Today is my final day at my cousin's guest house and I've said my farewells to the two house boys. I've really enjoyed my time here and have gotten used to being pampered. Tonight's dinner came early as I wanted to eat one last mean before leaving here at 7:30pm. A few days ago I asked the boys to not cook me mild foods, I wanted normal Indian food and besides, I like it spicy. And they did cook me spicy food. I think that with each progressing meal they cooked for me they increased the heat. Each meal seemed to be getting hotter and hotter and after each meal I was always asked "Did you like sir?". Of course I liked! But I wonder if they were trying to see how hot they could go before I caved. If tonight's last dinner was any indication then tomorrow would have been the day I threw in the towel. When I first arrived the boys were very stiff and proper like. Always at attention and anticipating my every need.
A few days ago I walked back into the guest house and I guess they didn't hear me. I walked out onto the balcony and they were both smoking a joint. I think they crapped their pants when the saw me. They knew I was the cousin of the guy that paid their wages and, well, I could just see in their eyes how scared they were. I smiled, laughed it off talked with them and told them to finish what they were doing. The boys work 24/6, they each get one day off to see their family. Though I do recall they were at the guest house every day. They worked as late as 1am and had to be up again at 7am, sometimes at 6am. Granted they get a lot of down time during the day. They're poor, they come from poor families. They're working hard to support themselves. If I were working that hard I would probably need a joint too. The domestic help earns about 7500 rupees per month, that is about $150 a month, and they do get meals while they're working from what I can tell. It's still not a lot of money considering how much they work and how much their employers make. The scales sure aren't balanced here.
Anjeel is the man that my mother rented an apartment from in the district known as Vasant Kunj. It's actually rented for tomorrow but because Anjeel works early and until late it would have been hard for him to get us checked in as he didn't want to take time off work. So he's letting me move in a night early. Works best for him and it works for me. I only wonder who's going to make my coffee and cook my breakfast. I've become helpless.
There was a big pause here in the writing. I'm now at the apartment. Very nice and in a very exclusive neighborhood. It's large, clean and has everything we would want (except a house boy). The down side is there is nothing within walking distance so we'll have to taxi it where ever we go, three times a day for meals. That could get expensive. But one must eat. I'm tired, gotta hit the sack. Tomorrow I head to my cousin's house to meet his family and his brother's family. Will probably be there all afternoon. My mom and step dad arrive at the airport tomorrow night and have a driver that will be going to pick them up, I'll go with the driver. Will be good to see my mom and step dad.
Good night.
A few days ago I walked back into the guest house and I guess they didn't hear me. I walked out onto the balcony and they were both smoking a joint. I think they crapped their pants when the saw me. They knew I was the cousin of the guy that paid their wages and, well, I could just see in their eyes how scared they were. I smiled, laughed it off talked with them and told them to finish what they were doing. The boys work 24/6, they each get one day off to see their family. Though I do recall they were at the guest house every day. They worked as late as 1am and had to be up again at 7am, sometimes at 6am. Granted they get a lot of down time during the day. They're poor, they come from poor families. They're working hard to support themselves. If I were working that hard I would probably need a joint too. The domestic help earns about 7500 rupees per month, that is about $150 a month, and they do get meals while they're working from what I can tell. It's still not a lot of money considering how much they work and how much their employers make. The scales sure aren't balanced here.
Anjeel is the man that my mother rented an apartment from in the district known as Vasant Kunj. It's actually rented for tomorrow but because Anjeel works early and until late it would have been hard for him to get us checked in as he didn't want to take time off work. So he's letting me move in a night early. Works best for him and it works for me. I only wonder who's going to make my coffee and cook my breakfast. I've become helpless.
There was a big pause here in the writing. I'm now at the apartment. Very nice and in a very exclusive neighborhood. It's large, clean and has everything we would want (except a house boy). The down side is there is nothing within walking distance so we'll have to taxi it where ever we go, three times a day for meals. That could get expensive. But one must eat. I'm tired, gotta hit the sack. Tomorrow I head to my cousin's house to meet his family and his brother's family. Will probably be there all afternoon. My mom and step dad arrive at the airport tomorrow night and have a driver that will be going to pick them up, I'll go with the driver. Will be good to see my mom and step dad.
Good night.
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