One Indian Girl by Chetan Bhagat

‘If you write wheatish people think it is dark. You have to write “quite fair”. Raise it up a
notch.’
‘Oh, really? So what if someone writes “dark” then?’
‘If someone says dark, it’s like black. You know those Negro-type Africans.’
‘Mom, that’s not a good term. No one says Negro.’
‘Whatever. These are minor things.’
‘I’ll tell you huge things.’
‘Say.’
‘One, you say “flexible to move with husband”. Who said that? It depends, right? Maybe he
has to move. It’s a discussion. Two, I “don’t mind joint family”? Why do we have to put that? Three,
my parents “have no other liabilities”. What is that? Oh, and don’t miss, “we can do a high-status
wedding”, that is four. Five, why just Punjabi family? Six, I don’t need a guy to “look after” me.
Seven, “send horoscope”. Mom, really, I don’t know what to say,’ I said.
I had to pause just to breathe. The customer at the next table offered me a glass of water. I
mouthed him a thanks and took a sip.
‘You have said a lot,’ mom said, in her upset voice. ‘No respect left for parents, I see.’
‘I am not disrespecting you. This whole thing is just wrong, mom. I don’t want to be a part of
this.’
‘I don’t think you understand the strategy.’
‘Strategy?’
‘Yeah. You don’t scare away the good guys.’
‘Why would they get scared?’
‘If they see a girl who is too independent-minded, too qualified, doing too well, they get
scared.’
‘What nonsense.’
‘It’s a fact. I didn’t make the rules, beta.’
‘Oh and one more thing,’ I said. ‘You barely mention my job. Currently working in London,
really? I am a vice president in Goldman Sachs. I make half a million dollars a year.’
‘Exactly. Now you see the strategy?’
‘Huh?’
‘See how we mention it also but hide the achievements also?’
‘Mom, can you hear yourself? You are hiding your child’s achievements?’
‘I am hiding my daughter’s achievements. So we get more boys to choose from. That’s all. I
am not taking away your achievements.’
‘So if I were a son?’
‘Obviously, we would put your salary first. But now we have to be careful.’
I smacked my forehead. How do I get through to her? I wondered if I had made the biggest
mistake of my life. Maybe Neel was right. I was not meant for all this nonsense. I missed Neel. I
wanted to call him so bad.
‘Are you there?’ my mother said.
‘Yeah,’ I said. My heart ached as I thought of Neel holding me at night.
‘I am coming there,’ my mother said.
‘Where?’
‘London. I am going to spend some time with you. We will do this together.’