 Soopreez
Surprise trip back home
By
Yashar Zhalehdoust
July 21, 3003
The Iranian
I've been living alone in the US for almost
2 years now. Just when I turned 18, I left Iran for a better education.
I've gained a lot of experience and enjoy living in a country
full of foreigners. The one thing I'd been missing more and
more was my beloved family. I was excited to come back home and
visit my family. I had taken the final for my summer class and
was packed to go to the airport.
Seven hours before my flight I
called my parents to see if they needed anything I could bring.
I told them I was going shopping and the only day
I had time to go because I needed to study for my final. My family,
knowing that I hate shopping, told me they don't need
anything. I had already bought everything and my luggage was packed
and I didn't have space for anything else. I just called them to
make the surprise look better.
My father asked me
to give the flight number and the exact date. "Babba, nemidoonam
hanooz. Vaght nakardam bilitamo nigaa konam, kheily dars o kaar
daaram. Haalaa badan email mikonam hameh chizo." (Dad,
I don't know. I've been too busy with my studies and
work. I'll email you the information later.)
Then I spoke
with my brother and finally with my mother. My mother was like: "Yashar
joon, pesareh azizam, babat migeh chetor akheh shomaareh parvaaz
o taarikhesho hanooz nemidooni?" (Your dad says' how
come you don't know your flight number and the date...).
"Mommon,
final daaram 2 hafteh digeh, hichi ham balad nistam. Koly kaar
daaram. Asbaab keshi ham hanooz tamoom nashodeh!" (I have
to take my final in 2 weeks, and I've got to study hard for it.
I
still haven't moved my stuff.)
The conversation ends
with my family thinking I'm "geej" (out of
it).
I rushed to the airport and made it. I met this
young lady who was married and hadn't seen her family for 2 years.
I thought she
was my age, but oops
she was 29! Anyway she was very excited to see her brother and parents.
I told
her that my parents don't know about my trip. I was waiting for her
to show some expressions like, "Eh, cheh baahaal..." (How cool!...)
But she started to talk about her own life and that she wanted her brother
to come
to the US and have the same opportunity she had. In short, she did all
the talking. I was listening to every word she was saying, but was
thinking about my family
and that what I should do next. Should I call them, or should I go knock
on the door!? I didn't want to scare them.
My best friends Amir and Shervin knew the story
and they were waiting at Mehrabad Airport to pick me up. There
they
were, holding flowers and waiving. "Give
me a big-big hug!" They started to show their excitement with tears.
I tried to cry, but it didn't work. I didn't know what to do, pinch
myself or... It was a weird feeling. Although I missed them, and they're
my best friends but there was this feeling that I still haven't made it
home.
I didn't really feel that I was back home in Iran.
It was 2am, wondering if I should go home or not, I finally decided
to go to Shervin's house.
We talked and I showed him some pictures. I stayed there for an hour or
so. I insisted on leaving, but he would say no, it's too early. "Bichaarehaaro
mikhaayee 4 sobh bidaar koni?" (Poor things, don't wake them up at
4 in the morning!) I waited for another half hour and told him if he's
not
going
to take me,
I'll take a taxi.
There we were, I jumped out of the car. I was so
excited; I didn't know what to do. I saw our neighbor's lights
on. It was 4:30 a.m. I think they
were praying. I always had my own method opening the front door. I wasn't
doing it right or was it that they fixed the door! I told Shervin to give
me a lift so I can climb the wall. His reaction was, "Zadeh beh saret
Yashar?" (Have
you lost your mind?)
Shervin didn't know how fast my heart was pounding.
I had this serious look. I asked him if he was going to help me
or
not!
He laughed and said: "Baaz rageh torket zad biroon o divaaneh shodi
azizam?" (Are your Turkish genes activing up again? Have you gone
mad?)
I don't know how to describe it, but I
jumped and climbed the
wall
like a monkey! I opened the
front door, and asked for Shervin's cell phone. I called my brother
and woke him up. He didn't ask why I was calling at such a bad
time. "Khoobi
Yashar?" (How are you?) I said I'm fine and that I was
going to call back in 10 minutes with great news. Apparently my father
had woken up and asked my brother why I had called.
I looked at the time. Exactly 5:00 a.m. I started
crying like a baby. Shervin was shocked, and it was his first time
seeing me cry. He hugged
me and
said: "Cheraa
geryeh mikoni? Boro khaanevaadeh montazeretan."(Why are you
crying? Go, your family is waiting for you.) It didn't help. It just
made
me cry
more.
I shut the door and ran upstairs with my luggage.
I rang the doorbell. I heard my father's footsteps. He looked through
the hole
and unlocked
the door. His immediate reaction was, "Eh; divaaneh!" (You
madman!)
I saw tears
and joy. There he was. I hugged him hard and started crying
out
loud.
The only
sentence my brain could put together was, "I love you so much
and I missed you even more!"
My
dad was asking me questions like, What about your exam? Did you
move your house? and ... I couldn't answer, I just felt like hugging
him
and crying.
My brother ran towards me crying and yelling: "Mommon,
Yashar oomadeh!" (Mom,
Yashar's here!)
I hugged and kissed them all and just repeated
over and over that how much I love and missed them.
After a couple
minutes
I was a bit relaxed. My brain started to work again so I started
talking and answering
their questions. My parents were like: "Baavaram nemisheh,
ajab soopreezee kardi maaro." (I can't believe it; what a
surprise!) We talked and laughed. I called Shervin to
thank him
and see if
he arrived home.
I think this was the biggest shock
I've ever given anyone. I think I kind of scared my family too.
The only reason I called
my brother
was to give them a hint. I told them everything I had said on
the phone 24 hours ago was a
lie. I had already taken my final exam and had already sold my
stuff and moved my house.
After talking for several hours, I excused myself.
I had had a very busy
week without much sleep. I said I want to rest for a few minutes.
The second I put my head down on my bed, I fell asleep. It was
so relaxing.
I don't think I've ever slept like that in America the past 2
years. No
worries, no
school or work, no bills, no deadlines...
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