Maid on duty

It’s one of those days when I am held up at home having some time to chit chat with the two part time domestic helpers I have.  I find it very useful to gossip with these women because they give an insight into what is happening in the world around them. They always teach me a thing or two. You have to excuse them for talking nonsense too. They will have a lot of gossip; mostly about each other. The cook always complains of the housekeeping staff and vice versa if you have ears for them but if you listen carefully there are always some take away points.

So, this cook of mine, taught me to not throw away leftover food two years ago when she had newly joined. Since then I have started giving away the leftovers to my maid who carefully takes it home to her children who relish the food happily. So this time when my cook told me about another house that she works in, who wastes food, I proudly told her I don’t anymore. She then picked up a spoonful of food and asked me, not even this much? Well, that is too less to keep away for another day I told her. She said it’s enough to feed some ants. Wow! I thought. Why didn’t I see that coming? So now, I think before I throw away any food – is it enough for a human being? Little too less? Is it enough for a cow? Maybe for a stray dog? Some birds, surely? Ants perhaps?

The other maid who hails from North Karnataka, where most of the farming takes place told me that this time she went home, there was barely any crop growing at all. Her brothers who are all farmers are having a tough time making ends meet this season. This gave me all the more reason to not waste any food.

P.s. These refrigerators are a major cause for preserving and also for hoarding food that we no longer may eat. It is thrown out of the fridge once a week or whenever the next cleaning happens. Please think if you can use the leftover food in any way.