I haven’t written recently, I know. With apologies to those friends I didn’t get to speak with, I was in London from 6 to 15 July. The main reason of my visit was to visit a prospective publisher who shows a very strong interest in my book on Iranian culture.
It felt funny to be back after a year of absence: as if I hadn’t been away at all. When I got off at West Acton tube station, dragging my suitcase after me and getting drenched in a summer shower of rain, I felt back at home. As soon as I let myself into our flat I sat down on the bed and cried, sobbing loudly. Everything around me reminded me of how much trouble we took over the house extension: how we chose the floor tiles, the dishwasher, the cooker, and how little use we made of them before we decided to pull up sticks and move to Tehran.
In the dresser drawer I found Athena’s small pink purse, Yusef’s old school diary, drawings, my old spectacles I was planning to drop into the Specsavers charity bin, detritus of our old life.
But I was happy to be back in London, even for a few days and determined to make the most of it. A parable of life’s transience.
Days went by very quickly, what with browsing in Waterstone’s and Foyles, seeing my good friend Alex twice (bless her, she is such a great help with the book project), visiting my other very close friend Mali three times, meeting the publisher and sorting out a few things in Hossein’s office. After nine days I was ready to come back, with some new ideas in my head and quite a few books in my suitcase.
The meeting with the publisher went very well: he likes the concept and the style of the book but he would like me to package it differently, so as to make information more accessible. I promised to think about it a bit more and get back to him by mid- August, when we are all travelling to Athens via Constantinople (no direct flights from Tehran to Athens).
Oh, and another thing. On Sunday 27 July I will be having an operation (women’s troubles, but nothing serious, I hope), so I may be out of action for a few days – as if I were very punctual otherwise! Please remember me in your prayers.