Other People's Stories

'So, right, I have this uncle up in I., and he has, like, thirteen daughters and one son. He's quite well known up there in I., actually,' he said.

'What?' This was new to me. Thirteen girls and finally, a boy! I have heard of four, maybe five daughters in a family in search of a son (or conversely, a daughter) but thirteen!

'Yeah, we used to call the mum the mum luluhawa (Malay word for weather) 'cause she always expand and deflate, like the atmosphere.'

We both laughed.

'And we thought he would turn out gay, you know, what with thirteen sisters and all! But he actually turned out straight. Not bad, you know!'

And I marvelled at the thought of having thirteen sisters, and was surprised at the prejudices we carried just one generation ago.

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'And then right, there was this other uncle lah, who lives with my grandmother one. I really can't stand him, man!'

'He was actually trying for a son as well, and had three daughters in a row when he was advised to take me, his nephew, as his godson, to increase the likeliness of him having his own son.'

'But then he had another two daughters, and somehow he blames me for it. Up till today, when I go to visit my grandmother, he will blatantly ignore me.'

'My mum, who is his sister-in-law, has tried to come up with excuses for him - how he only has daughters and probably can't relate well to a son-like figure. But then I have seen him interacting with my other male cousins, what! No problem! It's just me that he won't even talk to!'

'I think he's still feeling resentful towards me when it is not my fault. I was too young to even protest the decision of being made his godson!' '

'Well, two can play at that game, and I will talk to everyone and outrightly ignore him as well!'

I watch my friend and try to imagine what his uncle would look like; attempting to picture the face of a man who has harboured superstitious hope, resulting in bitter resentment all these years towards an unwitting and unwilling godson/nephew.

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20 "Don't call me Naomi," she told them. "Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me."
Ruth 1:20-21, NIV

Naomi means pleasant, Mara means bitter