Part 3
22 November 2002
7:20 pm
“All passengers for Flight KL1163 destination Gothenborg boarding now at Gate C14.”
I was running through the long terminals of Schiphol (Ship's Cave) airport holding my purse in one hand, and in the other my cellphone, calling up people who needed to be informed about my departure to Sweden.
First I called my roommate Valerie. We became friends in high school 8 years ago. She knew all about my relationship with Omid.
“Salam Val joon. Listen I'm leaving?”
“Really? Did you buy a ticket the last minute?”
I did azizam, I'm now running towards the gate now. I'll see you in 5 days.”
“OK Awi, have fun.”
…
“Salam Negin, daram miyaaaaam!!!.”
“AREEEEEE? Oh my god, what happened? Did he send you money?”
“Yeah he did. I just got my boarding pass and I'm running towards the gate! NEGIN BAAYAD BEEYAAY BEBINAMETAA!”
“Duhhh… of course. We'll see each other.”
“Omid daaram meeyaam baby, bilito gereftam!”
“Akhey Awi, I miss you so much. I'll be waiting for you azizam.”
On Wednesday I decided it was time to go to Sweden. I couldn't stand it no more. I wanted to see Omid. But I had to wait for my paycheck, I was totally broke. Usually I had the money on my account every 20th of the month. I reserved a ticket to Gothenborg on Wednesday. I was suppose to pick it up on Friday, when I was sure my paycheck had arrived.
Friday Morning I went to the ATM machine and dialled my code but there was no money in my account. I totally paniced!!! My flight was at 7:30 pm and I had to pick my ticket up before that. I called Omid and told him what had happened. He told me he would send the money through MoneyGramm at the airport if my paycheck hadn't arrived till 5 o'clock.
I couldn't believe this. How unlucky can you get? It was the 22nd of the month and no money!!! Maybe this was a sign that I shouldn't be going. I asked Negin, she just said I shouldn't be so superstitious?
At 5pm the paycheck hadn't arrived, so I told Omid and as planned I went to the airport. It was already 6pm when I arrived at the MoneyGramm. I called Omid, he was on his way to send the money. I sat down in front of MoneyGramm office and waited.
6:30 pm
Still no message from Omid.
6:45 pm
“Awi in zanike couldn't find the MoneyGramm office at the airport. It took her 30 minutes to find it. She's transfering the money at this moment, Go inside the office in 5 minutes to pick it up.”
7 pm
As I was rushing to the KLM ticket office. I had put my clothes and stuff inside a Tommy Hillfiger bag. Even though it wasn't heavy, I decided to give the bag away to the luggage boot. I started running towards the gate. As one of the last people I entered the airplane.
9 pm
Arlender airport, Gothenborg, Sweden
THIS WAS SO TYPICAL AN AWI ACTION!!!
I was waiting for my bag at least 30 minutes now. All off the passenger of flight 1163 were long gone with their luggage, but ofcourse only Awisa's little bag hadn't arrived. I reported it to a lady who worked there and she wrote everything down. She gave me a little purse with a toothbrush and stuff and said I should get a phone call in the morning and the bag would arrive tomorrow. This was sooo typical of all the luggage.
930 pm
Finally Omid
“Salam baby, I missed you sooo much.”
That night we drove to his house, along the way we bought some junkfood at McDonald's. Negin called me and she was really happy to hear that I'd arrived. I told her if my paycheck would arrive tomorrow we would visit her. She lived near Stockholm.
The next day
Omid got on the phone with the airport and they said my bag would arrive around 11 am. Around 1 the taxi finally brought me my bag and I was so happy I could change my clothes!
I wanted to check my account but it was so cold outside, so I gave Omid my card. Fortunately my paycheck had arrived and I gave Omid back his money and we got ready to leave for Negin's place. We had to drive for more than two and a half hours.
“Awi, have you told your mom about us?”
“No not yet, I want to tell her when I go back.”
“Awi, it's so difficult for me to be this far away, I don't know what to do. Maybe I should live in Holland or you come and live in Sweden with me.”
“You know Omid I have my parents in Holland. I'm studying, working and you are here all alone. You have finished your studies and you're not working right now. You could easily come to Holland and live there. I can't give up my college — my parents would never let me. What can I say to them? 'Yeah mom, I met this guy on the internet . I've seen him twice and I want to leave school, work, you, dad, sis, and grandma to live with him in Sweden, where I don't know the language and have no one'?”
Omid looked really sad. He knew I was telling the truth. It just wasn't possible for me to live there.
“Omid, you told me you're lonely here because family and friends aren't everything. Then you ask me to come and share the loneliness. Instead of that you can come out of loneliness by moving to Holland, where I am with my parents.”
“Awi, listen I have the Swedish residence permit, I can travel freely inside the Europian Union, but I have to wait two more years to get a Swedish pasport. I need a work permit. Why don't you come and live with me for two years and then whenever I get my passport, we'll go to Holland. Wouldn't you like that? Then you can pick up your studies again.”
“Omid nemidoonam bekhodaa, my parents would never let me.”
“Ajabaa masalan to 22 saaleteh? It's your life awi.”
“Bebin Omid I know perfectly well that I'm 22 and it's my life. But you're twisting the issue. The fact is that I'm Iranian. Even if I have lived in Holland my whole life, I don't agree with all the things that Iranian culture brings and at times I have given my parents a hard time by being all stubborn and wild. I have my own ideas about certain matters. First of all I don't want to move in with my boyfriend before we are properly wed! Second I want my parents' blessing. You know I'm really superstitious about this.”
“I know Awi, haalaa bebinim chi mishe, harchi gesmateh.”
After that we both sank into our own thoughts until we got close to Negin's place.
TO BE CONTINUED
'); } else { document.write('
Send .
| Email your comments for |
