Every girl has an Aunt N’amaat in her life.
And every girl receives the same remarks that are repeated on various occasions:
“Come on girl, hurry up!”
“Did all the men go blind?”
“May you be in your own house next year, God willing!”

The problem is when one of these women’s daughters is about to get married,
And she’s younger than me,
Oh my God!
“See how clever this girl is? She’s not like you, a failure!”

Then their feelings turn into a cocktail of pity and fear,
That I’d give their daughters the evil eye.
“We’re not going to tell Sarah, because she’s a spinster, so we can’t!”

So what happens is that I end up finding out by chance that my cousin got married.
“Oh, did she really?”
“Yes love, ou’balik. [may you be next]
“May you be in your own house next year, God willing!
Come on, hurry up! Did all the men go blind?”
I have to put on a dumb smile and congratulate them.

The same exchange takes place again when the girl gives birth,
“Really? Was she pregnant?”
“Yes love, ou’balik!”
“May you be in your own house next year, God willing!
Come on, hurry up! Did all the men go blind?”