Good bye, Rina

Today we are bidding goodbye to our indo maid, Rina who has been with us for a short 6 months. The purpose of having her with in our house in the first place was because Grandpa is senile and seriously in need of someone to take care of him, erm......more to taking care of his 'output'. My parents decided to take care of him when they moved back to penang early this year. Previously, Grandpa has been staying with the youngest aunt in KL for a year or so. They are seldom at home, which I don't know why since they are not working anymore. So Grandpa was left in Rina's hand in the double-storey house everyday. They will not care whether he eat, or sleep or is healthy or not. I believe they think they shelter they gave was more than enough. Since then, Grandpa has been shrinking till you can see only the skin is covering the bone. He has refused to eat, and was always lying on the sofa whole day long. Sometimes, he couldn't even control his pee and poo. Rina told us, aunt's husband (I called him Uncle) once brought Grandpa to walk in a nearby park and Grandpa just poo there and then. Uncle was so embarrassed that he just told Rina to clean up and he himself ran away.

Mum, the filial daughter in law, took over the duty and so Grandpa and Rina were brought back to our tiny apartment. A 700sqft with 6 occupants. Since the arrival of Grandpa and Rina, the house was in havoc till last week. Almost everyday something will break or gone missing. I found our rhino with a broken leg but still standing as if nothing has happen. The table mat flew off the window. The laughing Buddha statue my sis bought from S'pore was turned into so many pieces, I wouldn't recognise it had I not been told. The fridge magnet was separated from the magnet itself. The newly bought dining table and chairs have scratches you'll think it was bought a few years back. Oh....there are so many more I couldn't possibly list them all. Everything that happened, she never failed to give excuses. The limp rhino could only happen if she throw it back to the floor when she was sweeping. But she didn't say a thing till I saw it one morning. She could almost swear she kept the table mat already and it's just misplace. My mum was furious that Rina didn't want to admit her mistake, instead is full of excuses. So Mum let her find high and low for the not-in-the-house-anymore-mat. After searching for nearly an hour, then only she told Mum a big maybe the mat flew of the window. To that, she received a BIG scolding and lecture from Mum. The fridge magnet, she said it just fell down by itself but Mum suspected it fell when Rina open the fridge to take a peep, which she was not suppose to do so. Every other things that were broken, she has put the blame on my poor senile Grandpa.

That's not all. It's hard to bring Grandpa to everywhere my parents go. So together with Rina, they will have the whole house to themselves till anyone of us is back, except our bedroom which we keep our personal things. My parents come back time was quite consistent. So Rina will know when to prepare herself to be goodie good girl. There was a few times when Mum came back unexpectedly and caught her running to bathroom to hide ( we couldn't figure out why) or was struggling to swallow with her mouth full of I-don't-know-what. Sometimes she was even caught playing the piano or lying on the sofa. Mum found that some of her food is missing sometimes. With all these, Mum will sometimes quiet as a mouse, slip into the house without her noticing it. Once Mum saw her with a broom in one hand and another with the TV remote control. Obviously, Mum, the good hearted lady couldn't just scold her. So she walk out again and purposely open the grill loudly. In a spilt second, the TV is off and there she was, sweeping like a VERY GOOD maid. Sigh....my mum is so kind to just keep an eye close for most of the mistakes Rina made. She always said she don't want a maid cause she couldn't command others to do things. But that didn't happen to us. We'll get nag nag nag till the chores are done, perfectly.

Leaving Grandpa in Rina's hand does cause anxiety in every member of the house, including both my married sisters who are leaving else where. This was because Grandpa has fell a few times but he couldn't remember the incident for long. Sometimes when my parents came home to find Grandpa quiet and act differently, they'll know that something happen AGAIN. Either he fell down and knock his head or there are bruises on his hands and legs. No, Rina will not report anything also till she's forced. Sometimes I pitied her for the sleepless night Grandpa gave her but other times, I just felt like slapping her face. You'll know something is wrong when she mumbles to your questions. The most unforgivable thing she did was she slapped both Grandpa's cheeks. Luckily, my parents came back within Grandpa's memory time frame so he can still relate the incident. This made Dad and Mum so furious, Rina received a good scolding till she don't dare to make a noise and was sad the whole day.

If she is the kind that is hardworking and obedient, we will definitely appreciate her and treat her better. if not for her to take care of the poo and pee, she'll be dispensed so long ago. She's been in Malaysia for 3 years and been to 3 houses. The first employee reported Rina stole $$ from them. So they sent her back to the agent. The second employee, which was my aunt, caught a man in their home upon coming home early one Sunday morning after Sunday class. We decided to change her before this but due to the long processing period and extra charges to get new one, we have to stick to her till today.

Grandpa was ill and warded to Hospital last week. Now he's bedridden and on only liquidize food thru tube, Dad and his other siblings feel that the special care center will be a better place compare to taking turn feeding him. A wrong move will cause life....no jokes. Arrangement was made and Grandpa is in the new home since yesterday. Leaving Rina alone in the house will not be a wise choice. Furthermore, we can take care of our laundry and the house ourselves. With this in mind, she'll be put on bus back to KL today. So does not know it before hand, for fear she'll make plot to keep the stolen things on her body. Dad will take her down for lunch and Mum will join them later after she pack Rina's bag. Hopefully, she'll be able to go back to her hometown with her hard earned money thru all this year.

GOODBYE, RINA!