Just Li'Es

The other day I was talking to one of my nephews who came down from the U.S. on a shortest holiday. I asked him whether he could extend his stay by a few days, (not weeks, mind you) and he literally pounced on me saying no man or woman in his/her right senses would risk it considering the grave job situation in the U.S. “It is all a matter of choice, whether you want to keep your job or enjoy a permanent holiday” he rued and wished to know if we faced a similar situation in India.

The question set me thinking  and  the answer was right there staring at me when I  ran through  the list  of   shops I visited recently along with my highly placed cousin who came down  from her native place  just to take advantage of the AdI  SALE.

Oh,  be it the most reputed jewellery store  or  the  age old Silk store  there  were milling crowds  and we had to literally squeeze through  them to get a toe hold at the counters  to catch sight of the items we were looking for!

Even  as my  cousin was taking a closer look  peering at the precious stones or  feeling the texture of the material, I  had a  closer look at the crowds that were  gathered  in the shops.

There  I spotted my maid  and  cook (the latter  preferred to work at my neighbour’s  place  because she offered her a  higher salary).

It suddenly dawned on me   that RECESSION  was certainly NOT for the  domestic help who  don’t seem to be aware of the concept  at all.

 Now I dread the day when my maid will demand a hike in her salary which is already exorbitant  or  worse still  when we have to comply by the rules  of  the wage board  which may come into force  any time !

However I found some comfort  in the feeling that we are certainly better off  than the west  as far as the job scenario  is concerned, I mean  the scenario for the domestic help  who  are in permanent demand. 

n.meera raghavendra rao