Driving Miss Maid...

Can I live without a maid?

That’s like the ethereal question that’s been lingering in my tiny brain for the last couple of weeks. I was without one until Opi was 5. I handled everything – cooking, cleaning, washing, ironing, mopping as well as all Opi’s infamous antics. And I survived. But the main success factor was the fact that I sent Opi to Mak’s house when I went to work. My mind was absolutely peaceful, knowing the care, love and discipline Mak places on Opi.

Then when I conceived Isya, we took our first maid – Emi. She worked like a horse and during her 3-year period, had never fallen ill except for minor cold once a while. She took care of the house like her own and the children enjoyed her company, especially Isya. I was lucky, I admit. But all good things come to an end and so did her contract.

As succession plan (I’ve been in too many biz plan meetings, obviously), I took in another maid – Sutinah. Quiet, slow, couldn’t talk in Malay (apparently Jawa is her only tongue) and above all – gives me the creeps!

I now sleep with my bedroom door locked. I have these haunting images of her, looking down at me with the butcher’s knife. Isya is feverish from last week and at nights; she has recurring dreams of hantu, which she has never experienced before. I’m not a great believer in these ilmu-ilmu hitam or the black magic…but Sutinah is like…*no words to express*

Husband had enough of her for not being able to remember details like cups are for breakfast and glasses for lunch/dinner. She broke Husband’s beloved Bodum just because she untangled the wired spirals that filter the coffee. She fed Isya with 4 packets of Maggi a day and bathes her 5-6 times a day because she said that Isya loves water. She keeps forgetting when Opi should go for his mengaji classes because she doesn’t know (and refuses to learn) how to look at the time!

Cleanliness of the house? After hours of meetings, I’ve to come home (is it home anymore?) to tuna leftovers on the floor, hovered by armies of ants and a dead carcass of a bird next to my shoe rack.

The rest like Opi loves to say is – infinity!

This morning, I left them in the care of Mak and Abah – again. What do you do without your parents?