Chapter 6
When Greta’s grades came out, the first person to call wasn’t her class teacher but Phillip. His tone was conciliatory. “Honey, I know I was wrong. From now on, I’ll help you discipline Greta. Please quit your job and take care of her.”
After being married to him for over a decade, I could tell what he was going to say the moment he started speaking.
Phillip continued, “Greta has already learned her lesson. You’re her mother. How can you bear to watch her continue down this path? I promise she won’t make the same mistakes again. The teacher called me today. Greta ranked 400th this time. Forget about getting into a prestigious middle school, she can’t even get into a private one. She’s at the bottom of the class.
“Maybe the teacher’s words were too harsh. When she got home, she locked herself in her room and didn’t even come out when my mom called her. She only came out for a quick bite during dinner. If this keeps up, she’ll be ruined.”
Phillip’s tone was earnest, and he made himself sound as humble as possible.
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But I wouldn’t soften my stance. “What are you afraid of? You know Greta. Give her a game console, and she’ll be fine in a few days.”
Seeing that I wasn’t moved, Phillip became desperate. “Honey, I’ve apologized. Please come back. Is it because the allowance is too low? I’ll give you an extra 1,000 dollars a month for personal expenses if you quit your job and stay home to take care of her.”
He reverted to his commanding tone, trying to get me to quit my job. But this job was my only chance to gain freedom, so I wasn’t about to give it up. I said, “Phillip, you’re making it sound so easy. How about I give you 3,000 dollars a month if you quit your job and take care of Greta full–time?”
My comment hit a nerve and shattered Phillip’s fragile ego in an instant. “Don’t push your luck! No man quits his job to stay home and take care of kids!” He hung up the phone in a huff.
To him, it was perfectly reasonable for me to quit my job and take care of Greta, but asking him to do the same was crossing a line.
That was what fairness in this world–the fairness of gender roles.
