How to Prepare an Affidavit: Examples

Affidavit 

I, Gurpreet Singh , was born in Bungalow, India on 15/2/1990. I am currently residing at 124-06 99 th Ave, South Richmond Hill, N.Y. 11419, elucidate herein below my plight, predicament and great suffering since coming to the United Sates. I affirm under penalty of perjury that all facts stated here by me are true. 

The Audacity of Hope That brought me to America 

The advent of my narrative is full of hope for a bright future in the USA, which hopes I still hold dear. My home country is filled with stories about the Great USA where with determination and handwork, the sky is the limit. A story is told about a skinny boy, born of an African immigrant student who started his studies in Indonesia and ended up in the White House as US President . This story resonated well with me. 

My father died while I was quite young, leaving the obligation of catering for me and my six siblings to my mother. There was a high chance that I would not have completed my primary education, let alone go to a tertiary level of education. However, I have always had a determination of succeeding in life, taking care of my mother and siblings and breaking the barrier of poverty that my background always guarantees. For as long as I can remember, I have always been working. My primary level education days were dominated by many schemes that we used to hatch with my siblings so as to earn a few Rupees to ease our mother’s pecuniary burden. Through sheer determination and tenacity as well as a firm faith that the One Immortal Being, as well as the Gurus, would guide my fate towards success, I managed to complete my education and qualified for graduate level education. 

Coming to America 

My determination to succeed was noticed and some well-wishers brought together enough resources for me to travel to this great nation of American for my undergraduate studies. The day I left India was one of the greatest in my life and I was bursting with hope and I made promises to my mother and relatives that soon their lives would change forever. My studies began in the West Coast , specifically at the University of California. However, when the only relations I knew around the locality moved to Chicago, I followed them there to proceed with my studies at one of the constituent colleges of the University of California. All was well as I was able to get odd jobs that catered for my subsistence. I was also working very hard in my studies, which resulted in stellar academic grades. However, at the beginning of 2013, disaster struck. My mother was diagnosed with cancer, a condition that made it extremely difficult for her to work. She was also placed on a very expensive treatment regimen. I would be the first to admit that compared to the equivalent medical services in the USA, her treatment was exponentially cheaper. However, as a family of limited means, this treatment was draining all our resources. 

I was, therefore, compelled to chip in and help pay for her medical services as well as contribute towards the subsistence of my siblings. Gupta, a cousin in New York informed me that work opportunities were more readily available in the said city. Being desperate to help my family, I suspended my studies, moved to New York and got a job as a blue collar albeit relatively well-paying job. I became very proud of the fact that my mother would not miss her fortnight medicine purchases, based inter alia on the monies I sent home. Albeit I was worried about the delayed education, there was really no choice as unless I worked on a full-time basis , my mother would die leaving my siblings to suffer. 

Meeting Raquel Mejias 

Ever since I got to the US, it was almost impossible to shake off the feeling of being an outsider. Not only was I visibly different, based on the fact that I am an Indian, my culture also contrasted sharply with the local culture. I love America and believe that it holds my bright future. I, therefore, made a conscious effort to blend in, beginning with an attempt to savor the social scene. From California to Chicago and finally New York, I always tried to find ways and means to socially mingle with locals. One of the easier ways of achieving this was through entertainment joints, which I would patron every now and then. However, I would have many awkward moments to interact with people. This was normally as much my fault as it was theirs since our cultural affiliations differ exponentially. 

However, on one of the occasions in July 2013 , I met this lady named Raquel Mejias at an Apple Bees joint. For some reason that I could not explain, there was not manifest awkwardness between us and we had a wonderful time at the entertainment joint. One thing led to the other and in a short time we were a dating couple. Mejias was an American, born and raised. By heritage, she was Hispanic and also a staunch Catholic by religion and culture. Ab initio, this did not play any role as a bearing factor in our relationship. She was kind, gentle, loving and mature. Indeed, she seemed to carry all the attributes of a woman that I have both imagined and also heard praised in my youth back at home. This to me seemed like a sign that indeed, America was the land of my dreams, for therein I had found my dream wife. We did not rush the relationship but allowed fate to control our destiny, as has been my belief all along. Fate kept pulling us together day by day and after about 18 months, I was sure that she was the one. I, therefore, proposed to her on Valentine’s Day and she accepted to be my wife. On the second day of June the same year, we were officially married. This was one of the happiest and seemingly most significant days of my life. 

We then started living in New York as man and wife. This was among the happiest lived days of my life. We were not affluent but lived passably well as we could afford the basics and a little extra. My initial job in New York was that of a petrol attendant. After our marriage, I was fortunate enough to get a job as an Uber driver and my revenues increased. Further, my status has now changed as I was not just an immigrant on a student visa, but rather a husband of a real American citizen. It is at this point that I decided to apply for a Green Card. Looking back into the relationship, these two happenings had a major impact on our relationship. The first was our humble wedding ceremony that guaranteed Mejias a place in my life. From this point on I noticed a slight change in her demeanor which I attributed to the fact that she was now able to be herself around me. The second was when I made my application for a Green Card, based mainly on my marital status as well as other factors kindred to my stay in the US. Mejias was able to figure out how important the visa was to me and, therefore, by extension, how important she was to me. This was a genesis of the change of attitude that also led to the eventual change in conduct. 

The Basis for Differences Between myself and Mejias 

I had always considered myself, based on my faith and culture that when I finally find my soul mate, we shall remain united for a lifetime. It is for this reason that I always took my marriage very seriously and also did my best to make it work. From the first time that we had differences, I always sought to understand the cause of the conflict so as to figure out how to resolve our issues. Based on my careful analysis, one of the major differences was caused by our cultural variances. Mejias is Hispanic and has, therefore, been brought up in a culture that looks up to men who exhibited machismo, flamboyance and a free-spirited attitude. As far as she was concerned, a real man would have a little abrasive element which he would express to garner respect from those around him. This is the kind of character I had noticed from most of her masculine relatives that I came across. However, my background as a Sikh looks at masculinity very differently. We believe in humbleness and humility as well as an extremely gentle disposition towards those around us more so if they happen to be of female gender. 

On my part, this was definitely exacerbated by the fact that I was a visitor in the USA, thus my gentle nature was automatically augmented. When I look back at this, I imagine that as far as Mejias was concerned, I seemed more of a lady than a man, from her cultural viewpoint. The same prejudice can also be seen on my side where culturally , a woman would be raised and nurtured to be a dutiful wife. Her feminine relatives would take it upon themselves to teach her the dictates of being a woman, from the perspective of having a husband. When I was taught about being a husband in my teenage years, this was the effigy of a wife that my instructors used. Here I was not, married to a woman who was raised to be her own independent person and assert her own place in life. She had been taught that she was as deserving as her male counterparts. As an admirer of American culture, am all for this. I will, however, admit to myself that it was not very easy to get over my cultural affiliations and beliefs about what a wife ought to be like. 

Fortunately, Mejia and I were willing to work this out and develope a very healthy dialogue talking about our cultural affiliations and their differences. In our conversations, we sought to develop our own unique culture that brought together bits and pieces of our differences. I have no doubt today that based on this mutual adjustments, our marriage was on the right path and would have worked out. However, within very few months of our marriage, Mejias began to exhibit shocking character traits that adversely affected our relationship. She gradually changed from this sweet wonderful lady that I had fallen in love with and given my life to a hateful and cruel stranger. She seemed to always go out of her way to inflict as much damage to my person as possible. At first, it was just psychological and social damage but with time this graduated into physical violence and a desire to cause grievous harm if not worse upon me. My dream of marital bliss gradually degenerated into a nightmare and Mejias went of her way to harm me, in many cases without any justification at all. 

Incidences of Mejias’ Cruel Treatment 

Insulting my Sexual Modesty 

Albeit Sikhism is generally ranked as a religion, it is indeed much more. Indeed, in many places, Sikhism is recognized as an ethnic group. This is based on the fact that this religion does not grow through evangelism thus its adherents inherit it from generation to generation. It has, therefore, developed a unique cultural heritage that encompasses all aspects of life. One of this is the subject of sexuality, which among the religion ought to happen within marriage. A man, considered as a lion within Sikhism is taught how to honor and respect his woman in all ways, including during sex. A very different version of sex is prevalent within the culture Mejias grew up with in America, where sex in many cases degenerates into a very wild affair. Before our marriage, we had many discussions about this, mainly with a very light touch. Mejias would always laughingly tell me that she will teach me how to be a man. It was, however, based on the cultural differences in the understanding of sex that our first major altercation complete with physical assault took place. 

Mejias had been indicating her dissatisfaction with my sexual efforts based on the fact that I was not ‘wild’ enough. She would always want us to read erotic magazines as well as watch Hispanic pornographic movies then act out what we had seen. Eventually, I got tired of these games and told her that we agreed to form our own culture, based on balancing our cultural differences and respecting one another. I congratulated myself on finally standing up to her and putting an end to that shenanigan, more so because she seemed to have acquiesced to my request. I did not know that her perceived acquiescence was the lull before the storm. On the pretense of performing fellatio, Mejias had me vulnerable and then struck. She pummeled my genitals while screaming that I was not a man causing me extreme pain and harm. She ridiculed my faith, asking me why Sikh men are called lions instead of lambs. She proceeded to state that my religion did not produce men, just women who grow a beard. 

The most humiliating part of this episode lay in the psychological torture that she visited upon me by claiming that since the first time we got intimate, I had been utterly useless and she had just been pretending to be OK with it out of pity for a poor Indian boy. This combination of physical and verbal insults was extremely hurtful and went to the core of my manhood. Further, I received actual injuries yet I was too embarrassed to seek medical advice or even share with anyone. I took some over the counter painkillers and since walking or sitting upright was a problem, remained indoors for some time. Surprisingly, however, Mejias acted as if the entire episode was a figment of my imagination. The very following day, she sought to commence friendly dialogue as if we were on the best of terms. When I raised the issue of her hurting me, she gave me a lame apology, placing the blame of hormonal imbalance, saying it was a women’s thing that men cannot understand. So much in love was I with her that in spite of the pain and humiliation, I was more worried about our relationship than my suffering. I was, therefore, willing and perhaps even eager to accept her explanation readily and we were back on good terms even before the physical pain was over. This was just a precursor of several similar episodes, albeit on a smaller scale, every time I declined to play her sex games. It became easier for me to play her games so as to hold on to our marriage. 

Physical Assault with a Cooking Pot and Near Stabbing 

As an Uber driver, I would be working all kinds of shifts, night or day, a fact that initially, Mejias would be comfortable with, more so as my job made me an able provider for our small family. However, with time, Mejias seemed to have a problem with my job schedule and her issues would always seem irrational. When I was home too long, she would get into a tirade claiming that I was becoming lazy and soon we would be starving. Yet when I seemed to overstay in a longer shift when the market was lucrative for some reason, she would claim that she was neglected as I was always away. When I have a day shift, she would complain that it was really boring spending time alone in the house all day. Yet when I took a night shift she would complain about being left all alone in the apartment at night. Sometimes, she would even complain that I create imaginary shifts so as to spend time clubbing and with other women. 

Initially, we would talk about it and through profuse promises of fidelity and assurances of love, I would always be able to calm her. However, this was gradually taking a psychological toll on me. I kept asking myself why I had to work so hard so as to sustain both of us, yet have to apologize for it almost on a daily basis, instead of being complimented for it. With time, I got tired of explaining myself and for several days, I allowed her tirade to run its course without making any response. One weekend when there was a local festivity in town, I extended my shift to take advantage of the situation so as to make some more money. I, therefore, got home about seven hours later that I would have been anticipated. I had, however, emailed Mejias to inform her of the extended shift and also informed her the time I anticipated to be home. The email did not warrant a response, a fact that did not bother me inordinately as Mejias would sometimes ignore my emails. When I finally arrived home, at about 11 pm , I was carrying a bottle of red wine, her favorite and a box of chocolates to ‘smooth’ my way home. I found Mejias in the kitchen doing some cleaning, greeted her cheerfully and showed her what I had brought her. She took the gifts but remained taciturn. I also noticed that she was extremely calm, the point where each and everything she did seemed mechanical. With the wine and Swiss Chocolates kept safely away, she asked me for the name of the “Indian Bitch” that I was with all day. She said that the “lion” was not man enough to handle a real woman and I had, therefore, gone to find a fellow “sheep” who would withstand my lame sex and uselessness. Insulting my heritage stung my pride and me for the first time I responded and told her to stop acting like a spoilt little girl since she was aware that I had been at work all day. 

Even before the words were fully out of my mouth, I saw what seemed like a flashing movement followed by a sharp pain in my temple. Mejias was screaming and attacking me with a cooking pot. I was in too much pain to comprehend everything she said but remember her stating that she would first kill me then find that bitch. I realized how much danger I was in when she threw the pot at me again aiming at my head. The memory of that moment is clearly etched in my memory because at one point I thought I would indeed, die. There I was lying on the floor with both hands on my temple where I had just been viciously hit. Mejias was towering over me with the same pot and moved for a two-handed second hit once again aimed at my head. In my desperate attempt to save my life, I stuck out a foot which fortunately connected with the pot and sent it flying out of her hand. My foot got sprained but I got temporary relief. Within a flash what seemed like the flash of a minute Mejias picked up a steak knife from the kitchen sink. Realizing the danger I was in, I immediately got on my feet and ran out of the room. By then, Mejias had lashed out with the knife, missing my flesh narrowly but not my jacket which got torn. I managed to safely get to the door and dashed out. 

Within a few minutes, I was in the car driving off to the ER. On my way, I realized on more sinister thing about the entire episode. Normally, when Mejias is angry, she will seem hysterical and scream all the while as she attacks me. This time she was quiet and methodical, seemingly emotionless. I realized at that very moment that I was lucky to be alive. I got some stitches on my face and a brace for my ankle but was generally not badly injured. I would have preferred to file charges against Mejias but for two main reasons. The first was my love for her and belief that we can be able to work it out. I have always been an extremely determined person and failing in marriage was unfathomable for me. Secondly, I did not know how filing charges would affect my Visa application, which was still pegged on Mejias. I stayed with a friend for a few days with Mejias constantly seeking to talk to me. I declined since I feared for my life but she was relentless. Finally, I agreed to meet her in a neutral place. She appeared donning her favorite look, with a lovely and kind smile. The handshake turned into a hug and the very same day I was back home having promised each other that we would work through our differences. 

Infidelity with ‘Relatives’ 

The family is a very important part of my culture and I was glad to find that it was the same for Mejias. Her Hispanic culture entailed a large and closely intertwined extended family which they called “ familia ”. Her family was large and would meet often, during countless religious holidays and sometimes just to have a good time. I was not very keen on attending these meetings because many a time I would feel out of place since I did not understand their culture and mannerisms. For this reason, I did not entirely get to know all her family members albeit she introduced me to many of them at different times, either in the few family meetings that I attended or when they came to visit my family. I, however, did not have a problem with her close interaction with her family and even encouraged it. I also envied the fact that being in the same country with her kinsmen, she was able to enjoy close interaction with them. I, therefore, actively guarded myself against interfering with her family issues, since I feared I might be acting out because of the envy. 

I, however, gradually noticed that there were one or two cousins who were only keen to visit when I was not home. This is based on the fact that I would only find them home if I ever happened to appear home unexpectedly and would soon leave with one excuse or the other. One fateful day, I had to break my eight-hour shift less than two hours later because of an upset stomach. I had tried out an Ethiopian restaurant within the locality the previous day. The meal had been delightful but something about the fermented foods had not augured well with my stomach. Once I got the green light to break my shift I made a dash straight home inter alia for an urgent washroom break. It has always been my custom to email when heading home but on this occasion, I inadvertently omitted to email . The elevator ride seemed to take forever as I was in a rush to get to the bathroom thus I did not even knock on the door, quickly using my key to access the house, thinking only of the rush towards relief. The scene I encountered when I got into the house made me momentarily forget all about my stomach upset and I never even made it to my washroom. 

Right there on the couch was my lovely wife, wearing a mini-dress that I had always loved. Kneeling on the carpet and giving her cunnilingus was one of the very suspicious cousins . I was out of the door before they could react because I could not trust my emotions or instincts at the moment. I have always abhorred violence but that moment in time I was thinking of the many ways I would attack the two of them. Even after spending so much time and therapy, that image is still stuck in my head and still haunts me. Mejias and I spent several weeks apart but through the intervention of one of her elder aunts Loren whom I really respect, we were able to resolve our differences. During our sessions with her aunt, she admitted having been unfaithful a number of times and promised that it would not happen again. For the next few months, she actually seemed to have reformed and a lot of psychological healing took place but eventually, she would go back to her torturous ways. 

Insulting my Culture and Faith in front of my Friends 

As indicated above, I have always made an effort to fit in the American society, which I have always considered my home now and possibly in future. Social interaction is one of the ways of achieving this. This has worked well for me, more so in my current place of work where I have managed to get several good friends. One of my good friends is an African American colleague named Sean. During one of the weekends, Sean was having a barbecue in his backyard and invited me as well as several of my colleagues. I had always been very proud of my American wife so I asked her to come with me and have a good time at the barbecue . We drove to Sean’s place within the suburbs and really had a good time, preparing and feasting on the meat as well as sharing drinks. Albeit I consider myself to be a progressive Sikh, am still quite conservative, more so when it comes to issues such as alcohol. I do not believe that taking alcohol is taboo but I avoid doing so if I can. This, however, cannot be said about Mejias who will combine hard liquor with wine and many a time get very drunk. Indeed, it is customary in their family meeting to drink as much as possible. This was, however, a colleague’s function and many of my friends were present and would judge me based even on the conduct of my wife. It is based on this understanding that I requested her to go easy on the drinks, seeing that we were in the company of colleagues. 

I immediately regretted making that seemingly very polite request based on the reaction I got from Mejias immediately after. Her opening salvo was “I married a bitch who cannot even handle a drink so I have to be the man and drink for him”. Her shouting, which can be considered as shrieking got the attention of everyone on the backyard, even as it absolutely horrified me. He started regaling my faith, talking about ‘lions that behave like lambs’ a reference to mature Sikhs being termed as lions. She then said that she felt sorry for our women who have to endure being married to sissies. His tirade continued for over five minutes. Within this period she used the cultural information I had shared with her about my religion to belittle and insult my faith and heritage. She made fun of the five Ks of my faith and equated them with a witchdoctors paraphernalia, asking me if I had carried my ‘charms’ to the function and why they had not saved me from embarrassment. This tirade caused me a lot of embarrassment in front of my friends, colleagues, and their spouses. Being very proud of my heritage, I had worked so hard to create a positive image for my religion to my friends and colleagues. All this hard work was now going to waste. Some of those present seemed to find her tirade funny. Those who did not find it funny pitied me and were embarrassed on my behalf. I still wonder which one hurt more, the pity or the derision. Most importantly, I felt hapless because I would not intervene as I was afraid she would turn violent in the middle of the very dangerous environment, posed by a barbecue . The backyard was ridden with fires, knives, and hooks. 

Absenteeism from Home 

Another character flaw about Mejias that also contributes to her acts of cruelty and psychological torture upon me is inordinate and unexplained absences from our marital home. Being very much aware of my love and caring for her. She is well aware that I always worry for her safety and has, therefore, severally used this as a tool for torture. One Friday evening at around 9 pm I completed my shift and headed straight home. Being a Friday, some friends had invited me to a social gathering but I declined since I had left Mejias in a foul mood in the late morning and she was yet to answer any emails. I had also tried her cell a number of times. Initially, it had gone unanswered but in the early evening, it seemed to have been switched off. I, therefore, excused myself and rushed home. 

Upon arrival, I found my place deserted with no sign of Mejias. I, however, found a note on the dresser, with no addressee but clearly placed there for my attention. It simply read “do not dare moan for me, you brown hypocrite”. I did not even notice the racial slur as I was horrified by the implications of the words. Yet again, knowing Mejias well, it could also be a prank meant to have me go all worried, contact authorities and family, get them to worry, only for her to re-appear and make me seem like a lunatic. Among the hardest moments for me was when I was trying to decide whether to call her relatives, the police or friends. The end result of the issue would either condemn or vindicate me. If indeed, the threat was real and her life was in danger, I would never forgive myself for ignoring the signs which would perhaps lead to her demise. Similarly, if it was just a cruel joke, I would get her friends worried for nothing and also waste time for law enforcement. My immigration status also did not make me feel comfortable raising the inordinate attention of law enforcement. I had a terrible night, then called Pradip, a close friend from Punjab and shared my predicament with him. He suggested I call only one close relative and seek advice on the way forward. I proceeded to call her friendly aunt Loren who advised me to hold off informing the police for a few days to see how it played out. Mejias returned on a Thursday almost a week later. I had spent the entire week worried sick about her and praying fervently for her safety. I would also consistently try to call her number and also sent her hundreds of emails. I was later to learn that she had gone on a road trip with friends to Atlantic City for fun. Therefore, all the while when I was worried sick about her welfare, she was out there having fun with her friends. The augmented the psychological torture occasioned by her calculated unkindness towards me. 

Storming the Office and Almost Costing me My Job 

As had been indicated, at some point Mejias believed that I was creating fake overtimes and extended shifts so as to spend time in infidelity. This had even caused her to exhibit extreme violence towards me. After the reconciliation, she did not get over the contention that some of my extended shifts were not fakes. After an extended shift, I came home and albeit we did not seem to have any differences, I noticed the inordinate calm that terrified me within Mejias as it is usually a precursor to rush action. No rush action, however, took place and I later informed her that I need to catch some rest as we had a staff meeting the following day. Informing her about the staff meeting was going to almost get me fired. I went early to the office as usual and the staff meeting commenced at the main hall, just a short distance from the reception. As the meeting was underway, we heard a commotion at the reception and I felt a chill down my spine when I recognized the voice causing the ruckus. It was none other than Mejias, demanding to be shown my work schedules for the past one week. The lady at the reception had assured her that the request was impossible. When Mejias persisted, the lady had no choice than to call security. It was the sight of the security officers that incensed her and caused her to start shouting. She then started yelling about a staff meeting and running down the corridors seemingly looking for the meeting hall. 

Unfortunately, she found it and saw me. Her first act was to ask which of my colleagues had been sleeping with me. She then yelled “by the way, does the red sissy Gurpreet Singh prefer having boyfriends or girlfriends. This commotion continued even as the security team struggled to get her out of the room. Albeit they did succeed, the damage was already done. It took a lot of pleading with management to salvage my job but the embarrassment that the incident caused is indelible. It took, even more, to convince the security department not to press charges so as to stem the damage already caused by the unfortunate incident. No one has asked me about it to my face but the story has refused to die and I have caught a few snickers around the office. Indeed, if mine was a job that requires consistent office time, I have no doubt that the shame would have forced me to resign. Mejias neither apologized nor acknowledged any wrongdoing because of this incident. She refused to talk about it and continued to act as if it never happened. 

Assault and Embarrassment in a Restaurant 

After an exceptionally good run at my place of work, I once decided to take Mejias out for an evening dinner date. This was both as a celebration of my continued success at my place of work as well as a romantic treat for Mejias. The dinner date went very well and we were both having a good time. As this does not happen often, I pulled all the stops to ensure that Mejias was having the time of her life. I was also both acting the gentleman and also using my sense of humor to keep her entertained and having a great time. We had a wonderful meal and then I requested for Mejias’ favorite wine. Indeed, I ordered a full bottle for her to really enjoy herself. A second glass into the bottle and as we continued with the conversation, I noticed that Mejias was getting a little pre-occupied and was not really following the conversation anymore. She was looking around the restaurant as if looking for something and I thought she seemed to be making some calculations. Finally, she looked me straight in the eye and asked a question that jolted me “so what did you do?” With genuine surprise, I informed her that I did not understand the question, a fact that seemed to elicit disbelief from her. She proceeded to state that instead of waiting until she got drunk and vulnerable, I should just come clean there and then. Being sober enough, she will be better placed to decide whether to forgive me or not. 

I was already trembling and breaking into a sweat because albeit I did not understand what she was talking about, I was sure that nothing good would come out of it. I assured her that I was unaware of what she was implying but if she asked any questions, I would answer honestly. Further, I made the suggestion that since we had already finished our dinner, we could as well finish the conversation in the car or at home, without having to disturb the serene restaurant. Adamantly, Mejias repeated the same question about what I had done. She then proceeded to explain herself by saying that the dinner was worth my several day's wages, so was the wine. The only reason for me to treat her so well is if I have something to hide and am trying to defray her attention or I wanted to confess something and was trying to put her in a forgiving mood. She, therefore, in a very calm and level-headed voice asked me to stop beating around the bush and confess my sins. When I once again said the dinner date was an innocent expression of love and that I had not wronged her in any way that things started getting out of hand. 

Her inquisition turned into a statement and she said that she already knew my secret so there was no point trying to hide it. She indicated that I should save both of our time by confessing my ‘sins’ to her there and then. My blank look, which seemed to indicate that I still did not understand what she meant provoked her to state what she knew. This was made in the form of a question: “it was the bitch at the reception right? The Indian bitch who called security on me is your woman right?” Suddenly, the unfortunate situation made sense. The lady at our reception was a Native American from Oklahoma named Janice. Because of her appearance, Mejias made the assumption that she was not only from India like me, but also my girlfriend. She asked me why the receptionist would go to that trouble of even calling security to prevent her from seeing my work schedules. This could only mean that both I and Janice has something mutual to hide. The only mutual secret worth fighting so much for was an affair. 

Mentioning the embarrassing office incident was too much for me. I remembered just how much trouble it had caused me and how much I put my reputation on the line to save her from prosecution. I, therefore, asked her to stop talking about that ‘crazy incident’ to which she retorted by asking me to call her crazy one more time. I was too angry to realize that this was a hazardous situation and I told her the situation can only be defined as c-r-a-z-y with seeming emphasis on every syllable. Am not sure I can remember her picking up the bottle but I clearly remember it coming towards me. Instinctively, I raised my hands to protect my head causing the bottle to hit my left wrist, not my head. The cork must have been loose because the bottle slipped from her hand, leaving her only with the cork. This caused the bottle to kind of somersault between my hands and get trapped between my two hands, facing downwards with no cork. My eyes were focused on Mejias since I anticipated another form of assault thus I did not notice that the bottle was emptying itself on my silken white shirt. By the time I let go and the bottle fell to the table, only a few seconds had passed but my shirt looked as it was soaked in blood. By the time I got to my feet, everything on our table had been thrown at me, most of them hiring their marks. Fortunately, as we had finished our meals, there were not sharp objects on the table and I was not wounded. We were escorted out of the hotel by security and the anticipated great dinner date ended up as a complete disaster for me. 

Verbal Assault with racial content in front of her relatives over Christmas 

Whereas the concept of Christmas does not hold any formal meaning to me, I nonetheless agreed to celebrate the occasion out of respect for my wife’s religion as a Catholic . Further, I had realized over the years that Christmas was a major American holiday and as an aspiring American, I was inspired to celebrate. Since Christmas is a family holiday, I joined Mejias and her family for a Christmas celebration at her parents’ house. These festivities are usually a big deal amongst her family members and some had flown from as far away as New Mexico for the family gathering. I had attended a number of family functions, therefore, many family members were familiar to me. This was, however, the first time that I was to be in such a big family gathering. I was both excited and apprehensive since I was not sure that I would blend in. Everything seemed to go well. All the family members that I was introduced to took a liking for me albeit it was more of a curiosity than a warmth. The fact that I was born and raised in faraway India seemed to tickle their fancy. Some did not know where India was while others were quite informed, asking me how it was like to live in a land with a billion people. I was generous with information and also on my best behavior and by dinner time, when the turkey was to be carved, I was the center of attention. Little did I know that Mejias, normally the star of such functions, was unhappy about me being the center of attention? 

With the entire family gathered around the table, Mejias quietly offered to say grace. With her eyes fixed on me, she said something about the food then prayed for sinners who believed in idols, gurus, and witchcraft to repent so that they can avoid going to hell. She went on about how Christmas was about Christ and God thus anyone who did not believe in Christ, did not believe in God and was, therefore, a pagan. Prayer is supposed to be a positive thing and I also believe prayer to be sacred but the prayer made on that dinner table was a direct attack on me. When the prayer was over she commented that the turkey was brown and ready but whoever was carving it should be careful and avoid cutting other brown things on the table, which may not be good for human consumption. This was clearly a direct reference to my race and everyone got the message because they looked at me. I was at that very moment all alone in the world. The family patriarch whose obligation it was to carve the turkey tried to lighten the situation, getting a few laughs in the process by the humiliation I received was absolute. Not only had I been equated to a pagan because of my faith, but also likened to a cooked turkey because of my race. I kept on wondering how I would ever be able to attend another family function after such embarrassment. Throughout out the evening, as family members broke into small groups to chat, Mejias would always find me out and ensure that I remained extremely uncomfortable with statements like ‘there is only one God, the God of the Bible ’. At another time she would make mention of witches and witchcraft, all in reference to my religion and cultural heritage. At one point, I even heard her asking how many Christmases there are in India, a reference to multi-theism concept held under Hinduism. Such jabs coming from the only person I was close to in the entire gathering were very hurting. Further, Medias would have been expected to be a bridge for me to get closer to her family, not a hindrance thereto. 

Unreasonable accusations of Infidelity leading to Mejias Assaulting a Friend in Public 

After months of speculation, Mejias finally found what she believed to be evidence of infidelity kindred to an extra-marital affair between me and an Indian lady. Whereas Mejias was wrong about it, she turned the incident into a Eureka moment and soon thereafter into a scene of utter violence, shame, and embarrassment. Gupta Sikh is a good friend from Punjab who has relatives in Bungalow whom he would visit often during his childhood. The family he used to visit happened to be close family friends with mine hence my acquaintance with Gupta while still in India. I was later to realize, through social media, that Gupta had moved to the USA and was actually living in New York. We there got reacquainted with one another and developed a close friendship. One of Gupta’s sisters Aasha came to visit him and he sought to introduce me to her. Aasha, having been raised in Punjab in a more traditional Sikh family even dressed the part of a traditional Sikh in spite of being in the USA. This gave me a feeling of home away from home, a fact that made me enjoy spending time with Gupta and his sister. One day as we enjoyed an exotic drink outside a local convenience store close to my home, Mejias happened to be around and chanced upon us. As ill luck would have it, Gupta had just left briefly to pick some supplies from the store leaving Aasha and I engrossed in a deep conversation about Indian politics. I did not even see Mejias until her shadow was upon our table. When I looked up, she was looking at us with a mixture of eerie glee and pure evil. 

She declared loudly that it was a special day since her search for the reason why her marriage had failed had finally borne fruit. She had finally come across the woman who was trying to snatch her husband away, not because she was better just because she was a brown witch from India. Before I could react or intervene, Mejias lurched at Aasha with such force that they both ended up on the ground. All the time, Mejias was trying her best to cause as much damage to Aasha as possible, more so on her face. My efforts to get Mejias off the hapless girl were failing miserably. As with all scandal, the situation was attracting a lot of attention from spectators but not helpers. Fortunately, Gupta arrived back right on time to enable me to get Mejias off Aasha who albeit quite shaken was not wounded. However, she had been hit and hurt in several places. What Mejias could not achieve physically, she sought to achieve verbally, insulting me, Aasha, Gupta and all Indians as well as India itself. A terrible spectacle ensued with so many people piling around to spectate, many of whom knew us well. The rash action by Mejias brought me a lot of shame and embarrassment, leading to great psychological trauma. I lost many close friends and acquaintances on that day, including Gupta. Worse still, the matter ended up on social media in video, captioned as “cheating Indian husband busted by irate wife”. This video ended up being viewed even at home in Bungalow and in Aasha’s home in Punjab leading to grave misunderstanding and a massive scandal. 

Final Desertion 

The greatest act of cruelty by Mejias, however, was that in spite of the great struggle to keep our marriage alive, she finally and without any cause or excuse deserted me. Throughout our days of marriage, I have endured a lot with the aforementioned examples hereinabove being just but the tip of the iceberg. Further, the seemingly major issues pale in scope when compared to the thousands of tiny issues and problems that we continually shared. These include constant, consistent and inordinate nagging, even for no apparent reasons. Minor incidents of assault such as a punch or a slap were so common that I began considering them as an integral part of our marriage. Whether or not I was to eat in our home was entirely dependent on the moods of Mejias. Sometimes she will be the dutiful wife, welcoming me with a hot meal while others she would be hateful, threatening me not to step in the kitchen. The concept of conjugal rights was alien in our marriage and the same was reduced to conjugal privileges which were only available as and when she decided. Yet in spite of all these, I endured because I did not want to be a failure in life and I considered failure in marriage to be a failure in life. Secondly, I was and still and genuinely and deeply in love with Mejias. I, therefore, believed that with love and effort, we would finally work our way around the matrimonial problems that we have had. 

However, one day I went home to find Mejias absent and with no indication of her whereabouts. As usual, I expected her to return after some time as this had been the routine several times but she did not return. We have been in communication a number of times with me seeking to understand what her problem may be, but she is unresponsive. She has indicated that as far as she is concerned, our marriage, which she considers to have been stillborn has failed irredeemably. After that, some mean looking people approached me and told me that if I valued my safety, I should cease and desist from ever communicating with Mejias. I should also forget that she was ever my wife. I have always believed that no matter how vast marital differences are, they can be solved if discussed in a calm and open-minded manner. This belief enabled my marriage to Mejias to endure very trying and difficult times yet still stand. I still believed that we had a chance until Mejias finally deserted. Without the ability to talk or work things out, it is impossible to have any form of a marriage. The most painful thing about this eventuality lies in the fact that I have really sacrificed in a bid to cause this marriage to work. I have gone out of my way, endured psychological and physical trauma but held on. When Mejias was unable to push me away, she ran away herself as a final act of cruelty. Finally, she times her departure with the moment when I needed her the most for the processing of my visa, a direct attempt to sabotage the said procedure. 

Visa Application Interview 

My application for a green card was mainly predicated on the fact that my immigration status had changed, based on the fact that I was now married to an American citizen. Since so many fake applications are made through fictitious marriages, an investigation was conducted to ensure that indeed there was an actual marriage in existence between myself and Mejias so as to warrant the green card I had sought for. Having been in a genuine and love based relationship, I was sure that I would qualify for the visa that I had applied for. However, just as time had come to meet the immigration officer for a joint interview together with Mejias, she deserted as aforesaid and I was threatened not to attempt to contact her, as I have indicated hereinabove . It is on this basis that I sought to have my request for a green card amended so that I can be granted the visa, while at the same time allowed to divorce Mejias, who is clearly no longer interested in our marriage. I have every reason to believe that the acts and omissions of Mejias are geared towards having me denied my visa as a form of cruel punishment. However, I have faith in the American immigration system. I believe that it is unfair and unjust for a person, seeking to persecute and punish a hapless foreigner to be aided by federal laws to do the same. It is, therefore, in the interest of justice that I believe the green card should be granted as requested for so that my status does not change, based on the fact that Mejias is seeking to sabotage the visa application effort. 

However, when I was interviewed by the immigration office, the facts seemed to be entirely not in my favor. The timely fashion through which my marriage ended, just when it was supposed to be placed under a microscope to test its veracity was clearly indicative of a fictitious marriage. The immigration officer asked me genuine and elementary questions which, when I gave honest answers in response thereto, they seemed like fictional narratives. Indeed, within the course of the interview, the immigration officer accused me of lying over ten times. I, however, stuck with the real and true narrative on precisely what took place in my life in the USA, leading to the set of circumstances that led to me applying for a Visa while at the same time seeking to divorce the person to whose marriage my initial application for the said visa was premised. 

Conclusion 

Some years ago, a brilliant young mad left India for the USA carrying the audacity of hope that this great nation would lead to the positive transformation of his life and family. This dream led me to California where I commenced my studies and then again to Chicago where I proceeded and almost graduated . However, disaster struck my family through illness and I was forced to suspend my studies so as to fend for my family. I moved to New York, found a great job and soon thereafter the woman of my dreams. Romance led to marriage and soon I was the husband of an American citizen, thus qualified for a green card. However, my marriage turned out not be what I had anticipated. Having settled as husband and wife and also made an application for the green card, my wife changed from my best friend into a fiend . She became a weapon set and primed to destroy my life through the physical and psychological pain. For a start, she placed actual physical wounds on my body, which necessitated urgent treatment at an ER. Secondly, she created scandals around me, spanning from my residential locality, to my place of work and onto my home country of India. Finally, she caused me grave psychological pain that even necessitated my seeking for intervention from a therapist. Yet I endured it all and was determined to make my marriage work. 

In a final move to sabotage me, however, my wife abandoned me and deserted our marriage. I made all possible efforts towards reconciliation but this finally failed when my life was threatened by goons deputized by her. Therefore, in spite of all my efforts, my marriage has failed and can only result in a divorce. However, premised on my current immigration status, there is a very high likelihood that a divorce will result in me losing the right to remain in this nation. This would not only permanently curtail my education and crush my career dreams but also invalidate all my exertions and efforts made to eke a living in this great nation. I have tried very hard to study while at the same time working. I have also endured curtailing my studies so as to take care of a sick mother. Once again, I have endured an abusive marriage for so long and would still be holding on to it had my wife not deserted. It is my humble belief that I have established my determination to succeed in America and a tenacity that can only be associated with the American spirit. It is premised on the above that I humbly plead to be allowed to have a green card, even as I am given the go-ahead to divorce Mejias, who is no longer interested in marriage to me, even after I have endured so much. It is my humble hope and belief that my application herein will meet a positive response. 

Yours Faithfully 

Gurpreet Singh 

AFFIDAVIT 

I am Michael Jacobs, I was born on July 17, 1989, in New York City, NY, USA. I reside at 91-32 117 th Street, NY 11419. 

I am well acquainted with Gurpreet Singh who I consider to be a close friend, akin to a brother, having worked with him at Uber for some time now. We are also friends outside our place of work which gives me an understanding of both his character and particulars about his life. 

That I am aware that Gurpreet came to America on a student visa but due to an illness in his family, he was forced to delay his studies and find a full-time job. It is this job hunt that brought him to America and got him acquainted with me when he joined Uber. 

For the duration that I have known Gurpreet Singh, he has made an impression upon me as an honest decent and hard working person who, if granted an opportunity can achieve a lot in life. Indeed, he has had a stellar record at our place of work and is highly valued by management. 

That once Gurpreet Singh came to New York, he became acquainted with Raquel Mejias and they started dating. Having dated for several months, Gurpreet finally proposed on Valentine’s Day, 2013 and they got married on the 2 nd day of June 2013. 

Being a close friend of Gurpreet, he has shared with me several instances where his said wife Mejias had been extremely cruel in her treatment of him. I am aware of a time when she injured him, causing grievous harm as I have seen both the wounds and the scars. 

That I was also a witness of singular incidence of Mejias’ conduct when she came to our offices and caused great chaos, harassing everyone and insulting Gurpreet even in front of our senior leadership. She used racial slurs and also made baseless morality accusations. I can state that her conduct does not depict a person rational enough to be a wife. 

It is on this basis, therefore, that I confirm that Gurpreet was lawfully married to Mejias and it is absolute because of the conduct of Mejias that the said marriage has irrevocably fallen apart. However, Gurpreet still carries a great promise for a bright future and should, therefore, be considered for a green card. 

I affirm, under penalty of perjury, that all the foregoing statements are true to the best of my knowledge. 

Print: _______________________________________ Date: ______________________ 

Sign: _______________________________________ Date: ______________________ 

AFFIDAVIT 

I am Janice Abrahams, I was born on May 6, 1992, in Little Rock, Arkansas, USA. I reside at 63-32 18 th Street, NY 11419. 

I consider Gurpreet Singh a close friend and acquaintance, having lived in the same neighborhood for over a year and being in the same social circles. I am also well known to Raquel Mejias, the lawfully wedded wife of Gurpreet Singh. 

I am aware of my own personal knowledge that sometime in 2012, my good friend Gurpreet Singh began dating Mejias who was not known to me at the time but became a friend by virtue of the said dating. 

The two were in love and quickly became the talk and envy within our social circles. Indeed, everyone was impressed by how they were able to overcome astronomical differences in culture and belief so as to get along with one another as a couple. 

I was among those who cheered them on when they decided to take their relationship to the next level. They were officially engaged on the 14 th day of February 2013 and got married on the second day of June 2013. After their marriage, they started living as man and wife within New York. 

That after some time, Mejias became exceedingly cruel to Gurpreet Singh whom she would beat regularly, leaving him with bruises and scars. I have personally seen these bruises and scars on several occasions. I was at the local shopping mall one day and I witnessed Mejias attack and harm a young Indian girl who had been sharing a table with Gurpreet Singh and another young man in a turban. 

That I am aware that Mejias finally deserted Gurpreet Singh and left their matrimonial home and every effort to establish reconciliation has been thwarted by the said Mejias. 

It is only fair and just that Gurpreet Singh is allowed to divorce Mejias, who is no longer interested in their marriage and who has also caused Gurpreet Singh a lot of physical and psychological trauma. 

I also stand witness to the fact that Gurpreet Singh is an honest, decent and hardworking man who deserves a second chance in life and the US government is capable of providing him with the same through a green card. 

I affirm, under penalty of perjury, that all the foregoing statements are true to the best of my knowledge. 

Print: _______________________________________ Date: ______________________ 

Sign: _______________________________________ Date: ______________________ 

AFFIDAVIT 

I am Sean Daniels, I was born on February 19, 1981 in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. I reside at Queens, NY 11419. 

I am a close and personal friend to Gurpreet Singh who also happens to be a colleague at my place of work. Am, therefore, well informed about Gurpreet, having observed him closely in a formal and informal setting. 

I am aware, based on information provided by Gurpreet Singh that he is a student at the University of Chicago but discontinued his education due to a family illness. He, therefore, came to New York and got a job where we work together. 

Gurpreet Singh’s commitment, discipline, and dedication at work is well known and lauded even by the company’s management. Has won several accoladess including an employee of the months and safety record awards. 

That in 2013, Gurpreet Singh proposed to his longstanding girlfriend Raquel Mejias and the two were joined in lawful matrimony on the 2 nd day of June 2013. Their marriage seemed to be going well and Gurpreet Singh was very proud of his wife whom he would praise continually. 

However, a few months into the marriage, we began to note a change in Gurpreet Singh within and outside the office. He would seem taciturn and preoccupied and every now and then he would have scars and bruises. He revealed to me that he was getting physically and psychologically assaulted by Mejias. I introduced him to my therapist who had assisted me to get over nightmares after a road traffic accident. 

Gurpreet Singh continued to get psychological assistance but the abuse got continually worse. I witnessed a singular instance when I held a small barbecue at my house and Mejias verbally assaulted Gurpreet Singh in our presence. I am also aware that in spite of Gurpreet Singh enduring all the hardships visited upon him by Mejias, she still deserted their marriage and left their matrimonial home. 

I stand with Gurpreet Singh whom I believe has the potential of being an outstanding US citizen who deserves a chance to excel academically and professionally. 

I affirm, under penalty of perjury, that all the foregoing statements are true to the best of my knowledge. 

Print: _______________________________________ Date: ______________________ 

Sign: _______________________________________ Date: ______________________