I have never been a girl who dreams of weddings or marriage. I never even owned Beautiful Bride Barbie as a child. That was too boring for my imagination (my Barbies got around). I think the mindset of not wanting to settle down until later in life is quite common these days among the female population. Moreover, I have always been proud of my family for not pressuring me to find "the right guy." Recently, however, I got a large dose of reality - 1950s reality.
A couple weeks ago, my mother and I went shopping for a new bed. Harry, the master of all things mattress, asked how long we expect this bed to last. My immediate reaction was, "As long as possible, dumbass." My mom took one look at me, as if she were sizing me up, and replied, "I'd say about four years." While I was trying to wrap my brain around this random answer my mom supplied, Harry and she exchanged a knowing look. As Har was leading us to the four-year beds, I stopped dead in my tracks and asked, "Wait, are you thinking that I will be getting married in four years and will need a bigger bed?!?" Harry butt in and said, "That seems about right. What are you? 21?" If any of you read my 23rd birthday post, you know how I now feel about the mattress master.
The next day, I went to the bank to change my accounts over into my name. I was again accompanied by my mom (because yes, my accounts were still in her name). So the girl helpeing us, who is about 23 or 24, was listing the various savings account options I could take advantage of. She said that the best thing for me to do was to take Option #1. It is a simple account - does not require a minimum balance, a small interest rate. She said that this was a perfect option for my life right now (I start to smile, feeling proud of my "life right now"). Then she says, "Because in like two years when you get married you and your husband will probably get a joint account and you can figure out what suits you best then." (My smile disappears) When we leave my mother says, "At least I gave you four years."
9 comments:
Flippy! Gone are the days when I used to think "oh, 24 seems like a good age to get married." now i think 24 is a good age to get potty trained.
Holy shiza. I agree. I used to think 27 was a nice, normal, appropriate age to get hitched. As I am staring down 26, I feel less ready for any sort of commitment than ever before. I can't even commit to a toothpaste.
My Mom told me yesterday, to take my quest for love online because that's where all of the catches are. Gag.
Umm, yeah...all my friends from back home (near the Poconos) are engaged or already married...WHAT. Rediculous.
I used to think I'd be getting married at (the latest) 27. Riiiiight, that's like tomorrow basically. Nope, not happening.
yeah, I got married at 21 and my husband was 30. I thought since I was marrying an "older man" he would be super mature. Nope! We agree we should have waited a little longer before getting married...So to compromise we may never have children.
this reminds me like the beginning of a really good book where the girl ends up falling in love with the mattress man. of course, she first dates a slew of losers which lead to great laughs and embarrassing situations.
wait... do you mean every chic lit book ever written...?
what the hell are you on about? i dont see how the second paragraph ties in to the previous one, or indeed makes any sense whatsoever!
However, i agree with the title!
fuck gloria steinman! thanks for defying biology and ruining society!
Some of us are becoming the men we wanted to marry.Gloria Steinem
I can see you are one the less fortuanate, non the less you are still infact a women just not the women. You figure it out.
d7b - Read this again. The second graf follows smoothly from the first. In both instances, people make suggestions for the author on the basis of their assumptions that she'll be married in a few years. In the second graf the marriage assumption is extended to say that "and he will take care of you."
Gloria Steinman is a brilliant thinker, engaging speaker, and someone who has overcome severe childhood difficulties to help redefine the constricted role of women in our society. No one alive in the US today does not owe her a great debt and that includes you, dfb.
Post a Comment