“ She was once like you ,” Granny began . “ A pretty girl from the countryside who left her home and went to the big city to clean and cook for a rich official . That official did what a man will do , and he put a son inside her . But his first wife – she was a mean one . She had her servants torture her rival and throw her into the outhouse pit . Ever since then , the Lady ’ s spirit has sought to protect chambermaids , so they don ’ t fall victim to a similar fate . On the fifteenth day of the New Year , the anniversary of the Lady ’ s murder , set the goddess atop the toilet and pray to her . Tell her that the master and mistress are away , and ask her for any help you require .”
Jie took the doll from her Granny and tucked it away in her bag . She felt that she was too old for childish things like this - she ’ d felt too old for Granny ’ s peasant superstitions since she was fifteen - but there was no good in bringing that up now , when she was just about to leave . “ I think I see the bus coming !” she said . “ Give me a big hug , and wish me luck in America !”
The journey to the airport and the flight across the ocean were like something out of a dream . Getting through customs was a little scary , but it was the exciting type of scary , a big and wonderful adventure . Jie couldn ’ t sleep at all on her flight . This was her first time seeing clouds from above , and she couldn ’ t get enough of it . The whole of the world seemed to be waiting just for her .
Harold Chow was waiting for her at the San Francisco airport , holding up a piece of paper with Jie ’ s name on it . She felt honored that he ’ d come to pick her up in person , and not someone from the agency . Mr . Chow was a kindly-looking man , a little older and fatter than in the pictures the agency had shown her , with laugh lines around his eyes and a warm , gentle voice . He took her passport from her , telling her that U . S . law required that her employer hold onto it , and her phone as well , promising he ’ d exchange it for the latest model smart phone .
The ride through San Francisco to the Chows ’ home was an adventure all its own . Jie had never sat in a car as luxurious as Mr . Chow ’ s BMW before , nor had she ever seen a place as green and beautiful as San Francisco . It was so different from her dismal , polluted village . She couldn ’ t wait to get out and explore her gleaming new home .
The Chows ’ condominium was all chrome and glass and brushed steel , tasteful but cold and unyielding . It reminded Jie a little bit of the American science fiction movies that her brother liked to watch on bootlegged DVDs . As Mr . Chow showed Jie around , she mentally noted all of the different surfaces she ’ d have to clean and polish . Her excitement over traveling to a new country mingled with a sinking dread that she ’ d taken on a much bigger job than she thought .
Mrs . Chow came home towards the end of the tour with shopping bags in tow and a cigarette between her lips . She was a slender , elegant lady , only a little bit older than Jie , and the phrase “ tasteful but cold and unyielding ” seemed to describe her pretty well , too .
“ Lily , this is our new maid , Jie ,” Mr . Chow said , pointing to Jie as if she was another piece of merchandise .
“ Uh huh ,” Mrs . Chow said icily . “ Have you told her the rules yet ?” “ I thought I ’ d let you do it , honey .” “ All right then ,” Mrs . Chow said , glaring at Jie as if she ’ d already done something wrong . “ Since we had to pay for your ticket to come to this country , you have to obey our rules while you ’ re here . You ’ re to do whatever we say as soon as we say it . You are not to leave our condominium for any reason . Not even if it ’ s on