I can’t quite remember if I’ve said this before but I firmly believe that all relationships come with a shelf life.

Yesterday one such relationship came to an end.

We woke up as usual to a lazy Sunday morning . We were about to settle down to a cup of tea when the young Lady of Shalott was ( our young maid who glides through the house ) informed us that Bayda the Bai had left home at 4 am. Bayda was fond of running off to her village so we didn’t give it much thought . But a few minutes later Hubby Dear discovered that she had actually de-camped bag and baggage !

Now I won’t say I was unhappy to see her go because of late she had become more of a liability rather than a help.

She had come to us around 20 years ago when Daughter No 1 was doing her school leaving exams. I remember that year we’ll because no mom can ever forget that all important exam and its associated angst. What was worse was Bayda’s stories of doom – how so many kids in her village jumped in the well because they had failed ! At that time itself I should have realised that she didn’t know her place and equated herself with me. But I dismissed it .

Over the years she got to know our entire family and we treated her with respect and affection too. For her birthday we not only gave her a cash gift but also give her a special treat of pizza or burger including an ice cream and an eggless cake.

I could go on and on about how we pampered her and indulged her and even tolerated her rudeness, arrogance and irresponsible attitude to her work. We even overlooked her filching things , treating it as a little game she like to play.

So it came as more than a shock when we found that she had run away the way she did. It was more a betrayal of sorts. Of course it was time for her to leave because she was getting on . And twenty years is a long time to work. But surely she should have the decency to tell us?

But every relationship does have a shelf life and a predestined path. So may be this was how it was supposed to end .

Sharing these thoughts with Corinne of EverydayGyaan at #MondayMusings

Thoroughly disillusioned,

And now as I dig around I find that she used to chew tobacco, up the almonds and cashews that were kept in the kitchen!