The recent events and the awkward situation for some Middle Eastern ŽmigrŽs, remind me of our own situation during the hostage crisis, some 20 years ago. I am sure that many Iranians who lived abroad at the time, remember the dilemma of  proving the fact that they did not support the taking of those hostages and in fact, felt like hostages themselves.

Around the peak of the hostage crisis,Êwe lived in Europe. It was so hard to admit that you were Iranian when people asked you. Our neighbor to the left, understood the political situation and did not seem to care if the world went aflame. He went toÊwork, got home at around 4, and did a bit of gardening. The result was a heaven of tulips in spring and 2-3 scores of rose bushes in summer and autumn. We seldomÊtalked about politics, and he and his wife lived in their own quiet andÊserene world.
Ê
But our neighbor to the right, who incidentally was an excellent tulip grower himself and had a heavenly garden, lived in a hell out of the fear of world war three and of-course, according to him the war would start from the collaboration of Iran and the Soviet Union!. He meticulously, acting like Napoleon, drew the war plans with a wooden stick on the soil of the garden, depicting the step by step of the war and what would happen thereafter to Europe, etc. And of-course I could feel the resentment that he had for our country and the fear that at times reached paranoia. I just put up with him and his fear, listened to him as he talked, sympathized with him whenever I felt he needed it, and tried to calm him down.

This was the story week after week and month after month. It got to the point that I avoided going to the garden whenever I saw him working on his garden. Years went by and none of his fears were materialized (unfortunately, later on I heard he was fatally shot at a department store holdup).

During those times, we all witnessed or heard that most Iranians were reluctant to disclose their nationality when they were asked. Those were indeed years of agony. Our people were estranged to each other and if one Iranian saw another, he/she would have changed his itinerary.

I personally, had to lie once about my nationality and regretted it for a long time. The day that I was leaving Europe to move to the States, on my way to the airport, the taxi driver, an older guy, just to say something asked me:

--"Where are you going to?"
--"To the US", I responded.
--"Oh, how nice"
--"Actually, I don't like to move, I love it here!"
--"Where are you from?" 
I wasn't prepared for that question, don't know why but I just blabbed:
--" Greece," 
--"Really?, I am from Greece too...ä
And then he started to talk Greek, which, of course, was completely Greek to me! I was so embarrassed, blood rushing to my face, and did not know what to say. So finally I had to somehow cover it up.

-"But, I don't speak Greek. You see,ÊI was born there but never lived there. I have been living here all my life. You know how it is, you forget it all".
--"aya yayaya!!ä saidÊthe driver, and did not say a word afterwards until we got to the airport. I don't know if he sensed I was lying or was disgusted that I could not talk in my own native language.!

Later on, soon after we moved to Washington DC., one day a friend of mine asked me to go to a department store with her, so we went.

After spending about an hour window-shopping, my friend picked a few items and we went to the cashier. As we got there a very pleasant pretty petite lady who worked there, welcomed us and hoped that we had found everything we needed. The lady had a bit of an accent, her "r"s were like the French pronunciation. My friend being a francophone, asked her:

--"ARE YOU FRENCH?"
-- "No, I am German" the woman responded with a rolled "r".
-- "Oh!!" was my friend's response.
--"Are you Iranian?ä the woman asked Mimi. It was so sudden but Mimi did not hesitate at all and said:
- "no"...
--"What nationality are you?"
-"I am Greek...."
I looked at Mimi with gaping mouth, wondering why she had lied so bluntly. The woman continued:
-- "Ah,... I thought you were Iranian. You see, my husband is Iranian and you look like... where from in Greece?" the woman continued, as if she did not have anything else to do.
--"Athens".
--"Oh, Athens is so beautiful, have you been to...."she named a few Greek islands...
--"Yes, but you see I have left Greece years ago, but I have been to all those places!!" Mimi responded looking very honest.
--"What is your favorite Greek dish, I love moukasa.... you probably know how to make them all", the woman added.
--"Actually that is the only Greek dish I know how to cook. You know, I am not a good cook at all", Mimi mumbled.
--"Iranian food is very close to Greek food. I know how to cook them all, khorseh bademjan, ghormeh zabizi...ä the German lady went on and on explaining to us how they make this food or that one. And here I was boiling inside that a foreigner was explaining to us what khoreshteh fesenjoon was...

There was no end to the woman's curiosity. I started wondering if she knewÊwe were Iranians and was asking my friend all those questions to have fun... Then she said:
-- "Iranians are excellent people. They are the most hospitable people I have ever known." Then after a pause she suddenly extended her hand and introduced herself (after half an hour of talking to us!!) and asked:
- -"What is your name?."
My friend, as if this had been her lifelong name, answered "Christina"
-- "Ah,.... what a nice name...and your last name?"
--"My god, we are finished!", I thought to myself.  A Greek last name was not something I could expect my friend to come up with. I was sure Mimi would now laugh and tell her that she was joking.
--"Papandropoulos", she said.ÊI wanted to burst into a loud laughter. Where in the world had she found that name I could not fathom, but to avoid cracking up I pressed my lips hard.

Thank god at this point the woman took our merchandise to where the cash register was and started to run the prices. I sighed a sigh of relief; it looked like we were off the hook. Suddenly my friend leaned in closer to me, blood rushing to her face, and under her lips she asked me:

--"Do you have any cash?"
--"No, I don't, I have credit card or check"
--"I have check and credit card myself, but..."
--"So what is the problem?ä I asked her.
--" Don't you get it?, if I give her either one she will find out what my real name is". Then, whispering, she said:
- "Don't just stand there like that, what am I supposed to do?"

I was now having a little fun with the whole thing, so I said:
-- "I don't know Miss....ä
--"Stop joking, I'm not going through with this, I'm turning back"
--"No you are not", I said, ãyou are going to tell her the exact truth. The woman is waiting for you, go on ahead...ä Meanwhile,ÊI had to turn my head so that she wouldn't see me laughing.

Mimi then went ahead and after a pause said to the lady:
--"mm...excuse me, I have a confession to make."
-- "What dear?ä asked the German lady.
--Ê"Indeed,.... I.... I am Iranian. I am so ashamed, but you know how the situation is, even an educated woman like me has toÊlie and hide her identity to avoid getting jeered at. You know, people don't understand. Every time I tell the truth, I have to deal with all kinds of attitude."

The woman said:
--" Oh dear, of course I understand. The Germans have gone through something similar too, but you should be proud of your country. I have been to Iran. Your country is so beautiful and your people are the kindest and nicest people I have ever seen".

We looked at each other and sighed in relief. My friend, quite ashamed, said:
-- "I really do apologize for trying to fool you. I am so sorry".
-"That is all right dear, believe me I understand, I still remember the hardship that we had to go through when we migrated". So she shook hands with us and handed Mimi her bag, as we said goodbye and left.Ê

Mimi was still all red in the face and neck. I was laughing like crazy.....after a few steps and overcoming my laughter, looking at my angry friend, I very cautiously asked:

-- "Where did you get all those lies from? Where did you get the name Christina?"
- - "That was the only Greek name I could remember from "Christina Onassis".
-- "Granted, but that last name, that was something else...".
- - "Well, you see, when my brother took refuge in Greece he could get a false passport from the Greek authorities, and that was the name they gave him".     "And by the way," she changed her tone "I am so mad at you, couldn't youÊcome to my rescue somehow?"
--"How could I help you?", I said,Ê"I could not even think of a Greek first name, let alone a last name!", I teased her...
--" you know exactly what I am talking about".
-- "Yes Miss...what was your last name again.....!?
- -"Zahr-e-maar!!".Ê