Persepolis Page #3

To make things bearable,

people were partying in secret.

People were getting drunk at

the parties. Alcohol was forbidden,

so my uncle was providing

the family with wine.

He has installed a wine production

laboratory in his cellar.

Mrs Nassrine,

my uncle's cleaning lady

was pressing the grapes.

May God forgive me!

Going to these

parties was dangerous

but it was our only

little moment of freedom.

Come on! Get out!

Identity papers,

driver licence.

Ok, ok.

Come closer.

Blow.

You drank.

No.

You're lying, you dirty westerner!

That's enough!

How dare you talk to me like that?

Shut up!

Listen.

I could be your mother.

How old are you?

My daughter is 13.

You'd be in hell without your wife.

Thank you!

Get in! We're going to your place

to check if there are some bottles.

Grandma, Marji, you go first.

Empty all the bottles.

- But how?

- Don't worry, my daughter.

I was used to it with your father.

We had to hide the flyers.

Listen, the neighbour on the same

floor is a bit old.

He has a heart condition.

He could die

if we make too much noise.

Can we come to an agreement?

Hey! Where are you going?

I'm diabetic, son.

I have to drink some syrup.

Diabetic?

Like my mother.

Go ahead.

Where are the others?

Their arrogance isn't ideological.

A few bills were enough.

Tell me,

did you throw everything away?

Well, yes!

Sh*t!

It's his heart again.

They wanted to stop the communists.

They threw a grenade.

Taher couldn't endure it.

He was lying on the ground

when I arrived.

Everything will be all right.

No, it won't.

He must have an

open-heart operation.

They can't afford it here.

He must be sent to England.

I went to see the administrative

director of the hospital.

It's unbelievable.

Do you know who he was?

My old window cleaner.

I pretended not to recognize

this moron.

Only people who are seriously ill

can leave the country.

My husband had three heart attacks.

He must be operated or he'll die.

We'll do our best.

If God wants it, he'll get better.

Everything depends on God.

I need your authorization

for his passport.

If God wants it.

This a**hole grew a beard

and wears a suit.

And now he's a director!

My husband's fate depends on

a window cleaner!

He doesn't watch women in

the eyes anymore.

F***ing a**hole!

I know someone who

is making passports.

Calm down.

It'll be all right.

Wait!

I'm coming with you.

Where did I put it?

Ha! Here it is!

Look at that.

It looks like a real one.

A month work,

just for this stamp!

What's your name?

How much time do you need?

Passports are very much in demand.

I make a living with that.

They closed my publishing business.

It takes 15 days,

but I'll do it in a week.

Great. Be quick.

It's Niloufar.

This is Ebi,

Anouche's brother,

I talked to you about him.

Hello.

She is a communist too.

Her brother was my messenger.

I'm hiding her in my cellar.

It's the only place

where she's safe.

Is he stupid or what?

He's gonna get crushed!

Here! That's what I said!

Don't look.

- It's too ugly.

- Stop!

What of piece of sh*t! Apart

from cutting their stomach open

and making disgusting monsters,

those Japanese can't do anything.

Grandma, do you think that

uncle Taher is gonna die?

- Of course.

- Really? You think so?

If he doesn't find any passport

to leave, he won't make it.

He shouldn't have smoked so much.

What a load of crap!

His heart is sick

because his children are far away.

A hot beans pastry boat please.

Children always leave

sooner or later.

But being separated from your 13 years

old children because of war is absurd!

It can break you heart for sure.

I'd be dead already if I was him.

May God exterminate those barbarians.

May God hear you.

Hello? Ha, Khosrow, is that you?

So, what's up?

They arrested Niloufar.

I have to escape!

Hello?

Khosrow?

Hello?

Niloufar was executed.

Khosrow escape by the mountains

in Turkey and went to Sweden.

Uncle Taher was buried

three weeks after these events.

The war intensified.

Let me pass!

Sorry!

Let me pass!

Stop!

I live over there!

Go.

- Marji!

- Mom!

Are you all right?

Yes, honey.

I'm fine.

Where did the missile go?

It hit the Baba Levys.

What? The Baba Levys?

Thanks to the government, we don't

have any political prisoner left.

Madam?

We finally earned our freedom.

- Madam?

- What?

It's the new government that ordered

the execution of my uncle.

From 3000 prisoners during the shah,

we now have 300 000 with you.

How dare you lie?

Stop it!

Who was it?

The school. Marji put the religion

teacher to her place.

- Again?

- Yes.

She takes after her uncle.

Do you want her to end like

her uncle, executed?

Do you know what they do to

young women like Niloufar?

The law forbids to kill a virgin.

She's forced to marry a

Guardian of the Revolution.

Then he takes her virginity

and executes her.

Do you understand?

If someone touches one of her

hair, I'll kill him!

A little later, they decided

to send me abroad.

Since I had studied at

the French school in Teheran,

I'd go to the French school in Vienna.

My father managed to get me a visa.

My mother's best friend

was supposed to take me in.

The day before my departure,

grandma came to sleep at home.

Every morning she put jasmine

flowers in her bra.

When she was taking it off, the

flowers were falling from her tits.

It was magic.

How do you manage to have

such round tits at your age?

Everyday I put them for 10 minutes

in an icy water bowl.

I'll miss you.

I'll come and see you.

Listen.

I'm gonna give you an advice

that will always be useful.

In your life, you'll meet

a lot of a**holes.

Remember that it's stupidity

that pushes them to be evil.

It will prevent you from

answering to their nastiness.

Because there's nothing worse

than bitterness and vengeance.

Always remain worthy and

true to yourself.

You'll see,

everything will be all right.

No tears.

Think about your future.

Europe is opening to you.

When you'll arrive in Vienna,

eat a sachertorte.

It's a delicious chocolate cake.

We'll come to see you.

You're a grown up.

No tears!

- Daddy...

- Enough.

You must leave.

Never forget who you are

and where you're coming from.

My daughter.

- Mom!

- My little Marji.

Europe opened itself to me,

but not like I imagined.

After a few days at

my mother's friend home,

she decided that their apartment

was too small to accomodate me.

She found me a bed and board

where I would be very well

according to her.

What?

- Was?

- Huh?

I was finding

shelves of products that

no longer existed in my country.

For a while,

going to the supermarket

was my favorite pastime...

favorite pastime...

favorite pastime...

Anyway! It was urgent that

I make some new friends.

At the French school,

I could understand the others

and be understood.

Do you have a smoke?

Quickly, the school dropouts

were interested in me.

There was Momo, Thierry,

Olivier and Eve.

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