Showering the Baby

Somtimes, when I miss my friends, I tend to wander back into my inbox and re-read random emails we would have exchanged (no, it's not creepy. People do it ALL the time!). There are some people who like to clear their inbox. I hardly ever delete emails (unless they're junk, ads or one of those virus ones), so I have emails that go back YEARS.  That's a healthy archive to rely on a nostalgic day. 

This is an excerpt from an email I found - written by me on the 11th of January 2011. It was sent to a group of friends. We were invited to a friend's baby shower and below was the dialogue that went on between my dad and me, when I was asking for permission to go. We live in Abu Dhabi, and the shower was in Dubai in the evening, which meant I would have to spend the night at another friend's house. If you are Sri Lankan, you know that is a seriously taboo suggestion to ever bring up!

(Names have been changed for security purposes. Not really. I just feel like substituting their names)
 
me: ...they have a really trusted driver...
dad: (interrupting me) Like Hassan? (the driver who picked and dropped me from uni for 3 years and knows us since we were babies)
me: Yes deda, like Hassan...
dad: (interrupting again) Good for them..
me: Yes. It is. So, he can drop us at Karima's house when the party is over .
dad: And why would you want to disturb them like that?
me: No no no! i didn't offer. I actually said no. But Noorhan (friend who's baby shower is was) insists. She said they would be more than happy to...
dad: Okay.
me: So I can go?!
dad: No. In the middle of the night? What are you thinking Fathi?
me: (sigh!) Okay, but she also said Mahmoud (Noorhan's husband) and she (Noorhan) can drop us if we aren't comfortable with Hassan.
dad: Who is Mahmoud?
me: Her husband.
dad: Whose husband?
me: Noorhan's.
dad: Noorhan is married?
me: YES! That's why shes having a baby shower!
dad: I don't know Fathi! Why would you want to go there and give her and the baby a bath and all that? Its...its a shame.
me: NO NO NO! Its called a baby shower. But there is no real shower. We just give gifts, play games, have fun and all that, before the baby is born. That's all.
dad: Okay visit her on another day and give her what you want.
me: But this is an occasion deda! I've already told her we're coming (semi-lie, Noorhan knew we might not come because of transport issues).
dad: (watches tv like we're not having a conversation).
me: So can I go?
dad: Where?
me: (start clenching teeth) To the baby shower. Noori and Mahmoud can drop us back to Karima's house in the end.
dad: Who is Noori?
me: Noorhan!
dad: So you want to come in between husband and wife?
me: Huh?
dad: They will be tired and want to go home and you will sit in the car and say take me to Karima's house?
me: THEY offered! You think I'll ask them for something like that?
dad: You know how much problems you can make between husband and wife?
me: What??? No!! What are you saying????
dad: And shes pregnant.
me: So??
dad: She'll be very tired. She shouldn't have all these parties anyway. 
me: Deda!! Can I go or no???
dad: (raising voice slightly and having grumpier expression) I don't know Fathi. Do whatever you want. You dont listen to what we say. (NOT TRUE!!)
me: Deda!
dad: (continues watching tv).
me: Fine! I'm not going! I told her I'm coming (semi-lie) and now I'll tell her I cant - AND she's pregnant! (irrelevant information, but at this point both of us were rather exhausted I think).

Basically my dad thought my friend and I will be a cause of divorce between Noori and Mahmoud and that curse will follow our families forever and nobody will marry me if they knew I went to give my pregnant friend and her baby (who was not born yet) a (actual) shower (with water and soap and whatnot). 

I ended up having a cold the next day, so I wouldn't have been able to make it anyway, but this is one example of the many highly logical and persuading conversations I've had with my dad. Sigh! 

Still love him though! x

P.S. Noori gave birth to a beautiful baby boy and now, a year later, is pregnant with her second bundle of joy! :D
This is not a picture of her baby though. I just found it on Google.