Housemaids dear

Traffic was so bad last friday afternoon. EDSA virtually became one long parking space. It’s a waste of precious time. Imagine, for me to reach our house at 7 pm, I have to allot two full hours. Without traffic, normal stop and go, that should only take 15 minutes.

With two hours allowance, I could not even detour to buy some fruits from the grocery. To pick up a dress from the modista would need an extra hour even if her place is only one kilometer away from EDSA.
I cannot imagine how life would be on the road 10 years from now.

Buti na lang I had some entertainment while in the traffic last friday. Nalibang ako pagkain ng atis.

Antonia was seated behind me. Her cellphone ringer was so loud. Everytime there’s a message, ang lakas ng tunog.
OMB———— “Antonia, hinaan mo naman ang phone mo”.
Antonia——– “Oo, Mamaya na”.
OMB———— “Hinaan mo na, bakit mamaya pa?”
Antonia——– “Mamaya na mam”.
OMB———— “Bakit mamaya pa, ngayon mo na hinaan. Nakaka inis yan ang lakas-lakas. Diba ilang beses na kita sinasabihan na hinaan mo ang phone mo?”
Antonia——– “Hihinaan ko na”.

Edmund and I ate for dinner the excess food from the office. While we were having a conversation, biglang sumabad si Antonia “At lalaong tataba si Mam”.

Edmund and I looked at each other. Edmund told her “Antonia, kung hindi ka namin kinakausap, huwag kang sasali sa usapan namin”.

The next morning, I heard Antonia’s cellphone ringing so loudly. I went to the kitchen and was so tempted to throw it away. Everytime I am in the kitchen, nagugulat ako sa lakas ng ring ng phone nya. And every single time, I had to tell her kung pwede hinaan nya pero hindi pa rin nya ginagawa.

Antonia—— “Mam, mag be breakfast ka ba?”
OMB———- “Yun na lang pansit na sobra kagabi paki init”.
I saw her holding a small container of crispy noodles, about to put in the microwave.
OMB———- “Antonia, ano yan? Asan yung sauce nya? Pano ko kakainin yan eh walang halo at ang tigas nyan? Paki init yung seafood sauce and vegetables na kasama nya”.
Antonia—— “Wala na?”
OMB———- “Kinain mo?”
Antonia—— “Kala ko kasi ayaw nyo na”.

OMB———- “Sauce kasi yun para dyan. Hayy, sige pahingi na lang ako ng rice and chicken”.
Antonia—— “Walang rice”.
OMB———- “Ha? hindi ka nagsaing?”
Antonia—— “Nilagay ko na sa aming ref”.
OMB———- “Meron naman kayong sarili nyong rice cooker bakit mo kukunin yung kanin namin?”
Antonia—— “Kala ko kasi ayaw nyo na”.

OMB———- Asan yung konting potatoes na ipinalipat ko sayo sa mas maliit na platito? Yung pinabalik ko sa ref? Yun na lang kakainin ko”.

Antonia—— “Wala na mam”.
OMB———- “Kinain mo rin?”
Antonia—— “Konti lang naman yun”.

OMB———- “Hindi na ako kakain”.

OMB———- “Hindi kami kakain dito mamaya, bakit nagluluto ka na?”
Antonia—— “Sa amin yan, afritada”.

I think our housemaids should pay us instead. The quality of service they provide is not commensurate to what they get in return. Tila lugi kami. Charity na lang.

Take this cleaner for example. She cleans for about an hour or two maximum each day. Linis tamad yan ha. Pawalis-walis lang and mop. Then she watches tv, chats, rests, sleep, and texts. Today I called her attention about how dirty our house is. Tinuro ko sa kanya pano magpunas ng alikabok. Ganun pa rin, wala rin syang kusa and couldn’t follow simple instructions. Tamad talaga.

One more broken..

I did the cleaning yesterday and this morning.

Aug 4
I went home at 3 pm to pick-up some things. Of course our housemaids didn’t expect me to be home that early. I knew already I would see some surprises.
I caught the house cleaner sleeping on our sofa. I was standing in front of her when she opened her eyes. I didn’t get angry. I just told her to sleep in their room.

Tonight, Edmund discovered that instead of bringing down to the garage the garbage collected from our bathrooms, she dumped them on the deck.

Useless to get angry. I will just let her go tomorrow.