Chapter 7: Unstoppable force
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"Connie, for the last time: you will NOT hold a presentation about this Hanna Reitsch character! Do you hear me?" Priyanka Maheswaran shouted. "Weren't you supposed to do one about Zarah Leander? Even though she..."
"I was going to," interrupted Connie, clenching her fists. "And I will indeed mention her. But I'm going to focus on Reitsch! She was a competing glider pilot, and aviation was a much more unusual field of work, especially for a woman back then, wasn't it?"
"That's not the point," snapped Priyanka. "Connie, she was also test pilot, and not just that. She tested military planes. For the German Air Force. During the Second World War! Do you understand what that means?"
"Do you understand that it was only one part of her life? Look, teachers and professors give presentations of people who did much worse things than test fly warplanes, so why can't I? The reputation that a person has doesn't tell the whole story - that is exactly what my presentation will be about! Don't you get it? She worked for the bad guys, sure, but after the war, she became a huge inspiration and a role model to all people who wanted to learn how to fly! She pursued her own goals, which is what everyone keeps telling us: pursue your own goals! Don't look back! Let nothing stand in your way!" Connie shouted.
Priyanka understood that a shouting match would only end in tears for both of them. Maybe it could still be avoided by reasoning with Connie. "Honey, I understand that, but what about your classmates? What about all the other students at your school? What about their parents? People today... Look, this whole country is about to fall apart, and every one of us has to be careful. Do you understand how easy it is to become marked as something you are not? You're still young, and I don't think you fully understand..."
Connie, however, didn't want to be 'reasoned' with. "Oh, I do understand. You want to protect me from all the bad people in my school. Because they are all bad, just waiting for a moment to take a swing at me if I do or say or even refer to anything that they call problematic. Is that it?"
"I just don't want anyone bullying you - they... I don't want anybody calling you a... a..."
"A Hitler? A Nazi? A fascist? A murderer? Is that it?" finished Connie. "You can say it, mom! You won't grow a moustache if you do! Besides, I'm the one who goes to school, not you. I deal with the consequences of my actions, not you. As for the bullies, well, the school sure can't handle them, but I can."
Priyanka did her best to speak in a calm voice. "Connie, did someone bully you?"
"Someone tried to, but I put the hurt on them. Oh, and it was completely justified. Look at this message I got."
Connie took her iPhone out of her pocket and scrolled through the message inbox. She selected a message she had received two weeks earlier, and showed it to her mother. The message read: "nate of america,,,, go back home to india!1" It was the only offensive message, and it was already two weeks old. Either Connie had deleted other such flames, or the sender never got around sending more of them.
"What is this? Who sent this?" Priyanka asked, shocked.
"A classmate did. It's what I got without any provocation at all, so it's no use being careful. Everyone gets bullied - even the bullies! They usually take a punch in their face and then try to laugh it off. But you don't have to worry about this one. I took care of it, and I can and will do it again if I have to!"
"Connie, you will tell me right now what happened!"
"Fine! I found out who sent that message, so I taught her a lesson. Do you remember when I came home late two weeks ago? Well, I was in detention for fighting. So was the little miss illiterate who sent me that message. Ha! I say it was a very one sided fight. I wasn't the one with a black eye. Unlike the school system, I actually tackled the problem - literally!"
"Who told you that it was okay to use violence? Was it that... that... white alien?"
"Her name is Pearl, mom! She has a real name! Pearl taught me self-defense. At least she taught me something that works in the real world!"
"Connie, why didn't you tell me anything? Why on Earth didn't your teacher call me? I'll have a talk with her later! What is her name? I swear I'll..."
"Oh, that is just wonderful! You can't even remember my teacher's name. Well, it's Mrs. Gerdenheim. You can call her, all right. At least she's on my side, just like Pearl is!"
"Connie, you just can't go and beat people!"
"Well what should have I done, then? Buried my head in the sand? Switched schools? Gone to exile? Now there's an idea! We Maheswarans should move to the mountains so we could be SAFE all day!"
"I will definitely call your teacher. And we'll be having a talk, me, you, her... and your father!"
"Is that supposed to make me feel intimidated? I know what's going to happen: you will complain and embarrass me in front of my teacher. And dad will just keep parroting everything you say. What's the point?"
"Connie, listen: I'm your mother. I'm supposed to protect you. I am protecting you. That's what mothers do. You'll understand when you have kids of your own."
Connie was prepared for that particular argument. "Right, so you're protecting me by telling me everything what I can and what I can't do? Even how I must tie my shoelaces? Aren't you just disappointed how you can't spy me on Facebook, because I don't have an account? Wait, now I get it. Now I get it! Ohhhh... mom, I understand everything!
I've been a good daughter - too good! I don't drink! I don't do drugs! I don't hang around with bad people! I never skip classes! I stand up for myself and my friends - oh, wait, that's not allowed in your world, is it? You don't feel like you're a good mother to me unless you're keeping me safe from something - anything - all the time! You keep telling yourself and dad that there's always something lurking just around the corner, so you get to control everything in my life! Well, there is terrorism, but you can't really protect me or anyone from it, now can you? Isn't it ironic that it's a problem that YOUR generation helped create with your involvement in the Golden Sands crisis? What a wonderful excuse to micromanage my life and strangle my freedom with yet another Patriot Act!
I swear, if I ever want to start a family, I won't be marrying a guy who keeps nodding his head like a chicken to everything I say! And if I ever have a daughter, I won't be a CLUELESS and SELFISH mother to her, and I'll be sure to keep her away from people like YOU!"
"Connie, you're saying very hurtful things right now..."
"WELL I'M DOING IT ON PURPOSE, SO SHUT UP! I'M NOT YOU! I'LL NEVER BE ANYTHING LIKE YOU!"
For the first time in years, Priyanka Maheswaran was speechless. Stunned, she watched as Connie ran out of the room without looking back.
Oh, and just one more thing, Connie thought. Before leaving the house, she stopped by the broom closet. There, on the shelf, sat the damn abacus. You're coming with me!
