The hired help must go.

During the last few weeks I’ve been feeling more and more uneasy (less and less easy) about my cleaning lady.

I mean, there are things which I really like about her, well, about what she does. I like that she does the dishes, she cleans the toilet and that she sweeps and mops the floor. Those are the things I like most.

The things I don’t like so much-
1. She doesn’t really make the bed, but she folds up the comforter every day. I don’t want the comforter folded up every day; I just want it to lie over the bed and look comfortable.

2. She leaves puddles of water on the bathroom floor- It makes the cuffs of my pants wet when I walk across the floor. I don’t like that. I don’t like it when she messes with my clothes- clean or dirty- I don’t feel right about a stranger messing with my undies. These are minor- I could live with them, or I could tell her to change these things, no biggie.

Then there are things which really annoy me, and they came to a head today. Maybe it’s because I never really had to share much- maybe I’m too selfish or suspicious-maybe I’m holding Indian workers to unknown-to-them American standards.

Here are some things that I think are not right at all:

1. She brings her family with her -often. I hired her- not her whole dang family! It would be different if it were just one other person. Maybe she wants to ask me something (she doesn’t know English) maybe she wants to go fast and get finished early- so I can see bringing one other person. But she’s brought all manner of people- all her kids (four of them) her sister, her nieces and nephews- not all at once, but 4-6 extra strangers in my house wandering around makes me nervous.

2. When she brings her daughter, she haves her ask all manner of what I deem inappropriate questions, in addition to the questions the daughter comes up with on her own.

(They aren’t really questions, as the question form is somewhat problematic linguistically, it does make things sound so much ruder.)

1. “My mother wants an advance.” (I was actually shocked at their forwardness when they asked for a month salary as advance!)

2. “We moved houses, give us bus money.” (FYI I already pay twice as much as an Indian employer would for the same work.)

3. “What will you do with these things when you leave? … We want them.”

4. “You will buy me a dress for my birthday.” (?)

5. “When you will leave this place?” (So we can have all your things?)

6. “Do you want this?” (Can I have it?)

7. “Where is your chocolate?”

8. “Give me some gum.”

9. “I’m hungry, give me some crackers.” (I gave her some and she said, “No, these ones.") (!!!)

Today her children went so far as to take some candy and gum. By “take” I mean steel. I know that candy and gum and minor offences- but if it starts there- does it move on to jewelry and electronics and money?

Her daughter has written in my books and made some very wrong stiches in my needle point.

I’ve had enough.

Last week I wondered how it would go down if I told them not to come back- as they lived just across the street and I saw them everyday. But now they have moved and take a bus- that makes it easier for me.

Now- how to convince them not to come back?

Because I’m nonconfrontational I feel like I need a reason- (in addition to I don’t want them in my place any more) and how to explain it so they will not try to convince me otherwise?

They are annoyingly persistent.

One day they knocked on my door for a full hour. (I didn't feel like being cleaned that day, and they weren't scheduled, I didn't feel compelled to answer.)