I was not able to use my car today, so I took a cab. My driver was a nice and chatty African American and was talking about business in Dallas. Dallas highway system does not make cab driving a very profitable business. Delays caused by accidents usually cost more than what a driver could make. Most taxi drivers have leased their cabs from a company or an original owner.
Kevin, the cab driver, told me that he has leased his from “Sean” who is from Iran, make no mistake I did not reveal my nationality. I assume “Sean” is an abbreviation or some nickname. He added that “Sean” has a number of cabs and the good thing about him is that he takes good care of his drivers. Kevin was especially happy that Sean let them have their cabs for Christmas and holidays usually free. He said that Sean also renews his fleet regularly. So he was very happy working on contract for him.
Usually talking to people in Dallas many know one or two Iranians. Some are colleagues, most are dentists or physicians and some were a classmate in college or in graduate school. The people I talked to usually assume I know these other Iranians. The other day in Starbucks someone told me: “I know this guy and he is from Iran, his name is Ali. Do you know him? He is such a great guy!” Now Ali is one of the five most popular names in Iran. And I already count 4 persons named Ali in Dallas as my friends. I am certain there are dozens of them in the area. How in the heaven’s name I would know this other Ali. So I politely answered: “I heard that name, but I have not met him yet.”
Nonetheless It is very pleasant when one hears people praising these unknown Iranians: “He is such a great dentist; I have been with him for 5 years now and have no complaints”. “Mo was the greatest guy in college, really smart.” “She was from Isfahan, and she showed me these fantastic photos from there and told me I am always invited” “Last time they went for vacation in Iran, they brought back some really good pistachio, it was nothing like Whole Food stuff much much better, they brought me a whole pack.”
I do not know these strangers, and probably I would never meet them in the real life, but to all of you, Iranian strangers who are doing a great job out there being great decent individuals: Thank You.
2 comments:
Hey Ali
Was reading another blog where they where someone was praising “the Shah,” but still unclear whether they meant the Big Shah or his “divine shadow,” the chicken shah (!)
Saw your post Nice Suit and followed the link on to When Ahmadinegad Kisses His Teacher…
My first thought was it beats getting off a warplane and declare, “Mission accomplished!” some 3600 American (and about 1 million Iraqi) lives ago!
Clearly, you have to try hard to miss the heavy spin by the Ir. Prez’s men to offset, among others, the recent wave of the ‘hijab arrests,’ which I read about recently in another blog.
This brings me to my questions, which I hope you (or other contributors) can answer:
1. Is wearing the black veil an Iranian concept or a legacy of the Ottoman Empire? [Other Moslems don’t seem to wear the same attire.]
2. A divine proclamation, perhaps, issued by the Almighty, or the Islamic Prophet?
Respectfully,
An Idle Fellow
Hey Ali
Was reading another blog where someone was praising “the Shah,” but am still unclear whether they meant the Big Shah or his “divine shadow,” the chicken shah(!)
Saw your post Nice Suit and followed the link on to When Ahmadinegad Kisses His Teacher…
My first thought was it beats getting off a warplane declaring, “Mission accomplished!” some 3600 American (and about 1 million Iraqi) lives ago!
Clearly, you have to try hard to miss the heavy spin by the Ir. Prez’s men to offset, among others, the recent wave of the ‘hijab arrests,’ which I read about recently in another blog.
This brings me to my questions, which I hope you (or other contributors) can answer:
1. Is wearing the black veil an Iranian concept or a legacy of the Ottoman Empire? [Other Moslems don’t seem to wear the same attire.]
2. A divine proclamation, perhaps, issued by the Almighty, or the Islamic Prophet?
Respectfully,
An Idle Fellow
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