Looking Back, an Apprentice Update and a Little ETC.

Suresh has, by far been the finest contestant besting the likes of Miss Skinny, Sarita, Panna, and even a contestant baptized (yes, by the church) Queen Mary. The Queen did not even get past the interview room. She should have known better: there can only be one queen in any household and mine already has a queen bee! Suresh retains his title of Director of Maintenance. Sadly even after almost 10 months, we continue to be plagued by repairs both major and minor. He has had his shining moments & moments when I might have banished him to the Hall of Shame. But I think all things considered he deserves to be THE apprentice if not at least a finalist!

Smart & versatile as Suresh is, he is an utter failure at laundry and keeping closets neat. He can't keep the hangers facing the same direction nor keep the long-sleeved office shirts apart from the long-sleeved casual shirts or even the short sleeved shirts. Fortunately, David is the epitome of tolerance so the situation is livable. However, I go through the closets every other week and into a frenzy of reorganization. I have yet to understand why this is so difficult! My shoes & clothes are off limits to Suresh. How confusing it must be to have daytime casual sandals, daytime going out shoes, shoes that only go to C block market, sandals worn only after a pedicure, summer shoes, winter shoes, clay court shoes, hard court shoes, and the baffling categories continue! How can I expect dear Suresh to understand this? Suresh who keeps a pair of sandals for the summer and a pair of closed shoes for the winter. He has graduated to having a sporting pair of Adidas after David saw him wearing sandals in the increasingly cold mornings. Perhaps the abundance is so foreign to Suresh that his mind cannot build a working system to sort it all out.

I have been fortunate to have Mr. Lal come in twice a week. A wizened man of 70 or so, he handles the iron as a calligrapher would his pen. He has elevated laundry and ironing to an art form! David's shirts are perfectly pressed. My pants are pressed with or without a center line as I please! Organza comes back as crisp as it was when purchased. Pajamas are pressed and meticulously folded. If that is not luxury, what is? If somehow I could clone a Suresh with a Mr. Lal thrown in, I would have the best of them all!

Faithful Ambrose has continued his unwavering service. Aside from a few language based misunderstandings, we have gotten along quite well. He is always ready to take me here or there, never slacking off on his driving duties. He tends to gun the car once in a while but driving through so much traffic daily, the urge to zoom a bit now & again is understandable. His sense of direction needs to be honed and I have given him the ever useful Eicher map of Delhi. I might quiz him now and then but that would also mean a bit of studying on my part.

Ambrose has shown me his gentility and fine upbringing. When Aaron was born, he brought me two sinfully delicious cakes that his father had baked, brought sweets for Suresh & Panna. When Angel, his wife, finally came into their home after her stay with her family during her last months of pregnancy, he asked to come and introduce both her and their new baby. He came one Sunday afternoon beaming and proud to introduce his family to us. What a gesture of respect he has shown me. I remember clearly the day we drove Rachel to the airport after her summer with us in Delhi. Ambrose was quiet then softly said that he understood how sad I felt and that we should pray for her safety. I was touched by his empathy. Though he has kept his distance as is proper with the employer/employee relationship, he has nevertheless demonstrated that he has a heart for David & me. No truer person shall I find. Ambrose is certainly a finalist too.

Raju, David's driver continues to test me. Everything seems to go over David's head as he is always preoccupied with business. But Raju's white-turned gray shirts, long nails and inattentive behaviour has continued to grate at me. He has come late so that David had to drive himself to the airport. Another instance, he came late as his motorcycle ran out of gas! David, the ever patient and forgiving boss merely turns on his computer and does his work while waiting for Raju--this even after he has to miss a morning meeting! Clearly God has given David patience and God has gifted me with the feistiness to never give up in trying to make things right for him. This is not to say that David does not recognize the failings; he does but this is not high on his priority of things that need his attention. Raju will always be on the end of the gangplank with me on the safe end holding him at bayonet point!

Life has become easier since I found my favorite C-block chemist, the best hair-care specialist in Basant Lok, the fruit wallah in A-block, the chorizo at Le Marche, my DVD guy who delivers anything for 100 rupees a piece, Salsa Puja, the colorful flower street on MG Road, and of course, life would not be complete without the most entertaining jewelry store in Khan Market!

Though I am still stumped now and again by the craziness and unfathomable that Delhi can sometimes be, I can, after 9 months say that I am home.