The beautiful old lady told me in Tehran: "Nazy Khanoom. I have a grandson who is a ballet dancer.....in New York." She reached behind her chair and from tens of pictures of several members of her family performing onstage, picked up a black and white picture and handed it to me. My eyes rested on a handsome young man in great form in ballet attire. There was something really amazing about the young man's eyes. He was looking directly at the camera, with a sense of purpose, with great poise, and with haunting eyes.
Among the thousands of memories I have kept in my head and in my heart, that day, that little chat over tea, that lovely old lady's face filled with pride, and the picture of that young dancer, found a spot and became lodged. It was another 14 years before I pulled that memory out of my head and got started looking for the dancer. I looked and I searched, and I couldn't find him. But the memory wouldn't let me forget him. I wanted to find him. I wanted to talk to him. I wanted to know why he was lost to the rest of us. I wanted to know why he wouldn't make an effort to be found. I wanted to know about him and feel proud, for he was not only that young man in the picture, he was the one looking at whose picture had brought a huge tear drop of sadness and pride to the old lady's eyes. I wanted to find him and tell him that. I searched and searched until I found him. He now wanted to be found. I told him my story. He told me his.
So who is the dancer?You are going to tell us!! :)
ReplyDeleteNice pictures nazy jounam...
and it's snowing here again! :(
Marzieh
How I wish I were there! so that I could read the whole story!
ReplyDeleteNext post pllllzzzz :D
nice ...
ReplyDeletetell us more ...
we are waitting for it ...
thanks NAzy joonam ...
HI I like your blog I adde your blog to list of my links,is it ok?
ReplyDeleteNazy joonam
ReplyDeleteNow you made us all curious, If you don't want to tell his name, fine, But at least tell us how old was he or is he? Please, Pleeeaaaasssssee ;D
When I was a kid my auntie Aki registered my cosine and I for a Ballet class in Tehran. Although the class was full of little girls and no boys, It was illegal at the time and everything was sort of hidden. Our teacher was an Armenian Old lady. I still remember the moves. The class was so cold we were freezing.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteTo All former commenter:
ReplyDeleteNazy mentioned the dancer's name in her former posts. Go a little further down, and find it out. It starts with P :-))
To Nazy Joon: Thank you so much for your lovely message. And don't worry about me :-) eenn niz bogzarad. I was too busy to leave comments, but was not that busy to read your posts every day. I really enjoy reading them :-))
This was written in such a captivating way that it brought a chill down my spine as I read it. It's such a good feeling that reminds you how alive you are. It makes me want to know so much...but most of all, I wish you had that same exact picture that you could post for us...I would love to see it.
ReplyDeleteGreat prologue. Now I cannot wait to read the rest.
ReplyDeleteبی صبرانه منتظریم
ReplyDeleteدر ضمن هیچ کس به خوبی تو نازی عزیزم نمی تونه با همه حتی همسایه هاش دوستی کنه
چه قدر انگیزه ات برای پیدا کردن این آدم و کلا شروع داستان جالبه و چه قشنگ که تو این خاطره اون قدر تو ذهنت قوی مونده بود که بعد از سال ها بگردی و پیداش کنی
ReplyDeleteدیگه صبرم برای خوندن داستانت داره تموم میشه!
Marzieh-in-Snow Jan:
ReplyDeleteSalam! Yes, I will tell you soon who he is, where he came from, where he went, and how he disappeared and resurfaced again.
Thank you for coming back. Please don't ever stop coming for I miss you. Have a grand weekend.
Shobeir Jan:
ReplyDeleteSoon. Soon.
Uni-Far Jan:
ReplyDeleteHow are you? It was fun chatting with you on Yahoo! I will tell the story when my backup material is all ready. Soon I hope.
Salam Bar Goli-e-Aziz:
ReplyDeleteHello and welcome! I am honored to be added to your list! I came and visited your blog. It's a fun space, full of joy and life. I'll come back and visit again soon. Take care and come and visit us again.
Salam Prima Ballerina Roja!
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet story! So did you learn ballet? It is really beautiful to watch but must be so very hard to perform!
I will post the dancer's story soon. It's ready, minus the technicial work I simply don't know how to do! Wished you were here and could help me. I did think about asking you briefly, but it would take too long to send it to you, so I will have to find someone locally to do it.
Can you please come back again soon? My best to Hossein.
Chakameh-ye Azizam:
ReplyDeleteSalam and welcome back! I'm glad to see you are better my friend! I really missed you.
So, nice try, but his name doesn't start with a P! I'll tell it soon, I promise.
Kisses.
Thanks so much sweet Assal:
ReplyDeleteI do have that same exact picture and I will post it for you, soon. This whole thing has so many interwoven stories, and some side stories, too. This was one of those side stories. I might continue with another side story until I can tell the main attraction. I just hope that you guys won't all be disappointed by the time I'm don! Hee Hee! Have a lovely weekend sweet Assal.
Hee Hee, Eshan!
ReplyDeleteYou are pulling my leg, aren't you?! It's O.K. I deserve it for having taken seven months to tell a story! I think you will like it. When Jahanshah and I realized today that we have problems with the DVD tracks and the dancer also wrote to say that he will be sending me new pictures, we decided to wait just a few more days to get it done right. Does Maryam know that you tease me endlessly? She says she reads all my posts fresh off the press, but does she read the comments, too?
Paging Mah-e-Taban
Paging Mah-e-Taban
Mana Jan, Salam and welcome back.
ReplyDeleteMy neighbors were an elderly couple from whose house I always heard music, with many children and grandchildren coming and going all the time. The elderly gentleman (who has a pivotal role in the story), passed away a few months after I became their neighbor. The lovely lady was my neighbor for a few years to come. She told me so many stories and introduced me to some of her children (I will talk about them, too). This family has done so much for contemporary Iranian culture. She has now passed away and lives in Heaven, looking at all this. I hope she likes the story, too.
Be good and happy Mananye Be Yad Mandani
Salam Golabi Jan:
ReplyDeleteJust like your Amoo Siroos story, some stories are never forgotten, nor do they lose their sharp details. Yes, I love that story and you will, too, I'm sure. I just hope I can do it justice. That's all. Have a good weekend my friend!