I Say...

...that humility is overrated. Only yesterday, my family and I were invited to my ku por's (grandfather's sister) birthday party. As I looked over the seating arrangements I felt a pang of despair as once again my brother and I were placed together with our cousins (grandfather's brother's grandkids - not close at all seeing how we meet only during CNY and rare functions like these) and their parents.

It's not due to the fact that we're not close. It's just that I don't really like the attitudes of the 2 uncles, especially when my brother is in the mix. The last time we were seated together was at another cousins' wedding dinner. They (the 2 uncles and my brother) drank can after can of beer and got themselves high. That was nothing, I mean it really didn't concern me. What did concern me was that very soon after the dinner started, they started teasing me...really not the most appropriate word to use but since I can't find another...which lasted the whole dinner. Needless to say, I just laughed at most of their nonsense, pretending to enjoy their teasing as well, but deep down inside was a very different feeling. One of annoyance and slight anger as well. I thought I'd let it pass since it was a one-off thing...

...until yesterday, when it happen again! I was like "what the @#$%?!" What the heck is wrong with these people? One uncle's wife smacked him time and again telling him to stop...guess she noticed I wasn't very comfortable with all the needling...but it was like hitting a wall. The best part? There was a long waiting period in between courses. Simple maths says that equals to more enduring crap out of their mouths.

It's not that I can't take the crap. Heck at uni we practically insult each other on a daily basis. The difference is that I barely know those 2 uncles and loathe my brother. So they had all their fun at my expense...again! Now standard Asian values say that one should be humble and not talk back to ones' elders. Humbug I say! I've told my brother off more times than I'm bothered to count and if this happens again, you can be sure those two uncles are going to get a piece of my mind!

I can forsee what would happen : they would be stunned silent for a while, then attempt to make amends by saying how it's just for fun and doesn't mean anything. But I would keep silent for the rest of the dinner and I shall not say anything to either of them. They'll probably end up thinking I'm some kind of stuck-up spoilsport but I couldn't give two hoots what they think. Then my mom would eventually find out about it and give me an earful about respecting elders. After which I would probably send this post to her in an email and hope she will understand.

The best part? My brother brought his girlfriend along to the dinner (I think she was the only one who sympathised with me) but since he got so wasted, guess who ended up sending her home? The nerve of that idiot!
Sigh...and my parents (and aunt and grandmom) tell me that whenever he tries to annoy me, to just yan/tolerate it. What I've tried to make them understand is that there is a limit to my tolerance and he surpassed that limit eons ago (full story on why I loathe my brother on my Friendster blog...maybe I should put it up here too...). Unfortunately they just don't get it at all. I tell them, especially my mom, that she wouldn't survive 1 day in my shoes but it falls on deaf ears as time and again the same advice comes out of her mouth.

For all her preaching on tolerance, she told me off (I'm putting it mildly) for being rude to her yesterday. I was like "HUH?" The only time I could remember anything remotely rude was when I corrected one of her statements, about my skin no less. And I seriously doubt it was anywhere near rude. And it was entirely unintentional.
Sheesh...talk about the pot calling the kettle black...