Lessons from servants in Africa

Lesson number one of course is that you never ever call them that Few words are as casually derogatory as servants to describe someone who just happens to have been born too poor and disadvantaged to own your house instead of working in itIn Kenya I had a large stone cottage with a vast garden and more house help than Irsquove had before or since including a driver a nanny a housemaid two watchmen a cook called Hesbon and a 28yearold gardener called AlbertThe usual Indian attitude towards domestic help is casual disdain imperiousness and intolerance of even minor infractions When push comes to shove though rsquoservantsrsquo are inevitably scapegoats permanently flawed and guilty as charged even before the charge is knownIn Africa two incidents taught me about the need for both compassion and intelligence while dealing with those who work in our homes to help us live easierHesbon our first cook was close to seven feet tall and a really bad thief Sugar wheat rice vegetables would disappear from the kitchen always in large conspicuous quantities Everyone knew he was the one but one protects onersquos own so Hesbon stole with impunityOne day I did something tribal I summoned all the house help and sat them on the floor of the back porch I myself took a high chair which made me in their eyes the mkubwa the Big Man I first made them recount all the largesse they received from me On principle I have always offered my house help every benefit I received from my own employers including house rent medical coverage school fees for their children and a paid vacation They spoke in turn all agreeing that as a boss I had few peersldquoAlas one among you is unhappy with this generosityrdquo I continued with regret ldquoSugar rice flour and other things have been disappearing from the houserdquoEveryone nodded in commiseration including HesbonldquoI know who this person is but if I say the name that personrsquos job would end However should this person confess freely I may have an attack of compassion I will leave you now for 10 minutes to confer about what the next step should berdquoWhen I returned Hesbon was standing ldquoIt was I bwanardquo he said hanging his head He admitted conservatively to stealing a single cup of sugar once As promised I forgave him making him promise that hersquod never steal at least from my house againLesson Treat your house help as family and forgive little transgressions Expect the same human failings you see in your own familyI had no problems with Albert until he ate my sonrsquos pet rabbit Mr Grey Albert was a 28yearold youth and our perennially drunk gardener He had never done anything in a garden before except perhaps lurch around making passes at anything green But we were new to Africa and I decided a drunk gardener who didnrsquot know gardening was better than noneWhen I learnt that Albert had been seen leaving with my sonrsquos rabbit in a cloth bag I decided enough was too much and fired him Albert was a Luhya an emotional Kenyan tribe famous for its cooking skills and great love of litigation Kenyarsquos labour court was packed with Luhya judges and lawyersAlbert filed a case against me I received court summons in a week As a nonKenyan and expatriate the last thing I wanted on my record was a court caseI called Albert again He met me the next morning full of affection and alcoholldquoYoursquove always been like a son to me Albertrdquo I saidHis eyes misted and he said ldquoYou are my father bwanardquoldquoOn Christmas as you know I like to call all my staff and share a good bottle of winerdquo I said Christmas was three weeks awayThe mention of wine made his eyes mistierldquoIrsquod have called you of course but you have made it difficult by filing a case against merdquo Albertrsquos eyes welled with tearsldquoThat was a big mistake bwanardquo he saidldquoYes because you know nothing about gardeningrdquoldquoNot a thingrdquo he agreedldquoAnd you were always drunkrdquoldquoIt is my failing bwanardquo he saidldquoWorst of all you ate my sonrsquos rabbitrdquoHe was silent remembering ldquoWhat a dinner that wasrdquoWeeping copiously now Albert happily signed a letter admitting that I was a wonderful and tolerant employer and he an ungrateful alcoholic employee We then shared a glass of preXmas wine hugged each other and I never saw him againLesson Always keep things in writing when it comes to work but be kind firm and legalAs for Hesbon he worked two more years with me ldquoThe next time you want sugar or ricerdquo I told him ldquoplease ask me I will steal it for you myself from my pantryrdquoHere viewed from there C Y Gopinath in Bangkok throws unique light and shadows on Mumbai the city that raised him You can reach him at cygopigmailcomSend your feedback to mailbagmiddaycomThe views expressed in this column are the individualrsquos and donrsquot represent those of the paper