The Virtual Trench

A Y E D I N R O N A G H I

T H E

V I R T U A L T R E N C H

“A prize from fairyland beyond our wildest dreams”

I know everything about you.

If you knew everything about me, you would not be here.

I am here to have a friendly chat with you.

There is no such thing as a friendly chat between us, you’re lying. 

All right, I know something about you.

You know nothing about me.

I know that you have been hiding things from me.

What could I possibly be hiding?

You have been hiding your weaknesses from me.

Pretending that your vulnerabilities are your strengths, and your strengths are your weaknesses. The virtual trench…. Right?

No, you’re wrong

INTRODUCTION

Having had several family members imprisoned and abused during different regimes in Iran, I have always experienced a silent fragmentation amongst my family and friends. For my degree project at Konstfack I wanted to further explore that fragmentation.

I wanted to examine not only the relationship between the individual in a violent environment through time, but also to look inside and see, after all he/she had been through–the coup, the Shah era, the Islamic Revolution, the war with Iraq, decades of sanctions–out of all this, to try to see what has remained inside the individual. Taking all of this under consideration and the fact that the country has been unstable politically for the past 60 years, you realize the complexity of the issue. So I decided to write one part of this project as a play and try to address and tackle those 60 years of violence in the hope of understanding that silence in our relationships.

All the characters in The Virtual Trench will represent different era’s/leaders and other key people during the past 60 years. For my essay, I have chosen to write one part of the transcript - The Strange Old Wizard which refers to Mohammed Mossadegh, a former prime minister who nationalized the Oil during the early ’50s.

THE VIRTUAL TRENCH - SYNOPSIS

At an apartment in northern Tehran, a group of cheerful protesters has gathered before a major demonstration in downtown Tehran. When the peaceful demonstration later that night turns violent, four of the protesters manages to regroup at the apartment. While they clean their wounds and wait for words from other survivors, a curfew is announced, warning everyone that they will be considered hostile and shot if seen on the streets. When every line of communication gets jammed and the electricity cut, the four protesters find themselves trapped in the apartment. As days pass by with not much to do, they start to read a transcript they find in a bookshelf of a young man being

interrogated about the four most important people in his life. While trying to make sense of the text, the four protesters slowly start finding themselves relating to those four people in the transcript which then leads to the understanding that they do not actually agree on many issues. The earlier fellowship changes rapidly to skeptical eyes and

mistrust. Who said what? What is the true state of things and what ideas are really being thought? When the tension gets out of hand it forces the protesters to face each other and for once, put all their cards on the table.

T h e S t r a n g e O l d W i z a r d

W e l l , w e a r e n o t s o m e p l a c e f a r n o r t h , t h a t m u c h I c a n t e l l y o u . B u t d o n o t w o r r y , w i t h t i m e y o u w i l l f i g u r e i t o u t … B u t f o r n o w , w h a t c a n y o u t e l l m e a b o u t t h e o l d w i z a r d … W h a t i s y o u r f i r s t m e m o r y o f h i m . T h e o l d w i z a r d ? Y e s . W h a t d o y o u m e a n ? I h a v e n o m e m o r i e s o f h i m . B y t h e t i m e I w a s b o r n , h e w a s a l r e a d y g o n e . B u t y o u s p e n d m a n y y e a r s l o o k i n g f o r h i m ? R i g h t ? A t l e a s t , t h a t i s w h a t y o u r f r i e n d i s t e l l i n g m e … I d o n o t u n d e r s t a n d w h y h e i s n o t b e i n g t r u t h f u l , h e m u s t h a v e b e e n t h r o u g h a l o t .

W e a l l h a v e b e e n t h r o u g h a l o t , b u t y o u r f r i e n d i s n o t u n d e r p r e s s u r e , t h e r e f o r e y o u r f r i e n d h a s n o r e a s o n t o l i e … W e ? Y e s w e … Y o u , m e , y o u r d e a r f r i e n d , e v e n t h e o l d W i z a r d . E v e r y o n e h a s b e e n t h r o u g h s o m e t h i n g . W o u l d y o u n o t a g r e e ? I t ’ s f u n n y h o w y o u p e o p l e s t i l l b e l i e v e t h a t y o u a r e t h e v i c t i m s . W e a r e a l l v i c t i m s o f w h a t i s d o n e t o u s , y o u w i l l l e a r n t h a t h e r e , t h a t i s a p r o m i s e … I w i l l a s k y o u o n e m o r e t i m e , w h a t i s y o u r f i r s t m e m o r y o f h i m ? I h a v e n o m e m o r i e s o f h i m . T h e m e m o r i e s I h a v e o f h i m a r e m e m o r i e s f r o m f a i r y - t a i l s t o l d t o m e a s a c h i l d .

I h a v e h e a r d a b o u t t h o s e f a i r y - t a i l s , b u t I a m n o t s u r e i f I h a v e h e a r d o n e b e f o r e , y o u s e e t h o s e t y p e o f f a i r y - t a i l s w h e r e n o t a l l o w e d i n m y h o m e … . P l e a s e , c a n y o u t e l l m e o n e ? G o o n , d o n o t w o r r y , n o o n e w i l l h e a r u s . V e r y w e l l , a s y o u w i s h … O n c e u p o n a t i m e , i n a m o u n t a i n o u s l a n d b e t w e e n B a g h d a d a n d t h e S e a o f C a v i a r , t h e r e l i v e d a n o l d W i z a r d . T h i s o l d W i z a r d , a f t e r a l i f e t i m e o f c a r p i n g a t t h e w a y t h e k i n g d o m w a s r u n , b e c a m e c h i e f m i n i s t e r o f t h e r e a l m . I n a f e w m o n t h s h e h a d t h e w h o l e w o r l d h a n g i n g i n h i s w o r d s a n d d e e d s , h i s j o k e s , h i s t e a r s , h i s t a n t r u m s . B e h i n d h i s g r o t e s q u e a n t i c s l a y g r e a t i s s u e s o f p e a c e o r w a r , w h i c h w o u l d a f f e c t m a n y l a n d s f a r b e y o n d h i s m o u n t a i n s .

S t o p … I k n o w t h i s o n e . I t e n d s w i t h h i m b e i n g i n - p r i s o n e d b y h i s o w n p e o p l e , r i g h t ? I w o n d e r w h y y o u w o u l d c h o o s e t o t e l l m e t h i s p a r t i c u l a r s t o r y ? I t h o u g h t y o u s a i d t h a t t h i s k i n d o f f a i r y - t a i l s w h e r e n o t a l l o w e d i n y o u r h o m e ? M a n y t h i n g s w h e r e n o t a l l o w e d i n o u r h o m e , b u t a s y o u p r o b a b l y k n o w , s o m e t i m e s c h i l d r e n c a n b e d a n g e r o u s l y c u r i o u s . D o y o u w a n t m e t o t e l l y o u a n o t h e r o n e ? N o , I g o t m y a n s w e r … D o y o u k n o w w h a t I h a v e h e a r d a b o u t t h e S t r a n g e o l d W i z a r d ? N o … I h a v e h e a r d f r o m r e l i a b l e p e o p l e w h o h a v e h a d t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o t a l k t o , w e l l l e t ’ s s a y , h i s i n n e r c i r c l e ,

t h a t i n r e a l l i f e t h e W i z a r d i s q u i t e “ w i l d ” , “ e r r a t i c ” , “ e c c e n t r i c ” , “ c r a z y ” , a “ m a d m a n ” , “ g a n g s t e r - l i k e ” , “ f a n a t i c a l ” , “ a b s u r d ” , “ d i c t a t o r i a l ” , “ d e m a g o g i c ” , “ i n f l a m m a t o r y ” , “ c u n n i n g ” , “ s l i p p e r y ” , “ c o m p l e t e l y u n s c r u p u l o u s ” , a n d “ c l e a r l y i m b a l a n c e d ” , “ w i l y o r i e n t a l ” , w h o “ l o o k s l i k e a c a b - h o r s e ” , “ c l e a r l y d o m i n a t e d b y e m o t i o n s a n d p r e j u d i c e s ” a n d “ d i f f u s e s a s l i g h t r e e k o f o p i u m ” … T h a t d o e s n o t s o u n d l i k e a g r e a t m a n d o e s i t ? N o , i t d o e s n o t . H o w w o u l d y o u d e s c r i b e h i m ? W h a t d o y o u m e a n ? I w o u l d n o t k n o w , I d i d n o t k n o w h i m . A r e y o u s u r e ? Y e s , I a m s u r e . A r e y o u r e a l l y r e a l l y s u r e ?

Y e s . T h e n , c a n y o u p l e a s e r e a c h y o u r r i g h t h a n d f o r w a r d . L i k e t h i s … D o y o u f e e l t h a t ? Y e s . C a n y o u t e l l m e w h a t t h a t i s ? I t i s t h e l e t t e r R . A n d c a n y o u t e l l m e w h a t l e t t e r t h a t i s ? T h e l e t t e r K . D o y o u k n o w w h a t I a m h o l d i n g i n m y h a n d s ? Y e s … Y o u h a v e m y j o u r n a l . C o r r e c t . W h e r e d i d y o u f i n d t h a t ?

I d i d n o t f i n d i t . Y o u r f r i e n d b r o u g h t i t t o m e . I h a v e n o t h a d t h e p l e a s u r e t o r e a d i t y e t , b u t s o m e t h i n g t e l l s m e t h a t a s s o o n a s I d o , I w i l l f i n d o u t t h a t y o u h a v e b e e n l y i n g t o m e . A n d w e d o n o t a p p r e c i a t e l i a r s h e r e . S o m a y b e i t i s t i m e f o r y o u t o s t o p p l a y i n g t h i s g a m e . B e c a u s e t h i s i s a g a m e y o u c a n n o t w i n s o n … S o a r e y o u r e a d y t o t a l k o r s h o u l d I j u s t h a n d t h i s o v e r t o m y f r i e n d s . N o , I w i l l t a l k . G o o d … S o , a c c o r d i n g t o y o u r f r i e n d , y o u t r a v e l e d a c r o s s t h e c o u n t r y f o r 7 y e a r s , l o o k i n g f o r t h e O l d W i z a r d . C o r r e c t ? Y e s . W h e r e d i d y o u b e g i n y o u r s e a r c h ? A t h i s h o m e , o r w h a t u s e d t o b e h i s h o m e ,

a n d t h e n f o r y e a r s , I f o l l o w e d h i s f o o t s t e p s o v e r m o u n t a i n s a n d d e s e r t s u n t i l I r e a c h e d M o u n t A l a m - k u . A f t e r w e e k s o f c r o s s i n g t h e m o u n t a i n , m y p a t h e n d e d a t a r i v e r t h a t w a s s o l a r g e I c o u l d n ’ t s e e t h e o t h e r s i d e . A n d t h e r e I f o u n d h i m . D i d h e l i v e b y t h e r i v e r ? N o . H e l i v e d n e a r b y , i n a j u n g l e . I n a j u n g l e ? Y e s … T h e n a t i v e s c a l l e d i t J a n g a l - e A b r , t h e c l o u d J u n g l e . S o h e w a s n o t t h e r e a l o n e ? N o , h e l i v e d i n a s m a l l v i l l a g e , t o g e t h e r w i t h t h e n a t i v e s . H m m … S o h o w l o n g d i d y o u s t a y ? I s t a y e d f o r 2 y e a r s .

T h a t i s a l o n g t i m e , 2 y e a r s . D i d y o u g e t t o k n o w h i m w e l l ? I d i d . S o w h a t i s y o u r t a k e o n h i m ? P l e a s e d e s c r i b e h i m t o m e . I f o u n d h i m t o b e a d e e p l y c o m p a s s i o n a t e m a n w h o c o u l d b e m o v e d t o t e a r s b y t h e p l i g h t o f a s i n g l e w i d o w o r o r p h a n . N o t a c o n s p i r a t o r b y n a t u r e a s y o u r f r i e n d s d e s c r i b e d h i m . H e h a s a n a l m o s t c h i l d l i k e f a i t h i n t h e s i n c e r i t y o f m o s t o t h e r p e o p l e . H e i s a l s o v e r y d e c e n t , e v e n c h i v a l r o u s m a n w h o a p p r e c i a t e s f o r m , c e r e m o n y , a n d d i p l o m a c y , t h e t h i n g s t h a t s e e m l o s t t o u s f o r e v e r . S o y o u a r e s a y i n g t h a t h e i s n o t a “ m a d m a n ” F a r f r o m i t . H e a l w a y s s p o k e , b e h a v e d ,

a n d r e c e i v e d p e o p l e w i t h r e s p e c t , h u m i l i t y a n d c o u r t e s y w i t h o u t u n d e r m i n i n g h i s o w n e m i n e n c e a n d d i g n i t y . H e m a y a t t i m e s h a v e t r e a t e d h i s c o l l e a g u e s , i n c l u d i n g s o m e m i n i s t e r s , w i t h a m e a s u r e o f c o n t e m p t , b u t i n h i s d e a l i n g w i t h m e a n d t h e n a t i v e s , h e s h o w e d w a r m h u m a n f e e l i n g , c o u r t e s y a n d h u m i l i t y … H e s e e m s t o h a v e m a d e a n i m p r e s s i o n o n y o u . H e t r u l y d i d . B e f o r e I f o u n d h i m , I b e l i e v e d I w a s n o t h i n g m o r e t h a n a n a n i m a l , a t l e a s t t h a t i s w h a t t h e o t h e r s u s e d t o c a l l m e . T h e o t h e r s c a l l e d y o u a n a n i m a l ? T h e y h a v e s a i d a l o t o f t h i n g s a b o u t m e . L i k e w h a t ? T h e y s a i d I w a s v a i n , u n p r i n c i p l e d , t h a t I w a s e a g e r t o p r o m i s e w h a t I k n e w I w a s i n c a p a b l e o f o r h a d n o i n t e n t i o n o f p e r f o r m i n g . T h a t I l a c k e d p e r s e v e r a n c e

a n d e n e r g y . T h a t I a b o v e e v e r y t h i n g e l s e i n l i f e e n j o y e d i n t r i g u e a n d r e a d i l y t u r n e d t o p r e v a r i c a t i o n a n d d i s h o n e s t y w h e n e v e r I f o u n d a p o s s i b i l i t y o f p e r s o n a l g a i n . T h a t I w a s m o t i v a t e d b y a n u n a b a s h e d d i s h o n e s t l y , f a t a l i s t i c o u t l o o k , t h a t I w a s i n d i f f e r e n t t o s u f f e r i n g . T h e y s a i d a l t h o u g h I w a s a n a c c o m p l i s h e d l i a r , I n e v e r e x p e c t e d t o b e b e l i e v e d . I w a s n o t h i n g m o r e t h a n a n a n i m a l t o t h e m . H e c h a n g e d t h a t f o r m e … N o w t h a t i s w h a t I c a l l a g r e a t m a n . I t m u s t h a v e b e e n d i f f i c u l t f o r y o u t o l e a v e h i m . I t w a s . S o w h y d i d y o u ? B e c a u s e I r e a l i z e d , N o m a t t e r w h a t I d i d , N o m a t t e r h o w h a r d I t r i e d ,

N o m a t t e r h o w l o n g I s t a y e d , h e w o u l d n e v e r c o m e b a c k a g a i n . W e j u s t f o u n d o n e t h i n g w e b o t h c a n a g r e e o n …

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