An Indian State of Mind
It has been one of those days where only a handful of cigarettes (I'm a non-smoker-ish person but make exception in a city where crossing the road is a pollution-hazard) and a bottle of red wine (howling wolf, no less, from Australia) would help see the funny side. Oh, and my Australian friend Fiona (now stalwart of Bangalore) put perspective on my situation by telling me I sounded like a colonial Brit complaining about the man-servants....
Coming from a job where perfection is everything and a city where everything is specified to a tee (venti skim extra-hot no-foam latte...), India can be a little shocking - especially when dealing with the day to day stuff. At this point, I will add the classic story from my friend Louisa (Brit) who at work the other day asked for, "frappe with no ice cream..." A minute later, the server asked, "what flavour ice-cream, madam?" Louisa reitterated, "no ice-cream, thank you... A couple of minutes later, she was surprised at the size of the check she was presented with..."why so expensive?" she asked. The server replied, "it's more with ice-cream..." A complete Indian experience!
So, to elaborate on that mindset, Tom's driver (I call him that so I have minimal responsibility for him) took it upon himself to come back to the apartment at 2 p.m. today despite Tom telling him that he would need him at the office at 2 p.m. I told him I didn't need him, and please go back to the office. As luck would have it, 3 hours later I was outside the apartment and lo and behold, he was STILL there! Why??? Who knows. But after a third attempt, we managed to convince him to go back to collect Tom.....
Our maid, Vijaya, who manages to work five hours a day at our apartment (?) still managed to do nothing of what she was asked and everything of what she wasn't (i.e., eating all Tom's cookies and talking to her husband on the phone!)
Finally, our contractors managed to finish (sort of) the work they started three weeks ago after being plagued by chicken pox and a sore hand - oh, and falling off a bike. Yes, I know this all sounds bratty, and you are probably thinking - clean the flat yourself, drive yourself, etc., but it's just a different world here... Tom has a female Indian colleague who spends every morning between 6:30 and 8:30 following her maid around the apartment showing her where she hasn't cleaned! Why??? My friend Fiona suggests that I can either do that, OR, as she does, completely ignore the fact that their cleaning is shit and carry on about my business!
This whole episode led me to believe that I really do have too much time on my hands - or am I stressed at getting my nest completely clean for the parental visit looming in 24 hours time???? While I don't want to think it's the latter, it may have something to do with it. But I think the former moreso. I am researching going for a detox weekend - ha ha - or to an ashram to do some good for a couple of days.... or maybe I will just go back to Goa!
Who knows, but this managing of a couple of people is as stressful as managing a big team of professionals... it's just scaled back a little but in my small life right now, it all seems big!So, my solution of ciggies and wine seems to fit the bill - it's exactly how I would have coped with stress in NYC or London, no matter what the size or scale. You can take the girl out of Leeds....
