January 29

The Space Between Us
By Thrity Umrigar  

A tale of two women in recent times in Bombay.  Illiterate Bhima, who has lived in the slums her whole life, works for Sera, a recently widowed upper-class woman.  Bhima takes pride in her position as a servant in Sera's lovely apartment that she shares with her pregnant daughter and son-in-law, a place she cleans and polishes.  But although she knows its every corner, she is not allowed to sit on a chair nor eat using the family's dinnerware.  Bhima keeps a box with her own mug and spoon, and when she and Sera take tea together, Bhima squats in the corner of the dining room while Sera sits at the table.  This is not questioned.

Considering their class differences, the women share secrets about their marriages, and truly depend on one another.  Sera helps Bhima's granddaughters with college expenses, what Bhima dreams will lift them out of poverty and prevent Maya from a life of drudgery like her grandmother.  When Maya tells Bhima she is pregnant, all dreams and hopes are dashed.  Once again, her employer helps out; what would they do without Sera and her generous family?

This is a sad story about class and struggle in India that continues today.  Bhima blames her sorry state on lack of eduction.  More than once she was tricked by someone she should not have trusted but didn't know better.  Even this family she loves like her own, a family of status that in turns gives her status; in the end they, too, let her down.

This is a guest posting from Jean Warneke.  Thanks, Sis!