Judas of Suburbia

My parents married in the late teens, relatively young in comparison to today's American society. They were introduced to each other by their parents, married as they were expected to, and had kids as they were expected to. My father got in uniform during the war and served his country. My mother raised the kids at home and served her husband.

Such was the cheese that bound my family.

We were a utilitarian family; held together by a sense of duty rather than a sense of intimacy. My father worked as an automotive technician to put food on the table because that was his duty. My mother fed us and bathe us and educated us because that was her duty. My brothers and sisters and I sometimes did our chores and other times knelt in the time out corner weeping and whining because that was our duty, sort of.

I went to school like I was supposed to, did homework and aced tests like I was supposed to. Took the little progress report slips home for my parents to sign like I was supposed to. I excelled in mathematics and language arts and cheated my way through geography and world history.

I graduated Cum Laude from high school like I was supposed to. I attended a local university like I was supposed to, and in five years, graduated with a Bachelors of Science like I was supposed to.

I buttoned up my collar and learned how to knot a tie like I was supposed to. Got a job in a cubicle like I was supposed to, brought home paychecks like I was supposed to.

And then, my parents sat around the house waiting for me to bring home a nice girl to marry and pop out grandkids for them.

And I was like, Fuck that!

I spent my entire life being primped and groomed, molded and educated to become a person who has all the smarts and aptitude to get where I need to go in life. I have the skills and resources to get all the things I want to have out of life, with no one but myself to blame for failure or stagnance.

And I'm supposed to marry and make babies and start this vicious cycle over again? Fuck that.

I'm a digital native, a yuppy, a product of middle class suburbia, member of a generation defined by hedonism and instant gratification.

A child of vanities.

And no bonfire.