Black Magic Woman

*Sigh*

It’s almost impossible to get good domestic help these days.

This morning, the MIL overheard our Indonesian foreign domestic maid (FDM) talking to her husband on a long distance call. I’d taken leave to stay home with the kids today. We were upstairs and MIL grew a little suspicious so she picked up the receiver to eavesdrop. After 3 seconds, MIL panicked and gestured wildly to me to listen in on the conversation. I wasn’t very keen as I had no intention of invading FDM’s privacy but MIL was visibly upset so I took over the receiver. I couldn’t really understand the exchange since it was in Bahasa Indonesia and then suddenly the call ended. As I hung up, MIL’s face was livid and she asked me what I’d heard. I couldn’t comment since I had no clue what was happening.

Apparently, the FDM was spelling my hub’s name to her own husband. Not once, but three times. She kept repeating it slowly. Unfortunately by the time I tried to listen in they’d moved on to discuss other matters. MIL also picked up some words like “hurry up” and “scared”. That was when realisation hit me – there was a possibility that FDM and her husband was planning to perform some black magic on my family.

The alarm bells rang furiously in my head. My first thought was to keep the girls away from FDM and send her packing quickly. It was a hush-hush operation: as MIL and I contacted the agent to inform them of our decision to cancel FDM’s work permit. We didn’t want to alert FDM and neither did we want FIL to panic. I called the hub and briefly summarised the incident. And just before noon, I spoke to FDM and told her we were sending her back to the agent but never mentioned about what we’d heard over the telephone. She didn’t seem surprised initially but as she was packing her belongings, she asked me if I was angry and apologised profusely.

*Sigh*

I don’t think she meant to cause us any harm but it was not a chance I was prepared to take. I bear her no grudge – being alone and far away from her family, she must have been desperate and homesick. The FDM’s been with us almost 6 months, and the kids get along with her. And if this incident hadn’t taken place, I would have no qualms about extending her contract if she wanted to remain in Singapore.

*Sigh*

For working mothers, it’s almost a hobson’s choice to engage domestic help. Unless I decide to give up my career and be a SAHM, I need a FDM to help take care of the kids and keep the home in a liveable condition. Besides, relying on a single income in this day and age is nothing short of financial suicide.

And so the search for another FDM continues. I need more than good luck. Perhaps some divine intervention?

*Sigh*