Sunita had just come from Timur, one of the many islands of the Indonesian Archipelago. She was to work for Margaret who owned a beauty saloon in Kuala Lumpur. On arrival at Margaret's bungalow in the suburbs of the city, she was given a tour around the house and its compound. She could not understand half of what her new employer was telling her. Most of the time she would smile and Margaret would just rattle on not knowing the young girl of sixteen was almost dozing off as she staggered along behind her.
Finally the session ended and her employer pointed to the bathroom, handing to her a big towel which she understood was that she wanted her to take a bath and as Margaret tugged at her blouse, she also understood that she wanted her to change her clothes as well. At that moment, the not very smart Sunita could guess her new employer was very fussy about being clean. At first, Sunita was glad that she could live in such a clean and safe environment. She had not minded working there because back in Timur, she had to do farming. She had to toil in the muddy fields under the rain and sun. Just after her bath, Margaret beckoned her to go into the kitchen. In the sink were many plates, bowls, glasses and cups to be washed. When Sunita set to wash the plates, she could see that Margaret was standing beside her to watch. Just as she was about to put the dish washing liquid on one of the plates, she heard Margaret shouting at her. No, no. You don't do it that way. You are going to waste a lot of my money if you use the dish washing liquid like that.
As Margaret grabbed the bottle of dish washing liquid from her, Sunita could feel a sharp pain as Margaret's long nails dug into her flesh. Her new employer was such a rough person. She was shoved away and Sunita nearly fell. Margaret was really mad that her new maid could not do the simplest thing right. She was really mad at the maid agency for cheating her. That was not the first time. Every time the agency would come out with some clever excuses. Margaret was upset because she felt hopeless caught in such a situation. She started to grumble. I asked for a trained maid and they said they are giving me one. You call yourself trained? Who taught you to use the dish washing liquid like that. Don't you know how to dilute it first? Do you realise how much I am paying for you each day? So, don't expect me to give you good food to eat. You are very fortunate to be living in this house. Back in your village, you are living in a dirty shed.
After Sunita had done her washing, Margaret told her to eat up the food that was put in a bowl. It was leftover rice and soup. Eat up and don't waste. This soup has a lot of goodness. Don't think it is poor food that I am giving you. You will sleep over there. There is a mat, a pillow and a blanket. You can use that space in that cupboard to put your things. Don't mess up the room because sometimes when I have guests over, they will use the room. Until then, I will see where you will sleep. Margaret did not understand why these maids who had come from such poor countries would not show the least appreciation at all. All they knew was to rebel once they were being scolded for mistakes made instead of positively improving themselves. Each time it got worse after they were reprimanded.
Poor Sunita! This is worse than Timur, she thought. Back home, she had more than plain rice and bland soup. She had a little room to herself in the broken down hut her father had built. That night Sunita cried herself to sleep. It is this kind of mentality that made them 'difficult' maids.
Now, Margaret was not rich all the time. She, too, had come from a poor family who had lived in a hut and had to go hungry sometimes. Her parents were always quarelling over money matters. She had to come out to the city to work when she was sixteen too. She had good luck for she had met kind people who helped her along the way. Later, she married a rich husband and that was how she gained most of her wealth. She often compared herself with these young girls who had come from the countryside to the city to work. They have such bad attitudes.
It is not always the case that if you were impoverished before, you will be able to be more appreciative of a better environment or situation. There are some people who have such bad attitudes that however better life they were given, there is always a complain or two. A Malay saying that goes like this, "The colour of the hair may be similarly black, but the heart is different' best describe the dissimilarities of individuals. Every individual has a different attitude towards one same situation.
Finally the session ended and her employer pointed to the bathroom, handing to her a big towel which she understood was that she wanted her to take a bath and as Margaret tugged at her blouse, she also understood that she wanted her to change her clothes as well. At that moment, the not very smart Sunita could guess her new employer was very fussy about being clean. At first, Sunita was glad that she could live in such a clean and safe environment. She had not minded working there because back in Timur, she had to do farming. She had to toil in the muddy fields under the rain and sun. Just after her bath, Margaret beckoned her to go into the kitchen. In the sink were many plates, bowls, glasses and cups to be washed. When Sunita set to wash the plates, she could see that Margaret was standing beside her to watch. Just as she was about to put the dish washing liquid on one of the plates, she heard Margaret shouting at her. No, no. You don't do it that way. You are going to waste a lot of my money if you use the dish washing liquid like that.
As Margaret grabbed the bottle of dish washing liquid from her, Sunita could feel a sharp pain as Margaret's long nails dug into her flesh. Her new employer was such a rough person. She was shoved away and Sunita nearly fell. Margaret was really mad that her new maid could not do the simplest thing right. She was really mad at the maid agency for cheating her. That was not the first time. Every time the agency would come out with some clever excuses. Margaret was upset because she felt hopeless caught in such a situation. She started to grumble. I asked for a trained maid and they said they are giving me one. You call yourself trained? Who taught you to use the dish washing liquid like that. Don't you know how to dilute it first? Do you realise how much I am paying for you each day? So, don't expect me to give you good food to eat. You are very fortunate to be living in this house. Back in your village, you are living in a dirty shed.
After Sunita had done her washing, Margaret told her to eat up the food that was put in a bowl. It was leftover rice and soup. Eat up and don't waste. This soup has a lot of goodness. Don't think it is poor food that I am giving you. You will sleep over there. There is a mat, a pillow and a blanket. You can use that space in that cupboard to put your things. Don't mess up the room because sometimes when I have guests over, they will use the room. Until then, I will see where you will sleep. Margaret did not understand why these maids who had come from such poor countries would not show the least appreciation at all. All they knew was to rebel once they were being scolded for mistakes made instead of positively improving themselves. Each time it got worse after they were reprimanded.
Poor Sunita! This is worse than Timur, she thought. Back home, she had more than plain rice and bland soup. She had a little room to herself in the broken down hut her father had built. That night Sunita cried herself to sleep. It is this kind of mentality that made them 'difficult' maids.
Now, Margaret was not rich all the time. She, too, had come from a poor family who had lived in a hut and had to go hungry sometimes. Her parents were always quarelling over money matters. She had to come out to the city to work when she was sixteen too. She had good luck for she had met kind people who helped her along the way. Later, she married a rich husband and that was how she gained most of her wealth. She often compared herself with these young girls who had come from the countryside to the city to work. They have such bad attitudes.
It is not always the case that if you were impoverished before, you will be able to be more appreciative of a better environment or situation. There are some people who have such bad attitudes that however better life they were given, there is always a complain or two. A Malay saying that goes like this, "The colour of the hair may be similarly black, but the heart is different' best describe the dissimilarities of individuals. Every individual has a different attitude towards one same situation.
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