It Ain't So Awful, Falafel

When Zomorod wakes upon January 17, 1979, she hears her parents talking loudly. She gets out of bed and discovers that the shah has fled to Egypt. He appointed a man named Shapour Bakhtiar to form a new government, which is unusual because Bakhtiar had previously been imprisoned for opposing the shah and supporting democracy. Bakhtiar plans on hosting elections in Iran.

Zomorod gets ready for school, and when she comes downstairs, her parents are watching the news. She sees repeated mentions of someone called Ayatollah Khomeini but isn’t sure who that is. She is anxious because she wonders what will happen in Iran.

In English class, the teacher asks Zomorod to explain what’s happening in Iran and who Ayatollah Khomeini is. Zomorod says she isn’t sure, and the teacher asks her to do an extra credit presentation. She asks the class if that would be interesting, and only Carolyn says that it would be. Zomorod agrees, but she is not excited to talk in front of the class.

All night, people keep calling Zomorod’s parents. Dr. Klein stops over and asks what’s happening. He understands that Ayatollah Khomeini was behind the revolution and asks what’s going on. Zomorod’s father goes over the history of Iran.