4/02/2008

Rosewater and Flowers

Poppies in Kashan's Niasar Gardens, March 31, 2008. More photographs here.
Faati and Hadi loved each other. Everyone knew their story. They were inseparable. Faati couldn't bear children, and in their lower middle class families, there was immense pressure for Hadi to divorce Faati or to remarry, so that he could have a child. Hadi angrily rejected all such talk and continued his devoted life with the beautiful Faati. He would always tell her not to worry about a thing, because he would always be with her and take care of her. When Hadi suffered a massive heart attack and died suddenly at 51, Faati was devastated. Sad and distraught, every Thursday morning, she would take several buses to arrive at Behesht-e Zahra Cemetery to visit Hadi's grave, each time carrying a small bag containing rosewater and flowers. She would lovingly wash the tombstone first with water and then with rosewater, putting the fresh flowers she had brought from her small garden on Hadi's grave, sitting there, talking to him and crying. She would finish her weekly ritual by noon and would take all those buses back to her small house on Hafez Avenue.
A whole two years had gone by, when one Wednesday night Faati received unexpected guests from out of town. In the morning, she had to wait for her guests to wake up and serve their breakfast and see them off. She was feeling anxious about running late with her "date" with Hadi. Her guests took their sweet time and by the time they left it was already 11:00 o'clock. Faati took her buses and arrived at the Cemetery at around 2:00 p.m. She started her ritual of washing the grave in a rush, anxious to make up for lost time, lest Hadi would be worried about her whereabouts. A man was silently praying at a grave in the next row. When he was finished, he came over and greeted Faati. She had never seen this man before and was irritated at his sudden appearance in the middle of her ritual. The man said to her that his wife had also died a few years ago, and that every Thursday afternoon he came to visit her gravesite. Once in that area of the cemetery, he always noticed Hadi's grave so clean with the beautiful flowers on top. He said he had always wanted to see the devoted visitor of that grave, and this was the first time he had been able to see her. Faati was polite but short with the man, who stooped to do a Fateheh prayer on Hadi's grave. The man who introduced himself as Habib, waited patiently a few steps away and when Faati was done with her ritual, asked her if he could give her a ride into town. Late and exhausted, Faati accepted the ride.
A year later, Faati and Habib got married. They would go and visit the gravesites together now, knowing by now that Habib's wife and Hadi had both died on the same day all those years ago.
This is a true story.

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nice....

مسعود said...

سلام نازی خانم
مولانا گفته است

چونک گل بگذشت و گلشن شد خراب
بوی گل را از که یابیم از گلاب

حالا داستان حبیب آقاست.یادت هست در فیلم سوته دلان ،بهروز وثوقی هر روز می آمد که شیر بخرد از آن دختر شیر فروش و همو را می خواست؟ بعدا فخری خوروش که اینرا فهمید به لهجه شیرازی گفت: شیر بونه ش بید! برا عسل میومد.

قسمت هم مال همین مردم ساده و پاکدله.نه؟

Anonymous said...

By the time I got to the middle of the story when she was late for her weekly visit , I thought she would meet Hadi's other wife and children whom he had managed to hide from her in years .......guess I am much surronded with sotries of disloyality .....

Anonymous said...

Really impressvive story,
thanks!

Unknown said...

ِHi dear Nazy,

I'm so happy to be back from a long holiday in the beautiful northern Caspian hills thickly forested and to find your rich site with captivating and fascinating daily updates, as usual.
Herewith , again I would like to extend my sincerely good wishes for a wonderful 1387 to you and all of your readers ( both the regulars and non-regulars! ).
Your story reminds me of another true story about a love almost beyond what most of us know as love. I guess you and your readers have already read it, yet I give you the link as I believe it's really re-readable. Please be advised that there are moving and unsightly pictures that may be bitterly unpleasant to your eyes : http://heidariam.blogfa.com/post-311.aspx

Anonymous said...

سلام نازی جونم
خوبی ؟؟
من بالاخره از مسافرت اومدم و همه ی همه ی پستهای عقب مونده رو خوندم
راستی چه خبرا عید خوش گذشت ؟؟
هر چند همش که برای شما کار بود و بس !!!
خوب راستی داستانت هم خیلی جالب بود ها ...
خوش باشی

Nava said...

I'm tearful. It was touching and moving, not just the story, but also the way you say it...I like it very much : not too short, not too long, simple and effective.

Unknown said...

Dear Nazy,
Since the link I left in my previous comment is an old one and there is a follow-up to that story, I would like to give you and the other readers the link to the update of this story, which, I believe, is even much more interesting:
http://heidariam.blogfa.com/post-344.aspx

Anonymous said...

very touching story Nazy jan.
Thank you for sharing it with us.
Pardis

Unknown said...

what a beautiful and touching story! I loved it.

Anonymous said...

I loved the way you used the word "date" in this story Nazy joon.

Daisy said...

Salam Nazy jon,
Oh my God, do you call this fate or... I don't know I'm speechless. Good for both of them that were lucky enough to find love twice in their life time.

Mina said...

Hi Nazy Joon,
Where did you get these sweet stories? I think only you are able to hear them. It was really sweet,
Mehr,
Mina

Shadi said...

Dear Nazi,
this story brought tears to my eyes it reminded me of my mom who still goes to Behesht e Zahra every week to according to her "see" my father. Well she unfortunately has not met anyone yet! my dad passed away 13 years ago and ever since every Wednesday (my dad died on a Wednesday) mama goes to flower market and then Behesht e Zahra, I read ur post to her and teased her bit about how "dast o pa cholofti" she is not to have found herself another nice man we cried and laughed together and she wanted me to thank you for this post
so here is a big THANK YOU from mother and daughter

Shadi said...

and as for me being a psychoanalyst, I have to say that in my undergrad years a number of my profs encouraged me to take psychoanalysis as they thought i had the gift "to see through people" and me, being younger and proud of myself for all the compliments did so and started working in the field only to find out that oops! i love LEARNING about psychology as the most interesting science but my passion is community development and planning so back to school and work again this time as a community development worker and student and you ARE absolutely right i have been thinking about writing down what i have learned and still learn in my work and at school for so long i will start someday when pesarak is a little older and i have more time. it is needless to say that i think you are an amazing person and surely more amazing mother because you are in love with life and all in it and amazingly self aware, to be honest i do believe no certain school of parenting is perfect but is it really important? i don't think so, I believe in love and self awareness, being open to grow with our children and being aware of our own biases, complexes and triggers while showering not only our children but our world with love nd finally these are only the babblings of my mind!
be good Nazi jaan

midnight/... said...

:')

Nazy said...

Salam Shobeir Jan:

I'm glad you liked it...

Nazy said...

Salam Masoud Jan:

I agree! Love is grand and graceful and will find its way in the least likely of places. People who have experienced it are lucky, that's what I think.

Nazy said...

Salam Noonoosh Jan:

I'm glad I surprised you! You are delightful!

Nazy said...

Khanoomi Jan:

I'm so glad you liked the story sweetheart.

Nazy said...

Mohammad Jan:

Happy New Year! I hope you had a relaxing few weeks. It sure sounds like you spent it in heaven!

Thank you very much for sharing that story with me. It is an awesome story. I'm glad it seems to be having a happier ending still.

I hope the new year brings you much joy and accomplishment my kind and sensitive friend.

Nazy said...

Salam Uni-Far Jan:

Thank you so much for your positive feedback on the story. It feels very rewarding to me. Thank you for your ahvalporsi and your kind phone call. You are so sweet!

Nazy said...

Salam Nava Jan:

Thank you very much for your encouraging words. I'm so glad you liked the story. It gives me joy and strength to write another one soon. Thanks for coming and visiting me my friend.

Nazy said...

Pardis, Pardis:

How are you? It's always good to hear from you! I'm so glad you liked the story. Please visit me again soon.

Nazy said...

Nasim Joonam:

Thank you! And I love you!

Nazy said...

Salam Noon-Jim Joon:

Heeh, yes, that's what she said to me, a "date" every Thursday morning. Read Golabi's comment--it seems it is a shared sentiment among people who lose a partner. Be good Noon-Jim Jan.

Nazy said...

Salam Daisy Jan:

Yes, fate it is! The thing that is hard when someone loses a lifetime partner is that they are not able to start a relationship without bringing the lost person into it. I think their relationship is working because they were both aware of each other's lost partner and their role and significance in the other's life, and didn't resent or begrudge it in light of their similar experience.

Have a good day Daisy Joonam.

Nazy said...

Salam Mina Jan:

Ha Ha! The advantage of talking a lot is that I occasionally stop to listen, and hence the stories!

A compliment from an accomplished writer such as yourself is always wonderful to hear! Thank you my friend.

Nazy said...

Dear Beautiful Golabi and Mom:

Thank you so much for reading, for sharing your wonderful story, and for your kind words. I'm blown away. God bless your father who is now in heaven, I am sure. I hope the remaining few days of your mother's stay are beautiful an peaceful and that all of you spend it loving each other. Be happy thoughtful and intelligent Golabi!

Nazy said...

Nimeh Shab-e Azizam:

I'm so glad you liked the story! All my love.