Sasson: Newly arrived at Hamburg, I was not used to taking daily showers. In Iran, the Hamām was outside the house, and it was a once-a-week luxury. My work in the carpet warehouse was hard physical labor, lifting carpets all day and sweating like a hog. Wearing those sweaty clothes, I came to pick up an excited Gollar: We were going to the opera!
Needless to say, after that one incident, Gollar preferred going to the opera with a friend or one of her sisters… In truth, I was not very sad about it, because as much as the love of my life loved opera, I couldn’t bring myself to like it. Gollar, for her part, did not understand what I find in Iranian music.
Having learned the art of business from my father in Iran, I was a very hospitable businessman. So hospitable, that one day, after I concluded a deal with a group of five or six customers right before lunchtime, I invited them to lunch. You can imagine Golli’s surprise when I knocked on her door with the whole party!
Gollar’s class trip
Sasson: One day I came to Gollar’s parents’ house, and Gollar was not there. They said she was on a two day field trip, including a sleepover. I was very upset about my finacée spending a night away from home. The only thing I could do was find out where they went. Then, I rented a car and drove a long distance to where they were lodging for the night. I parked the car and approached the building, where I heard sounds of dancing music. I looked through the window. I couldn’t see Gollar, but I did see boys and girls dancing together.
I went back to Hamburg, and told my in laws that I want to take my ring back and break the engagement. Margrit, with her endless wisdom, convinced me I can rest assured about Gollar, and that it will never happen again.
Gollar didn’t even know I had come, but the next day I came over and confronted her about dancing with boys on a field trip, to which she replied: “Everybody went dancing, but I’m not that kind of person, I wasn’t even at the party!”
When I finally calmed down, I realized I had exactly what I wanted: a shy girl who doesn’t speak to other boys. Later she gained more confidence, but the world, and I, have also made some progress. Now I don’t mind her dancing sometimes, and even speaking to boys!
