Wind In My Head: The Trophy Wife
Wind In My Head
Tuesday, November 02, 2004
The Trophy Wife
We are now members of The Tanglin Club, after last night, the Welcome-Introduction Night which is akin to the initiation rituals of the Boston High Society. When Dan first talked about it, many years ago, I remember thinking it was Singapore's equivalent of the debutante ball and indeed it was except I wasn't the one who was presented to society. Dan was.The men were in suits and apparently, the women were supposed to dress up. I turned up in a sarong Kebaya to cover up all the sunburn and evidence of my doppelganger life as a concentration camp escapee only to realise that most Singaporeans' idea of getting dressed was work clothes. So, stating that I was over-dressed was an understatement.
But, my outfit and the way I must have looked last night was an asset to my husband since my role was merely to stand, look like the perfect wife standing a step behind her husband and smiling prettily, doing everything to advance his standing in society. All I had to do is step up on cue for the second round of introductions. The first round is done by Dan's dad... "May I introduce my son..." followed by Dan stepping up to the plate, short of the low curtsey and the white gloves, to shake hands, smile and engage in meaningless small talk. The second round requires Dan to go ..." May I introduce my wife..." which is my cue to repeat the previous choreography.
Rinse and repeat five times.
The conversation revolved around congratulating one another on how well run the club was and trying to entice me, the trophy wife to attend the women's luncheon where there are fashion shows. Uh huh. I have time for that- loads of it.
It was amusing in a roll your eyes sort of way because everyone was taking it very seriously. All through the evening, Dan kept asking me if I felt like a tai tai yet and the truth is I really didn't because I wasn't attracted to playing bridge and neither was I interested in joining the ladies luncheon and that unfortunately is the definition of a tai tai. Another thing a tai tai should have that I don't is the big hair, so no I didn't feel like one.
I think there were some women who couldn't wait to embrace that status though. Wives, about my age, jumping around excitedly at the prospect of a ball they can go to, and a belly dancing talent nite that they can participate in and a luncheon they can join to gawk at overpriced clothes and jewellery. So, I guess it isn't me. I would like to shop and do tea but I would also like my brains intact, be respected for my intellect and not while away my afternoons in a smoky bridge room.
So perhaps, I don't mind being a tai tai, but on my own terms and not a club tai tai and one night of being a trophy wife will last me a long long while, especially since I need time to recover from those 4 1/2 inch stilettos that were made by a man called Max and his company of women hating men.
Ondine tossed this thought in at 07:40
2 thoughts...
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At 9:56 am
wahj said... Sounds very Austenish - balls and dances and drawing rooms! = ) Ah, the life of idleness ...
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At 6:26 pm
Irving said...
"Welcome to Stepford."