Nina strode down the crowded street, mumbling to herself. There had been a long queue at the petrol station. It’d taken a while before she was able to purchase the petroleum product. Now, she was trying not to run all the way home. It was a few minutes shy of nine pm. Her mind was already envisioning what was going to happen on the Mexican soap tonight.
Paloma had slapped Barbra at the Coffee fund-raising event. She was salivating over the next episode. The suspense was excruciating. Various questions had run through her head throughout the day - ‘would Barbra cause an embarrassing scene? What would Fabian do when his wife comes out of the bathroom, all hassled and ready to tackle Paloma? What would the Sanchez family do? Is there a new scandal coming on?’
Her mind riffled with ideas of the upcoming episode, as she increased her pace, not wanting to miss a moment of the enthralling soap Opera.
“Nina?”
Her hasty feet routed to a stop, even as her head jerked up. Black eyes widened. “Gabriel? Whoa! I didn’t know you were back.” Gabriel was her childhood friend. They had practically grown up in the same neighbourhood. Their parents knew each other as all they shared was just a fence, demarcating boundaries. They’d gained admission at the same time; same state, but different universities.
Gabriel laughed. “Of course I’m back. Three hundred level. Internship.”
“Yeah yeah.” She bantered playful. “Been ages I’ve seen your skinny self.”
He poked at her nose. “And you have dropped a few.” He joked, pulling her into a hug.
Just as her arms were about to swing about him, the familiar harsh voice that barked out behind her, made her body freeze in mid-step.
“What are you doing? Hugging a boy in the streets? Is this fuel you went to buy?”
Nina’s hands dropped, even as Gabriel beat a hasty retreat, a few feet away. She turned to look into the disapproving eyes of her father, who stood, ready to beat the living shit out her. And probably Gabriel too, with the way he was glaring at him; fist clenching and unclenching.
“Do you think because you are now in your three hundred level at the university, you can go everywhere, hugging boys on the street?” He barked out, indifferent, he was causing a scene. Onlookers where now gathering to watch the unfolding drama.
“But…Dad.” Nina spluttered. “It’s Gabriel.”
“And so?” he bellowed and she shivered from the hard tone. “That’s how prostitution starts. Is that what you re practicing now? Is this what you do in school? Instead of going for lectures, you’re going about hugging boys?”
Her lips trembling even as her eyes filled. She battled back the tears, knowing that would only provoke her father even further. And when provoked, he got physical. Not even mindful that they were in public, with more interested observers combing closer. She pressed her lips together, head down, wishing the ground would open and swallow her. Enshroud her from the mortifying public wash-down.
“Go home now.” He ordered.
Throwing a discreet pleading look to Gabriel, who still stood petrified, she turned and ran the rest of the way home; coated with shame and the audible whispers of the observers that filtered through the night air.
Shocking story, yet true.
Parenting is a difficult task.
Children, teenagers and youths will never understand this until they experience the process.
However, it’s completely understandable that sometimes parents go overboard with their involvement in their children’s lives. There are parents who try to control every aspect of their child's life., stifling them by being over protective. This behaviour stems from excess concern and love for the child, but may drive the child to become dependent and an immature adult. Such behaviours causes children to drift away from such parents, demolishing the child’s personality and self-esteem.
We might ask ourselves how parents can be deemed overly intrusive in their kid’s life. Yes, they are supposed to nurture and guard them in the right part, but not by becoming overbearing that you sniffle the very life out of your child in the process.
Tomorrow, we’ll discuss the characteristics of controlling parents. You can also share your opinions.
