So I said ok fine. I want it here tomorrow or else I will file a police complaint. She said ok.
And then what do you know… 30 minutes later my doorbell rings and its Lata with my skirt. Still dirty of course, never had been to the cleaners. So now I’m left wondering if she really did try to steal it or honestly was going to take it to the cleaners and forgot about it?! Don’t know and don’t care - at least I have it back in my possession.
And that is what it takes for me to fire someone!

am i too cynical?

so the other day we decided to finally put up our xmas tree only to find out that half of the lights didn’t work. i know this happens every year to many people. but how annoying! So i trek down to Hill Road where all the xmas decorations are sold (which by the way is a trek since it is under construction and you have to walk through drying cement filled with water!) I return to the same shop I bought the lights from last year and ask if they can fix them or do I just have to buy new lights. The man in charge said “oh just bring them back and we’ll exchange them”. I was pleasantly surprised - this stuff does not happen in India! And it would save me 20 USD so it was worth another trek to Hill road.
I returned the lights and was still in awe that this happened. I start to think that perhaps I am too cynical and I should have more faith in my dear Mumbaikers. Then I get home and realize he gave me a crappier version of the lights, that were probably cheaper than the other ones. GRR. but oh well, i’m not going back to Hill Road to exchange them thats for sure. So they are up and look fine. The decorations have finally been put up today, the cats seem to be enjoying them, but somehow it still has not put me in the Christmas spirit. Its either the heat or just the fact that I’ve been too busy to spend proper time shopping — because I am American and that is what Christmas “spirit” is all about, right?
Today I was bored, Folo was at work again and so I thought i’d venture out for some shopping. And in the Christmas spirit - I bought 80 USD worth of clothes for myself and nothing for anyone else! haha. perhaps I should wrap some of it just so then there are presents under the tree!! I rarely find clothes here that I like (western clothes that is), so I guess I can consider it my year’s worth of clothes shopping. For some reason the shops only sell light, loose material in the winter time - when I can actually handle having thicker clothes, so I must stock up now for the hot season that will be here before we fully enjoy the “cooler” temperatures (which is high 80’s, low 90’s).
Did I mention that I fired my other maid? Well the new one started yesterday and I already got mad at her. I was at the point where I just wanted to move back to the west where I wouldn’t “need” a maid. I’m paying her double what I’ve paid any of the previous maids, so I expected her to be perfect. Well she wasn’t. But we’ll see hwo the month goes. She knows shes on a short leash and if she doesn’t do well this month then I won’t pay her the amount she wants or else she’ll be out of a job… oh the heartache… where is Parvati!!!
And finally…. after 2 1/2 years at this apartment, the neighbors are actually all starting to be nice to us! They all constantly invite us over for dinner or drinks (which we never do, b/c they don’t give a date/time, they just say “drop in for a drink”). anyway, its nice to finally be recognized and spoken to in the 2x3 elevator!