Hierarchy

Chapter 2, Priya

Hierarchy 

As I sweep the floor and clear it from dusting my mind drifts off to what I heard Daddy-ji say before. He was talking to Uncle Ritesh about my marriage. Obviously none of this was spoken in front of me or within earshot of me but I knew it was in discussion. All it took was for mummy-ji to look at me and start squealing. That means two things: I'm pregnant (for which there has to be marriage) or my wedding. I had no idea who the guy could be, I knew my father wasn't those types of men who got their daughters married to someone like thirty years their senior but even so I wanted to know who he was. 

"Ay Priya, hurry up! Your guests will be here soon! And what is this, you are still in your nightie? This is not good enough, get changed fast and the table needs clearing!" Mum runs off before I can ask her anything. I know if there's one person I can get information out of, it's mum only problem is I need to do it alone. Nor did I ask my mum who was coming, the one thing you should understand about Asians is that we turn up unexpected but expect to be welcomes with warm smiles and fresh food. The only way you know they're coming is because they'll first visit another house, (note all Asians live on the same street so any "business" you do will be found out eventually) so basically whoever lives in that first house, well they're very unfortunate. 

I know what you're thinking, what is the point to all of this? The point is, I'm introducing you to how difficult my life is. How controlled it is. And if you do anything that's not part of the "hierarchy" then you're dead. And that sadly, is no exaggeration. 

Here's the flow: The elders inevitably are at the top of the pyramid: All decisions are run by them, and you do not disobey them. If you have their permission for whatever you want then basically you're safe, unluckily for me, I don't have those "cool" set of grandparents who, you know actually love their grandchildren. Oh no, mine think parents know best and stick with them for every decision. I mean, I had to fight to get a job. And this was in McDonald s too, after study leave in year11. So it wasn't like I would have any exams to be revising for my time was free but everyone insisted I join the cooking class and learn how to cook instead. I tell you had I been a boy I would've been encouraged to work. 

Next in the pyramid, are the uncles. I know right, what do they have anything to do with my family and my choices? A lot. They will nose their way in and interfere with everything. Let's re visit my job scenario, my case was I'm earning independence, learning how to cook, earning some money for which I can contribute to the house (fat chance of that, I had my eye on a new DKNY bag) and my main reason, I'd be out the house, far away. But that wasn't mentioned of course. My parents had agreed, they couldn't be bothered to argue with me anymore and so let me. My first shift, and my uncles came to visit to see how I was doing. One look at the uniform was all it took to force me to quit. They are the ones who plan your life: Who you get married to, when, where everything. All they needed from you was the consent, and really you didn't have much of a choice. So falling in love with Will was probably the biggest and best mistake of my life. 

Author's Note

It's a little bit waffly but enjoy:)