Musings on family relationships

I was just talking to my grandmother. No, it was not what is generally called a conversation, but it was better than usual, which is something. We got onto the topic of school, for some reason; she wanted to know if I was doing anything for my results, and I attempted to explain the Last Supper party with some success. She said it sounded fun. She asked me if my friends are all the same age as me, and I said they were; I think she's somewhat surprised that they're all taller than me.

I asked her about school. Did she like it? What subjects did she do?

Apparently, she went to school until she was fourteen. That was a time when English wasn't compulsory in schools; she did Sanskrit instead. And then she left school, and by the time she was my age, she was married. I asked her if she liked school, and she said she did, but I get the feeling that wasn't an issue. It was an arranged marriage, of course. And she was married for sixty-six years. She's never worked, or been anything except a wife and mother.

My grandfather was a civil servant - he worked with India's first computer, which I find cool - but he was the perfect example of the stereotype. He was more interested in Rohan and Sunny than me, because they're boys. There's the constant ritual - who's going to be the next head of the family, and all of that. In an equal-opportunities world, it would be me. Pedar's the eldest of his siblings, and I'm his only child. But of course, the next head of the family will be Sunny, who is my grandfather's son's son. However, I do get the feeling all of this will be a moot point. I can't see Sunny bossing anyone around. Even if he does, I can't see Rohan, Nupur or myself listening to him.

I wonder what this family will be like in ten years. I'm British. Nupur's American. Sunny's Australian. I think perhaps it will be different.