Another Apprentice Season Begins

A few friends have jokingly asked me who the 2007 Apprentice winner is. I had not given this much thought. I was left with two contenders: Suresh and Ambrose. Mr. Lal was disqualified due to a technicality. Having only joined the race in November and with only two days a week performance results at that, it would have been unfair to pit him against Suresh and Ambrose who had 6 days a week to shine or fail. Raju, David's driver who is hanging on to his job by the skin of his teeth, though never a contender, still deserves kudos for exemplary behavior displayed after every infraction and subsequent warning.

I returned to India after a month's protracted holiday. Before my departure, I made a complete "to do" list for Suresh so that everything that was left undone daily would be attended to. Things like clean out shoe cabinets, clean shoes, dust bookshelf tops, clean fans, clean out kitchen drawers, etc. It would have been foolish for me to assume that in my absence he would seek this work to fill his time. I had a pretty good idea of how he envisioned my absence to be--it would be his time to kick back and take things easy. And I don't blame him. Mind you, anyone with half a brain would do the same. I requested David's secretary to monitor him from time to time just to make sure he was on track, just to keep him honest.

At this point, I would like to explain my style of managing the help. I am liberal enough to allow them to do things their way as long as the job gets done satisfactorily. I don't hover, I don't check work daily. I leave notes as required so that what I see that needs doing gets done. I do not like to raise my voice, I do not like to show traces of anger and impatience. I only expect that when I run my fingers across a piece of furniture, that it not be dusty. That if I choose to wear my black patent shoes, they not be muddy. That when I pull open a kitchen drawer, utensils not be thrown in helter-skelter. I do not ask for much.

After a month's absence, my furniture was dusty, my black patent shoes muddy, and my kitchen drawers messy. I pointed these all out to Suresh with, I admit, some impatience in my voice. I could feel his frustration.

The dust flies when he sweeps.
Then use a damp mop, or dust after you sweep.

He missed cleaning just that one black patent pair.
Is that so? Because my black Nikes and the white Pumas were also muddy.

He has no clue where things belong in the drawers.
And that is why you had a month to organize!!!

The next morning, Suresh arrives and arrogantly tells me that he cannot work here. The long and short of it is that he feels he works very hard and I still am not happy with the results. I reply that it is not that I question whether he works hard or not. The issue is that if something needs to be done, I have the right to let him know, to point it out. I will not bore you with our exchange. I conclude that my holiday was too much fun for him. He had free rein of the house, was in charge of Mr. Lal, in charge of tea making for what seemed like all of Vasant Vihar (judging from my sugar and milk bill) and my return was a big downer! There is nothing one can say to change another person's mind once it is made up. I had no desire to allow such arrogance in my home. Off with his head!

I would pay him for the 11 days he had worked. But there was a matter of the the 7 days he still owed me. Ok, down to 5 days pay. Then Suresh pulled a rabbit out of a hat and demanded that I owed him a month's bonus pay for a year of service. A wicked laugh was welling in me. I never promised him a month's bonus (besides any money exchange could no longer be called a bonus, what with his acrimonious tone). Second, he had only worked here for eleven months! I gathered that he was quick and brave about quitting because he figured he would have a month's pay as cushion before he found his next job. Gotcha!

Oh, and yes, there was the matter of the huge 10,000IR phone bill of which, by extrapolation, 4,000IR was his! It was pointless even to mention that if he incurred such a huge phone bill, did he really have time to work at all? I forgave him the phone bill and had Ambrose escort him out the door.

I've closed the Suresh chapter of my sojourn in India and I inaugurate a new Apprentice season! I therefore declare Ambrose the Apprentice of 2007!

Hours after Suresh's departure, I had visited two domestic registries and gotten a list of 6 prospects. I made my calls and by afternoon, I had Dolma working on a trial basis. Dolma is from Tibet. She turns 35 next week. She has been married but is now separated. She has no children. If one were to judge by looks alone, one would conjecture that she is a wholesome young lady, not fond of nightlife or drink or any other frivolities of the single. She speaks English quite well, has a happy disposition and the eagerness of anyone unemployed. So far so good. The race is on!

This season's race will be tougher. While all Ambrose has to do is drive safely, keep the car clean, and be attentive to my comings and goings, Dolma will have obstacles to hurdle. Will she pass the dust test? The neatness test? The organization test? The towel test? Only time will tell.

But here is what I have learned. The status quo is always the easy way out. Any progress requires some pain and discomfort. The rewards of change can be wonderful. I am thrilled that I don't have to worry about getting up fully dressed in the morning just to open the door for Suresh. I am ecstatic that Dolma can cook (remains to be tested and verified), and clean, and even wash and iron in the absence of Mr. Lal. I am hopeful that I can teach her to fold the towels as they do at Nordstrom's, and shirts as they do at the Gap.

The dreary Delhi winter is on the way out to give way to the beauty of spring. Out with the old, in with the new! All contenders! On your marks, get set, GO!