In our home personal service has rules and rituals, rooted in the tradition of Nancy's family. A student of social history, Nancy's mother has patterned personal service after the servants of the Golden Age of opulence, the Edwardian period. In the Edwardian home the Ladies of the house would manage and be tended to by maids, butlers, chauffeurs, and ladies in waiting. In our home the Women have only me, so i assume all these roles with all the protocol they entail. Personal service entails my serving the Women, driving them, greeting their Guests, and, in the case of my Wife, managing Her wardrobe. There are rules and rituals around personal service, and, of course, there is a need for unquestioning obedience and flawless adherence to proper protocol.
So, what does a progressive gentleman do all day? Well, i'm a homemaker – it's what i tell anyone who asks – but i also work outside the home at a professional occupation. Having to balance both work and housekeeping, i have to be organized and efficient. The Ladies won't do housework – out of the question – but they have arranged jobs and training for me that have made me more efficient. It's a lot of work – a seven-day-a week job to be sure – but it's very rewarding and gives real purpose to my life. On-weekdays the evenings are the busiest part of my day; i arrive home at 3:30 every day and for at least the next six hours will look after Nancy and her Mother, Sue, and undertake a regimen of housework.
On a typical day i arrive home and have ten minutes to change and present myself to Sue ready to serve; there's a lot to do and ten minutes isn't a lot of time. First, men aren't allowed to wear shoes in the house so i have to remove my shoes before entering and put them away. My business attire and briefcase have to be disposed of accordingly; clothes in the closet or laundry, briefcase put away – there's no time for outside work! Then I get into a pair of khakis and a shirt and head for the kitchen where I find the apron that Sue has hung for me to wear. I choose a coordinating pair of black ballet slippers and then put on the satin apron, squaring it away. I prepare a gin and tonic for Sue; this initial drink is always my choice, but it's wise for me to vary the drinks and be mindful of Her preferences. i place it on my tray along with cigarettes, ashtrays, linen napkins, and a bell, and it's off to present myself to Sue. Everything (!) is served from a tray!
Sue is at our pool reading and enjoying some bikini time; despite Her age, She wears a bikini well. I genuflect before the Matriarch of our family and place the bell and the drink on the table in front of Her. She declines a cigarette and criticizes my being slow. Aside from asking what went on in the office – my daily debriefing – and letting me know what She’s started for dinner, She says little. I'm a servant here, and She never lets me forget that. i stoop and bow as i leave, headed for the kitchen and then to check on dinner and set the table.
It's my responsibility to set the table. i select the china, flatware and linen and add an appropriate centerpiece and place candles. As i'm checking on dinner i hear Sue's bell and respond to Her. She informs me that Nancy is on Her way home and is going clubbing; Sue will be joined by Her friend Betty for dinner. I check my journal to refresh myself as to Betty's preferences so that i may properly server Her. Dinner is cooking, the table is set, and Nancy has yet to
arrive home, so i grab my cleaning caddy, feather duster, and vacuum and busy myself cleaning the living room. i pick up glasses, change the ashtrays, place new matchbooks, refill the candy dish, spot clean a carpet stain, inspect around and under the sofa cushions, rearrange the decorative pillows, and send my feather duster flying around the furniture, making sure not to miss anything since anything less than perfection just isn't tolerated. I think back to Nancy's Grandmother, Joan, my demanding trainer, who always told me that She loved “seeing the feather duster fly!”
Nancy has arrived, so I run to greet my Queen in the garage. I'm excited to see Her but She's indifferent, obviously preoccupied with the evening She's planned. “Get my bag,” She commands. “Yes, Dear,” i respond. “Don't give me that Dear shit,” She says. “Yes, Ma'am,” i respond as I follow my rushed Queen into the house. She kicks off Her heels, ordering me to “pick them up!” and heads out to speak with Her Mother. i check on dinner while They talk. Nancy reappears and tossing Her jacket on a chair, orders me to, “pick that up!” I follow Her upstairs where She steps out of Her skirt, throwing it on the bed while ordering me to pick it up too – She doesn't have to remind me but She does; it loudly clarifies our relative roles. Wearing only pantyhose and a bra She enters Her closet looking for something to wear but doesn't have the patience, so She orders me to pick something out as She heads for the shower. Taking off Her pantyhose She throws them at me, ordering me to “check these, I think they have a run.” I've laid out a little black dress and matching high-heeled sandals. Nancy is not happy with my selection. “I'm not going to a convent!” She
With Nancy gone, i again check on Sue and do some cleaning. Sue's gone to Her suite to change for dinner. There's also ironing to do, so i set up the ironing board, looking forward to this most enjoyable chore – i love to iron! The doorbell rings, it's Betty. i greet Her, take Her wrap, and tell Her how happy i am to see Her. From my journal i know She loves knitting, so I ask Her what project She's now doing. She inquires so i tell Her about my own meager attempts at needlecraft. i invite Her to be seated – "Will Madame like to be seated?" i inquire. She loves the treatment i give Her probably because She gets too little of it at home; we're trying to change that though. i seat Sue and Betty at the dining room table and get Betty a Manhattan, a drink i know She likes. i serve dinner, remaining on call listening for the bell, but periodically
With the Women settled, i tend to Sue's suite – a Mother-in-law suite that Nancy and Sue added to our home when the Women decided Sue would move in with us. i clean, dust, vacuum, clean the toilet and shower, and pick up clothing and shoes, change the bed linens. my work as a housekeeper at the hotel has taught me some professional secrets that really come in handy in my daily work. i turn down Sue's bed, leave the lamp on, place Her romance novel within reach, and leave a nightcap for Her enjoyment. i select a peignoir with matching Malibu slippers for Her; She's given me the privilege of doing so this evening. 
A car pulls up outside; it's Betty's ride. i get Her wrap and escort Her to the car. In the short time it takes to help Betty, Sue has gone to Her suite, leaving me to focus on housework. i'm going to be busy for the next hour, which will cut into my personal time, but i realize it's not personal time unless all the work is done. i busy myself with redoing the living room, packing the dishwaing toilets. i return upstairs to take care of Nancy's jacket and skirt; i steam clean both items and fix a button on Her jacket before hanging them in Her closet ready for Her to wear again. i discard Her pantyhose, the runner She mentioned being very obvious. i inspect and clean Her shoes, returning them to Her closet ready for Her to wear again. i'd like to take some personal time but can't resist doing the ironing; ironing is as relaxing as knitting. As i iron, Sue comes in wearing the peignoir i selected earlier – She is a devastating Woman; for a brief moment i envy Her boyfriends. She surprises me by bringing me a drink! Indeed a privilege and we talk as i finish the ironing. When the
Nancy's still out clubbing and will be for another hour – She has a tough job and needs to relax. i shower, lay out my clothes for the next day as well as a business suit and shoes for Nancy and then retire for the night; another satisfying day in the life of a progressive gentleman who's life is centered on two demanding but deserving Women. It starts again tomorrow at 6:00 AM--d