A 5-year old holds up his hand, "Juice." A cool juice box appears.
A 8-year old drops her backpack on the floor. The backpack gets picked up.
A 6-year old finishes dinner and leaves the table to watch a movie. The dirty dishes are washed.
A 9-year old skips and cartwheels into swim practice. Her sibling and giant swim bag are carried into practice for her.
American kids get this work done by their highly-trained servants. Unobtrusive, uncomplaining and unpaid, these are best servants I have ever seen. Not only do American kids have great servants, they don't even have to treat their servants like human beings. Coming from a servant-ridden society, I speak with experience.
An uncle told me this story from his childhood. He once ordered a servant, Bacchanlal, "Bring me some water." Next thing my uncle knew, he got slapped; a strong five-finger slap that left a mark on his face. Completely dumbfounded, he looked at the source of the slap, his mother (my grandmother, Dadi).
Uncle: Wha..wha..what did I do?
Dadi: How old are you?
Uncle: Eight.
Dadi: How old is Bacchanlal?
Uncle: 19?
Dadi: If you ever speak to an elder like that again, you will get another slap.
And that, kids, is how we interact with servants in India. American kids don't have to treat their servants with even a modicum of respect.
I once saw this between a tween and his servant as they were loading luggage into the overhead bin on a plane:
Tween: You idiot! If you put the laptop under the suitcase, the screen will get smashed. You are so stupid.
Servant: Sorry, I didn't know. I'll move it.
A 8-year old drops her backpack on the floor. The backpack gets picked up.
A 6-year old finishes dinner and leaves the table to watch a movie. The dirty dishes are washed.
A 9-year old skips and cartwheels into swim practice. Her sibling and giant swim bag are carried into practice for her.
American kids get this work done by their highly-trained servants. Unobtrusive, uncomplaining and unpaid, these are best servants I have ever seen. Not only do American kids have great servants, they don't even have to treat their servants like human beings. Coming from a servant-ridden society, I speak with experience.
An uncle told me this story from his childhood. He once ordered a servant, Bacchanlal, "Bring me some water." Next thing my uncle knew, he got slapped; a strong five-finger slap that left a mark on his face. Completely dumbfounded, he looked at the source of the slap, his mother (my grandmother, Dadi).
Uncle: Wha..wha..what did I do?
Dadi: How old are you?
Uncle: Eight.
Dadi: How old is Bacchanlal?
Uncle: 19?
Dadi: If you ever speak to an elder like that again, you will get another slap.
And that, kids, is how we interact with servants in India. American kids don't have to treat their servants with even a modicum of respect.
I once saw this between a tween and his servant as they were loading luggage into the overhead bin on a plane:
Tween: You idiot! If you put the laptop under the suitcase, the screen will get smashed. You are so stupid.
Servant: Sorry, I didn't know. I'll move it.
Inquiring minds want to know from where American kids get this subservient labor force.
Oh, did I forget to mention that these fabulous servants are the kids' parents? You know, the parents who paid for the juice box, the backpack, the dinner, the swim lessons and the laptop whose screen might get crushed. The parents who don't get a please, thank you or a helping hand. The parents who are abused and misused and yet, don't stand up for their rights.
Well I say: Rock on, American kids and enjoy having the best servants in the world!
Servants, perhaps a good martini might put some fire in your belly and give you the guts to throw off this oppression.
Vodka Martini
3 oz good vodka (one less swim class won't kill your masters)3 olives
Shake over ice, pour, throw in the olives, drink deeply and throw off your shackles.
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