Q. I always thought you could never have enough servants
but now that I live part of the time in the Middle East I realise I was wrong. Whenever I go to raid the fridge in the privacy of my own greed someone jumps forward to ask can they get something for me. Whenever I sit down in a chair someone comes forward to ask if they can do something for me. Worse, they stay in the room in case you have need of them. My problem is that I can’t help feeling guilty about the fact that all I want to do all day is lie around reading and everywhere around me are witnesses to what they must feel is a display of laziness. What do you suggest, Mary?
Name and address withheld A. Why not make occasional notes in pencil in the margins of the books you are reading? The servants will thereby gain the impression that what you are doing must be work of some kind. Not only will this chore make you feel less guilty, you may even become faintly self-righteous, as it will be something of a nuisance to perform.
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