Running For Peace

10.23.04

You never know who's gonna turn up at a New York party. We threw my cousin Lilly a big surprise goodbye bash last night to celebrate her upcoming move to India. As we filled the table with elaborate Iranian rice dishes, I noticed my grandma heating up a plate of left-over chicken in the microwave. It struck me as odd considering all the fresh food that was available, so when I inquired, she pointed to a short man in a black beret who had requested the chicken. Turns out the man was Reza Baluchi, a world-famous Iranian runner who biked through six continents and recently ran across America for peace. When he unknowingly crossed into the US from Mexico without the proper papers, he was greeted by the US border patrol who detained him for four months until he was finally granted political asylum.

I had read about Reza's plight in the New York Times amongst other papers, but it was very strange to be sitting face to face with the real person, who was eating only chicken in order to keep fit for the upcoming New York marathon. Since he spoke in broken English and my Farsi is non-existent, it was difficult to have a proper conversation. But his determination and desire for peace came through strong. Although I didn't ask, he named hundreds of magazines and newspapers that have featured his story. At first it seemed like he was bragging, but then I realized this guy is dead serious about spreading his message.

Read more about Reza Baluchi here.

Sheila

Posted by Sheila at 04:32 PM