Daughter of Sheena (16)

Daughter of Sheena-16Memories of Qadamkheyr Mohammadi KanaanWife of Sardar Shaheed Haj Sattar Ebrahimi HajirMemory writer: Behnaz ZarrabizadehTehran, Sooreh Mehr Publications Company, 2011 (Persian Version)Translated by Zahra Hosseinian Chapter NineConstruction of our house was finished in the last days of summer. It was a small house. It was just consisted of one room and a kitchen. The toilet was also in the corner of courtyard. Samad had also built a small barn next to the toilet, for firewood, charcoals of Korsi, and odds and ends of the house. We brought our little households to our own house by my siblings’ helping. Shirin jan was working more than others and enjoyed of our home. How much we rejoiced for having that house; as if we had built palace. This house was prettier, wider, and more...

Daughter of Sheena (15)

Daughter of Sheena-15Memories of Qadamkheyr Mohammadi KanaanWife of Sardar Shaheed Haj Sattar Ebrahimi HajirMemory writer: Behnaz ZarrabizadehTehran, Sooreh Mehr Publications Company, 2011 (Persian Version)Translated by Zahra Hosseinian A few days later I told to my sister-in-law that I am pregnant. Khadija broke this news to my mother. They did not anymore allow me to be alone a moment. Samad came back home a month later. He was jumping with joy, when I told him I am pregnant. He didn’t allow me not to lift a hand, a few days he was at home. At the same time he bought a piece of land from my sister, four thousand and five hundred Rials. We both were very happy. “My work at Tehran will be finished soon.” Samad said, “I won’t work there anymore. I’ll come back and we will start building our own...

Daughter of Sheena (14)

Daughter of Sheena-14Memories of Qadamkheyr Mohammadi KanaanWife of Sardar Shaheed Haj Sattar Ebrahimi HajirMemory writer: Behnaz ZarrabizadehTehran, Sooreh Mehr Publications Company, 2011 (Persian Version)Translated by Zahra Hosseinian … In the morning I was more impatient than the day before. I had been touchy, as if all people were stranger to me. I wanted to go to my father’s house; but I went for the twins. I changed their diapers and clothed them with clean clothes. When my mother-in-law went out, I gave milk to twins, put them to sleep, and cooked lunch. Then, I washed dishes of last night dinner and swept the house. I hugged twins and brought them to my room. My house works were begun again after lunch; washing dishes, cooking dinner, sweeping the courtyard and taking care of the twins. I had...

Daughter of Sheena (13)

Daughter of Sheena-13Memories of Qadamkheyr Mohammadi KanaanWife of Sardar Shaheed Haj Sattar Ebrahimi HajirMemory writer: Behnaz ZarrabizadehTehran, Sooreh Mehr Publications Company, 2011 (Persian Version)Translated by Zahra Hosseinian … The next morning, Samad again started looking for job. He did not find any in Qayesh. He had to go to Razan. He packed his hold-all and went to Tehran, when he also couldn’t find any job in Razan."I’ve found a good job.” A few days later he came back and said, “I should start it these very days. I’ve just come to inform you. Such a pity I cannot stay in at holidays of Nowruz. I can’t win."I got upset very much. "I've planning for this year Nowruz.” I objected, “Don’t go."Samad felt upset more than me. "I have no choice.” He said, “How long...

Daughter of Sheena (12)

Daughter of Sheena-12Memories of Qadamkheyr Mohammadi KanaanWife of Sardar Shaheed Haj Sattar Ebrahimi HajirMemory writer: Behnaz ZarrabizadehTehran, Sooreh Mehr Publications Company, 2011 (Persian Version)Translated by Zahra Hosseinian Chapter Eight The winter was going to end. It was the last days of winter; but it had not still started to thaw. The village alleys were full of mud and snow, which had been blackened by dirt and ashes of braziers of Korsis. The women were involved in the new broom and washing of linens and clothes. The glasses were cleaned at days; at evening sky was overcast, and at midnight there was a thundering and lightning, and raining and all of our efforts were dissipated.Samad’s soldiering was ended up a few weeks before the Nowruz . I thought that I'm the happiest woman in...

Daughter of Sheena (11)

Daughter of Sheena-11Memories of Qadamkheyr Mohammadi KanaanWife of Sardar Shaheed Haj Sattar Ebrahimi HajirMemory writer: Behnaz ZarrabizadehTehran, Sooreh Mehr Publications Company, 2011 (Persian Version)Translated by Zahra Hosseinian Chapter VII Two months had passed from our marriage. Samad's mother was spending final days of her pregnancy, and every moment we were waiting for the labor pains came upon her.It was afternoon. I had just finished house works. I wanted to rest shortly. "Qadamkheyr, come… hurry up…my mom feels ill." Kobra frantically opened my room’s door and said. Frightened, I stood and ran to the room where my mother-in-law was there. She was suffering pain badly. I had lost my cool. I did not know what to do. "Send someone to bring midwife.” I said. I remembered...

Daughter of Sheena (10)

Daughter of Sheena-10Memories of Qadamkheyr Mohammadi KanaanWife of Sardar Shaheed Haj Sattar Ebrahimi HajirMemory writer: Behnaz ZarrabizadehTehran, Sooreh Mehr Publications Company, 2011 (Persian Version)Translated by Zahra Hosseinian Chapter VI The night before wedding day, Samad came back from military base and came to our house several times until midnight, with various excuses. The next day my brother, Iman, followed me. Recently he had bought a Red pickup truck. He picked me up. My sister-in-law, Khadijah, sat beside me. I would look down, but I could see outside under Chador and red net cloth which was thrown over my face. Joyfully and by hollering, village children would run toward pickup and some of them had ridden the rear cargo. The pickup was shaking by the sound of children’s foot and...

Daughter of Sheena (9)

Daughter of Sheena-9Memories of Qadamkheyr Mohammadi KanaanWife of Sardar Shaheed Haj Sattar Ebrahimi HajirMemory writer: Behnaz ZarrabizadehTehran, Sooreh Mehr Publications Company, 2011 (Persian Version)Translated by Zahra Hosseinian Chapter Five By approaching autumn, weddings flourish in the villages. After harvest, villagers roll up their sleeves for holding the youths’ weddings. It was the twelfth of Azar 1356 (the second of December 1977). Early in the morning we got ready to go to Damagh for performing the marriage ceremony. Damagh was then the center of district. Samad and his father came to our house. I wore my Chador and moved with my father. My mother saw me off by the door. She kissed me and prayed for me. I sat behind my father on the motorcycle. Samad also sat behind his father on their...

Daughter of Sheena (8)

Daughter of Sheena-8Memories of Qadamkheyr Mohammadi KanaanWife of Sardar Shaheed Haj Sattar Ebrahimi HajirMemory writer: Behnaz ZarrabizadehTehran, Sooreh Mehr Publications Company, 2011 (Persian Version)Translated by Zahra Hosseinian Throwing parties had been started between two families. A few months later, my father bought a sheep. He wanted to repay his oblation. My mother had invited Samad’s family too. Early morning we got into a minibus, which my father had hired. We laid the sheep into the trunk of minibus, and went to the holy shrine, which was a little farther, up the mountain. The minibus slowly went up the escarpment of mountain.

Daughter of Sheena (7)

Daughter of Sheena-7 Memories of Qadamkheyr Mohammadi KanaanWife of Sardar Shaheed Haj Sattar Ebrahimi HajirMemory writer: Behnaz ZarrabizadehTehran, Sooreh Mehr Publications Company, 2011 (Persian Version)Translated by Zahra Hosseinian Chapter Four Days elapsed One after another. Sometimes Samad would come to see me in tandem, but sometimes he didn’t appear even month to month. Country was in chaos and counter-imperial demonstrations had been reached to villages. Spring ended. Fall arrived and ended too. Cold and frost winter also was passed through. In the absence of Samad I would completely forget him sometimes, but as soon as he arrived, I would remember that as if something is going to happen between me and him. And I was worried by this thought, but my father’s extreme attention to me would...