I wish looking for a yaya were as entertaining as a reality show. I could just tune in for the fun parts, and zone out when I get bored.

Alas.

After Jessica left us, we searched frantically for a yaya. We asked friends and relatives. We asked neighbors. We asked our cleaning lady. We asked immediate family.

It was not fun. We went through a list of candidates. We interviewed some. We called others. We had a few almosts.

Let’s go through the list, shall we?

Jen

Nixi, Lucas’ cousin, had Yaya Joy. Joy’s mother, Erlette, recommended her friend, and sent me the number.

So I called. And texted. And had a very confusing conversation with a girl who was in Alabang, on her way to an interview, and she couldn’t tell me if she could come over for an interview, because she didn’t know if she was going to get the job after her interview.

So I told her, let me know if you don’t get the job, so we can talk.

She texted me at 3 or 4 in the morning, asking how to get to my house. This was not a good sign.

I asked where she was coming from. She asked how much I was offering. I told her she could meet me at a nearby SM mall, and we could talk there. She never replied.

Marife

Dad had a nail therapist he called for home service from time to time. I think her name was Arlene. Arlene brought her friend Marife to the house.

Marife was married and had four kids. I told her what we needed, the terms and conditions. She seemed agreeable, and we asked her to come in the following Monday.

Monday came, and she was nowhere. Dad called Arlene, who said Marife found our house too far from her own. This was not a good sign.

Evelyn

Nixi’s Yaya Joy referred another friend, Evelyn. Yaya Joy went home to her province to meet Evelyn, to bring her to our house for an interview.

Twice, Evelyn stood her up. This was not a good sign.

Laarni

Our cleaning lady, Ana, said she would ask around. Her friend from church, Lailie, said her husband’s niece was looking for work. So I asked for a contact number.

I called Lailie. Lailie told me Laarni changed her mind. This was not a good sign.

Gina

In desperation, Dad called our former cleaning lady, Gina. Gina wasn’t a great cleaning lady, and I don’t even know why she stopped coming to clean our house.

Gina said she could help take care of Lucas, but only part-time. This was not a good sign.

Analyn

Our cleaning lady, Ana, said she had another friend who was interested. Analyn was working in Batangas, but she was just waiting for her replacement, and she could come and work for us.

Ana brought Analyn to the house for an interview one Sunday. Analyn brought her son along. She was working for her sister, but she wanted something different. She seemed okay with our terms, and she said she just needed to wait for her replacement.

True to her word, Analyn texted us regularly, informing us her replacement was delayed, but that she was still willing to work for us if we were willing to wait. This was a good sign.

By the end of June, she came to the house, son in tow. But that’s another story.