36) Our Servant Maid

We recently shifted to Mumbai and found ourselves in a small apartment in Guragoan after a spacious residence in Bangalore. Dad is a manager with SBI which means a transfer every three years and Mumbai, our latest halt. My brother got a MBA admission in NITIE and I was just getting into college.

Mom was rather glum about Mumbai for her Hindi is weak and she preferred the familiarity and culture of the south. As for us, we were excited to be in the most happening city – the city that never sleeps. Those bright lights, almost 24 hours suburbs, the lure of walks on Marine Drive, the art galleries, rock concerts is a heady cocktail for any teenager.

At home mom engaged a servant maid for mopping floors and washing utensils; she looked in her late 30s. She was as regular as a clock but inside of a month sent her 12 year daughter instead for the chores. That little girl was even more efficient and quicker as we learnt her name, Asha.

The little urchin had a spark in her eyes and a rebellious streak too. She would come on the dot at 10 in the morning and within half the hour; the task completed as she sped to the next house without even stopping for her chaiyya.

Slowly, I got her to talk – despite my weak Hindi and non-existent Marathi - and asked as to the number of houses on her daily call sheet.

Asha said, “6 houses in addition to my own”. She laughed: “I do my best at other houses and most sloppy when it comes to cleaning utensils at home”.
I went on, “Are you content with my life?”

She gave me a cockroach look and said,” When I was 8, mother put me to work removing me from school after my father ran away. I used to hate initially but now used to it”.

She added,” memsahib, I wish to wear clothes like you and play on the machine”, indicating the laptop.

From then, I started tutoring her; starting first on IV standard books and she turned out to be a quick learner. She was so hung up about the laptop that I had to teach her a few games on it.

I spoke to my dad and wished to put her in a regular school. We all pinched in and in addition sought neigbours for contributions to the “educate Asha fund”

Now she is in the VII standard in a school in Bandra and only yesterday her mother came to proudly complain,” Asha only insists on speaking in English at us and we don’t follow a word”. But I could see the glow of pride in her rant.

BTW, each time Asha sees me she pesters me a game on the laptop