A little problem - a story
"So," Marcus put down his fork and looked at me, "when are you going to introduce me to your parents?"
"Pretty soon," I said, "I am planning it."
But I am not so sure about Ma and Pa meeting Marcus, after what my brother Steve has gone through. Actually I should say Ma is the problematic one. She had an allergic reaction to my brother's girlfriends. She grew up in a culture where openly shown affection and intimacy was a taboo. She was uneasy to see my brother and his girlfriend getting too close. A couple of times, they were watching TV in the living room. Ma would marched in the room and sit down beside them. They felt so uncomfortable that they soon retreated into Steve's room. If the girl stayed after 10:00 pm, Ma would become restless. She would go upstairs, knock on my door and speak in an unusually loud voice urging me to go take shower and get ready for bed. She made sure that her voice was loud enough to penetrate into the loving birds' ears.
Steve and Ma had some stormy moments. To be fair, Steve, my brother, is a caring person, a good boy, but very independent when it comes to personal affairs. He doesn't bow to the cultural values that my parents have been trying to impose on him. Ma soon learned her lesson. She became more subtle in her approach. Pa usually does not talk much, but his scrutinizing stare is uncomfortable enough to any one meeting him the first time. If he has complaints Ma is the one to hear them and take actions. So I'd say they are on the same side.
I am the elder one. I have been trained well, and spent all my time studying, getting straight As. Academic success does not guarantee or increase one's popularity. I was rather late to have a boyfriend, and I kept it a secret. It indeed worried Ma that I would end up a spinster. So while she was helping me to pack for my third year in college, all of sudden she said "I know you are a good girl, but do you know that your Pa and I do allow you to have a boyfriend from now on?" She was looking very serious, but I could not hold back from laughing.
I had my heartbroken moments. The love/husband finding business is not an easy job at all. Then I met Marcus. I want to settle down with him. But will he pass the test of Ma and Pa?
"Pretty soon," I said, "I am planning it."
But I am not so sure about Ma and Pa meeting Marcus, after what my brother Steve has gone through. Actually I should say Ma is the problematic one. She had an allergic reaction to my brother's girlfriends. She grew up in a culture where openly shown affection and intimacy was a taboo. She was uneasy to see my brother and his girlfriend getting too close. A couple of times, they were watching TV in the living room. Ma would marched in the room and sit down beside them. They felt so uncomfortable that they soon retreated into Steve's room. If the girl stayed after 10:00 pm, Ma would become restless. She would go upstairs, knock on my door and speak in an unusually loud voice urging me to go take shower and get ready for bed. She made sure that her voice was loud enough to penetrate into the loving birds' ears.
Steve and Ma had some stormy moments. To be fair, Steve, my brother, is a caring person, a good boy, but very independent when it comes to personal affairs. He doesn't bow to the cultural values that my parents have been trying to impose on him. Ma soon learned her lesson. She became more subtle in her approach. Pa usually does not talk much, but his scrutinizing stare is uncomfortable enough to any one meeting him the first time. If he has complaints Ma is the one to hear them and take actions. So I'd say they are on the same side.
I am the elder one. I have been trained well, and spent all my time studying, getting straight As. Academic success does not guarantee or increase one's popularity. I was rather late to have a boyfriend, and I kept it a secret. It indeed worried Ma that I would end up a spinster. So while she was helping me to pack for my third year in college, all of sudden she said "I know you are a good girl, but do you know that your Pa and I do allow you to have a boyfriend from now on?" She was looking very serious, but I could not hold back from laughing.
I had my heartbroken moments. The love/husband finding business is not an easy job at all. Then I met Marcus. I want to settle down with him. But will he pass the test of Ma and Pa?
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