1. Married to a conservative Hindu romantic who changes into a misogynistic radical spy in South Africa.

1. As soon as I arrive in South Africa, a sweet Indian man starts to seduce me. Before I know it, we are in a building having a wedding ceremony. We are standing on a big white sheet barefoot. The officiant shows up rarely: mostly it's my fiance talking to me about beautiful circumstances in nature and so on. Then we both are supposed to sing. My wedding party sings my parts for me because I don't know the tradition- the witnesses in the audience also sing. There are little dishes of nuts and herbs that we pour oil over until it overflows onto the white sheet. Then we cover each other in oil, and I unceremoniously finish with his feet. He takes a long time getting to my feet and mirthfully confides that because women take such wonderful care of their feet, it's the most special part of their body. I feel lucky- he is very romantic. Then he starts singing the final song. I'm standing up but my bridal party nudges me to bend down. I bend from the waist like I'm folded in half. The bridal party not so subtly forces me to lay prostrate, not looking at my fiance. I feel embarrassed that I can't get it right. The song is all about how the man will lead and the woman will follow, always kneeling beside her husband in devotion and in the honor of his mercy. I become unsettled at this. When I do look up, my fiance is now some chiseled white guy. The lyrics are sung in colloquial American English- he is not from India or South Africa or wherever I am. I realize that he is a spy and that we're in a Fascist country and that he's saying these things so as not to be called out by the militant powers that be. But I'm still critical of his methods because now the song he's singing is a satire of female subordination, but somehow despite its satire, it still fails to make any posits for the worth of women. I feel ashamed that I was embarrassed to kneel "improperly" and ask myself if I should have knelt at all. When the ceremony is over, many people come to speak with my now husband, but I am not to do that. I half listen, but mostly stare out into the crowd of people who were from every different country, and out through the back windows which look out into lush, gorgeous land. I'm super thrilled to be here even though I'm confused and worried. Am I really married? Can he refuse me exit of this country?