Suits by Nina Godiwalla

Author:Nina Godiwalla
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY/Business
Publisher: West 26th Street Press
Published: 2013-11-11T00:00:00+00:00

The next day we had a lunch celebration at our Parsi temple. Even though I had already tried to get out of it, dreading aunties and uncles asking me about my college plans, my dad insisted. Not long after we walked in, Zia Aunty spotted me in the appetizer line.

“So, Nina, what are you planning on majoring in?” Zia Aunty asked as she sank her teeth into a tandoori chicken wing.

“Well, I don’t know yet. I do well in math because it comes easy to me, but . . .” I paused.

“That is wonderful!” she chimed in before I could voice my uncertainty. “With good math skills you could be an engineer or go into accounting. Even lawyers and doctors use math.”

“I don’t know if I want to have any of those jobs. I can’t think of anything I’d enjoy doing for forty hours a week.”

“Don’t be foolish,” she warned. “Those who look for too much love in their work will flounder. Be a smart girl: Choose a stable job and husband. Only then you will be happy.”

My dad kept a close eye on my bright green sweater for most of the party. Why hadn’t I worn something more muted? About every twenty minutes, he grabbed my arm to introduce me to someone new. Typically, he had an agenda. I’d watch his eyes dart around the room, trying to see who he could introduce me to next as he nervously flipped his tongue back and forth. Since I’d mentioned I wanted to study business, he was introducing me to aunties and uncles in finance and accounting.

After talking to Jal Uncle, who insisted that finance and accounting were the only two business majors I should consider, since they were the best paying, I eagerly moved over to the drink line. I stood behind Mehroo Aunty and Darius Uncle, catching them in the middle of a conversation about their respective kids, who were only a few years older than me.

“Zeenia has again graduated with high honors,” her mother said. “In high school she graduated number four.” She nodded, reminding Darius Uncle.

“Wonderful,” Darius Uncle responded. “Cyrus is now doing a double degree, BBA and master’s in accounting,” he said, looking around the room for his son with pride. It was clear he hoped to bring him into the conversation.

“We are hoping Zeenia goes the neurosurgeon route. Just like her father,” Mehroo Aunty continued while crossing her fingers. “Even just neurology would be fine.” She saw me standing quietly behind them and put her arm around me while Uncle spoke.

“Really,” Darius Uncle offered, pausing for a moment and nodding. “Cyrus says only five years for both a master’s and bachelor’s. Can’t beat that,” he said, giving the Indian head nod of approval, a side-to-side tilt.

“What about you, Ms. Nina?” Mehroo Aunty asked as she gave me a tight, loving squeeze with her arm wrapped around me.

“I haven’t gotten that far,” I said, laughing uncomfortably and wanting all the comparisons to end quickly. “For now, I’m just trying to decide whether I want Dr.

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