So, like good upper middle class "Americans" (in quotes since I'm the only one in this house actually born in America), we have a cleaning lady. Yes, it's slightly shameful, and admitting it makes me cringe for a second. But then I remember that that glorious woman keeps me from having to vacuum or clean my bathroom, and then all I can feel is intense thankfulness that she's willing to do it for me.
I realize having a cleaning person come by is a privelege, so let's get that nicety out of the way. My mother, however, likes to make us feel the burden of this particular privelege to the point where I sometimes wish we'd just move to a tiny apartment just to avoid having more than a couple of rooms to clean!
The Cleaning Lady Pre-Show is a longstanding tradition in our house. It goes something like this - one hour prior to the scheduled arrival time of said cleaning lady, my mom turns into a tornado of OCD crazy and picks up literally every item off the floor of the house, depositing it on either a bed surface or haphazardly throwing it into a closet. Sometimes, she'll even vacuum the floor or scour the sink (her argument - we don't want to embarass ourselves with this filth!)!!!
Then there's the pre-show lecture. My mom wants to be certain that I don't forget that the cleaning lady shouldn't open closet doors, should pick any furniture she can up so that she can clean under it, and shouldn't spend too much time vacuuming the guest room. These sound like simple concepts, for sure, but please note that my mother cannot tell me any of these things without detailed visual demonstration. Because otherwise I don't know what "opening a closet door" means.
In true HouseDaughter style, though, I remind myself that since I'm unemployed and living with my parents, the least I should do is stay home and help supervise the cleaning lady while my parents goes to their real jobs and make real bank so that I can continue living here!
The cleaning lady has just arrived! HURRAY! Well, I'm off to do the laundry then. At least I have something to look forward to!
I am familiar with the cleaning lady pre-show, that happens at my parents' house too!
ReplyDeleteThe pre show happens at my house too. All the dog toys get picked up, the winter throws get folded and neatly draped over the furniture, and I even make the bed. The closet doors are left open, however, because I want them to vacuum in there. Last Monday my back hurt too much to make the bed, so they asked me if I wanted the sheets changed...Whoa, If they are willing to change the sheets for me, I'm never going to make the bed again on cleaning day.
ReplyDeleteBarb
I think this is a typical American thing. The part I don't get is that I have to spend at least three hours cleaning, so that other people can come in and also clean. Either way, my wife loves the concept of cleaning people. To me, it seems just like paying people to do stuff you're too lazy to do yourself.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if this is an American thing, I know lots of people in India with house cleaners!
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