My cleaning person fired me.

My cleaning person, who wasn't very good, fired me.  She even made me cry.  I know I'm not completely alone when I share that someone's obvious, unchanging dislike for me, makes my desire for that person to like me, even stronger.  You well-adjusted, secure people probably have no idea what I'm talking about.

I can receive feedback about my personal idiosyncrasies.  I can look in the mirror and say to myself, "Self.  You really need to find balance in that area of your life."  

I'm a little... persnickety.  BUT, I'm kind and diplomatic (usually) and can laugh about my quirks.  Chris will tell you - I've come a long way.

Two weeks ago I told the cleaning person - AGAIN - that I really prefer the same two or three people cleaning our home.  The main cleaning person originally had one other gal that cleaned with her, and the two of them did a great job.  Several months passed and the main cleaning person began bringing two or three extra people each time - and it was rarely the same "crew".  This bothered me.

I politely explained - THREE YEARS AGO - that I wasn't comfortable with strangers in the house, seeing every nook and cranny of our lives.  In my opinion, it's very intimate when someone cleans your home.  I wanted some consistency.  It was also exhausting telling the new people things that I'd already covered multiple times - like...  Please don't use Windex and Pledge on EVERYTHING, or When you bang the vacuum into the baseboards, it leaves black marks - DO YOU SEE ALL OF THOSE BLACK MARKS ON THE BASEBOARDS?  THE BASEBOARDS THAT I JUST PAINTED AGAIN?  (I know, I'm sick.  I need a frickin' life.)

There's usually a language barrier with the rotating "helpers" as well.   So even if I try to politely say, "You really don't need to Windex the walls, but thank you!", I just get head nods and smiles in return.  It's been frustrating.

So two weeks ago, I'd had it.  I stomped around and sighed passive-aggressively while two more strangers Windexed and Pledged every surface in the house, left new, loooong, black marks on the baseboards, and lingered in the office looking at "stuff".

I told the main cleaning person I wanted to talk to her.  I said I was frustrated with the situation.  I asked if there was anyway she could schedule the same couple of people to clean with her, or if she wanted to just clean our home herself, I'd happily co-clean with her.  I said some other things too...

We left it that we'd talk before her next scheduled cleaning day, which is today.

I called her yesterday afternoon.  "Have you put any thought into how you'd like to handle tomorrow?"  

She replied, "It my be too lay to tell you, but I not cleaning for you no more.  Las week, you were un-respectful."

"What?! No. No. No. No. No.  YOU were un-respectful.  And THIS is unprofessional.  I am a nice person.  I have always been generous with you, and communicated kindly, and complimented your work.  My ONLY issue has been the revolving door of people in MY house.  You've assured me repeatedly that you understood and would bring a consistent crew.  But you haven't.  For three years!"

She said, "We hab our own oh-pinion.  Dis conversation is ober."

"What?!  No. No. No. No. No.  I have more to say.  This is important to me.  I was calling YOU to tell YOU that YOU don't need to clean our home.  [Not true - I was hoping she would still come and we could figure out a person or two she could bring on a regular basis.]  Now, part of owning your own business is being able to work through a difficult spot with a client... blah blah blah," I lectured.

"I need to go.  Dis conversation is ober."

"What?!  No. No. No. No. No.  I called you...!"

Click.

I called Chris at work, told him I was having a bad day on top of an already intense, busy couple of weeks.  "No, I'm not PMSing, I don't know what it is.  I think I just don't like people."

Chris said, "I don't like people either...  But I like you."

I heard the smile in his voice.

Thanks.  I like you too.