Housewife is Not For Us

Housewife is Not for Us

Girls are told from a young age that they need to get married, tend to the chores, and raise children. I am here to tell you a story about a girl who became her own knight in shining armor. Her name is Piper.

Piper grew up in a town called Winstermake, with her mother, father, and two older sisters. Her mother tended the house and children, cooked the meals, and cleaned the clothes. She was so good at being a housewife that other woman took her classes and sent their children to her classes to learn how to be better wives.

Piper’s father was a successful captain of the kings Navy. He has fought many wars for the king and recently has been sent to the fight the newest battle. However, he was currently on his way to surprise his family.

Piper’s older sisters found their husbands and became perfect housewives. She couldn’t understand why her sisters wanted to clean and cook for the animals they called husbands. Piper didn’t mind cleaning or cooking but she didn’t want to clean up after someone else. She did not want to be a wife that was forced to stay home clean and cook and have lots of children. No, Piper wanted to be a doctor.

There were no female doctors at the time, it was believed that females were not as smart as men and that’s why they should just stay home with the kids. But Piper always liked to help people and so she started reading anatomy books and books about illnesses and treatments. She was determined to become a doctor, but first she needed to tell her parents.

The day her father arrived she planned to tell them that she was going to go to medicine school. The family was surprised to see that her father was not alone. He had brought someone home with him, a man, a man that was to marry Piper.

“Piper, my daughter, I want you to meet August.”

Piper greeted August with a short help and head bow. Her father continued, “August is my co-captain and is looking for a wife. I told him that you would be perfect since you’ve watched your mother. I’ve arranged the marriage!”

Piper was shocked but at a loss of word. One thing she was taught was not to make a scene in front of guests.

Her mother suggested that Piper and August go for a walk and get to know each other while she started planning a wedding.

The two set off walking, August held most of the conversation and realized that Piper was not paying attention. Piper was lost in thought about how to tell her parents that she did not want to marry August, and she would rather go to school. Piper snapped back to reality when she heard August say “Silly girl, where is your head? Once we are married, I will need you to pay attention to me and not get your head lost in the clouds.”

Piper knew at that moment that she needed to say something. “Excuse me, sir. My head is not lost in the clouds, I’m thinking of a way to become a doctor.”

August laughed at such a silly thought. He ridiculed her for wanting to be as smart as a man, and that she would never be a doctor. Piper told August that they would never be married and that he needed to leave.

When she returned from the walk without August, her parents were curious. They started asking where he was, but she informed them that she was not getting married and she was going to be a doctor. Her mother begged her to give up her dream of being a doctor and to go find August so he could support her. Her father told her that she needed to leave his house, he would not support such a foolish idea.

Piper left that night and travelled all night to get to the center of town to apply for medical school. The school board looked at her application and called her in for an interview. Once they realize that Piper was a girl, they laughed and asked who was putting on a joke. Piper explained that it was no joke. She told them she wanted to help people and the best way to do so is to become a doctor. The men of the board made comments about helping around the home and raising kids. They made fun of her and laughed at her.

Piper stood in front of the men letting them get their laughs out. She simply smiled at them and offered them a challenge. She said “if you think I will fail, then what is the harm of letting me attend school? If I fail, you can use me as an example for other women.” The men thought about it and agreed to let her in, they did inform her that her entrance was merely for entertainment.

Piper accepted the offer and knew she would not fail. She worked harder than her male classmates. They laughed at her and gave her a hard time. But after 7 years of hard work and strong will, Piper became a doctor. Since she was a woman, no medical offices wanted to hire her, but Piper was determined, so she opened her own practice. At first, she started seeing just women because the women were in awe of her. Eventually her practice opens to everyone in the family. She became so successful that she even had to hire some of those classmates that use to make it hard for her.

Her family tried to contact her, but she declined all attempts. She thought that since they didn’t support her becoming a doctor, then she didn’t want them to be in her life where she might have children. She would allow her children to follow their heart and she would not ridicule them. As for August, well know one really knows. There are a few stories going around, one is that he felt like a fool for the way he treated the most successful doctor and could not live with his guilt of making her feel like nothing, so he jumped off the ship into the sea. Another story is he was not brave enough to fight the wars once he became the head Captain. They say he fled a fight and his crew left him on an island for his cowardice. No one knows the true story, but what they do know is that he went to sea and never returned.

Piper never got married or had a family. She had lots of animals, and she had her job. She gained many friends from work. And though she had never got married or had kids, she was not lonely. She was happy.

I wrote this story for my two young girls. Times have changed and women are no longer looked at to stay home and tend the house and family, but I want them to know that they can accomplish anything. Even if others are ridiculing them or telling them they can’t, I want them to say I can! I want them to dream their dreams and dream again. I don’t want their heads out of the clouds when it comes to a career. Most importantly they do not need a man for self-worth.