During COVID, like most Kenyans, I was rendered jobless. Since I don’t like begging for money, I decided that I would settle for any job that came my way. It’s better getting a 7,000 salary then staying home and accusing relatives of not helping me yet I’m a complete woman with a functional brain.
The first job that came my way was of a house help position in Loresho. The family had 2 children studying in international schools and they needed a house help who is quick to learn and fluent in English as the children rarely communicated in Swahili. The salary was 20,000. I couldn’t resist this offer.
Upon confirming that I was available to start work immediately, they booked for me easy coach and sent their driver to pick me when I arrived in Nairobi. I was awed by their house. My room was complete with a bathroom plus AC. It even had a 3 seater leather sofa that they chose to keep it there because they were not using it. My room equalled a bedsitter in Umoja.
Then the rules were given out by mama kariuki.
1 I was not allowed to talk to baba Kariuki.
2. I was not allowed to smile at baba Kariuki
3. I was not allowed to have eye contact with baba Kariuki.
4. I was not supposed to be where baba Kariuki was.
5. I was not supposed to dream about baba Kariuki.
6. I was not supposed to think about baba Kariuki.
7. I was not supposed to plan a future with baba Kariuki.
8. I was not allowed to pray or fast for baba Kariuki because that was her duty as the wife.
Basically, 90% of the rules revolved around baba Kariuki. She was kind enough to allow me dress whichever way I wanted but the dress had to be below the knees and my off was every Sunday.
You should learn that mama kariuki loves employing older women… probably women in their 50s or late 40s. I was a bother to her but her children and husband loved me.
The worst habit about me is that I scream at anything that means danger. Whenever I sensed danger, I would let out a loud scream and the first person to come to my rescue was always baba Kariuki. Baba Kariuki would throw mama kariuki like a sack of potatoes to come to my rescue.
Ma kariuki used to complain of this habit but baba Kariuki would ask her to understand that I’m someone’s daughter and if something bad happened, they would be responsible. Mama kariuki thought of getting the attention too and started screaming unnecessarily like me. Baba Kariuki would react the same way he did to me. The only problem was that her screams were nonsensical. Baba Kariuki would find her screaming and claimed that tea burnt her tongue, her phone fell down, her acrylic nail broke or just something stupid. He started ignoring her.
On my last day at work, my shower was faulty. I started bathing when it was okay and sooner after I completed applying soap, my shower was removing extremely hot water. I didn’t know it was that hot because my eyes were closed because of the soap. When I landed under the shower, I let out a terrifying scream. A scream that could resurrect the notorious thug called Wanugu. Mama Kariuki started screaming too. Baba Kariuki ignored her and rushed to my rescue.
It was after he landed that he noticed my shower was removing extremely hot water and unfortunately, mama kariuki arrived when I was tying my towel. She started accusing baba Kariuki that he must have touched my behind because baba Kariuki loves big behinds yet she didn’t have a big behind. Mama Kariuki terminated my employment at that point. She accused her husband of neglecting her and having his eyes on me. She paid my fare and I was bundled up in easy coach the same night. That’s how a faulty shower made me lose my lucrative job.