A commitment
17 was 33 years ago, but it was a significant year, not just because that was the year Janis Ian released what was to become the anthem for 17s all over the world, but because that was the year I promised myself I would never marry.
I don’t remember the actual event (if any) that caused me to make that promise, but I remember a later event that got me to re-affirm the promise.
It was 6 years later, and I was visiting my aunt and family. Her eldest son, his wife and their infant son lived with her (or was it the other way round?). I remember the baby cried and my cousin yelling at his wife cuz the baby was crying. And a while later, they found the baby playing with some AA batteries, and he yelled at his wife again for leaving the batteries where the baby could get hold of them, and maybe put them in his mouth and choke himself.
I looked at this domestic scene and told myself I’d never have it happen to me. And the only way not to have it happen was to remain single.
Which is what I am till this day.
Wow … this is the first time I’m writing about it, and reading it, that sounds like such a silly reason. But I had, and still have, other more valid (to me) reasons for remaining single.
