Meet  Radha Bai

I struggle to find the right word to to describe who she is. As I wait for my fingers to find some synchronicity  with my heart;  for the words to flow without thought, I become aware of the warm and fuzzy feeling inside me when I take her name. In the traditional sense she is my maid.  She spends a few hours everyday at my place, cooking and cleaning for us.  But to label her so, wouldn’t do her or our relationship justice. She does so much more !

She has been with me for over a year now. I was quite lucky to have found her almost immediately after I had to let go of my previous maid. I recall feeling very cautious of  her initial niceness. I wondered how long this ‘act’ last, feeling that eventually her true colours will start to show. And indeed it did, within the first 2 days

During our initial days, When I opened the front door at 7.00 am, I would be greeted by this ever so bright chirpy and loud woman. My senses would be rudely awakened as I am usually quieter in the mornings and  ease into the day with  soft music, yoga and  meditation. It took a while to get used to that level of aliveness that showed up at my doorstep every single day!. It’s an acquired taste,  and now my mornings seem incomplete without it.

There is so much to write about who she is, and more about the conversations she and I have everyday. Some are rib tickling funny, while some others are deeply philosophical and spiritual. We have out bad days too. And there are times what we take turns being the  all wise one. Some many stories, that I even considered starting a separate thread to write about her.

She is in her late forties, barely 5 foot tall, with so much zest, energy and character stuffed into that small package. She has a strong sense of self .She would say stuff like, ‘I know who I am, and I don’t need any validation of that from the outside’. She is quite hard-willed and is a go getter, knows what she wants from life and is ready to shift and transform herself into any form to create it. She is highly opinionated. She is all that and yet quite open to feedback. She doesn’t play small in life because she is ‘just a maid’.

I would like to share something she spoke about last evening. It is actually about her experience with an Uber driver.

There was this one day, that she waiting for an Uber. When it came, a stylishly dressed woman got out of the cab and walked away. She was wearing a long dress with a slit. As she walked away, her dress for caught in the wind, and obviously showed some skin. This was something Radha Bhai and the driver noticed.

When she got into the cab, 

The driver commented derogatively, ‘I wonder what kind of profession she would be in’

Radha Bai, ‘Why do you say that’

Driver, ‘Just look at her clothes and how she carries herself, its obvious! ‘

Radha Bai,  ‘What is your profession?’

Driver, ‘This is my profession, I drive the Uber’

Radha Bai, ‘ Then I suggest you focus on your profession ! Your job to driver the passenger to their desigination, whether they are fully clothed or naked. What they wear or not wear is of no concern to you! ‘

Driver, ‘_______________’ (silence)

Radha Bai, “Did you get paid ?, did she pay you for the ride’

Driver, ‘yes’

Radha Bai, “Then my dear brother, mind your own business! ’ (translation,  ‘Appo ente ponnu chetta, ningalu swantham karyam nokkiyal pore?”’

That was her badass response !

More to come …

 

Sheena Yusuf
Life & Relationship Coach (CPCC)
Professional Photographer

sheenayusuf@gmail.com
http://www.sheenayusuf.com
http://livingwabisabi.org