How I Broke the News to My Parents on a Road Trip

It has to be tough sometimes, even for the parents, especially when they are Indian parents. I have no hesitation in admitting that I manipulate my parents when they apply the same tricks to me. The Indian parents have a nasty habit of altering almost every decision of their kid’s life, even when the decision seems legit.

So we had planned a trip to McLeodganj from our hometown in Delhi. We were already late while leaving from the house as we had to pick the Self Drive Cars Delhi Airport because of its proximity to our house. Anyway, we all packed our bags and left for the airport in a cab. Everything was going well, mom was packing her bags, dad was packing food, sister Shreya was busy packing her makeup, and I was chatting on my phone.

So we all left for the airport, picked up the car, and drove off to McLeodganj, which is more than 500 kilometers from Delhi. Dad and I love driving, so traveling to a far-off destination for more than 12-13 hours was not a problem for us. As soon as we reached the hills, I decided to break the important news to my family.

Me: Mom, Dad, I have to share something important with you guys.

Mom: What is it? Have you failed in your exams? I told you to study harder and quit playing cricket.

Dad: Do you need money for something?

Mom: Are you in love? I knew it. The look on your face tells me you have found someone on your own. I had already found someone for you. Now you will bring someone to our house and she will rule all of us.

Shreya: Mom, Dad, he has not even spoken a word about his matter yet.

Dad, who was enjoying driving on the serene hills, stopped the car and turned to me, “What is it, beta?”

(What is it, son?)

Me: See, this is something that has been bothering me for quite some time, but you all must know that I am homosexual. I like men.

Mom and Dad were aghast!

Their mouths dropped and tongues almost touched the floor of the car. Dad got out of the car, and Mom followed him as well. Now I was looking at Shreya, completely clueless. We also got out and turned to our parents.

Mom was crying and Dad was consoling her.

Mom: How could you do this to us? What will we say to the relatives?

Dad: Since when?

Me: I don’t know Dad, but I don’t find any interest in girls. I have a boyfriend and we plan to get married.

I could sense the cool air of the mountains around us suddenly fuming!

Mom: Please don’t do this Shreyas. We will find a good girl for you. You can also find one on your own if you like someone. We will not say a word. Just don’t marry a boy please.

Me: I don’t know Mom I will be able to do it or not. I love my boyfriend and I cannot leave him.

Mom was still sobbing, and Dad was still consoling her.

After ten minutes, I could not take it anymore.

I hugged Mom and told her that it was a joke. I am straight, not a homosexual person. Instead of smiling at me, she slapped me! And then hugged me.

Dad: We will have to get you married soon! This was a really bad joke!

I texted my girlfriend as I sat in the car, “Congratulations! Mission accomplished! We are getting married soon!

Being On a Road Trip with My Dog

What else do you need when you have a great buddy with you on a road trip? Everything becomes pleasant just by having someone on your side whom you love with all your heart. In my case, it is my dog whom I love so much that sometimes, I do not even need my friends. My Labrador, Shiny, is a golden-fur dog. He has been with me since my school years, and he was two months old when my Dad brought him to me. My parents always thought that I was an introvert person and that I needed to get out of the house more often. That is why; they decided to bring a four-legged friend for me with whom I could go to the parks and streets. They were right in their thinking; people often come to me to play with my beautiful dog and be kind to me as well. I may sound mean here, but I have actually made many friends just by having Shiny with me. Some of those people are still with me since years of their meeting at various places.

Trip to Pune 

A friend of mine happens to live in Pune, and he had called me to his home many times in the last few years. Since I could not find anyone to accompany me for such a long trip from Delhi to Pune, I decided to take Shiny along. He was super happy to be in the car, although he also showed some tantrums sometimes. He enjoyed the pleasant weather during February last year along with the delicious food that I had got for him. I did not want him to deal with an itchy stomach by constantly being in the car.

Trip to Goa

I never knew that Shiny would love beaches so much that he would never want to return. He actually enjoyed being close to the water; then he would go into the water for a quick while, and then run back to me to display how happy he was. I could feel the bliss in his heart when he was there at the beaches, even though some people were not comfortable with having a dog around them. I had to pull him out of place whenever we had to go back to the hotel, which also showed frets for the pets sometimes. As if I care!

Trip to Manali

I don't know about other dogs, but my Labrador does not feel very happy in cold weather. I decided to rent a Car without Driver and took him to Manali to see the snow and snowfall. However, he was not very happy to be there walking in the snow. He wore heavy clothes and sweaters, which were made out of my sweaters, but I still had to convince him to go out in the open air. He would always like to sleep in the cozy bed, no matter how hard I tried. Somehow, I managed to spend three days in Kullu and Manali with him, but I had to return early.

My vacations with Shiny have been very memorable, no matter it was an extended trip or a small visit to a grocery store. He is an adorable companion who loves me despite everything. He keeps himself entertained as well as everyone around him. If I have Shiny with me, I seriously do not feel like being with other people. However, he has taught me to be more social and more courteous to others than I ever used to be. More than me, my parents are grateful to him.