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Meet the In-Laws
Jennifer’s father passed away when she was nine, and her mom grew up in the countryside. Chongqing in general is a very conservative place with little exposure to foreigners, so it was perfectly understandable that she did not want to introduce me to the in-laws before our official engagement.
Early in our relationship I had already asked to meet them, but she insisted on waiting. News of this magnitude passes like wildfire in the “Quiet Garden” apartment complex where her mother lives. What a misnomer that is -- with 6 big residence towers, 800 families living in a very enclosed space, it is anything but quiet. What if I had met the family, the rumour mills engaged, and then it did not work out? It would be a big loss of face for all of them. So, wisely, Jennifer and I decided to make the introductions after we had set a date for our wedding.
We were certainly not counting on everyone greeting me with open arms, but were NOT expecting the bad luck that led to an especially standoffish reception. Jennifer’s younger sister Xiao Ping told us that the previous evening, they all had seen a front page article in the Chongqing evening newspaper. It was about a Canadian guy in Shanghai who had been arrested for poligamy! Apparently, he had 7 local wives before being discovered. When Jennifer’s mother, all 4’11” of her, answered the door, she cooly looked up at me, then her daughter, and queried, “Are you number eight?”.
It took some time to convince them that it was not me, and longer to gain their confidence, but the patience has certainly paid off. Now, after seven years, and in spite of my mini-celebrity status in town, I am just another member of the family, pale skin, pointy nose, and all.
last modified Jun 25, 2004 at 20:34
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