I felt the corruption of of the government class hanging over the whole of this piece, seems to be an omnipresent thing today. The girl, I couldn't quite get her age as you mention she often sat on her mother's lap when on the bus. Yet her musings belied a maturity beyond her apparent years.

I wonder if this older custom of arranged marriages is something the youth of your country are struggling with. I imagine that many seek marriage arrangements through the internet in a way to escape. Or is this something completely forbidden?

Retirement is often a difficult thing for a husband and father who has found little to do with the time they have on their hands and less money in their pockets. Pensions have always been a scam for any but those in "civil service" but that is just my observations here in the Americas. Sadly it looks that the father is going down the same fretful path many family men stumble on during retirement, regardless the country.

I also find it curious that the mum is paying for the building of a new home. I'm guessing that materials and labour are relatively cheap there? This was an interesting mix of blending cultures. An edifying read.

Thank you for sharing. ✌️