When Navneetha worked in my house.

          It’s more than a month since Navneetha left me. Everyday I remember her. She has left so many of her memories that every now and then I encounter them and then I miss her. Even today I remember the day when she entered my house as a maidservant. My previous maid recommended her since she was going away to her village. The very first month, she tested my patience to the utmost. Whenever I showed her mistakes in house work she back answered instead of rectifying. For example when I told her to remove the moss marks in the balcony; she replied that when the previous maid could not remove the stains how can I.

        When there were some guests in our house, I could not tolerate her arrogance. She refused to wash the guest’s clothes and behaved very rudely. Actually I never shout at anybody but I shouted at Navneetha. And I told her that after this month she can’t continue in our house. Suddenly my old maid came back and said she is ready to work in my house. I was in a fix, whether I should continue with Navneetha or my old maid. I delayed my decision for four days by which the month will end. In these four days I came to know that the previous maid had taken back all the houses which she had given to Navneetha except my house. Navneetha was almost in tears and she pleaded with me that she wants to continue in my house.

          Despite her attitude and arrogance, I did not remove Navneetha. The reason was the previous maid gave me ultimatum saying, “You remove Navneetha or I will take up somebody else’s housework”. I got angry with her attitude as well. When this lady can demand her work knowing that Navneetha will be left with no work at all and they are both related. I said, “Okay, you can work in the house of your choice, I am going to keep Navneetha only”. After this incident, Navneetha’s attitude changed completely. She started doing work, so well, I was surprised.

       Navneetha took care of everything. She did extra work without my insistence. She became my confidential maid. I used to leave my house in her care. Not a single thing got lost or misplaced. Sometimes I used to ask for things which I misplaced. She knew every nook and corner of my house. Also she had aesthetic sense. Very beautifully she would arrange the furniture and the show pieces. She would advise me and also help me to get ready for the functions where I had to attend. I had apprehensions when my mother-in-law or my mother planned to visit me. Nothing to do, their focus would be on the maid. Since they can’t boss over me, they tried to show their domination on Navneetha. In such situations I had to be neutral. I can’t displease the old ladies or afford losing my maid. But Navneetha so efficiently handled the ladies that they were all praises for her.

     Thus five years passed away and last month Navneetha left this place to settle in her hometown. In all these years I have shared my anxieties and achievements with her which I don’t share even with my family members. She too shared her problems with me. Whenever possible I would help her with loans and other things. Once I even gave my gold ornament to wear when she was going to a marriage. She belonged to Reddy community who are land holders and are considered as landlords in their village. Circumstances has made her family to move to the city and work as maids and laborers. Her husband worked as a driver. None of their relatives knew that Navneetha works as a maid. Finally they took the decision to go back to their village and live a life of dignity. As a paring gift, I gave her a cell phone.

        Sometimes I remember the situation in which I employed Navneetha. How much she annoyed me and later on what she turned to be actually. Sometimes how wrong can be our judgment of a person. A phase of my life passed, which will always be remembered as, “When Navneetha worked in my house”.

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C.Radhika