A strange thing about living here is the blatancy of the class system. In particular, the highly visible servant class who will do pretty much anything you want them to. From hanging your pictures to delivering beer and smokes at three A.M to raising your children; if you want it, and if you have money, there is somebody to do it for you. It is really not too far away from feudalism, which is arguably the most accurate description of the political reality here.
A few days after I was back at school, Catalina called me down to the Human Resources office. When I showed up, her face was an uncharacteristic blank.
“Gerald. Please sit down.”
“Yes m’am”
I sat, reprimanded. As Catalina bent over her desk to organize some loose papers, her blouse gaped dramatically offering a heart stopping glimpse that I dredged up the self-restraint to look away from. She smoothed her skirt and sat down. Something was wrong Maybe the parent council… Shit. I thought I had made it out of the woods with the whole prostitute thing…
“Gerry. You have not yet taken a maid.”
“I’m sorry?”
“You have not taken a maid. It is very important that you do so.”
“You mean a cleaning lady?”
“Yes. A maid to do the cleaning. Is very important you do it.”
“…But why? I’m perfectly capable of cleaning my own apartment.”
Catalina’s face clouded and her cute little surgically sculpted nose wrinkled in disgust.
“That is not right. You must have maid.”
“But I don’t want one. I don’t need one. Why should I have one?”
“Gerald, where you live is important to have maid. Everybody takes one.”
“But I don’t want one.”
“You will take one. It is the custom and is very rude to not make special the custom.”
“Not make special the custom? What the hell are you talking about?” The second it left my lips I was sorry for the insult. Catalina’s response was cold.
“I am sorry my English is not to the standard.”
“No. Catalina. I’m sorry. Your English is great. I’m being a bastard. I just don’t understand why I need a maid. I don’t want somebody in my house. My Spanish is terrible. I don’t want somebody who I can’t understand washing my underwear and cleaning my toilet. It’s embarrassing.” She looked at me skeptically, and then sighed.
“Gerry. I will explain. In my country, it is the obligation for those with the money to make job for those who don’t have the money. It is very rude for a person with the money to no make a job for somebody.”
“I see.” Pondering that for a minute, I found my eyes wandering to Catalina’s breasts. I honestly didn’t mean them to but it happened every time… They lingered there only for a second but when I looked up her large brown eyes were smiling at me mockingly. I turned instantly red.
“Gerry, you are distracted.” Her smile was infectious. I couldn’t help but to smile back while all the while wondering what the smile meant. This woman scared the hell out of me but made me absolutely crazy.
“Of course. I’m sorry. Well, I guess I better get a maid then eh?”
“Yes. Is for the best. Can I help you?”
“I would love it if you would help me.”
“You know that you can always ask me for anything and I will help you.” The teasing smile still played on her pouty lips.
“Anything?” Things were getting unbearable.
“Anything Gerald.” She leaned over the desk and held out her hand. I took it. It was warm, soft, and pulsating with electricity. And then, a switch flipped somewhere and she was all business again. She had me sign a form and briskly ushered me out of her office, her hand on the small of my back, her smell utterly paralyzing. A minute later I was back in my classroom, completely wrung out, confused, oddly frightened, and with the unwelcome promise of a brand new stranger who would be invading and occupying my house the next day and twice a week thereafter.
