Straightening Ali by AMJEED KABIL Page B

you have a degree?” his father-in-law asked, seeking confirmation from Ali, just in case his mother had exaggerated.
    “ Well, I finished my degree two weeks ago, so I’ve not had time to look for a proper job, yet. I needed a break after my finals. I have been working part-time in a clothing store on the weekends, but I resigned last week as I wanted to concentrate on looking for a job in my field,” Ali said, assuring his father-in-law that he wasn’t an unemployed layabout that he suspected him of being.
    “ So you’re unemployed! You won’t get much money on the dole! How do you plan to support my daughter when you’re married?” his father-in-law demanded.
    “ I don’t know. I’ve only just started to apply for jobs in the research field,” Ali said, surprised by the abruptness of the question. “I can probably get my job back with the clothing store. It’ll get us by until I’ve sorted something better out.”
    “ I’m sorry, but I must ask you these questions. I have looked after my daughter all of her life. I want to make sure that you will do the same. A part-time job in a shop won’t support my daughter. You must work for my son Omar’s friend, Javed. He has a vacancy at his firm, and I’m sure he would like you to work for him. He will pay you more than a job in a clothing store.”
    “ I don’t want just any job. I want to work for a pharmaceuticals research company. If I start working full time now, it will distract me from getting a job that I really want,” Ali said, dismayed by his father-in-law’s suggestion. It was good that he wanted someone who would support his daughter financially, but finding a job for him was insulting.
    “ Don’t worry. It will only be until you get a proper job. Omar is finalizing it for you today. The job will be here in Nottingham, and you can both move into our spare room until you’ve found a house to buy,” he said generously.
    “ I’m not sure if I’m ready to buy a house. I don’t think I want a mortgage just yet,” Ali said, trying hard not to show the shock that he was feeling. Things were moving quickly out of his control.
    “ It’s all been organized with your mother. You will not have to worry about a mortgage. As part of the arrangements your mother has agreed to buy a house for you and Sajda. We’ll help you to find the right house and afterwards help you to decorate it, too,” Ali’s father-in-law said generously.
    “ I don’t know, my mother hasn’t said anything about this,” Ali said taken aback. However, he found it quite easy to imagine that his mother had agreed to this without mentioning it to anyone. Even Yunus looked surprised by the arrangements, which meant she had not confided in him either. He was also probably annoyed that the family had only built him an extension to the house when he got married and not purchased him a house of his own.
    “ I’ve already spoken to your mother about it,” Ali’s father-in-law said. “We both agreed that it’s better for you to find work in Nottingham. There are more opportunities for you here than in Birmingham. She agrees there are lots of bad influences for young people there. I’ve seen Birmingham in the news. It’s full of terrorists. There is always a shooting, a riot or someone getting robbed. It is much safer here for you both.”
    “ Birmingham isn’t that dangerous at all. They always exaggerate things on the news,” Ali said, immediately defending his home city. “In fact, it’s going to be as good as London now that they’ve finished redeveloping the Bull Ring.” Ali knew that the real reason his mother had agreed for him to move closer to his in-laws was to get him away from the friends that she thought were a bad influence on him, namely Haseena.
    “ That is because you’re a decent boy, Ali. You don’t notice these things around you,” Ali’s father-in-law said. “It is not right for my daughter to live in such a dangerous city. There are