The Other Side of The Family

Peter’s father was always present, although he only knew of him by the sound of his voice on the phone and couple photos from an old album.

Peter grew up in a house of all-women; he had two sisters and his mother. Being the only boy, he always felt sort of a loner despite tha he was never really alone.

At home, Peter, always felt he was under a constrained set of rules: be polite, take a shower in the mornings and one in the evening before bed, don’t chew with your mouth open, hold the knife and fork properly when you eat, never leave the house without your mother’s consent, take care of your little sister, bring home good grades, and so on.

Peter felt these rules weighted heavy on other kids too, so he thought of them as universal; specially when he visited his cousins from his father’s side. However, in the mother side of his family, ironically, from whom the rules had been imparted. Kids seemed to live under no constrains!. When visiting cousins from his mothers side, Peter felt loose. He still acted with manners but the behavior of these kids or rather lack of, made him feel freer. At home he ought to ask permission to go to visit his friend; even if this was the next door neighbor. At his cousins’ place kids came and go as they pleased, and they always seemed to be around friends.

One time when visiting these siblings, Peter went with them for a walk, for him walks wasn’t something he did often. So, he felt exited. A group of three to four kids went out with the excuse to visit their grandma, whom was visiting one of their uncles that lived nearby. Peter and his cousins walked for about three miles to their uncle’s house. When they arrived their grandma greeted everyone with charm. When she sees Peter she says “Edwinsito!-where’s your mom?” as if the mere idea of him being by himself scared her. He replies “at my aunt’s house” which made him feel again different than his cousins and constrained to those universal rules.

A moment later peter’s grandma asked “are you kids hungry?” to which everyone replies “Yeahp!”then she takes over the kitchen and prepares a meal, which, the kids devour with one spoon and one hand. Peter instead was offered a fork and a knife.