End of problem 2

I have a Tamil housemaid. She works part time. A short, peppy woman with chocolate skin and sparkling teeth. She loves talking, sharing her large and extended family's life and times with me. Though I understand not much as she mixes Tamil with her Hindi and a bit of English. Between these 3 languages, my house is cleaned and we get cooked food to eat.

She calls me Bhaaabi and my man Anna. Weekdays I am thankful as she gives Anna his bottle of warm water, which he gulps down first thing in the morning and then serves him tea in bed. And I peacefully leave for work while he gets a hot breakfast and I get a packed lunch.

And sometimes in between her stories she says, "Anna told me, no need to cook today. I am going to cook!" And I feel proud of my man. She then proceeds to peel potatoes and knead dough and I tell her, "He probably plans to cook something else. Forget the chapattis." She answers, "I usually help him with the washing and chopping." And I begin to wonder.

I go in search of my man and purr, "So honey, what do you plan to cook today?" And my prince who abhors domestic drudgery, growls "Why should I cook? Hasn't that woman turned up? What's wrong with her now? We pay her enough to cook for the neighbours too!!..."

I cover my ears and rush back to the kitchen, "When did Anna tell you he was cooking? He isn't, so get on with the chapattis!"

"What?? Ohh, Bhaaabi?! My husband, Anna! He's cooking at home today."

"You call your husband Anna??? Big brother???"

"Yes." She smiles shyly and I wonder how the equation works in her head.

Then there was the time when Anna said her kids education should not be stopped at any time for any reason. Yes, that's more like my man! "No, no, my husband said that," she grinned, white teeth blinding me.

And then one day, Anna told her 'not to come to work tomorrow' and I said 'okay' since we were planning to go visit friends the whole day. The night before I ask what time were we leaving and hubby says "Didn't I tell you, I have a recording tomorrow and then those other clients are coming home for dinner?"

"THEN WHY DID YOU TELL THE MAID NOT TO COME TODAY??!!"

"Why would I do that?"

Of course it was the other Anna at work.

I was lost for some time. Till I found the perfect solution.

She is no longer allowed to use the word Anna unless it's prefixed by "your" and "my" and she also has to make sure I understand whose husband she's referring to. So now she points forefinger at me and goes "YOUR Anna said..." and points thumb at herself"MY Anna did...". It's really funny but life has suddenly gotten much simpler.

Aah, end of a genuine problem!