26 and Unmarried?!

When people meet you for the first time especially your parents friends,why are certain questions mandatory?

I mean questions like how are you? How's life? I can understand. They broadly question every facet of a person's life and luckily gives the person answering, the choice of revealing as much as they want.

But to ask questions like: What do you do? Are you married? Do you have any kids? I mean how can people take the liberty of asking such probing questions? How does it enrich their lives? And does it even matter?! So, if I was an unmarried unemployed mother, would I bring joy to their lives?? Months of endless gossip is more like it!!

I have come to Dubai to meet my sister and brother-in-law who have just had a bonny baby boy! So when I meet people I expect them to ask about my feelings of being a first time aunt and not for heaven's sake my age and whether I am married!! Another favorite question for the first time single aunt - So do you feel like getting married and having kids now?

Grrrrrrr..Why do people want to know? Does it matter whether I want to get married and have babies or whether I want to remain a spinster? God forbid questioning them on that and giving them the opportunity to ask a barrage of intrusive questions.

Why are we so curious to know everything about people's lives? We just can't seem to wait to know the minutest details of the people whom we meet - friend or foe..stranger or family member.. It somehow warms our hearts to know as much about the next person and the more intimate the details, the better we feel!

The doorbell just rang and I can hear some of my mother's friends. My mother silently implores me to behave and keep my temper in check.

Sigh!! I better be prepared with my answers and my smile..Yes aunty... I'm 26 and not married as yet!