Chapter 1 – I Find that My Entire Family is Insane

“Wait, you want me to what?”

“You heard me, Lewis. I want you to find my son a wife,” my uncle was smiling now, leaning back in his leather executive rolling chair behind his desk. I drummed my fingers nervously in my lap.

“But… why? How?”

“Simple! You want to take a year off to see the world before joining my firm? Grand! A good idea! Why not do our family a simple service while you’re gone?”

“I… but…”

“Now, I know it’s rather unorthodox, but you’re more than up to the challenge.

“But how?”

“Simple. Go to rural areas. Ask around. Find a girl. Bring her back.”

“But, shouldn’t Jack be allowed to find his own wife?”

“I’m tired of my son sleeping with young socialites; useless women who have no useful skills or abilities, confused ideas, and only want Jack’s money.”

“But if that’s what he wants-“

“It isn’t. Ask him yourself if you don’t believe me. He’ll explain it better than me.”

I started for a moment. This was insane!

“I can’t do this! It’s immoral!”

My uncle sighed deeply and slunk back behind his desk.

“Listen to me, nephew. Jack’s mother died in childbirth. She was a good woman, but she too would have eventually turned out like all the rest. Divorce after divorce. You know how many I’ve had?”

“Four?”

“Five. Five failed marriages. Now, I’m not so arrogant as to put the blame solely on their shoulders. If anything, it’s my fault. Men like me aren’t built for marriage. We are consumed by our work, our responsibilities to our family. Women in this country don’t understand that I cannot put my responsibilities after them. Men like my son and I need wives of utility. Now, it’s too late for me, but God help me if I don’t do what’s right for my son. He’s going to be a doctor. A man of character dedicated to the saving of other people’s lives. He doesn’t need a useless wife added to his troubles. I have the resources to find him a good one, so I will.”

“What do you mean a wife of utility?”

My uncle grinned wide, he had been looking forward to telling me this, “I want you to find my son a woman who can cook and clean. A woman who can take care of children, you’ll be able to tell by watching the way she acts with her younger siblings. Find a woman who can knit and repair clothing. Find a woman who doesn’t spend money needlessly, can be thrifty and shop economically. Find a girl without major genetic defects in her family and in good health. I have it all written down.”

“A girl with all that that speaks and reads English?”

My uncle’s eyes widened as if he considered my comment absurd, “Of course not! What’s the use in that? Languages can be learned, you’re the best example of that. How many languages do you speak, again?”

“Twenty, but I’m an exception-“

“You can teach her the English she needs to know once you find her. “ He was starting to make sense. This idea was insane. But not too insane.

“You can’t expect me to find a girl who’s willing to travel across the world to marry some man she’s never met!”

My uncle’s voice took on a serious tone and leaned forward on the desk, speaking in a hushed tone, “forty thousand women are sent to this country a year to work in the sex industry from eastern Europe alone. Most are promised that they’re being sent to work as secretaries, maids, nannies; some are even promised that they’re doing exactly what I’m sending you to find them for. Most of them work as prostitutes or strip dancers. Most get to this country in dark cargo containers with little food, almost no light. Many die in the passage, most don’t make it past five years in this country. They are exploited; many are raped or viscously beaten. You’re telling me you can’t find and rescue one of those girls? Or one of the many more that come from elsewhere? How many come from East Asia? The Balkans? You can’t find me one? I pay your way through college and law school, I care for you as if you’re my son, I offer you a job in my firm, but you can’t do me this one favor while you’re out ‘finding yourself?’

He was right. He was always right, “I’m sorry uncle.”

He smiled again, “It’s alright. I know it’s a lot, and unorthodox. But this for the best. Will you do it?”

I couldn’t refuse, “I’ll have to talk to Jack about it first. I can’t go behind his back if it’s wife.”

My uncle clapped his hands together, “Of course, of course. That’s fine. Go talk to Jack.” He got up and I rose as well out of my chair.

“I appreciate you doing this, Lewis. It’s a big favor to the entire family.” He shook my hand and patted me on the back, “Find my son a good wife, Lewis.”

“I’ll try, unc.”