Wednesday, November 23, 2005

The Girl In The Class Room at 7:30

Around the 3rd or 4rth week of school, I walked into class extremely early, (it was about 7:3o, and class started at 8. Apparently I was pretty darn excited 'bout sum'in!).
I thought I could sit in the silence (there was only one other girl in class, and she was busy applying her make up), and maybe catch up on some reading or something.
I don't know if you've noticed this yet, but in my life, things usually take a turn for the unexpected.
I was staring like an idiot into space, completely oblivious to my surroundings, when I heard someone weeping.
I turned to see the girl was crying. Shaking uncontrolably.
She called my name. I was quite scared, I didn't know who this girl was, and she know my name.
"Come here," she said. "There's something I'd like to share with you."
I was torn between going to console her and running like a maniac out the door and then out of that wretched University..
I went to her.
"Errmm.. What's the matter?" I asked, hesitating a little.
"I'm about to tell you something that you cannot under any circumstances repeat to anyone else in the class."
I'm afraid to say, (as always) curiosity got the best of me. I agreed not to tell anyone in class, or otherwise.
"A man has asked for my hand in marriage," She began, sobbing.
"W..Well, that's great, congratulations."
"And his brother has asked for my older sister's hand in marriage."
"Alright, why are you so upset, then?"
"I don't want to marry him!"
"Then don't." I said, smiling.
"It's not that simple. My sister really wants to marry her Fiance, and if I say no, both men will withhold thier offers. And my father has already accepted both offers, and everything is almost finalised! Oh I don't want to marry that man!"
"Is he a bad man?" (Cut me some slack! I didin't know what to reffer to him as.)
"No, on the contrary, he is a wonderful man, both he and his brother are. He is all that I ever wanted in a husband."
"Again; what's the problem, then? Marry him. It'll make you, your dad and you sister happy."
"I'm not ready."
For the first time in my life, I was speechless. I was for almost the entirety of that conversation. You must know that the conversation did not go as smoothly as you might think from reading this.
You must also understand, that she was the kind of person you don't really talk freely with; very conservative. I can't ask her to defy her family's wishes.. For her that would be unthinkable. Unimaginable.
"Talk to your dad and sister, then. Try to make them understand that you feel you're not emotionaly ready for marriage." For God's sake, who is at nineteen!?
"There's something else. My father has Lukemia."
Shit.
Okay, the biggest desision I ever had to make was 3ilmi aw adabi? (Translation: the scientific or literary section in highschool?). The most life-altering choice I ever had to make was weather I wanted a black kittie, or a ginger one.
"He's worried he'll pass away and there won't be anyone to take care of us."
Still speechless.
I mustered up enough courage to utter :"Do what will make your father happy."
I had never in my life felt more like a worthless, insignificant spoilt little brat.
Ilhamdu-lilah, I thank God Almighty. If I were this girl, I don't know what I would've done.

I have not talked to her since that fateful morning. What do you say to someone who's going through all this? How do you look them in the eye?
All I can say is I hope she's happy. Her engagement party supposedly took place over Eid break.

I can't help but feel that I've got it easy..
ubergirl

5 comments:

Abdull said...

hi..
she is really poor but if someone has this huge problem I don't think talking with a strange person is the best way to deal with ..anyways..maybe she just wants to talk ..
can't she delay the marriage ..and let her sis get married?
I think u did well in the conversation:):)

zahrat ilma6ba5 said...

Uber,
9ara7a what she did was wrong! she should've told her friends! not to one complete stranger!! and you did ((as abdull said)) very well in the conversation :D!

Trevelyana said...

I wouldn't be surprised if it was an attention seeking fib..

What baffles me is all these kids getting married. Really, what are we at 19 but kids?

Babies having and raising babies.

Jo said...

Somethin' doesn't seem right about her!

Anonymous said...

I think that there is nothing wrong, she is just scared because she is abit young for marrage. I mean put yourself in her shoes. YOU will be marrying your sister's husband's brother, that alone is scary ...


If I were in her shoes I would refuse if I felt that I was unconfortable. And if they think that marrage is a "package deal", then mabey they don't deserve to marry us..


(Ok, I'm a boy again)
WHY WOULD someone ever think of marrying sisters with his brother?!?! AUHAHAUHA