Yesterday midday, the hubby casually mentioned during a phone conversation how he had bumped into a former landlord/casual friend who, after the usual pleasantries, asked him how come the hubby (and by extension, me) never even called him after our wedding to invite him and his wife out for a treat. (The friend said something like 'Hey, how come you never organised something? Surely you could have organised a dinner, at least!)Say what? Did I hear that correctly?? Did I really hear someone demanding to be fed?
I couldn't believe it! Somebody actually had the gall to chastise us for not treating his ilk to dinner just because we got married!! Now we have to pay 'toll' to him for getting hitched?
Errm, we signed papers to be able to have sex and hope for progeny with the church's blessing, you know. NOT win the lottery!! HELLO!
The scary thing is, his wasn't the first 'demand' for a treat after the wedding!
The hubby's ball mates also prodded him many times to host a drinking party cos he got married. And this from people who never even sent a small note to say, hey, heard you are getting hitched. Congrats! Or something like that. (Ok, the hubby's reacted to this. He said his mates DID send us congratulatory notes on our wedding website. Oops! Sorry babe! My bad.)
(Hmmm, I seem to be typing wEEdings instead of weddings. Could it be that I view weddings as the weeding of unsuitable people from the happening dating scene? Hmmm. Freud, was that a slip?)
Anyway, I am incensed because of these demands! But the hubby, when asked if he was annoyed by it, said no. Why? Because well, it's how it is in their popular culture.
Can't help thinking now that this behviour is so like the Filipino penchant to tease, hint, badger, demand (depending on the time of the day) for a treat from a person celebrating his birthday. I've always thought it was strange that in the Philippines, a person who is celebrating a birthday is the poor shmuck of the day who is pressured and expected to produce the gimmick, the food, the spirits. The person just turned older, for crying out loud! Isn't that a bit sad enough? Wouldn't it make more sense then for friends and family to give the fellow the treat instead? It being his special day and all? (Of course, it's a different story altogether if the birthday boy or girl insists on throwing himself/herself a bash.)
Anyway, I've told the hubby that he is free to give a treat to his entire community if he feels like he should or must do so. But I also told him to please, leave me out of it. As far as I am concerned, I had a reception exactly to make merry after our union and if friends didn't or couldn't make time to attend that, well, then, they sure missed our party, didn't they?
Harrumph!
Enuff said.
Photo credit: weddingfads.com
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