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| When I Said NO to Dad |
By:
Anood |
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This story is written by an anonymous (a daughter of a millionaire) who lives somewhere in the Arabian Peninsula. You would be stunned by her beauty if you happened to see her, but you'd never imagine that she is a millionaire...
When I Said NO to Dad
I was born in 1981 into an extremely wealthy upper-class Arab family. I inherited not the genes of dad and mum but those of my Bedouin grandmother who was a stunning beauty. Though I am not pure Arab and my blood is a mixture of English and Arab blood, I inherited nothing from my English grandfather who was a soldier in the British Army that colonised parts of the Arabian Gulf during the early of the 20th century till the late of 1960s. It is only this homesickness for Europe that I always carry in my half-English blood.
Being born with a silver spoon in my mouth, I had everything a kid would wish for. My room was filled with all kinds of toys that dad brought me after each business trip he had. I had two rooms where my old toys were stored. Most of which remained wrapped and untouched as the day they were bought. My bedroom was large enough for a family with 15 kids to live in. I had a special clothing room with 4 closets stuffed with very expensive clothes-dresses, blouses, trousers and skirts-that dad sent to me from the most famous fashion centers in Paris and Rome. There were two maids whose their only job was to look after me-feed, bathe and dress me as well as brush my teeth and wash my hands after meals. You would probably think that I got everything I wanted and grew up spoiled rotten. But the truth is I was a very unhappy kid. Nothing in my life, from the colour of my undies to the school I should be sent to, nothing at all was ever of my own choice. Everything was arranged or rather scheduled.
From the balcony of my room on the second floor in our villa, I would stand every evening and watch the bare-footed and half naked kids playing football in the street. Their shouts, cheers and clap were the only entertainment of my long lonely days. I would get up every morning waiting impatiently for the evening and for those sunburnt kids to gather and whistle to announce the start of the match which would often last for two hours or till it got dark and they had to go home before their poor working-class families started to worry about them.
My entertainment of the football match lasted only for three weeks before one of the servants found out about it. I was assigned then to evening-painting classes which were a real burden to me. I hadn't the least interest in painting and I wasn't the type of kid who would groan and moan if they didn't like to do something. Saying no to something my parents wanted was a thing that I didn't even dare to think about. I had to do everything I was told without a word. If dad said I was going to London for summer holiday, then I had to forget about going elsewhere. If he said no relationships with middle-class people, then no relationships. And if he said I wasn't going to a party alone, I was chaperoned. I simply hadn't a life of my own but that of which everything was arranged and planned for me.
In 1999, I graduated from the best private school in Dubai. I was offered a scholarship from the High Education Ministry to study in one of the best universities in Australia. When I called up dad and told him about the scholarship, he told me that I wasn't going to study abroad because he was coming to take me with him to Argentina.
"Argentina!!!"
I shook my head in surprise... going to Argentina meant a total destruction of all my dreams...
"But dad I can't study Political Science in Argentina. Have they got any universities there?"
"You are not going to study at any university. You are going to work with me. I am starting a big business here. Why should you waste four years in college learning what your dad can teach you in a month. "
"But...dad..."
"I know the A to Z of business world ... I can ..."
"Dad listen... please..."
"I can teach you everything you need to know about business"
"Dad I am really not into the entire business thing. I wanna study Political Science"
"Forget about Political Science. I am coming next week and you are leaving with me for Argentina... you understand... get your stuff ready"
"What about Australia?"
"The subject is closed"
And he hanged up.....
A week later I was in Argentina. I arrived and was still hoping I would be able to talk dad into allowing me to study in Australia. I knew when dad said a subject was closed, it meant not ever bringing it up again. Hopelessly I phoned mum who was at the time on vacation in Malaysia and begged her to persuade dad to allow me go to college. But she just said the same things he said and added, "Your dad has your best interests at heart, you know this."
Something was telling me my life was approaching a turning point. For four days I stayed alone in the hotel waiting for dad to return from a business trip to Korea. In the early morning of the fifth day he returned, and finally had some little time to check on his only child. He took me in his arms and kissed me on the forehead. His hug and kiss were as cold as they had always been. It wasn't like we hadn't seen each other for two years. It was as though we had been together the night before.
"Dad.." I said hesitatingly
"Yes.." Came his quick answer in a business-like tone
"I ....... " I felt the words stuck in my throat. I hadn't the courage to bring up the subject …. "Dad…. I…."
"What is it sweetheart?" he asked tenderly with his hand gently squeezing my left shoulder
"Dad I never said no to anything you and mum wanted, but I have been working really hard to get this scholarship…"
He raised his palm up in the air… .. "You know very well I can send you to the best university in the UK, US, Canada, France, Germany, Russia.. I can send you with my money anywhere you wish.."
"Dad I know you can send me anywhere with your money, but I wanna something that isn't of your money.. I wanna something that is of my own work and effort"
"These are not your words.. These are the words of the stupid poor people"
"Money isn't everything in life dad.. If money can buy anyone happiness, why am I not happy with my life?"
"You have everything that should make you happy.. You are young.. healthy.. rich.. and so beautiful.. I don't know why you are making yourself so miserable?"
"I shouldn't be unhappy with my life dad, right? That's not logical.. I am rich.. very rich.. I should be happy.. floating in the air.. I am a daughter of a millionaire.. you've given me everything.. you've provided me a very good life .. an excellent life.. but I just needed one thing.. just some little love and attention.. but you failed to give it.. you were too busy.."
"What love is.. and what attention is when I can give you what is much more valuable and precious.. What are they when I can give you money?.. When I can buy you anything.. When I can provide you the best life you'd ever dream of.."
"You'll never change dad.. Money is everything to you"
"And to your mum.. you mustn't forget this important fact"
"Yeah.. no wonder she married you.."
"You have grown up strong.. enough to face dad and say no to him.."
"Sorry dad.. but my life has been your own game for all those years. You made all the rules and I had to follow them, but now I am not taking it anymore. And it is about time you ended this game and let me lead my own life.."
"Well then, suit yourself my little daughter, but we shall see how you are going to survive and lead a life without daddy's money.."
"I will dad.. I will.. and we shall see.."
Though I haven't seen dad ever since I flew home from Argentina, I am still determined to show him that I can live, be happy and lead a successful life without his money. Probably he is spying on me now and reading this story I am writing about him. No names are mentioned, so nobody will ever know who we are dad. I'll publish this story under a pseudonym (a daughter of a millionaire).
The End
Written by Anood
Thursday November 10th, 2005 |
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