Night One
I am a uniquely American Shaharazad. I have no king like the Shaharazad of old. In America we are ruled by Uncle Sam. Uncle Sam was unique in that he listened to his people and tried to form a more perfect union. He had his share of problems and scandals but he was still beloved by many throughout the world for his efforts.
Uncle Sam and my grandfather went to war to save our distant relatives in Europe from a genocide. They succeeded and Uncle Sam was a hero the world over. He helped form the United Nations and was given veto power along with four others. The world knew them as just liberators and hoped this would continue.
Uncle Sam then decided to take a wife. He took a bride from my European family whose people were persecuted the most during the war. Israel was a beautiful, loving woman who was sickly from the trauma. We all loved her so much, Uncle Sam, especially.
Uncle Sam vowed to help Israel’s people in the Middle East because of his intense love of her. He supported them through the Nakba, catastrophe and beyond. It wasn’t long before Uncle Sam caught his beloved wife cheating on him. He was so upset to see her betrayal that he killed her in a blind rage.
They say that grief and trauma do strange things to people. Uncle Sam was no exception. He blamed the world for his beloved Israel’s actions. He was furious that the world had betrayed them. He vowed revenge against them all. He gave the country that bore his beloved wife’s name anything they wanted; went to war for them; covered their crimes; and used his veto power to silence the world’s cries of genocide.
Uncle Sam has also taken many wives from around the world in his quest for revenge. World leaders have given him their best daughters to appease him. He has them all executed the morning after their wedding day so that they can’t betray him.
I have only known Uncle Sam’s destruction of the world but my love for and dedication to my people knows no bounds. I have grown weary of his destruction which has only grown worse over time. I pleaded for an audience with Uncle Sam for years after my family and I were decimated by his actions. I finally got my chance.
I bribed the kitchen staff to allow me to cook for Uncle Sam under their watchful gaze. Uncle Sam might have been loathed by all but they certainly weren’t going to allow me to poison him.
I began cooking an enormous buffet of dishes from around the world to represent the various lives lost to Uncle Sam. The kitchen staff watching me closely. It took me months to prepare. I asked God to bless every dish as I prepared it.
I was blessed with food that the kitchen staff said was amazing. It was incredibly flavorful and delicious while actually being healthy. It was far different than Uncle Sam’s usual processed foods high in fat, sugar and calories.
We became close as we worked and talked side by side. They couldn’t understand why I was doing all of this for the tyrannical Uncle Sam. I kept telling them that I liked to cook to satisfy their curiosity.
When the enormous buffet was nearly complete, we were extremely close. We had shared so much of ourselves with each other that we loved and cared for each other deeply. I decided that they deserved to know the true reason for my cooking before the deed was done.
They say that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. I told them that I wanted to present this feast to Uncle Sam and offer myself to him in marriage. They had grown to know me and my love of the ideals of Uncle Sam who once strove for a more perfect union. They understood that Uncle Sam wouldn’t be able to resist marrying me. They begged me to give up on my dreams of marrying Uncle Sam and work in the kitchen instead. They said that my cooking would surely help Uncle Sam who had become incredibly obese and sickly. They simply couldn’t watch me die needlessly. They had grown to love me as I did them.
I simply told them that I would try to be a good wife to him. They cried, wailed, screamed and begged me on their hands and knees to not go. I simply said that I loved them and Uncle Sam before following the procession of dishes. ‘Subhanatallah. It is God’s will,’ were my parting words.
When I met with Uncle Sam, I explained every dish in detail and charmed him. He kept asking my purpose with suspicion. I insisted that I merely wanted to serve him because I loved him so much. As he sampled each dish, he said that it was impossible yet every dish was even better than the last. He was quite pleased and charmed by me. When he had finished, he asked me what he could do for such a wonderful cook and entertainer with surprising beauty.
‘It was an honor to cook for and entertain you, my beloved. If you might like me, I would be honored to be your bride. I would do my best to please you even more than I did tonight.’
Uncle Sam was so pleased with me that he agreed. I was married to Uncle Sam today. I am to be executed in the morning. I have a plan though.
Listen to what I tell my new husband tonight for tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. I leave the fate of me and my people to God. Inshallah, God willing we will have peace, prosperity and the more perfect union Uncle Sam once dreamed about.
I hope that you are pleased with me, my husband. I know that I could be a great wife to you but alas, I must be executed in the morning. I understand completely and fault you not. I just wanted to die knowing that I am married to you, my beloved Uncle Sam.
Before we part and I never see my beloved’s face again, might I entertain you with a story on this, my last and only night with you?
Thank you, my love. Have some sweets and drinks I made for you and relax as I entertain you.
We meet our quintessential American family in the turbulence of a 1960’s Detroit suburb. The mother, Miss Lena was born on a farm to Protestant Prussian immigrants. She was an amazing wife and mother to three children. She was a housewife extraordinaire who was devoted to God, family and country. She worked hard to make her house, family and community the best they could be because of her love for them.
The father, Mr Dick was born in the Detroit suburbs to established German American Catholics. He fought in World War II before retiring from the service. He was equally devoted to God, family and country. His service continued as a volunteer firefighter when he wasn’t working in the automobile factory to support his beloved family.
One day Mr Dick met a temptress. She was a barmaid at the local tavern frequented by first responders. She had been sharing her bed with many of them but saw her chances of marriage fading fast. She knew Mr Dick to be an honorable, family man and seduced him. After she shared his bed with him, she went to him in tears claiming to be pregnant with his child. Mr Dick was distraught and tried to find a solution.
Mr Dick was a devout Catholic. His beloved sister, Miss Josephine had been a nun for years. He couldn’t divorce but he couldn’t let his child be born illegitimately. He reconciled his decision with his wife’s Protestant faith. She wasn’t one of them. He never should’ve married her decades before. He would seek an annulment in order to marry his mistress; make an honest woman out of her; and legitimize his child’s birth.
Mr Dick told Miss Lena and their three children about divorcing her and seeking an annulment. His decision devastated the entire family. The Catholic family blamed Miss Lena for not being a good enough wife to keep her husband from straying and for daring to chastise him when he did. They distanced themselves from the now illegitimate children as well.
Miss Lena was emotionally distraught but tried her best to contain the devastation. The eldest daughter, Miss Marie was away at college and wasn’t impacted as much by the day to day turmoil. The youngest daughter, Miss Beverly was in the beginning of her high school studies. She did her best to carry on and help her mother.
The only son, Mr Rick was finishing high school. He tried to be the man of the house and get revenge for his family. He stalked his father and the mistress. He tried to run them off the road. He screamed at them about the betrayal and devastation. The women whose honor he was defending tried to calm him down but they were all too upset to do any good. They simply prayed for better days.
One night Mr Rick went out drinking with his friends. He climbed into the backseat of the car for the ride home. They ended up in a horrific accident. He was thrown from the car and rushed to the emergency room. The family gathered by his bedside. He was in bad shape. He had received a traumatic brain injury. He was likely to recover but would never be the same again. He would need extensive help recovering and may never live independently again.
The decision was made to institutionalize Mr Rick. The divorce was finalized. Mr Dick’s mistress became his wife, erasing decades of marriage and children. She wasn’t pregnant. She simply destroyed an entire family to get what she wanted, a devoted husband.
Miss Lena and Miss Beverly clung together and pushed forward as a new type of family. Miss Beverly tried to adjust to life in the segregated city of Detroit. Her new school took several bus transfers to reach. The students were nothing like at her old school. She didn’t make friends and soon dropped out.
Miss Lena had to find a job to support them for the first time in decades. She was a farmer, maid and then housewife. She knew nothing about the working world. She tried to find employment with no work experience; little education or skills; and a familiar sob story.
Miss Lena found salvation in a nut and bolt factory. The company had been hiring mainly women in similar circumstances. They formed a tight knit community that supported and understood each other through their own experiences.
New employees were introduced to the others on the factory floor and in the break room. Each worker would share their story of how they came there and what the work was like. It helped the women see that they could do it too.
The men were the best though. They respectfully kept their distance at first but told their stories and reassured the women that they understood. They explained that if anyone came to do them harm, they wouldn’t stand a chance. If there were signs of trouble, the men of the factory would run towards it with the women close behind. The desired victim would be surrounded and protected by their bodies. Police would arrive before they could get through the entire factory of protectors. It felt like the safest place on earth at times.
Mother and daughter struggled but rose together through the ashes of their broken lives. Miss Beverly moved into an apartment of her own and worked to support herself. She met a man and fell in love. She dreamed of being a wife and mother like her mother once was but this was a more ‘liberated’ generation. Things were different.
She shared her bed and apartment with him as he pleased. It was casual and might grow into marriage. She patiently proved herself to be a good potential wife by dutifully giving in to his demands.
He didn’t want her seeing other men. She hadn’t been so that wasn’t a problem. She only had eyes for him.
He wanted a key to her apartment. That wasn’t a problem. That way he wouldn’t have to wait for her to get home from work to relax with a cold one.
He didn’t want her to be around certain friends who he said were ruining their relationship. She agreed. She knew that she was turning into a horrible woman. She wanted desperately to please him. He had beaten her several times for her disobedience. It was okay. She deserved it. Nothing a little makeup; a made up story; and time wouldn’t cover.
He didn’t want her to see her family. They were causing trouble and wanted to take her away from him. The massive bruises, cuts and scars from the beatings were minor disagreements. He repeatedly raped her because he loved her so much. It was fine, as long as he was happy. Her family would understand.
He monitored her routine and wouldn’t let her deviate from it for any reason. It was to keep her safe from predators and those trying to break them apart. She was beaten and raped for even a second of time away from the routine.
Since she obviously couldn’t be reasoned with, he had to threaten to kill her to get her to behave. He proved it by beating her without mercy. He then threatened to kill her meddling family and friends while proving his love by raping her, just to make sure that she understood how to behave.
She asked him to live with her and teach her how to be good to him. She wanted to prove her worth as a good wife so that they might marry. He said that he already had a house, wife and children to attend to. He didn’t have time to babysit her childish self.
She couldn’t understand what was happening nor why. She had tried to do exactly as he said. She thought that they’d be married. It was getting harder for her to keep her job to support herself. The beatings and demands were angering her boss. She didn’t know what to do or who to turn to for help. She couldn’t go home. He would surely kill them all.
She did her best while trying to find a way out. Then she lost her job. She knew that it would anger him. He might kill her during her punishment this time. She barely survived the last job she lost. He was thankfully busy elsewhere as she tried to find a job so that he might not be as angry with her.
He came home one night demanding food, money and sex. She did her best to appease him but she didn’t have any money. She prayed to God to help her through the night.
Oh, I am so sorry, my beloved. Alas, I cannot finish my story. The sun is rising. I must wash up and pray before my execution. I am forever grateful to have been your wife, if only for one night. I love you and pray that you are happy and healthy for the rest of your days.
Good morning and goodbye, my love. I will be waiting for you in heaven.
With that I left. I prayed and am now standing at the gallows awaiting my execution. There are no more crowds. It has become so common that nobody even cares or notices. I shall die in silence like all of the others who have become numb to the ongoing violence against women and others.
I wish that I could have protected my people for longer than one night but sometimes that’s long enough to escape. I hope that you did because
Every life matters, especially yours.
God bless Nebraska and especially Her people.
