A Tale of Two Families

It was just two days after she arrived, but she was already growing more and more impatient.

Our guest was a middle-aged lady in her fifties. She was a distant relative of our family, but she had important connections to the corporation. Thus, by company orders we were instructed to treat her well during her stay here, which was for an indefinite length of time.

We were uncomfortable but tried our best to accommodate her needs, which were difficult to fulfill indeed. She is a matriarch of her own family - too accustomed to a privileged life back home.

Despite our efforts her patience was running out and she was making more and more snide comments in our presence.

"Your house is so small! Back home my house is much larger and prettier and better. We have a amazing view with tall mountains and beautiful lakes."

"Your family is so small! We have a big family full of happy children who respect their elders."

"You have so little family history! We can trace our ancestry hundreds of years back."

"You have such stupid hobbies like playing video games and shopping. At home we write beautiful poems and compose elegant music."

One day she returned from work especially riled at something, and lashed out at us.

"Your family is an impure mixed breed. My family is a pure and unpolluted pedigree!"

Elder brother immediately took offence and responded.

"If you are so great, how come you are a single mum? Where is your wonderful husband?"

She argued back with rage in her eyes "that is my family business! My husband will forever belong to my family - he is only temporarily seduced by that treacherous lover. Everyone knows how much I love him - when he returns to my warm embrace, he will finally be able to serve me like he did before!"

She then glared at elder brother. "Your family once belonged to our family. Why do you insist on speaking an impure language? Why do you interact with inferior people? Why do you have such vulgar hobbies?"

He took a deep breath and calmly rebuffed, "our family existed shortly after your family existed, Madam. Though we are distant relatives, we don't 'belong' to your family. Just because you can trace your ancestry a few hundred years back doesn't mean that you are a few hundred years old."