I just got off the phone with a friend who is at the airport who is making a journey to Brazil to propose to the woman he loves. Or something like that. I am very happy for him. It does feel a bit sad though, to lose a friend as it were. Yeah, I know, I am not really losing anyone, they are still the same old farts as they were before... its just that they need to ask for permission before they step outside their thresholds. Or something like that.
Apparently, there is a baby on the way for another one of them, another one is getting married in a couple of months and so on. Houses are being bought, baby rooms are being decorated, talk has moved from cars and drunken weekends to ultrasounds and what school district is a good place to buy a place. And I am happy for them all. Or something like that.
I knew this day was coming. I knew it wouldn't be pleasant. But the part that I am most saddened about is that it is happening so soon. Why couldn't all this happen in a few more years? Or am I just selfish or sad that this isn't happening to me? I guess it is something like that. I suppose I wouldn't feel so bad were I in the same boat as they are... off to eventual surrender. I know that sounds a bit extreme, but I don't think it is that far from the truth. I suppose, in polite circles, people refer to it as being considerate or something, but at the end of the day, it is a loss of freedom. Or at least freedom to do what _I_ think is good.
So maybe it is all this freedom I have that I am sad about. It is probably something like that. My grandmother has made it her mission in life to call me every other day and tell me about some girl or the other she thinks I should marry. But what if she's a lunatic? Oh, son, but that can't be the case. She's from a good family after all. Ha! The lunatics belong to that underbelly of society we don't associate with then? Well, son, that isn't quite the case. There are no lunatics out here... it is all your imagination. Okay then. So when are you getting married? You do realise that I am getting old and I want to see your wedding before I go. What about my cousin first? He's older no? Well, he won't listen to me. So shall I talk to this family then? Not any time soon. But why not? I don't know. I just don't fancy this car sales approach to choosing your partner in life. I mean, if the tyres are good and it gives good mileage and the wipers work well and what not... do I just buy it? What about how the car looks? Or what it will do in Canada with a medical degree that its fellow medicos deem unworthy? How about an engineer then?
How about I figure this out on my own? Do you know what happened to your cousin who is now nearing 40, is bald and can no longer find any girls? Do you want to end up like him? Even though he now wants to get married, there isn't anyone left to marry him. Do you really want that to happen to you? Well, no. Good. I know you're a good grandson, you will do as I say. I'll talk to these people who are coming in from America, their daughter is an engineer there only, so you guys will get along just fine. But what if she's a lunatic? She can't be! She's from a good family. But she's American? Not really, she's Indian.
The above is a typical conversation I have with my dearest grandmother on a regular basis. I love her to bits, but this getting married nonsense is getting me down. So my dear friends who are not yet married and are contemplating taking the plunge: don't do it just yet. Think of me. For god's sakes, if I lose all the single bastards, I'll be the weird guy who goes to the McDonald's at the mall to be sociable during the holiday season. Like on Christmas day. Do you really want that? Or even something like that?
Apparently, there is a baby on the way for another one of them, another one is getting married in a couple of months and so on. Houses are being bought, baby rooms are being decorated, talk has moved from cars and drunken weekends to ultrasounds and what school district is a good place to buy a place. And I am happy for them all. Or something like that.
I knew this day was coming. I knew it wouldn't be pleasant. But the part that I am most saddened about is that it is happening so soon. Why couldn't all this happen in a few more years? Or am I just selfish or sad that this isn't happening to me? I guess it is something like that. I suppose I wouldn't feel so bad were I in the same boat as they are... off to eventual surrender. I know that sounds a bit extreme, but I don't think it is that far from the truth. I suppose, in polite circles, people refer to it as being considerate or something, but at the end of the day, it is a loss of freedom. Or at least freedom to do what _I_ think is good.
So maybe it is all this freedom I have that I am sad about. It is probably something like that. My grandmother has made it her mission in life to call me every other day and tell me about some girl or the other she thinks I should marry. But what if she's a lunatic? Oh, son, but that can't be the case. She's from a good family after all. Ha! The lunatics belong to that underbelly of society we don't associate with then? Well, son, that isn't quite the case. There are no lunatics out here... it is all your imagination. Okay then. So when are you getting married? You do realise that I am getting old and I want to see your wedding before I go. What about my cousin first? He's older no? Well, he won't listen to me. So shall I talk to this family then? Not any time soon. But why not? I don't know. I just don't fancy this car sales approach to choosing your partner in life. I mean, if the tyres are good and it gives good mileage and the wipers work well and what not... do I just buy it? What about how the car looks? Or what it will do in Canada with a medical degree that its fellow medicos deem unworthy? How about an engineer then?
How about I figure this out on my own? Do you know what happened to your cousin who is now nearing 40, is bald and can no longer find any girls? Do you want to end up like him? Even though he now wants to get married, there isn't anyone left to marry him. Do you really want that to happen to you? Well, no. Good. I know you're a good grandson, you will do as I say. I'll talk to these people who are coming in from America, their daughter is an engineer there only, so you guys will get along just fine. But what if she's a lunatic? She can't be! She's from a good family. But she's American? Not really, she's Indian.
The above is a typical conversation I have with my dearest grandmother on a regular basis. I love her to bits, but this getting married nonsense is getting me down. So my dear friends who are not yet married and are contemplating taking the plunge: don't do it just yet. Think of me. For god's sakes, if I lose all the single bastards, I'll be the weird guy who goes to the McDonald's at the mall to be sociable during the holiday season. Like on Christmas day. Do you really want that? Or even something like that?
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