Wierd things do happen
Recently, there was quite a bit of noise coming from some members of our parliament over the content of some of our local television productions. They argued that some of these new shows contradict our local customs and sensibilities particularly one television show called ‘Mencari cinta’ – a local partner-finding show loosely based on the American “Average Joe”. My mother, for one, is a firm believer that the show was not good for the culture. Her point is that our people are good enough at screwing up their lives and culture without things like this encouraging them along the way.
Yesterday, she told me something that added fuel to the argument. Background: her neighbor’s eldest son, now working for a transportation company and reputedly doing okay, had decided a few years ago not to pursue his studies, so he and a few friends started a burger stand in town. He has since continued with his education.
Last weekend, two cars full of members of a certain young woman’s family came to this neighbor’s house. The girl came to ask this neighbor’s son to ask her hand in marriage. It seems that this girl met the neighbor’s son when he was selling burgers in town when she was also helping out her family to run their business. She claims to have liked him then. The other family members than demanded that the neighbor’s son marries the girl, to use the terms they used, to be responsible.
This neighbor thought that her son had gotten the girl pregnant or something and asked her when they met. The girl replied that it was when they were manning the businesses. The girl then revealed that she left to further her studies and now has a job. More importantly, she also said that she had not been in touch with the neighbor’s son since. She did not even know that the boy was now working or where he was. Of course, my neighbor thought there was something weird going on. So she asked what the son was supposed to be responsible for. The girl’s sister or sister-in-law and mother demanded that the boy marries this girl because she claims to be besotted with him and cannot get him out of her mind. They also claim that the girl had turned away suitors because she could not forget this boy who she had not seen for years.
The neighbor later asked her son about the girl and he confirmed that he did indeed know this girl but had never gone out with her nor has he seen her since. My neighbor, of course, thought the whole idea was ridiculous and had asked the family to leave. The girl and her family however were adamant in their demand and had refused to leave until they were forced out.
To top up the story, the girl’s mother, or somebody, had threatened to call the police. My neighbor told her to do exactly that, but also reminded them that the case was ridiculous and would probably bring them ample amount of shame should it become public which it probably will since its details were rather amusing.
My mother and I have different theories about what actually happened. I think the girl was indeed deeply besotted by this boy and had told her family that he was her boyfriend. When she actually got to my neighbor’s house, she had to tell the truth because my neighbor would know of she lied. The family on the other hand may have been embarrassed by the revelation and tried to hide their shame behind the anger with which they made their demand. My mother, on the other hand, thinks that the girl had gotten pregnant with someone else who has since disappeared, so thinking that this boy was the unemployed lesser educated chap he was back then, the girl and her family came to make him her husband to hide the “crime”.
Either way, the whole affair was rather bizarre. I guess these are the things that spice up our lives.
Yesterday, she told me something that added fuel to the argument. Background: her neighbor’s eldest son, now working for a transportation company and reputedly doing okay, had decided a few years ago not to pursue his studies, so he and a few friends started a burger stand in town. He has since continued with his education.
Last weekend, two cars full of members of a certain young woman’s family came to this neighbor’s house. The girl came to ask this neighbor’s son to ask her hand in marriage. It seems that this girl met the neighbor’s son when he was selling burgers in town when she was also helping out her family to run their business. She claims to have liked him then. The other family members than demanded that the neighbor’s son marries the girl, to use the terms they used, to be responsible.
This neighbor thought that her son had gotten the girl pregnant or something and asked her when they met. The girl replied that it was when they were manning the businesses. The girl then revealed that she left to further her studies and now has a job. More importantly, she also said that she had not been in touch with the neighbor’s son since. She did not even know that the boy was now working or where he was. Of course, my neighbor thought there was something weird going on. So she asked what the son was supposed to be responsible for. The girl’s sister or sister-in-law and mother demanded that the boy marries this girl because she claims to be besotted with him and cannot get him out of her mind. They also claim that the girl had turned away suitors because she could not forget this boy who she had not seen for years.
The neighbor later asked her son about the girl and he confirmed that he did indeed know this girl but had never gone out with her nor has he seen her since. My neighbor, of course, thought the whole idea was ridiculous and had asked the family to leave. The girl and her family however were adamant in their demand and had refused to leave until they were forced out.
To top up the story, the girl’s mother, or somebody, had threatened to call the police. My neighbor told her to do exactly that, but also reminded them that the case was ridiculous and would probably bring them ample amount of shame should it become public which it probably will since its details were rather amusing.
My mother and I have different theories about what actually happened. I think the girl was indeed deeply besotted by this boy and had told her family that he was her boyfriend. When she actually got to my neighbor’s house, she had to tell the truth because my neighbor would know of she lied. The family on the other hand may have been embarrassed by the revelation and tried to hide their shame behind the anger with which they made their demand. My mother, on the other hand, thinks that the girl had gotten pregnant with someone else who has since disappeared, so thinking that this boy was the unemployed lesser educated chap he was back then, the girl and her family came to make him her husband to hide the “crime”.
Either way, the whole affair was rather bizarre. I guess these are the things that spice up our lives.
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