First date
An evening worse than any in the streets of Baghdad: A crushingly tacky hotel restaurant – the by now familiar Iran-style tourist makeover – an imitable overload of bad taste etched onto every square centimetre of panelling; there are mirrors, chandeliers, fountains, plastic flowers, figurines, enamelled ceilings, reliefs, arches, columns, TV-screens and – as always – the required portraits of Khomenei and Khamenei. Waiters in uniforms, poor English, rush about empty tables as if they were serving hundreds of patrons. Lethal shopping music plays from speakers in the ceiling.
It is the first date in Iran. Elhal & Elham. The girls are twins – twenty three years old. Except from ‘I love you’ – not a word of English. We are seated across from them. Their older sister is at the end of the table with her two children. They’ve brought gifts. A rose for each revolutionary and a sugar bowl, which fits the style of the restaurant. We didn’t bring any. Instead they get our pins.
It must be difficult for the authorities to fit this activity into a meaningful pattern of suspicious activity. We are kept under surveillance; we do not see a sign of them when we’re out and about, but in the lobby of our hotel there are perpetually two or three shady looking characters hanging about. Asked by our interpreter, a receptionist whispered in reply that she had no idea who they are and what they are doing there. Nielsen took the camera – like any proper tourist -- and started filming the beautiful lobby -- mirrors, chandeliers, fountains, plastic flowers, figurines, enamelled ceilings, reliefs... Training the lens on one of our new friends sitting in a chair, the man holds up his right hand to shield his face. There is absolutely no doubt that the police have assigned a team to follow our doings. What an honour! For the first time in my life I am a very important person! A re-enactment of the GDR -- and I am one of the main characters!
I sincerely hope they will continue to follow my life in the future. Scenes of me in front of my computer, having corn flakes in the evenings. Me in front of my computer at night, spilling vodka all over the keyboard, sending off embarrassing, sentimental emails. Me in my bed watching episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Me in Sainsbury’s trying to decide whether I should buy orange juice or mixed fruit juice. Me in Bethnal Green Gardens at dusk playing football up against a wall.
When Elhal & Elham were born the parents arranged for them to marry their older cousins. Now they are desperate to get out of this deal. The question is whether we as revolutionaries can allow ourselves to take the path of private happiness. Of course this is a contradictio in adjecto. We must go on. We cannot go on.
It is the first date in Iran. Elhal & Elham. The girls are twins – twenty three years old. Except from ‘I love you’ – not a word of English. We are seated across from them. Their older sister is at the end of the table with her two children. They’ve brought gifts. A rose for each revolutionary and a sugar bowl, which fits the style of the restaurant. We didn’t bring any. Instead they get our pins.
It must be difficult for the authorities to fit this activity into a meaningful pattern of suspicious activity. We are kept under surveillance; we do not see a sign of them when we’re out and about, but in the lobby of our hotel there are perpetually two or three shady looking characters hanging about. Asked by our interpreter, a receptionist whispered in reply that she had no idea who they are and what they are doing there. Nielsen took the camera – like any proper tourist -- and started filming the beautiful lobby -- mirrors, chandeliers, fountains, plastic flowers, figurines, enamelled ceilings, reliefs... Training the lens on one of our new friends sitting in a chair, the man holds up his right hand to shield his face. There is absolutely no doubt that the police have assigned a team to follow our doings. What an honour! For the first time in my life I am a very important person! A re-enactment of the GDR -- and I am one of the main characters!
I sincerely hope they will continue to follow my life in the future. Scenes of me in front of my computer, having corn flakes in the evenings. Me in front of my computer at night, spilling vodka all over the keyboard, sending off embarrassing, sentimental emails. Me in my bed watching episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Me in Sainsbury’s trying to decide whether I should buy orange juice or mixed fruit juice. Me in Bethnal Green Gardens at dusk playing football up against a wall.
When Elhal & Elham were born the parents arranged for them to marry their older cousins. Now they are desperate to get out of this deal. The question is whether we as revolutionaries can allow ourselves to take the path of private happiness. Of course this is a contradictio in adjecto. We must go on. We cannot go on.
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