I remember the other games we used to play probably after watching some kind of science-fiction movie or TV show, we were inspired to come up with our own sci-fi stories. I was the Lizard Queen and she was the Serpent Queen. We were in league together, conquering wherever we went as we were fought against the dregs of the Universe. Ahh, those were the days. The imagination of a child is a magical thing.

If it weren’t for her, Hilary, I might never have discovered the wonder of computers. It was on her computer, an Atari 2000 or something like that that I first discovered the joy of computers. I recall simply pushing a button and the entire screen color changing! I was hooked, simply hooked. That began my life-long fascination with computers and in fact I am still working with them in my line of work.

It wasn’t all peaches and cream, there was one time that Hilary and I decided to be a little adventurous and venture down to the river, which was really a creek and walk around for a while. However, I believe we neglected to tell anyone where we were going and were gone for a while. Our parents and the neighbors were quite worried about us. We were fine of course though and eventually came back. It was really more embarassing than anything.

Through the good and the bad, the languid and the adventurous, the strange and the imaginative, I will always remember those times. I finally ended up moving when I was 14 and we kept in touch for a while through letters, but it was too hard. We eventually lost touch, but I have never forgotten those times or her.

Anyway, all this talk about Iran lately, has made me think about this girl I knew as a child. And I started thinking about a comment another friend had made about his childhood in Connecticut, during the 70’s. He went to a private school where a lot of Iranians happened to be going and he said he always thought they were the coolest kids. He liked hanging out with them best he used to say.

In conclusion, I have personally known an Iranian-American, and another friend of mine has known some, and anyone I have ever met from there, whether American born or straight from there has been fine-mannered, intelligent, cultured and interesting. I know politics is one thing, but when it comes to people, they are all right with me. I just hope that with all the talk lately of Iran and forbidden words to do with it, that we don’t all become Blood Brothers and Sisters of a different sort.

Note: the names were changed in this story for privacy reasons.