|
|
FOR THE LOVE OF HER CHILD
Alone in a community, an outcast among
familiar people, a subject of suspicion, and an object of discrimination! No
one in his right mind would want to be in this position. But fate or
circumstances could lead you into the positions you least expected to be in,
and out of which only the brave can come out. I live in a middle class family
in the suburbs, and keeping a maid is a common feature in almost all the
houses in the suburbs. My mother also has a maid, who has a story to tell.
Born in a poor family, married at an early age, she used to work as a maid in
order to help her husband meet the expense. Her husband passed away when she
was about to conceive her daughter. Her husbands demise due to a fatal illness
left her all alone with her child no one to turn to. She had to leave her
house because she couldn't afford one.
|
She worked in a bank officers house
where she used to take care of his family
and do the necessary chores, they let her stay in the house, but they refused to let her child in the house, she had no other option but
to leave her child in an orphanage along with the nuns. She carried on for
months with the agony of being able to meet her daughter only on rare occasions
when she used to get a day off, as she worked on Sundays as well. She was
fortunate however that the family for whom she was a maid for allowed her
to work in other houses during her free time, this is how she ended up
working for a well to do family. |
 |
When she told them her sad story, the gave
her small room behind their house and told her that she could stay there as
long as she wanted and bring her child as well. But they advised her to let the
child stay in the orphanage because at the orphanage she could get better
care and education along with some financial benefits. So, she used to bring
her daughter back for the holidays.
She starts her
day from 7 , where she goes to do her chores in one of the houses. She works
there till 10, and goes to the government run bank for her chores. She is
there till 2 and works till 7 in the evening in different houses. She works 7
days a week. Even though she is not educated, with the help of the family
where she stays, she got her self enrolled in a savings scheme. She saves
money so that she can pay for her daughters education as well as get her
daughter married. Her daughter is now eight years old, still studying in the
orphanage. She tells my mother that she plans to spend her next Christmas in
her new house.
Abraham Chandy
 |
Back |
|
|
|
|
