I once had a boss that said, “You can either be there for the birth or the conception, make your choice.” It was my anniversary and I made a comment to my wife that she had put up with me for five years. Without missing a beat she replied that I had only been home for two of them. I travel a lot sometimes.
So there I was in Afghanistan…
My daughter was due in a couple of weeks. I had arranged to get out of the middle of nowhere so I could hitch a ride home for a few weeks and hopefully be there for the birth. She ended up coming early. Now my boss says that the birth has happened so I no longer need to go home. I’m not happy.
My guards are ecstatic for me though. They plan a huge party, Afgan style. They kill a goat and a sheep. The feast was huge. There was dancing (all men thank you) and singing. Everyone is happy for me. You see, in Afghanistan girls are highly valued by their fathers. They can sell them for about $1000 a piece. “Commander” Jared is now a rich man. Not bad when the average wage is $20 a month. I tried to explain that she would probably cost more than that in the first 20 seconds of life but decided instead to just enjoy the party.
