Page 79 - Javanan Magazine Issue # 1914

From The Desk Of The Editor ISSUE No. 1914

Niloufar, Turkey JAVANAN

Honorable human beings helped me cross the border

out attending court, and then send her suitcases and now she was at her kind
to her father's house empty-handed. friend's home and would never return.
I suffered for four years. Every time At that moment, I decided to leave
I sought refuge with my mother, Iran. I renewed my passport with the
she would say that I was not grate- help of one of the ladies who came
ful at all, that I did not understand to the salon every week; Her hus-
the true meaning of misery with band worked at the passport office. I
the prosperous life I had. Then, one got help from ladies there and got a
day, they didn't let me into their friend's address and phone number
house anymore. Treat your husband in Istanbul. I was ready to leave the
From the very first day when well, they said. Every man has a country.In the last week before leav-
Habib came to propose to me with flaw and eventually, it will be fixed. ing, I pretended that I had a headache
his mother, I noticed that he was star- One of my friends found me a job and stayed at my parent's house for a
ing at my younger sister with a dirty in a hairdressing salon. I told Habib. whole day. I hugged and kissed my
look. I talked to my mother that night. He simply accepted. "So, from family as much as I could and said
"He's not a good man," I said. now on, you don't need money goodbye to them in my mind. I se-
But my mother disagreed. "What for your own needs and house- cretly gave my little sister some cash
do you want from a husband?" want." hold supplies." He said. "And may- to buy herself whatever she wanted.
She said. "He has his own house, Habib pressured be you can save some money!" My sister was shocked to see all that
a car, a shop, and his father is rich." me so much that I had to consent. I worked in that hairdressing salon money and kissed me. Without any-
"But this man has a rov- Sometime later, he told me he had from 8 am to 8 pm. At the end of the one knowing, I did what I had to do
ing eye. He's a philanderer." married a woman and temporarily day, most women hurried to their and bought a bus ticket. I had heard
"You have no experience with men. settled her in an apartment. For this homes thinking of the warmth of that was the safest way. I knew that
It's better to obey your father and reason, he did not come home most their families, loving husbands, and Habib would not come home for
build your future with this man!" nights and I stayed at home alone. For waiting children. I was the only one at least a few days, So I packed my
The families agreed to the marriage fear of the family's reputation, I did who would stay there until the end suitcase and left the house. I had gone
not share the problem with anyone.
that night, and despite my objec- and then return home, tired and dis- halfway by bus when one of my col-
tions, the wedding arrangements After about a year, Habib changed appointed, to cry alone in the dark. leagues called me.
were made. Of course, during that his mind. "You were right." He said. In the same salon, another suffering "Your husband is looking for you." She
"It is unfair to kick this woman out
time, Habib showed a kind, polite after giving birth. Let the child reach woman named Sholeh worked. Like said. "He thinks you are leaving Iran!"
and generous face. "I was in love the age of seven, then I'll give her me, her body was always bruised, and At that moment, I explained every-
with you for a year." He said. "My good money and divorce her." On her eyes were full of pain. Save as thing to the people around me on the
biggest dream was to marry you. I those days, I felt very confused. I of- much as you can, she would say. May-
promise to make you the best pos- ten preferred not to pay attention to be one day we will run away together bus; The story of my husband and
sible life. I'll make you happy." Habib's words at all. But when Habib and go somewhere on the other side what I had suffered, the beatings I had
received from him, and the possibility
Our life started with a honeymoon in started his supposedly business trips of the world. On that day, we will find that he would come to the border to
Turkey. it was a good trip. Habib was to Turkey, Malaysia, and Dubai, I peace and taste the sweetness of life. find me. When most passengers heard
still an ogler, but I tried to convince felt that there was a serious relation- I examined all aspects of our goal, my life story, they said they would
myself that he was used to living this ship between him and a woman. I including savings, the possibility help me. We'll hide your travel docu-
way. I told myself that all men must be decided to ask my friends for help. of leaving Iran and seeking asylum
like this; Indeed, most male relatives I was surprised that most of them abroad. I used to talk to travelers who ments if necessary, they said. We'll re-
and acquaintances were also like that. knew about Habib's secret relation- came to Iran from other countries, I move your name from the list of pas-
I bought everything I wanted in ships and in some cases, their own would get detailed information and sengers and talk to the border officers.
Turkey. On the pretext of meet- husbands. At the same time, Habib pass it all on to Sholeh. One day, On that day, I realized that honor-
able human beings live among us.
ing friends and buying clothes and impressed my father with his flatter- Sholeh called from a hospital. She Even among the border officers,
jewelry for himself and his shop, ing words and partnered with him to told me that her husband had brutally
Habib would go out most days and import luxury clothes, bags, shoes, beaten her. He had broken her right some people would keep silent to
give me money to go shopping with and decorative items from Turkey. hand and her nose. I went to visit her. help the helpless. Two hours later,
the other Iranian ladies in the hotel. With the confidence he had in Habib, "Why don't you get a divorce?" I asked. I was hiding under some blankets
After returning from the trip, Habib my father sold a costly piece of land "I'm afraid." She replied. on the bus while the border officers
kept his private life as before. Most and entrusted the money to him. I "He told me that if I get a di- were busy checking the passengers'
nights, he was out with his friends warned my mother several times, but vorce, he'll chop my head off." documents. From the corner of the
and sometimes they went on short unfortunately, since Habib always "Why don't you file a complaint window, I could see Habib standing
trips. He told me I could go to Shi- brought a bag full of souvenirs for against him?" "My husband has in- there, showing my photo to the pas-
raz and Isfahan to see my aunts or go my mother and gifts for my father, fluence everywhere. "It'll not reach sengers and talking to some of them.
shopping and have fun. Of course, I no one paid attention to my warnings. any result." Then she continued. "But I don't know what those kind men and
should also add that our sexual rela- One day, I accidentally surprised I have a friend in Kermanshah who women, my traveling companions, did
tionship was not healthy at all. Habib Habib while he was in a restaurant promised to help me. She is a brave that I found myself on the other side of
had interests that bothered me a lot. with a woman. Instead of apologiz- reliable woman." "Leave and go to the border in the blink of an eye. With
But I did not protest at all. After a ing, he slapped me hard. Fearing for her tomorrow." "I want to, but my the cheers of my fellow travelers, I
year, I realized that I could not con- my reputation, I quietly left the res- husband has taken all my money.""I'll returned to the present. The women
ceive and went to several doctors taurant. After that day, my life be- help you." And I put a considerable hugged me and after years of pain and
for advice, but to no avail. Habib came darker and darker. I was used to amount of money in her bag. Three suffering, I fell asleep in their arms.
used this as an excuse and started not getting any affection from Habib days later, she informed me that in the
talking about temporary marriage to except for his deviant sexual rela- absence of her husband who had gone farsi Translation on page 7
have children. I strongly objected. tions, but now he would beat me se- to Dubai, she left the house with two
"I'll do so with your consent and then verely on the slightest excuse. I think
leave that woman, I promise." He said. women are men's slaves, he would :ليميا‌زا‌ديناوتيم‌ناناوج‌يللملا‌نيب‌هلجم‌ريبدرس‌يياكذ‌يدهم‌اب‌‌سامت‌يارب
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"How cruel can you be to separate say. They must always be obedient
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a mother from her child?" I said. and submissive to their husbands, .دييامن‌هدافتسا‌‌editor@javanan.com‌
"These women are used to this. They otherwise in Iran any man can di- دينك‌هعلاطم www.javanan.com‌:تياس‌بو‌رد‌ار‌ريبدرس‌تشادداي‌ويشرآ
take money and do whatever you vorce his wife at any time even with-
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4/26/2024 2:38:36 PM
javanan1 1914 final.indd 79
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