دهه شصت اینطوری بود که متاسفانه مملکتمون یطوری افراطی مذهبی شد که یه نگاه واپس گرایانه به جمعیت ارامنه کشورمون داشتن.
یادمه پیتزا شهرام تو خیابون ولیعصر روبرو مدرسه رازی که هنوزم بعد از اینهمه سال بوی پیتزاهاش تو خاطراتم هست از جمعیت ارامنه بود و محبورشون کرده بودن بنویسن ویژه اقلیت‌های مذهبی.
دروغ چرا حتی مسلمونهای افراطی میگفتن با این افراد غذا نخورین به دلایلی که حتی الانم از نوشتن و بازگوی خاطرات شرم دارم.
ولی از همون بچگی، یه همسایه خیلی نازنین داشتیم که اقلیت دینی بود، پیتزا شهرام که مشتری دایمش بودیم و الان ۵ سال هست که چندین دوست و همکار ارمنی دارم.
افتخار بعدی هم اینه که خیلی از مهمونامون ارمنی هستن. به همون نسبت که دید ما نسبت به ارامنه اون سالها یطوری بود قطعا ارامنه هم با مسلمونا زیاد حال نمیکنن.
یه چیزیو مطمین شدم. دین فقط فاصله انداخت بینمون و فرصت نشد زودتر همدیکه رو بشناسیم وگرنه برای هر دو طرف هزاران نمونه هست که نشون میده رابطه آدمها فقط بر اساس محبت و انسانیت شکل میگیره و بس.
تنها سختی کار اینجاست که ناخودآکاه عادت نداری وقتی داری با بچه کار میکنی میخواهی اسمشو صدا بزنی بگی ریچارد…. این بخشش برامون سخت بود… مثلا میخواهی بگی ریچارد بخند!!! خوب یا حس میکنی باید شیفت کنی انگلیسی حرف بزنی که عمرا بلد نیستم گیگیلی گوگولی کنم بچه ها رو به زبون غیر از مادری خودم. ارمنی هم که فقط بلدم بگم بارِو😇😊☺️
Back in the 1980s, our country unfortunately became so extremely religious that there was a regressive attitude towards the Armenian population. I remember Shahram Pizza on Valiasr Street, across from Razi School. Even after all these years, I can still recall the smell of their pizzas. They were owned by Armenians, and they were forced to put up a sign saying “For Religious Minorities Only.”
To be honest, even the extreme Muslims would say not to eat with these people for reasons that I’m too ashamed to even write or talk about now.
But since childhood, we had a very dear neighbor who was from a religious minority. Shahram Pizza, where we were regular customers, was another connection, and now, for the past five years, I've had several Armenian friends and colleagues.
Another point of pride is that many of our guests are Armenian. Just as our view of Armenians was biased back then, I'm sure Armenians didn’t think much of Muslims either.
One thing I’ve come to realize is that religion just created distance between us and didn’t give us a chance to get to know each other sooner. Otherwise, there are countless examples from both sides that show relationships between people are built on love and humanity—nothing more, nothing less.
The only challenge is that unconsciously, you're not used to it. When working with a kid, you want to call their name and say something like, "Richard...," and that's the hard part for us. For instance, you want to say, "Richard, smile!" You either feel like you have to switch to English, which I can’t do when it comes to baby talk since I’m not good at it in any language other than my native one. As for Armenian, all I know is how to say "barev" (hello). 😇😊☺️
شاهد سهرابی
