Kisah Asisten dan Majikan

Beberapa minggu terakhir ini, rasanya sering sekali mendengar keluhan dari teman-teman yang kebetulan mempunyai asisten/supir disini. Mendengar cerita mereka, ada-ada saja kisahnya. Kalau sudah begini, rasanya sangat bersyukur tidak perlu makan hati meskipun kemana-mana harus menggunakan transportasi umum dan mengerjakan pekerjaan domestik sendiri, kecuali membersihkan rumah.

Cerita 1: Seperti Madam
Seorang teman, sebut saja A, baru saja mempekerjakan asisten. Awalnya sang asisten berpenampilan sederhana sampai kemudian ia sering mengamati ketika majikannya berdandan. Sang asistenpun mulai berdandan sampai-sampai ia minta ijin langsung pada A untuk berdandan meniru sang nyonya. Yang ada, sang Madam alias A pun hanya bisa bengong. Di satu kesempatan, sang asisten ikut A ke satu tempat. Sesampainya di sana, ada teman A yang menyapa dan menanyakan siapakah orang yang yang bersama A. Begitu dibilang asistennya, si teman terperangah sambil bilang "buset, heboh amat dandannya, majikannya aja kalah!!!" Si A pun cuma bisa geleng-geleng kepala. Lain waktu, A memergoki asistennya sedang berolahraga yoga di tengah-tengah jam kerja! Asisten A yang ini sangat peduli kesehatan dan penampilan rupanya :p

Cerita 2: Menonton TV
Masih dengan A, kali ini asisten barunya tidak seunik yang sebelumnya. Hanya saja, satu-satunya hal yang dikerjakan si asisten adalah menonton televisi..ck..ck..ck..Hal-hal yang telah diinstruksikan untuk dikerjakan tidak disentuh sama sekali. Sudah jelas, masa kerjanyapun tidak berlangsung lama.

Cerita 3: Salah Paham 1
Teman yang lain, sebut B, mempunyai tiga orang anak. Suatu hari, B minta asisten rumah tangga barunya untuk memandikan anak-anak sebelum ke sekolah yang diiyakan oleh sang asisten. Tunggu punya tunggu, anak-anaknya tidak kunjung muncul..tapi tidak lama kemudian muncullah si asisten yang sudah wangi dan rapi jali. B pun terheran-heran..ternyata si asisten mengira majikannya menyuruh dia mandi, jadi sebagai pekerja yang baik, ya dia menuruti apa kata majikannya. Melirik asisten yang sudah wangi sementara anak-anaknya belum siap, B pun hanya bisa mengurut dada.

Cerita 3: Salah Paham 2
C, seorang teman lagi, mendapat fasilitas supir dan mobil dari kantor suaminya. Suatu hari, kami sedang makan siang bersama di satu rumah makan. Ditengah acara, C pamit untuk menjemput anaknya. Karena sudah terlambat sementara supirnya ada di apartemen, C berinisiatif untuk pergi naik ojek ke sekolah anaknya dan menelepon supirnya untuk langsung pergi menjemput ke sekolah anaknya. Dari percakapan telepon mereka, tampaknya sang supir paham dengan instruksi majikannya. C pun pamit pergi..tidak berapa lama, tiba-tiba supirnya malah datang ke rumah makan tempat kami berkumpul..Oalah, ternyata pak supir salah mengerti. Rupanya, menurut C, kejadian ini terjadi bukan sekali dua, tapi sudah sering..apalagi kalau soal nyasar ketika cari alamat.

Mungkin besok-besok, akan ada cerita baru lagi tentang para asisten dan majikan ini. Kita tunggu saja :)

One of My Lucky Days

It has been raining a lot in Bangkok nowadays. Most of the days this month were started by grey skies and cloudy morning, and often, it happened for the whole day. Nevertheless, our activities wouldn't stop running, just like today. I planned to visit a friend at around 3 p.m., but few minutes before the clock stroke three, it rained heavily. I was thinking of canceling the visit, but then I decided to wait a bit with the hope that the rain would stop. At the end, we left the apartment around 3.40 p.m or so. I walked until the end of the alley, crossed the bridge and got off the stairs to find out that there were two other people ahead of me who were also in the taxi queue. Two taxis passed by us but as usual, they refused as soon as you told them where to go...so, there we were, under the rain shower, hoping to get a taxi as soon as possible. After some time, one taxi came but he seemed to ignore the sign from the two ladies as he kept driving, and out of the blue, he stopped right in front of me instead. I looked at the driver in surprise and so did the other lady. I got onto the taxi with curious feeling, why on earth he would take me but not other ladies? Later, I got the answer as he started the conversation and said that he has a three-year-old son at home..so no wonder he took us as I was with my son, too...parents' solidarity it is.

Since I have experienced refusal from many taxi drivers although they saw me carrying a baby, I would call it one of my lucky days..just like the other day when I was in a hurry to attend my appointment with the dentist and could not get neither taxi nor motor taxi/shiro (another type of public transport similar to tuk tuk), I finally found a vacant shiro whose driver agreed to take me after seeing my insistence.

Yep, taking public transports in Bangkok can be very tricky and on many occasions, you'll end up getting upset with the taxi drivers for not taking you to your destination while wondering what the reason is. At this situation, I often miss Jakarta where I won't experience any refusal to get onto the taxi by at least five to seven drivers at one time..pheww...

Jump for Joy in June

Amid the excitement of planning our summer holiday this year, I received a surprisingly wonderful news for my postponed project and a message from a good friend of mine. For the project, although it is not confirmed yet, the positive response I got might set the wheels in motion; as for the message, who can resist such a lovely invitation like this???

A day later, another message from my friend came in, saying that a traveling cot is ready for my little bunny a.k.a her grandson, how thoughtful she is, blessed her!

When I still lived in Bristol, I was often invited to her cozy and beautiful house, either to stay over for few nights or to enjoy delicious meals prepared for many special occasions. It was almost six years ago but I still remember every detail and moment of my life there...phewwww...time flies too fast! Few weeks from now, I'll be revisiting memorable Bristol, which is gonna be very very special as I will cherish every moment there with my two beloved boys.

Hello England, here I (we) come...and you, the weather, please be nice to us :)