Ah Mui

It was still dark but the noise was getting louder. Anna could barely open up her eyes, she was still very tired, she hadn’t slept at all well on the hard surfaces of the communal hall floor. The ladies seemed to have very loud piercing voices. It was definitely before dawn. The ladies were getting ready to go to work at their respective family homes. They all looked very neat in their uniforms of black trousers and white blouse, with their hair sleekly tied back into a bun.

Jen worked with an expat family; the Smiths. She is one of their housekeepers, solely in charge of cooking. Jen said that the Smiths had six housekeepers; 2 in charge of the little children, 2 for general cleaning, one chamber maid for Mrs. Smith and the cook; Jen. As far as she knows, the Smiths are looking for a laundry girl. She will find out for Mei. In the mean time, Mei will clean and tidy up after the Mah Jie in return for letting her and Anna stay.

It was Yen Jie who asked what was little Anna going to do; she was only about 7 years old. One of the ladies suggested that the girl; Ah Mui as they call Anna should just start out early, learn to clean and earn some money after all she’s a girl. They believed that girls need no education. Anna who was quietly listening to their conversations had tears in her eyes. She was quietly sobbing and covering herself in her thin little blanket. She wanted her papa and she wanted to go back their home in Penang. She closed her eyes tightly, wishing this was all just a nasty dream and if she could only wake up, she would be home in Penang again with her mama and her papa; all living blissfully.