4 ms·

Wow! This is fascinating. Thanks!

• dredmorbius 4y ago
  Clarke wrote a bunch of non-fiction / essay-collection books, which I read as a kid. This and a few related topics are odd bits of trivia I'd picked up from those. There's another wonderful bit about "the servant problem, Sri Lankan style", which I'd like to track down. It's ultimately about the challenges and risks (to both employer and employee) of vetting and rating house staff. Memorably, Clarke describes one assistant who'd filched "flim" (film) on numerous occasions for a side project. The postscript is that despite that, Clarke ended up re-hiring him as a long-term member of the household staff.
  • pncnmnp 4y ago
    Hey! I did some digging and found out some details about the "servant problem" that you mentioned earlier. It's chapter three from his book "The View from Serendip" and named "The Servant Problem - Orient Style". You can buy the book or borrow a copy from the Internet Archive. Although Clarke did mention Jinadasa, who stole some film rolls from him, Jinadasa left and never came back. However, Appuhamy, another employee, left after four years but later returned. I think you might have gotten the stories mixed up. Anyway, it's an interesting read.