"I decide to come out because of the way Ammu and Abba look at Sunny Apu, with a mixture of pride and love and longing. It isn't directed at Sunny Apu at all, really; it's directed at the future. At our futures, mine and Priti's."
Nishat, narrator of Adiba Jaigirdar's The Henna Wars, knows that her parents are not a traditional Bengali couple. They had a love, rather than an arranged, marriage. They moved from their native Bangladesh to Ireland to give their daughters a better life. They've moved beyond many of the beliefs they were brought up with, but cling to one: marriage requires a bride and a groom. In her case that is so not going to happen. So when she sees her parents going all misty eyed at a distant relative's wedding she decides to come out to them.
When she tells them they don't seem bothered. But a middle of the night conversation she eavesdrops on tells quite a different story. They think she's confused and will outgrow it. When she comes to her senses she'll marry a proper Desi male.
At the wedding Nishat runs into a former classmate, Flavia, who she hasn't seen in years--a classmate who has become quite attractive. The crush she develops will prove problematic. Flavia is in her business class. The teacher announces a competition. Students singly or in a group will be creating their own businesses. The winner will get a thousand euros. Nishat decides to do henna tattoos. Flavia makes the same choice, even though in her case it's cultural appropriation. Nishat is determined to win.
Except Flavia is getting a lot more customers. But even as the competition gets intense Nishat can't get over her feelings for her business rival.
Meanwhile Nishat's mother has laid down an ultimatum: to avoid bringing shame on her family she must be responsible. In other words, heterosexual. She can be true to herself or loved by her parents. She can't have both.
Nishat has some difficult decisions to make and a lot at stake. Her coming of age narrative is authentic and engaging.
On a purrrsonal note, Tuesday the temps were a little bit lower. After I took the pictures for the children's garden I had enough energy to work in the community garden. We've entered the really bountiful season despite raids by hungry deers and woodchucks. I was able to take home beets, beans, summer squash, cabbage, and lettuce. The first tomatoes have ripened. I had a few sungolds. Delish!!! Last night I had so much fun!!! I had an almost hour long phone talk with my good friend, Catherine, who graduated and moved back to New York in May. We had so much to talk about and the connection felt authentic. We also text. I believe we can stay friends. I've tried to keep up with other graduated friends by email and that so hasn't worked. I was outside near my lovely garden in a chair Catherine and I had found last summer ☀️ at Goodwill. There was a delightful breeze to dissipate the day's heat. Purrrfect.
A great big shout out goes out to the children's garden and community garden crews and Catherine.
Jules Hathaway
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