Nunu was from the days of Glorious Iran, when the people proudly called themselves Persians. Those were the days of Reza Shah Pahlavi. Christians, Jews, and Moslems all lived and worked together. The university was filled with inquiring young people, Tehran was a modern city, and the country was growing. You could see women in a mini skirt, slacks, and a traditional burkah in the center of town. There might be a blond with a head band and pony tail, and a woman with a hijab discussing their favorite perfume at the sales counter of a big department store. A man with a thobe could be sitting in a barber chair next to a man in an Armani suit. Most Iranians felt they had no right to impose their beliefs on others. The opposite was the norm, where the tradition of hospitality made it so people went out of their way to accommodate others who were different. The Mullahs changed all that.
Nunu was out of Iran when the revolution started. Davar and Judy were living in LA, and were finishing some required courses needed for both of them to teach at Tehran University. Davar was a US citizen, and had lived here for a long time. They were moving to Iran in six months with their young son, to teach at the University. Nunu was living with them in LA and taking care of the baby. After the revolution started, other family members made it to Sweden, which accepted all Iranian refugees. Roya (Davar's sister) showed up in Stockholm with four young children and no papers. She finally got her visa last year ... after almost 40 years ... and came to the US. She got to see her mother for Nunu's last year. All her children were automatically made Swedish citizens when they turned 18, and had papers, by Roya had none at all. She could not get a visa or a passport. It takes forever to get processed ... 38 years.
Kismet has its ways of protecting those who need it. Davar, Judy, their son, Roya, Nunu, and many others in his family were all saved from living a life that would have been very bad. Eventually, all ended up in the USA, where they live and prosper. Davar retired and moved back to his small home town in southern Iran ten years ago. He lives the simple life of a man who keeps quiet and tends his garden. His small town is far from Tehran, and any political intrigue. His Grandfather, and father before him were the Kahn of the town ( respected elder) and Davar is sort of the same now. His last mane "Kheradman, means "wise man".
