I had a house cleaning business for 10 years, back in CT – over 25 years ago, after a 5 year stint at being a programmer/analyst. (Not my world.)
I started out cleaning on my own and then slowly hired others to work for me. I paid them well and gave them raises when they were fully trained. They came and went. I loved them all in various ways, except maybe Trudy (not her name) who didn’t clean well – always failed the house checks. No idea why I couldn’t bring myself to fire her. I generally only fired people who were horrible – or who stole from clients as Lana did. It was a bummer to fire her. I fired another woman who looked through clients’ drawers during training. And a man who didn’t work out due to attitude and ability/willingness.
I was good at cleaning, hiring, and training. Iris, Eleanor, Billie Jean, Lana and Leigh Ann were the best cleaners – as good as or better than me. I really enjoyed Iris and I think of her from time to time …wish we were still in touch. She was a bright light. She recommended her friend, M (I can never remember her name) – who was very distant, but I had a good feeling about her. I think she was wary of employers, or maybe white people – probably for good reason. M didn’t last long. She got pregnant and invited me to her baby shower. It felt awkward but felt I should go. I realize now that she probably hoped for a substantial gift. I wasn’t loaded, we didn’t own our home, pretty much lived hand to mouth, no savings. I should have had savings by the standards of others, but I never learned to focus on money. (My dad was well-to do, but not happy.) Anyway, she probably thought we were rich, as bosses tend to be (maybe). The baby shower was very awkward. Very proper, and staid – good manners for my benefit. I knew it would have been a lot more fun without my presence and I never did understand until today why I had been invited. (Sorry, M.)
Last night I dreamed of Billie Jean, and everyone else flowed in. An abundance of warm memories.
In the dream I visited her. I was in her kitchen. I was glad to see her. (I do think about her from time to time.) She offered me guidance – several bits of advice about how to manage life – I’m not sure why. I thanked her for her advice and caring.
Her daughter came into the kitchen, still a child. She said (or I knew somehow) that she had always looked up to and admired me, though I think I met her only once or twice – and we just said hi.
In life, I had never been to Billie Jean’s home. I was not opposed to friendships with the cleaners (Eleanor was a friend) but I had 2 young children who kept me busy. [For the last 5 years of the cleaning, I could afford to stay home with them for the most part.]
The story of Billie Jean is that she was low key, humble, and a great cleaner. I paid a few of the women a bit more and she was one of them. She ran the business for me when I was away – washed and dried the cleaning rags, opened/locked my house if I wasn’t there, dealt with any issues, called me if needed. I would pay her additionally during those times.
At one point my family went on a one-month road trip, and I left Billie Jean at the helm. She learned the combination to the safe that cleaners dropped the day’s payments into, and she made the deposits into my bank account. I will forever be grateful to her. I had a wonderful trip and no concerns on the home/business front.
Later on, I found money missing once. Then again. After the 2nd time, I called Billie Jean into a private room when she returned from her day’s work …and confronted her. I had racked my brain and there was no other explanation. She admitted taking the money. She cried, and said she was in a terrible financial situation, explained it to me. She was behind on several bills and didn’t know what to do.
I was able to help her. Happily, I sat on a committee in our small city that granted funds to individuals or families who had a one-time financial crisis. I advised her to go a few months without paying and then apply to this organization for help. And she did. And she got the help.
This the only time I used the committee to get help for someone I knew, and I’m glad I did. She deserved help, and in truth, not many people knew about the available funds.
When I decided to move to NY, I foolishly left my 16-year-old in charge of my business. (She refused to leave CT, and the laws there allow 16-year-olds to get legally emancipated.) Long story short, it didn’t work out.
Clients started falling away, and I asked Billie Jean if she would take ownership of all the equipment, the remaining clients, etc. We agreed that she would pay me $50/month for some amount of time, but after a year she stopped paying me.
I wasn’t angry. I was surviving. I was glad for any service she could provide the clients who had trusted me with their homes.
I wasn’t able to reach her and tell her that. I didn’t know her address. (My daughter had brought the equipment to her.) I felt she carried guilt about this. It bothered me.
More than 10 years later, I finally was able to message her on Facebook. I learned that she had a surprise late-in-life pregnancy and stopped or slowed cleaning houses, worked as a janitor somewhere. It would have been nice if she had communicated with me, but she was never big on words.
And I have to trust life. Perhaps I wouldn’t have responded well. I wasn’t thrilled initially.
It was nice to see her in the dream. I tried today to check in but wasn’t able to send another message to her. I did send prayers of wellbeing and love and hope.
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8 hummingbird way 