The Ladies of the Swamp

I don't cook for him. He does his own baking.
I don't clean for him. He tells me that fills up his day.
I don't take him for walks; it's too early in the day and too cool for him.
I come from a home where I am run off my feet and regularly putting in 15 to 20 minutes of freebie unbilled extras and I go to a home where a client is dying a conscious death and I can only do what he is comfortable with me doing. That client would prefer his wife to do it all.

In the door I walk like the Queen of everything and either we sit in the living room and watch the traffic through the hole in the shrubberies his grandson clipped or we sit in the dining room and yap while playing cards. I feel a bit guilty for enjoying it so much.

"Aww come on please.... let me do something!"
"You are doing something!"
"Yeah? I am sitting on my butt. You should see what I have to do elsewhere Sir. I should be working here."
"Aren't I your client? I say you're working so you're working."
"All righty. What, exactly am I doing?"
"Wouldn't you feel a little lonely if you sat in your house all day with noone to talk to? Wouldn't you enjoy someone coming who listens to you and is good company? Wouldn't you say that's more important than taking pleasures away from me?"
"Ah, ok."

We sat for an hour, the hour I am supposed to be cooking and showering him (but he is full and showered hours ago) and he told me about his family.
"They got no time for me."

He understands they are all working and busy. What he does not understand is his own family not calling him. His sister... who is 16 years or more younger.
"Bah she is too busy."

"Busy? What doing?"

"Ah she is a Lady of the Swamp."

"Eh? Lady of the Swamp?? What is that?"

"Eastern star I think you call it."

We laughed for about 4 minutes. I am sorry all you Eastern Star types.
It was just such an honest comment.

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