It's all relatives

Just a few days back, I posted about when one have to follow his or her spouse or partner to an event which may not be to that person's liking. They may be invited to a dinner in which there are guests of honours and you have to dress up while being seated next to someone who you know will forget your name the minute you introduce yourself to him or her.

How about those time when your spouse drag you to his or her relative's houses or friends whom you know you couldn't possibly gel. For whatever reason. Sometimes there are parties. Sometimes so they can catch up with each other. Sometimes for the Asian reason of being Asian and we must always keep our relatives closer than any of our friends. If not Asian reason, then there is the Islamic reason of us having to ensure we know who we will need to go to for anything to do with families if anything ever happens to any of our parents or brothers or sisters (it has to do with who have the rights to one's property which is very much different than the civil concept). 

That movie scene where daughters across United States are always receiving calls from their mother even at unreasonable hour. Amplified that by 20 times when you have this or that auntie or this or that uncle who love to know what you are up to. The problem for me is I have bad experience with relatives on my mother's and my father's side with regards to certain part of my business and the problem with me is I am one of those who rarely want to mingle with them even when they come visiting at my parents.

Of course, among all my siblings, as I am the one who usually send my parents around their house, I am the one who usually have to meet them and know them. And I sometimes to mess their name or their relation to me or what I should call them. Asians (or is it just Malays?) have different way of calling for each siblings of their father and mother. Thanks to me jumbling up their names, usually I will be reintroduced over and over again by my mother or my dad. Especially my dad. 

And this differ greatly from my wife who has closer relationship with her aunties and uncles. Which made her sometimes angry at me for not wanting to go with her for visits. Which I know she wants me to when she goes around their house. Which I usually try to not go. Which sometimes she manage to get me to go.

And then...

Awkward moments like I am just sitting there happens...

Or I watch television....

And answer questions with monosyllabic answers...

Yes, I know. I am bad in this way.