Our first destination would be Al Talal Supermarket--only 3 blocks away from our apartment building--to enjoy its efficient airconditioning. At its facade were coin-operated kiddie rides that Alisha loved. In my pocket was 2 fils and a few dirhams in case the ride had convinced her it's truly exciting.
As the night fell, more and more mums or nannies with their kids came. I guess those kiddie rides have become a panacea for all of us whose liberty to explore farther places by foot had been constrained because of the sinistrous humidity.
"Where's her mummy?" A lady inquired while pushing a cart alongside mine. It was an innocous question coming from an elderly lady.
Unfortunately, of all the questions, this one was not expected. I politely replied with a cold smile, "I'm her mummy." "Oh, okkk. Sorry. Beautiful kid!" then turned away. For the first time, it occured to me facial features and skin color can be confusing to other people. Alisha is the splitting image of my husband (with lighter complexion).
Many a similar misnomer followed in separate occassions like the airports in Manila, Hong Kong, and, yes, even here in Bahrain. There were times I told myself, "Alisha, pilizzz call me mummy now!", as I noticed a few presumptious rubbernecks.
This time I don't get upset anymore. Given the numerous times I've been mistaken to be my daughter's nanny, I learned the skill of giving the fastest, most polite, and appropriate reply possible.
I think it's ignorance more than the attempt to be disrespectful by these inquisitive people. Living in a multicultural society doesn't mean all posh and everybody looks, thinks, and acts the part. Nevertheless, I can survive desert summer.
haha Being mistaken for a nanny was one of my greatest fear :) Fortunately, it didn't happen to me abroad. Probably because the concept of nanny is alien in the Japanese world. Here in Philippines, I was mistaken for Niki's Tita. So yeah some people are really ignorant.
ReplyDeletenannies are great! and people from the middle east and hong kong, if they can afford, would have one or two for their own families.
ReplyDeletethese nannies (or earthly angels as i call them because the job they do is among the hardest in the world) can be euthopians, sri lankans, indonesians, indians, filipinos, etc.
so if people see a child not looking like his/her mother, automatically what comes to mind is, "she must be the nanny." i don't get bothered by such comment anymore as long as the inquiry doesn't come across as rude.
i just wonder if it happens to anybody else other than myself:-)