I was visiting Emily at her house when her father walked in. Hed brought back some groceries and found us chatting in the sitting room. At once, he lifted his chin and began making it clear he wasnt pleased with my presence. Emily quickly led him into the kitchen, but I could hear him, his words ringing through the doorway, calling me a country lad who was after Emilys flat. He claimed to have seen me loitering about his daughters home more than once. He practically accused me of being some sort of stalker.
What struck me most was how Emily played along, telling her dad that we simply worked together in the university library once a month and that was why I was often around. The truth was, wed actually been in a relationship for two months. Id only managed to tell Emily that just because my parents own a house in the outskirts doesnt make me some country bumpkin. We lived quite close to town, in a lovely two-storey house and my father owned his own business. Sure, I dont drive flashy foreign cars or shout from the rooftops that I come from a wealthy family, but Id rather not. That attitude keeps people like Emilys family at bay.
My mum always told me never to talk about money because if someone loves you, that shouldnt be what they care about first. No one should ever feel ashamed of you, even if you dont seem wealthy at a glance. Ive learned that its far better to let people judge you for who you truly are, not what you appear to have. In the end, the worth of a person is their character, not their bank account.
