School aquaintance rang up to offer to employ me as a cleaner....

[Yougottalaffdarlin888]

This person - shall we call her Miranda? She's from a rich family and I knew her at school. I work in Ceramics and she's moving in posh dynamic circles, with a large house, no kids, single - etc. We're struggling artists, but we make do.

She rang me up and said, "I need a cleaner" in a brisk tone.
I said, "I can't help you. We do our own cleaning, so I don't know of anyone who employs a cleaner... and... nope sorry"
She got irritated and said "I want YOU to be my cleaner. Tenner an hour"
I thought, "huh?????" I explained that I didn't have time, but thanks alot, etc.
Put the phone down.
And thought - did that just happen???

Best reply going Mumda.

Why would you even be acquaintances with a racist?

I hope you told her to fuck off and clean her own toilet. Or that there's a middle-aged bloke who is shortly to be unemployed, who might jump at the chance of getting down and dirty for a tenner an hour.

Not sure where you live but thats on the very low side. its £25-£30ph and more for a good cleaner

Why would you even be acquaintances with a racist?

You can't really help who you're acquaintances with, they're just 'there'.

Blimey. And £10 an hour is pretty exploitative anyway.

I'd need to get a husband first! Btw there are lots of handicraft fairs in Portugal during summer, the most famous ones are massive (they're much bigger than a a Christmas market because they're more important) and now there are quite a few international stands. Back in the day they showed very traditional type of work but now they show quite a large part which is very fab & contemporary and there's quite a market for it. It's probably not your type of thing but just in case you fancy a holiday in the sun!
I've met some people who do the circuit and they spend the summer going from one to the other. If you're not from here, the council should be more than willing to help with the logistics.

I was once told by an acquaintance that she knew of someone who would happily deal with my jungle of a garden and gave me that person's phone number.

When I rang said person they said that they certainly did NOT do gardening- what with having a full time job as a solicitor and all- and had absolutely no idea as to why mutual acquaintance had got it into her head that she would be in any way interested in gardening either.

That was a bit embarrassing.

You have to care about a person, to get them to talk about why they have the politics that they do have. For example, I have a pal who thinks that the Queen is dead and the current Queen is "a double". I can take the time with him to say "do you think that conspiracy theories on the net are healthy?" because I care about him.

Other people - acquaintances - it is a surface-level conversation and sometimes people say things that are controversial in order to waste your time.

Wow that is embarrassing.
It's the "Friends of Miranda" club.

@Summerslam The reason that I don't ever tell acquaintances to "fu*ck off" etc or try to reason with them about their offensive political views, is because I don't want to "engage" with a person who might be doo-lally. It can lead to problems. If somebody is crazy and offensive - that's for the mental health experts to sort out.

I am agog at the £20, £25,£30 per hour for a cleaner. Cleaners with waiting lists. Well I never knew it was so pricy or competitive to have a cleaner

If somebody is crazy and offensive - that's for the mental health experts to sort out.
Exactly my approach on racists. I always think there must be sth seriously wrong with them, so if I don't know them I don't engage because I'm worried about them losing it.

London. Going rate is £13-20 per hour.

Woooow £20 pounds an hour is more than some teachers/nurses make! Not saying they're not worth it though, only saying nursing and teaching are undervalued!

I don't think she particularly wanted me to cheat the tax man but EXPECTED i would want to, would do so as standard and wanted me to know she was totally down with that.

Have you accidentally opened a big bag of twats OP... or is there something in the water?

I got up to a message from someone who wanted to LET ME illustrate their book... because the exposure would be fabulous for me.

SO they'd like 35 illustrations and a front cover... free.

Was too early and pre caffeine for witticisms or cutting sarcasm, I went for the simple 'no thankyou, far too busy'. I suspect they will be back proffering some sort of 'payment' that is in fact nothing of the sort later today... money off vouchers or a ticket to something I have no interest in (they have form but are the sort of acquaintance I can't fully get shot of).

I work for myself as a cleaner and find it laughable that people dictate to you what they're going to pay you rather than asking how much you would charge!

@WiddlinDiddlin - you need to let them know via heavy sarcasm that caging their “request” as a favour is insulting. Ask how far the “exposure” goes towards feeding your family and compensating you for the hours you have spent on their project instead of a paying one. Return with an elegantly drawn poo emoji.

Do you think maybe she called you by mistake? Like she had your number saved and also got details of a cleaner with a similar / sale name…? Sounds like she was very rude anyway, whoever she thought she was speaking to.

She sounds like Cruella de Ville. Anita, darling, I need a cleaner. You will do!

Probably a free copy of the book when it's published.

It is rude if her.
You don't ask someone who isn't a cleaner by trade if they want to do this, unless they have specifically said they are looking for work.

"Bumptiousness".

Absolutely the above.....

Maybe she wants her house to look as amazing as yours?

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