Chief Household Officer

Ive received a few mails in the past asking me about who all know about the status of our marriage, do the family, friends, servants know, etc. While ive mentioned elsewhere in the blog about how except for Ms V’s friend Ms Suchi, we have told nobody else about our exact status. There is only one part exception to this and that is our maids. Like in most Indian households and especially in Delhi, we have two part time maids, one a cook and the other who cleans the house, clothes, etc. Part of my responsibilities is managing them, ensuring stuff is being done well and Mms V sometimes jokingly calls me her chief house management officer! While of course these maids do not know the exact arrangement between Ms V and her husband, they do know that I don’t work outside and am at home all day, I get up earlier than her and supervise the household and that I wash my own and some of Ms V’s clothes. So they sense in a way that im the ‘wife’ (in the traditional sense) in the couple. And while I sometimes boss them around while Ms V is sleeping, I don’t do it when shes up and around. Also, only Ms V pays out their salary, never me. So they probably see me as a sort of head servant. Sometimes this leads to incidents like the one that happened last week.

Last Friday was a holiday because of Independence Day so Ms V was home and got up late. I got up earlier like always, to let in the maids and wash Ms V’s under garments. I had been a bit curt with the cleaning maid (name’s Rekha), who usually tries to finish off work by leaving out whatever she thinks I wont catch onto. She’s heavy set, often argues with me. So after I had a spat with her, I went to my/servant bathroom where I wash clothes and took some time. In the meantime Ms Vv came out of her bedroom and asked the cook for her tea. While she was having her tea, Rekha went to Ms V and complained to her that the servants bathroom (which is where I was and which I use too) was filthy and not being cleaned regularly.   Cleaning both bathrooms is my responsibility, and Ms V usually checks it for cleaning. The maids also said that she told me the bathroom was filthy, and I told her to basically go fuck herself. Now none of this was true, but she knew complaining to Ms V was one of the best ways to get back to me. Ms V called me and asked me in front of Rekha “Aroon why haven’t you been cleaning the servants toilet?” in front of her. I was surprised and a bit guilty, because I had skipped the last cleaning scheduled for the servant/my bathroom (thought I cleaned hers.) it was wrong of me, and now the maid’s complaint had exposed me. “I..im sorry Ms V. I thought ill clean it on Sunday. Ill do it now if you want” I nervously replied. Ms V glared at me for a few seconds, then asked “what have I told you about keeping both bathrooms clean?” Rekha stood looking smug and chipped in in Hindi “I told him the toilet was too dirty to us, but he just got angry at me.” “Rekha you go and finish your work” Ms V told her. Once she had left Ms V told me “you’re such a jackass Aroon. Now ill have to tell Rekha to keep tabs on you?” I apologised again of course, but I had pissed my mistress wife off first thing in the morning, never a good thing. And I decided to be more careful and respectful to Rekha the maid in future!