After five weeks of washing dishes, manually doing the laundry, ironing, sweeping the floor and other various household chores, we finally found ourselves some household help. All should be well, except for the teensy weensy fact that she can be a bit ... How shall I put this? Slow.
Slow, literally and figuratively speaking.
Example:
ME: Can you call Mommy at the office?
Helpergirl: O_O
ME: Tell her the guy whos varnishing is here
Helpergirl: O_O
ME: You know how to use the phone, right?
Helpergirl: O_O
*picks up the receiver*
O_O
ME: Do you know her number?
Helpergirl: O_O
ME: *dials the number*
Helpergirl: O_O
Another example: We're in the process of switching residences; and we're doing the move one day at a time. Today, I put out some dishes so the dish holders and the rest of the utensils can be driven out to the new home along with some other boxes.
Helpergirl puts them back in
Me: No! Didn't I put it out?
Helpergirl: O_O
Me: Leave it there
Helpergirl: O_O
Me: Don't put the dishes back
Helpergirl: O_O
Me: I put them out intentionally
Helpergirl: O_O
I know this sounds really gross, but my tummy's been hurting pretty bad lately. I also noticed that our water has some weird after taste -- like it was taken from the sink (which is definitely not sanitary).
My sister: Why does the water taste gross?
Me: I dunno, but it won't be the first for that water company we order from
My sister: It tastes like sink water
Me: *thinks: maybe helper girl has been getting water from the sink? nah! i don't think she's THAT dumb. i mean, she gets water from the dispenser herself, right?*
A FEW DAYS LATER...
Mommy sees helpergirl "washing" the water bottles and filling them out with sink water
Mommy: Inday, have you been getting water from the sink?
Helpergirl: O_O *Nods very very slowly*
O_O
And the ultimate winner...
Inday is a working student. She goes to school at 5pm-8pm. On her first night out, Mum gave her P20 for her allowance. (She's used to P5/day). Inday comes home LATE, almost 10pm.
Mommy: What took you so long? Where have you been
Helpergirl: Nag sweeper pa ako. O_O
SWEEPER? For two hours?
Mommy: *dismisses the incident* Eat your supper
Helpergirl: *shamelessly devours two whole plates of rice*
Mommy: *to me:* Pubresita. She's so hungry. At least now when she comes home, she doesn't have to worry about anymore. At least we're helping her in a way.
THIRTY MINUTES PASS BY
Mommy: *to helpergirl* Inday, try to hurry up a bit because you have a few more chores to finish off.
Helpergirl: Is that my food?
Mommy: You've been eating rice without the food???
Helpergirl: O_O
Mommy: Didn't I tell you that that's your food?
Helpergirl: O_O
Mommy: So all you've been eating is rice???
Helpergirl: O_O
We try to understand her. We really do. Mum told me to put myself in her shoes. She feels really bad for helper girl, and likes the notion that we're making a difference in her life.
Poverty is a vicious cycle, and Mum hopes that inday can finally break it. "If you were up to your neck in poverty, had to work before going to school, didn't have food in your stomach; you'd be slow too."
Which got me thinking. Where would my state of mind be without my vast collection of books? Or without my college degree? What if I didn't get to eat three full meals a day? Maybe I'd be worse off than she is. Maybe my facial expression would be O_o.
It is with this, that I try to empathize and understand. Even if, five minutes ago, I asked her to clean upstairs and she gives me this blank stare again. Then asks me if she's to clean upstairs already.
O_O
And even if, before that, I asked her to make some ice and she threw out the mineral water and replaced it with sink water. (Isn't that different from making ice?)
My mom makes the sign of the cross whenever things get too frustrating -- and she's not even Catholic.
We're going to need all the mercy we can get.
So help me God. :|
'Til Miss Elle gets back,
Kimmie. ♥
