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This is an archive article published on August 30, 2008
Jeeves, albeit Indian
It was Somerset Maugham who observed that American women expect to find in their husbands a perfection that English women only look for in their butlers.
Written by Georgennetto
August 30, 2008 12:00 AM IST
2 min read
2 min read
It was Somerset Maugham who observed that American women expect to find in their husbands a perfection that English women only look for in their butlers.nbsp;Little wonder then that the British memsahibs of Munnar expected much of their Indian butlers. The butler of that era usually began as a domestic help and worked his way up. En route, he picked up English, good manners, cooking skills, besides an unerring ability to sense his employer8217;s unpredictable mood swings.
Many an aspiring but uninitiated butler had his baptism by fire under British housewives who were sticklers for perfection.nbsp;If the eggs and bacon for breakfast were not properly 8220;done8221; or if the beef roast was 8220;botched8221;, memsahib would promptly fly off the handle.nbsp;However, the stolid aspirant took all this in his stride, adapting admirably to the memsahib8217;s whims.nbsp;He had little choice. Hence the usual faccedil;ade of unflappability so typical of butlers.nbsp;
Yet, many butlers developed into true professionals prized for their culinary skills. Some were versatile enough to take on tasks beyond their normal duties.nbsp;Sporting a hand-me-down tweed coat or pullover, a few even chauffeured the memsahib around Munnar.nbsp;In the dining room, however, the Indian butler was truly in his element 8212; a role model much like his British counterpart, always hovering in the background at mealtime without being intrusive and anticipating the needs of each family member.nbsp;And, apparently, there was mutual tolerance of each other8217;s foibles.nbsp;As one Scottish bachelor wryly observed, 8220;My butler and I smoke the same brand of cigars and drink the same brand of Scotch 8212; the only difference being that I pay for both!8221;nbsp;
Nevertheless, the long and loyal service usually paid off for the butler.nbsp;Every Christmas, some still receive a small remittance from their appreciative former employers or their children in 8220;Good old Blighty8221;.nbsp;
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