In the six years since publishing 'Maid', the author reflects on the recurring question about whether they hire a housecleaner. They reveal their decision stems from their past experiences as a cleaner, feeling discomfort at the power dynamics involved. The struggle with poverty colored their journey, leading them to avoid replicating the dynamics they found oppressive. Despite gaining financial success as a writer, the author grapples with the remnants of their past and the societal implications of hiring help.
The truth was, I just couldn't bring myself to do it. When I worked as a housecleaner, I spent hours dusting rooms with objects valuable enough to pay for a weeks' worth of groceries that I desperately needed.
My clients were pleasant for the most part, but a handful of them weren't. Regardless, a noticeable power imbalance weighed on me whenever I had to get on my hands and knees to clean the floors and toilets.
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