Memoirs of Marzieh Hadidchi (Part 13)

2017-10-17

Memoirs of Marzieh Hadidchi (Dabbagh)

Edited by: Mohsen Kazemi

Tehran, Sooreh Mehr Publications Company

‎2002 (Persian Version)‎

Translated by: Zahra Hosseinian

Six days in siege and occupation

"We are commanded to be your guest for a few days!" the agents said, when their ransacking failed. "Well, apparently I can’t do anything! But I beg you to go upstairs. I have seven daughters and your presence bothered them." I said.

They went to the upstairs, where I showed them. And incidentally it was not bad for them, because they could watch everywhere. At noon, they came downstairs and asked for lunch. I was very angry with their impudence, but controlled myself and answered: "We have Abdugh khiyar[1]. There you go!" this food didn’t suit their taste, so they disappointed. "It’s not your home or a restaurant!" I mumbled.

Two of the people who came to our house the same day, were arrested and taken to SAVAK office to be interrogated. I said to myself if it kept going on, many will be arrested. I drew up a remedial plan. I put down a few phone numbers on a paper, laid it within a two Toman note, and handed it to my small girl along with a bowl, and then I asked her to go to a shop in our alley under excuse of buying milk. The shopkeeper was a reliable person, who knew about my activities, so he could warn the other members of our group about the danger.

One of the agents named Parviz, stopped my daughter and asked: "Where do you go?!" I stepped forward worriedly and answered that she was going to buy milk. He looked inside the bowl and under my daughter’s chador and allowed her to go. The crumpled note was in her hand and he did not think that there was a paper within it. Suspecting the situation of our house since morning, the shopkeeper fortunately set to work when saw my note and warned our contacts about the danger. From then on, the coming and going to our encirclement and occupied house was finished.

I should think about the brother of bridegroom, who had disguised himself by a chador. Early morning of the second day, when my kids were still asleep, I woke him up and said, ‘I'll go upstairs and distracted them. Go out of the house very quietly and get away as walking close to the wall. They have a commanding view of the alley.’ I went to the agents and began to pick on them, "You use all the ice we had in the refrigerator. From today on, you yourselves should provide ice. It’s very warm and my kids are thirsty. It is not fair." I was speaking while had my all mind on bridegroom's brother. I was afraid that his foot hit somewhere and made a noise or he slammed the door. Hence, I spoke loudly, so that if a sound rose, was not heard. It was such a scary situation where I heard my heartbeat. A few minutes later, they admitted that they have not use the ice fairly and should go shopping and buy ice from then on. Returning downstairs, I saw the situation of room is ok. I went to the courtyard and saw he has left the entrance door open. I took the broom and approached the door under the pretext of sweeping. When I closed the door with the broom, the agent who had sat on the edge of window, shouted: "Hey! What do you do there?" I said: "It was open, and since it is behind the curtain, we had not noticed. Now I wanted to sweep here, saw it is open. I closed it. If it makes you upset, I can open it!" He did not say anything anymore. Later days, they did not notice that one of us is absent, because my kids were many in numbers.

On the second day, I put some of tapes inside a basket and topped them with greengage and cherry. I wrote a letter for our neighbor’s girl, whom I trusted, and gave it to my kids and wanted them to go to our neighbor's house. Again, Parviz stopped them. I told him that it is summer and my kids pissed out of their mind at home, let them go to our neighbor's house to play, or let their children come here. He said that it is ok, but tell them not to say anything about us. Therefore, the children went and the neighbor’s girl hid the tapes in a safe place when saw my handwriting.

To this moment, I found peace very much, but still there were a few letters and leaflets which caused anguish. "Very seriously pretend you have toothache." In the afternoon I asked one of my daughters. She began to make such a racket and disturbance which was amazing. The agents, who had become restless because of these hue and cries, recommended different things. One said you should use some perfume; another one recommended using alcohol; and the other one suggested smoking. These way ward recommendations should not be effective! So, my daughter's groan increased each moment. "My kid is dying of pain. There is no remedy, her tooth should be extracted. I have to take her to the dentistry." when I saw the desperation of the agents, I said. They rejected. "Ok, don’t permit. But, if my kid dies, I will tell everyone in her funeral that you did not allow me to take her to dentistry and you kill her." I said. One of the agents said, "Don’t create a lot of noise; take her. But one of our agents will come with you too." I agreed. I put the letters and leaflets into a bundle and then wrapped it around my daughter’s waist; and also wrapped a pair of slippers and a colored chador around my abdomen, while we were getting ready for going out.

Reaching near the dentistry along with agent, he said, "I'll wait here [next to the building]. You go upstairs." The office was on the second floor. As we climbed up, I gave the colored chador and slippers to my daughter, explained a familiar and secure address which was nearby, asked her to deliver the bundle as soon as possible, and then return! She went and I awaited her disturbingly. I felt odd anxiety. A few minutes later, I couldn’t take anymore and climbed down to see what was going on. Seeing me, the agent asked, ‘what’s the matter?’ I replied that many should be visited and we have to wait. He shook his head, showing he had no choice except waiting. At that moment I saw my daughter was approaching. I scared she panicked by seeing me there and therefore stepped forward and began to speak. So I went toward the shop next to the office. The agent followed me and questioned, "What do you do? Where are you going?" I answered that I want to buy her something to eat. This dialogue distracted the agent and my daughter reached the office and climbed up. I eased up. I did not hesitate and returned to the office. I threw the black chador over my daughter’s head, and then we returned to the house a few moments later.

 I wrapped the last leaflets around the abdomen of my old sister-in-law. I picked up an injection and went to the agents and said that let's get her to inject. They protested laughingly, “you fancy we are your servant!" lest they themselves had to take her, said: "Take her yourself!" I was gladdened and held her arms and we went out of the house. We went to the house of one of our acquaintances, and finally I got rid of the latest leaflets.

It was several days after the presence of agents at our home, and the sixteen attacking agents was reduced to six ones and ten of them had left. They kept watching two by two. I had been tired. The kids no longer could endure all these harassments, and worse, the heat of the summer was unbearable for all of us. On the sixth day, I realized that it is impossible to keep going on. During this period, about 15 people who were at our home or came for visiting, were arrested. Therefore, I gathered all my kids and explained the situation and asked them to begin crying, making a racket, kicking up a row, and screaming to get rid of all these torments.

When my children began to play what I had wanted them to do, my sister-in-law also went mad and began to scold the agents, and cursed them while beating her chest. "Silence them!" the agents lost their temper and cried out angrily. They aimed me with their arms and threatened. I said, ‘I can’t. It’s summer, it's hot. They’re not at ease. With your presence, how long they should wear chador at home. They’re not free. Arrest and take us too. How much patience we should suffer. This is not a fair condition...’

It worsened by passing time. Finally, they contacted the headquarters and in addition to describe the circumstances, asked about their duty. The agents were called to go to the headquarters. Therefore, they left our house at 3:00 pm after six days.