Together Tea by Marjan Kamali

Author:Marjan Kamali [Kamali, Marjan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Adult, Contemporary
ISBN: 9780062236821
Publisher: Ecco
Published: 2013-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Four

Yellow Blossoms and TV News

Spring in Queens brought bursting purple flowers, tinges of pink and white on previously bare trees and tiny yellow blossoms that carpeted car hoods, wedged themselves into the crevices of baby carriages, and nestled into Mina’s black hair.

Mina walked to school, her stomach full from Darya’s food. Darya had mastered the art of food shopping in Queens. Israeli pickles from the kosher deli, melon from the Korean grocer’s, ground walnuts from the Ukrainian lady, and baklava and turmeric and tea from the Iranian shop.

The Iranian shop in Rego Park was small and smelled like home. The owners were the Hakimians, Iranian Jews who had moved to America right after the revolution. The sign outside said “Persian Gourmet Foods” in English, but a smaller Farsi sign read “Maghazeye Irooni”—Iranian Shop. Mina and her brothers quickly learned that in America, “Iran” was a bad word associated with terrorists, mullahs, and hostage-taking.

“Just say ‘Persian’ and make it easy for yourself,” Kayvon advised. “People associate ‘Persian’ with good stuff—like fancy rugs and fat cats.”

“Fat, really cute cats,” Hooman said.

“Cats?” Baba looked up from practicing chopping tomatoes, looking as if he might explode. “Kittens? ‘Persian’ should remind people of the empire that stretched from one side of the East to the other. The empire that set a new global standard, contributed mountainfuls to astronomy, science, mathematics, and literature, and had a leader, Cyrus the Great, who had the gumption to free the Jewish people and declare human rights! That empire! You can’t be shortsighted when you look at history. History is long!” Baba was shouting now. He continued to slice tomatoes. “Cats! What have we been reduced to?”

THAT WEEK IN CLASS, MRS. KRUPNICK assigned each student a state to research in detail. Mina got New Mexico. She memorized New Mexico’s official state flower, the colors of its flag, and details about its geography. She learned where all the states were on the class map. There was no world map in class, only one of the U.S. Most of her classmates gave blank stares when Mina mentioned where she was from.

Only one boy knew.

“You from that place that took the hostages.” Julian Krapper’s speckled blue eyes grew wide. “I know about that.” He flicked his pencil.

Mina burned with shame and anger when Julian brought up the hostage crisis. It was a story she wished would go away. But Julian went on and on unless Mina gave him what he wanted.

“Hey, Mina! Did you feed your camel this morning?” Julian asked. “Has your dad washed his head rag?”

Most of Darya’s homemade meals from Mina’s lunch box were handed over to Julian, and Mina obliged only to stop his yacking.

One yellow-blossom spring day, Mrs. Krupnick allowed the class to eat lunch at the playground because it was so nice outside. Mina sat on a bench under a huge tree and took out her enameled tin lunch box. Before she could take a bite out of her kotelet sandwich, a shadow appeared on the ground near her.

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