Nasrin Marzban - Reading a Poem for the Shah

 

This is my first time over here, and I didn't know what am I supposed to do. [chuckles] My friends encouraged me. I came over here without preparation. I hope I do a good job. But I'm going to tell you a story about my childhood. 

 

I've been born and raised in the Middle Eastern in Iran, in a small town that it doesn't even exist in a map. But anyway, this is a gift. First of all, I have to tell you this is a gift, that because very embarrassing and scary thing that happened during that time. I was 13 years old. Now, I couldn't talk for many, many years about this one. Now, I could tell this one in United States, in your presence, and I think this is a gift for me.

 

So, I was around 13 years old, and during that time, like Shah was ruling the country, and people were really scared and respect, and he was a powerful man. I was a Girl Scout that time. So, Shah was coming to visit our small town. The whole town was getting prepared for the Shah visit for six months or a year. And my teachers and principal, they used to put me, for some odd reason, and put me in front of the people, like do the stuff. So, they prepared me for such six months to go in front of Shah, and read this poem and then go backward, and some other people were going to greet him. So, I was the first one to greet him. 

 

So, this particular day comes, and I'm ready to do this. They are working on me for six months, and I am tired. One teacher comes, see if my dress is okay. Another one comes, practice with me again. And then, I need to go to, excuse me, to bathroom, but they are not allowing me to go. [audience chuckle] So, this time comes, and we go to city hall, which is like they change the marble and there's 1,000, maybe more people in the town and the city hall and outside greeting the Shah. Shah comes, like sits, stays there and then all around the Shah is important people. I am here facing the Shah, maybe 10 feet after me, all the audience. And also, maybe three feet after me is the all the Girl Scout. 

 

So, right now, I am supposed to go and read the poem. I am not worried about the poem. I memorize, everything is great, but I have to go to bathroom. [audience laughter] So, I go back, turn back. I said, "Mina, Mina." Mina is my friend and the Girl Scout. "Can you come?" And my principal said, and everybody's doing this to me [audience laughter] and I'm okay. I thought, okay, if I just let go a little bit. [audience laughter] I did. [audience laughter] 

 

So, suddenly, I realized I can't hold it back. [audience laughter] Then, I see people are separating. [audience laughter] There is a-- [audience laughter] So, I run outside, I go to forest and I feel like it's end of me. [audience laughter] Peeing in front of Shah is-- [audience laughter] So, I go to the forest and I feel, okay, something has to happen. I have to be-- I have time, right? [audience laughter] So, I need to disappear. But my cousin, older cousin, comes and says, "We have to take you home. Don't worry," pretends that he doesn't know anything. [audience laughter] 

 

So, he takes me to cab. And in cab, he asks me to sit down. I said, "No, I'm just going to stay in the cab and backseat." So, he takes me home and holds my hand and goes knock on door and says, "Aunt, here, your daughter peed in front of Shah." [audience laughter] So, basically, I said, “Okay. End of school. I'm not going to school anymore.”

 

After a couple days, principal and other teacher came and they say, "Okay, come back. We won't let anybody to taunt, tease you or anything. And plus, the kids, they don't know because kids weren't there really. And if you ask your friend not to talk about it and stuff, you are safe." I say, "Okay." So, they take me to school. And then, the principal call everybody and says, "Come." And people come, all the student come and he says, "If you tell from now on, Nasrin peed in front of the Shah, you will be grounded."