A few days ago, I asked Jane if she had a needle and thread. Guys may not have any idea about this, but the ladies do. If a button comes off your blouse or that slit on your dress rips, you need these two items to fix it. Jane’s reply to my simple request left me feeling both angry and humiliated.

"Who still sews their own clothes in this day and age?” she asked, implying that if your dress or other clothing item tore, you should either forget about wearing it or at the very least, take it to a tailor. I felt so small and wondered why she just didn’t tell me she didn’t have a needle or thread.

I later found time to go to the shops, where I bought my own needle and thread and proceeded to repair my clothes. Imagine my surprise when a couple of days later, Jane asked me to help her with the said items.

I was amused not only at her lack of shame but also what seemed like a short memory to me. "I thought people don’t stitch their own clothes anymore,” I was itching to tell her if only to remind her of her rude comments only a few days back. Common sense stepped in to curb my tongue and I gave her what she had asked for.

What surprised me more, however, was that she went ahead to pass "my” needle and thread onto the neighbours. You know the communal policy here. I worried that my now precious items would get lost, as they made their journey from one house to the next.

So I asked Jane to return them since she’s the one who had given them out. Speaking of communal things, the only neighbour with the flat iron moved house. So we can no longer iron our clothes. I can’t tell you how challenging this is. Good thing is that we have uniforms for work which don’t need to be ironed so customers can’t see my creased clothes.

When I get my salary, I will make sure to buy some wash and wear clothes to sort this ironing thing. Shouldn’t I buy an iron instead? Well I thought about that but the "big” price aside, I worry that it will be spoilt by virtue of the many hands that handle it.

Meanwhile, things at work took a rough turn mid week. Our supervisor whom we had dubbed "middleman” was sacked. We were told by one of the managers that he had committed financial improprieties and had cost the company several francs.

The barman has also been suspended after he was caught doing hanky panky with one of the waitresses, when he should have been tending the bar. We have been warned not to date anyone we work with, let alone the clients or risk following in Jimmy, the bartender’s shoes.

The work environment is still tense and we’re all very cautious, lest we’re shown the door like our former colleagues. I miss our supervisor already because he always made us feel good, despite the tough circumstances we’re often subjected to.

At the moment, one of the Chinese is the acting supervisor until a suitable replacement is found. Apart from the fact that he speaks really poor English, he’s also rude and has the worst temper. When he’s talking to you, a passer-by can be forgiven for thinking he’s quarrelling. He also second-guesses everything we do.

I hope they hire another supervisor real soon, preferably a local one because this other man is simply hard to work with.

To be continued...
 
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