(no subject)

[sythyry]

Hiring a Maid [5 Trandary 4261]

Havune and I looked around, asked around.

Darkwad is a Rassimel man, about the same age as me. He has recently come to Vheshrame, and is trying to find a job. He has no great degree of experience. He is an excellent cook -- we invited him to cook lunch for us and eat it with us, and he looks like he knows which end of a knife is which. As for cleaning: he can put things on shelves; he can sweep floors; he can wash dishes; he can hoist a basket of clothes to a washer's. These are not things demanding great skill. He seems quite eager -- I gather he has not been eating as well as he might like, since he got to town.

Jarmiet is a Cani woman, perhaps my own age or perhaps a bit more. She is the maid of our Evil Neighbors, and until First Day or so she was the maid of a count's daughter of Psent who got nervous about something and zoomed home to Psent at the end of last semester. Jarmiet cooks poorly by Ghirbis' standards, which is to say, Jarmiet generally avoids mice and arhoolie leaves. Havune tasted her pocker soup, and declares it ordinary and acceptable. Havune also inspected a just-tidied room in Ghirbis' apartment, and declared that ordinary and acceptable too. Floosh knows her and gives her a good name.

Tsevehandra is a Rassimel woman, some sixty or seventy [World Tree] years old. She cleans for a building of Orren mostly down the street. She is looking around for more reliable clients -- specifically, she wants to drop one set of clients and find a better one. She would not let us see her current clients, for that would be telling them. (I snuck over and glanced in windows under the cover of night. They looked acceptable.) She has been tending student apartments for forty years or so. She has no visible enthusiasm. Floosh knows her and gives her a good name, too.

So, we have two questions now:

1. Who is allowed to vote on this? Just me, since I am paying? Havune and Dustweed? Tethezai, who does not actually live here? Dubaille, who is actually living here but the rest of us dislike?
2. And then, which one should we choose?

[Poll #176623]

Seeks-Strenata

Strenata and I were to go for a stroll in Ghaln-Yastrou Park this evening, the hour before sunout. I thought we had agreed to meet at my home, since it is, after all, between hers and Ghaln-Yastrou Park. I was ready -- I swear it! Half an hour after that time, Strenata was nowhere near me.

Perhaps, I thought, she had thought we were to meet at her home? I flew as fast as I could, up and over, and scratched. Oonspath answered.

Oonspath:"Why hallo to you, Sythyry. What brings you here at this hour of the night?"

Me:"I was looking for Seeks-St.-Trebulican's-Classroom, or whatever she's called today."

Oonspath:"She went out riding with Nestrune an hour or two ago. She should be back shortly, unless, of course, she is not. Don't look so horrified, Sythyry! Anyone could be hungry after going riding, and especially if she forgot dinner beforehand."

Nestrune? Nestrune Kreslink, Crown Prince of Daukrhame? If there's anyone less suitable for Strenata than Nestrune currently attending the Academy, I cannot think of who -- he is the highest of rank of anyone I know personally, and obnoxious as well.

Well, if she uses him as a riding companion, I suppose I can hardly complain, for I cannot ride. Still, I can stroll as well as any other prime, and I do think she should have come to me for that.

Comments

[redbird]

I voted for Darkwad for two reasons: one, he's a better cook, and two, you don't need to provoke the Evil Neighbors by hiring someone away from them, or give them access to/information about your home if she works for both households.

[coppercheetah.livejournal.com]

I would think that experience in a maid would be highly desired, for which Tsevehandra would far and away be the obvious choice (After all, her entire life has been spent pretty much tending to apartments!). It also means that with experience, one could truly hope that Tsevehandra would have learned discretion, especially in the case of the... unique affection associations expressed in Sythyry's apartment. Floosh's recommendation also gives a check in her favor.

However, it seems curious that her culinary skills were not mentioned: Mealtime is one of the unavoidable times when servant and employer MUST interact, and is generally why good culinary skill makes or breaks the whole relationship. Isn't it too bad that the Orren in the building down the street can't be asked about her cooking (and give Sythyry a cheap and easy excuse to go introduce zirself to a whole crowd of Orren, the pity!)

[terrycloth.livejournal.com]

Darkwad: A quite unfortunate name! I have to vote against him, unless you promise to call him something different in your journal. Also, he seems desperate and has few ties to the area, so you might find him prancing off on day with whatever valuables he can scrounge. On the other hand, you're all students and don't have many valuables, and good cooking can make up for a lot.

Tsevehandra: Burned out and looking for an easy job. Probably won't deal well with Havune's pickiness or your orren friends.

So, I'd say Jarmiet.

I'd also let everyone in the apartment vote, though, including Tethezai since she's a friend and Dubaille since his possessions will be at risk. I'd also ignore their votes and hire whoever I liked, if it turned out I wasn't as ambivalent as I thought after hearing their choice.

As for Strenata and Nestrune... worrying if the insinuations are true (Nestrune has had relationships with orren before, hasn't he?) but probably just Oonspath trying to needle you -- that is, there's *probably* a good reason she went out, even if it was with him.

[perlandria.livejournal.com]

Darkweed is inexperienced, and so does not know if he is suited to the work. The other monster who brought up the lack of local associations does have an excellent point. He would be better to try and be a houseman under a butler than a single servant if he likes this career path.
Tsevehandra is lying by ommision to the point of causing potential harm to her current employers. That is not a good precident.
Jarmiet, well, I am on record as cani-leaning in this matter. But she is experienced, open about her employment history, has been throughly inspected on cooking and cleaning - all of which counterbalance the VERY brief time she has had with Evil Neighbors for me.
How to Evil neighbors feel about her looking for another post?

[alari.livejournal.com]

Sounds like the first one needs it the most, not having any other source of income. (My present circumstances may leave me biased, but I think I'd choose the same way even if I was employed) ^.^;

[rowyn]

On the matter of a maid: Let no one else vote but yourself. But solicit the opinions of all your housemates, and of Tethezai. They may, after all, have information you do not, and it won't hurt to know who they'd like hired.

For my own part, I would lean towards Jarmiet or Darkwad. Enthusiasm is a good quality in an associate. Floosh, I gather, had no opinion on Darkwad? You might see if he has any references, or at least folks who could vouch for his character

Seeks-Strenata

[rowyn]

Perhaps you are reading more than is necessary into her choice of riding companions? Is it unusual for a given Orren to have a number of friends with whom she engages in different activities -- or even the same activities at different times?

On the other hand: it is quite bad of her to miss your engagement. Unfortunately, forgetting such things seems to be a habit with her -- a very inconsiderate habit. :/

[pobig.livejournal.com]

I'd suggest letting everyone vote, if only because it eliminates the possibilty of a tie...

[jareth-atian.livejournal.com]

I think that none save Sythyry should get a vote, but that all ought to be polled for their opinions. And given past history, I would imagine that Dubaille's suggestion should be ignored in the most polite way possible.

My vote is, of course, for you to purchase Darkwad's services. A male who can cook should be taken advantage of at the first opportunity.