My cleaning person fired me.
Friday, November 21, 2008 My cleaning person, who wasn't very good, fired me. She even made me cry. I know I'm not completely alone when I share that someone's obvious, unchanging dislike for me, makes my desire for that person to like me, even stronger. You well-adjusted, secure people probably have no idea what I'm talking about.
I can receive feedback about my personal idiosyncrasies. I can look in the mirror and say to myself, "Self. You really need to find balance in that area of your life."
I'm a little... persnickety. BUT, I'm kind and diplomatic (usually) and can laugh about my quirks. Chris will tell you - I've come a long way.
Two weeks ago I told the cleaning person - AGAIN - that I really prefer the same two or three people cleaning our home. The main cleaning person originally had one other gal that cleaned with her, and the two of them did a great job. Several months passed and the main cleaning person began bringing two or three extra people each time - and it was rarely the same "crew". This bothered me.
I politely explained - THREE YEARS AGO - that I wasn't comfortable with strangers in the house, seeing every nook and cranny of our lives. In my opinion, it's very intimate when someone cleans your home. I wanted some consistency. It was also exhausting telling the new people things that I'd already covered multiple times - like... Please don't use Windex and Pledge on EVERYTHING, or When you bang the vacuum into the baseboards, it leaves black marks - DO YOU SEE ALL OF THOSE BLACK MARKS ON THE BASEBOARDS? THE BASEBOARDS THAT I JUST PAINTED AGAIN? (I know, I'm sick. I need a frickin' life.)
There's usually a language barrier with the rotating "helpers" as well. So even if I try to politely say, "You really don't need to Windex the walls, but thank you!", I just get head nods and smiles in return. It's been frustrating.
So two weeks ago, I'd had it. I stomped around and sighed passive-aggressively while two more strangers Windexed and Pledged every surface in the house, left new, loooong, black marks on the baseboards, and lingered in the office looking at "stuff".
I told the main cleaning person I wanted to talk to her. I said I was frustrated with the situation. I asked if there was anyway she could schedule the same couple of people to clean with her, or if she wanted to just clean our home herself, I'd happily co-clean with her. I said some other things too...
We left it that we'd talk before her next scheduled cleaning day, which is today.
I called her yesterday afternoon. "Have you put any thought into how you'd like to handle tomorrow?"
She replied, "It my be too lay to tell you, but I not cleaning for you no more. Las week, you were un-respectful."
"What?! No. No. No. No. No. YOU were un-respectful. And THIS is unprofessional. I am a nice person. I have always been generous with you, and communicated kindly, and complimented your work. My ONLY issue has been the revolving door of people in MY house. You've assured me repeatedly that you understood and would bring a consistent crew. But you haven't. For three years!"
She said, "We hab our own oh-pinion. Dis conversation is ober."
"What?! No. No. No. No. No. I have more to say. This is important to me. I was calling YOU to tell YOU that YOU don't need to clean our home. [Not true - I was hoping she would still come and we could figure out a person or two she could bring on a regular basis.] Now, part of owning your own business is being able to work through a difficult spot with a client... blah blah blah," I lectured.
"I need to go. Dis conversation is ober."
"What?! No. No. No. No. No. I called you...!"
Click.
I called Chris at work, told him I was having a bad day on top of an already intense, busy couple of weeks. "No, I'm not PMSing, I don't know what it is. I think I just don't like people."
Chris said, "I don't like people either... But I like you."
I heard the smile in his voice.
Thanks. I like you too.
Reader Comments (26)
Have you ever read Nickle and Dimed? It's made me distrust the whole cleaning community.
And Chris is adorabbbblllleeeeee!! I like him tooooo. LOL!
This is why I only say hi and thank you to the cleaning people, I'm afraid of these kinds of situations.
Love the end ;)
I completely understand how you feel about having people in your house like that.
I guess she must be pretty excited about that $1000 that Obama promised her....
It's a bit embarrassing to complain, though--I seriously have told Rich that one of the things I love about him is the fact that he's always had other women, and if he ever stops the cleaning service, I may go, too.
Deidre - I haven't read "Nickel and Dimed". I'll Google it. I like you too.
Thedemigod - I'd rather just come visit you. Forget cleaning the house! I'm glad you like Chris too - he's a nice person AND adorable - like you.
Anna - I'm flattered. I like you too. You're a wise, wise woman. No talky - just cleany.
Joe Girl - I think we all do it better ourselves. It would just be nice to have a little help - good help - not perfect, but good. My expectations are realistic.
Dr. Zibbs - Yeah. That'll show her. Did you read this?
Connie - I don't know what she was thinking. She wouldn't talk to me. I almost screwed myself into the ceiling out of frustration.
Debby - Sounds like we're in the same boat, only your half-ass cleaning person didn't fire you. So humiliating. Stick to your guns on the cleaning service demand with Rich. I agree with you that it's relationship altering.
Seriously, why bother with someone that fails to satisfy?? Sounds like they sucked, find someone else and don't sweat it. And tell the next people WHY you were unhappy with the last so they know not to do that stuff from the get go.
I'm pretty sure I could never have a cleaning person because I would have to make sure my house was clean before she came to clean it. Also, it wouldn't make sense for the following reasons: I work from home, my house is small, and I love bleach.
Sherri - You're right. Chris says that all the time. I know you have high standards for clean too - it IS hard. I think the cleaning person was stressed because the house was always in pretty good shape when she arrived. I love bleach too.
The Floydster - Thank you Anne. I think the cleaned the walls because they were trying to look busy. But if I said anything, I was a jerk.
Vodkamom - No. She did me a FLABOR. You're a nice friend, although I'm not a violent person. Maybe you can hold her so she has to listen to me. I wasn't done talking.
But I understand Spanish, you see, and I didn't like them either.
Caca faces.
Hey, why don't you come over to my place and win some jewelry and you'll feel all better?
Dis conversation is ober now.
Love,Claire
And it's always nice to know you're liked!
I also don't like people.
I've been lucky to have a great cleaning lady for a few years, and she always brings the same helpers with her. If they find loose change, down to even a penny, they put it in a spot where they know I will find it. If you move here, I'll loan her to you. :-)
Hope you find someone new soon, and that it's someone whom you can trust and will listen to what you need from the service.
I had a cleaning person on occasion, for a while, and hated every flippin' minute of it. My husband, who grew up with a maid (and a nanny, and a gardener, and lobster bisque for dinner most nights) did not understand, but after a while he stopped TRYING to understand, and stopped trying to get ME to learn to like it, and...now, we live with whatever mess I don't manage to conquer. It's not ideal, but at least I am not stomping around like a nutcase.
Glad to see you over at my blog!
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