“43rd story”
First published: June.14.2018
A story by Laleh Chini:
I remember once we were having a picnic on a beautiful cliff called “Heleylah” with a great view of the Persian Gulf in Bushehr-Iran. As usual, we were gathered by our big family and we’re having a great time.
I recall that on our left side in a very far distance, there was a Nuclear Power Plant surrounded by barbed wire.
Bushehr’s Nuclear Power Plant is one of the most important and critical points in Iran. It was established in 1973.
My father had cool binoculars and was showing each one of us the new Nuclear Power Plant and was explaining that Shah has established it for a great cause.
He said that the Nuclear Power Plant would easily filter the Persian Gulf’s water some day in the future, and that would be amazing for farming.
Iran would be green and independent in many farming products. We also looked at the beautiful seagulls flying over the fantastic dark blue water which made the scene unforgettable.
We were all eating, playing and enjoying the moment when we noticed that six army cars were driving towards us with a very fast speed which caused a thick cloud of dust behind them.
In a very short time, all six cars surrounded all our cars in such a way where no one could run away. Many army officers and soldiers jumped out of those cars with big guns pointed at us. We were so shocked and scared.
One of the officers said: “You are under arrest.”
My father’s face was white as chalk. “Why? What did we do?” He asked with a startled voice.
The officer responded: “For taking illegal pictures of a forbidden zone. Taking pictures of a government-protected and prohibited area is a huge crime.”
My father said: “But we don’t have a camera with us. I had no idea that it was illegal to look at the Nuclear Power Plant with binoculars. I was just explaining to my kids what good it would do for our country. I am so sorry.”
It was obvious that he believed my father as there was no one but many children and women. He believed that we were not spies or any secret agents, but he had to act professionally and searched all the cars inch by inch. After two straight hours, they didn’t find any camera and just saw the binoculars.
We were not arrested in the end, but the picnic turned into an unforgettable memory.
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That was a tense twist in the tale … I was just so glad that the officer showed reason in the end.
They could easily take it more seriously. Thanks Eleanor😍
Yes, could have turned out differently otherwise. Quite the unforgettable memory, Laleh.x
It really was. Thanks for sharing your care.❤️
Certainly unforgetable moment.
Scary and shaky 😂thanks for reading 😍
Thanks for sharing!… the soldiers obviously did not see the wonderful world you father saw, perhaps the soldiers should have spent more time looking through your fathers binoculars… 🙂
“Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow them.” Louisa May Alcott
What a beautiful quote, thanks for sharing 😍 I guess we all should take a better look at this world. We’re turning it into a madness and chaos 😔
There seems to be conflict, yes, but sometimes some rain must fall in ones life for one to know and appreciate sunshine… 🙂 there are those with closed minds the world over who live in fear and deny change, but with good people like you sharing there are many seeing the world through your fathers binoculars and you have given them hope, one day they will be in charge and the world will be a better place… hope is the last to die, you see….. 🙂
“The life I touch for good or ill will touch another life, and that in turn another, until who knows where the trembling stops or in what far place my touch will be felt. “ Friedrich Buechner
Thanks dear for sharing your thoughts and that great quote. I absolutely agree with you ❤️
Just keep typing and you GO girl!!… 🙂 🙂
😂thanks for the boost ❤️
What a shame that such a wonderful memory turned into a memory of fear. Very thankful it turned out okay in the end.
You can’t mess with government l guess 😉😂
Wow, terrible history, especially for a child. Everything is good what ends well 🙂
Gladly they realized we didn’t know the rules and it was an honest mistake, thanks dear ❤️
I’ll bet
❤️
I was so tensed reading this story. It must have been terrifying for everyone. I am so happy that the ending was good and no one was hurt even though the memory is scary. 😊
Thanks dear friend for caring. It’s easy to share a memory but it’s hard to be in the situation.❤️
That is so true
😍
Dear Laleh thank you for sharing this beautiful story with us , what a huge nuclear project for filtering Persian Gulf water for cultivating in Sahara in 1973.
Love u. It could have been a great project. Iran really needed that but everything went in a different direction.❤️
what a very scary moment, especially in your father’s life who must have felt responsible for all of the women and children. thank you for sharing such beautifully unforgettable stories.
Thanks so much my dear friend for reading and sharing your compassion, very kind of you ❤️
truly my pleasure……….
❤️
We have places like that too that can recieve a similar response. While a shocking addition to your outing, it created a lasting and vivid memory to a day that may otherwise have faded with time. 😊
You are right my dear Laura, and I wouldn’t be able to share it today.❤️
In my family of we see how sometimes to do their jobs well, members of militaries can sometimes lose sight of who and what they protect. What an excellent story, Laleh.
Thanks beautiful Roos, always kind❤️
This most have been one of the terrifying moments of your life. Unfortunately, these conflicts and confrontations with police and military happen all the time on our planet.
Even though you know you have not done any wrong, you be scared to death to see them near you 😂thanks Peter❤️
Such a beautiful experience marred by a scary incident. No wonder it left an indelible mark on your mind. Great post. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Thanks very much dear for following my blog ❤️
My pleasure and thanks for the follow 🙂
By heart ❤️
Terrifying moments no child should have to live through. The simple act of taking a closer look at a distant object can result in dire consequences. I thank the gods that the situation ended well for you and your family.
Even in the simple and innocent activities of our lives, we are being watched.
Rosaliene dear, We are watched by God knows whom for sure specifically nowadays. Thanks darling ❤️
wow. i felt my heart break and become whole again whilst reading this.
Thanks Atifa dear for your sympathy❤️
i nominated you for the 3 Day, 3 Quotes challenge. (: i look forward to seeing what you’ll come up with.
Thanks darling❤️
Dear Atifa what should the subject be and where to post the quote?
so for 3 days, you post a quote (on your blog) which resonates with you. it could be anything. see my latest post as an example. (:
Ok dear
What a scary event! Thank goodness you didn’t have a camera with you!
We got lucky because my dad always carried a camera as he loved capturing memories. Thanks dear ❤️
❤️
A scary story. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks dear for reading and commenting ❤️
Welcome. I’m all ears.
😊😍
Al te gek.Gelukkig liep het goed af
Thanks sweetheart❤️
Hello Laleh, nice to get connected. And your story here and experience have been narrated with beautiful skills and I am happy to be a follower
Thanks so much for following back my dear friend ❤️
With all sincerity and pleasure Laleh. To a great friendship 👍😊😍🌸❤️
Pleasure is all mine ❤️
Laleh, your father responded humbled and kind, with no anger or accusations towards the soldier, I believe kindness in the heart often turns situations around in a positive way. Your father must be a great man.
Unfortunately I lost him when I was 14. World is a mysterious place. What can we do?!
Thanks sweetheart ❤️
That must have been very hard for you, experiencing this loss as a teenager. But I sense that you have very fond memories of your father. Have a great weekend, Laleh
Thanks darling, no matter how hard world fight with us we fight back.❤️
It’s a challenge, where we have no choice than walking towards the light. Thank you Laleh.
True😘
Loved reading this
Thanks dear so much ❤️
Memories that we treasure are made in frightening times as well as beautiful moments!
Thank you dear Laleh for sharing one of your special moments
💗🌹
Thanks sweet Crissy for always supporting my blog and being a wonderful friend ❤️
God bless you Laleh!
❤️❤️
Lovely Crissy ❤️
Wow that sounds scary.
Lol scary in past, memory for today 😂thanks Shantanu😍
I know. 😊🌸
😊
This sounds like a truly intense experience. Thanks for sharing and giving us a little window into it.
Thanks Luke dear for reading and commenting, means a lot 😍
Checking out your blog has been a pleasure. : )
You are more than kind 😍
I understand how the new ‘power plant’ would be of benefit to the land. However, Nuclear Power is so very dangerous and has anyone asked, “Why? Why was a simple ‘power plant’ under such heavy surveillance? I am grateful you had no camera that day.
I am forever grateful that those days of greed and dangerous ways are done with. There are safer ways now to produce the same or better results.
As always, what a wonderful sharing from you.
Thank you!
Unfortunately we all are victims of governments political decisions. We just play our lives. Thanks for your thoughtful comment my dear.😍
Yes, thank you…and I am discovering,
as we ‘just play our lives’ in-joy, we kind of soar to a higher level. Life is then viewed from a different perspective, and we really are no longer ‘victims of the governments’.
I love your story telling ! Thank you Hugz
Thanks darling 🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗
A very startling story!
minor edit– “was [a] Nuclear Power…”
Thanks Christopher dear for your comments and editing hints.😍
Never fun to attract the attention of authorities. By the time you realize it, it’s usually too late and you have to hope for the best.
If you are a spy, you’re more careful not to make these simple mistakes 😂 thanks Sean😍
Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
WISE, HONEST DAD! GREAT STORY—-WHAT WOULD THE SOLDIERS HAVE DONE WITH A CELL PHONE?
lol never thought of that (cell phone), maybe execution.:))))Thanks Jonathan for reblogging.
Would have been a lot more difficult, for sure! Sure glad the cell phone hadn’t been widespread—for your family’s sake! 🙂
😂
Wow, what a story! Glad to hear that everything turned out okay! Blessings!
Thank you very nice of you dear.🌶
You’re welcome!
An unforgettable experiens with soliders and only binoculars. You describe your family nicely. Dad, a wise man. I greet you.
Thanks dear so much, appreciate your kind words ❤️
🙂
Fearful experience 😱
It really was, thanks for sharing your comment dear.😍
What a story! but dont worry Laleh, governments all over the world are acting this way.
In view of all government i remembers these lines
“There are some who are in darkness
And the others are in light
And you see the ones in brightness
Those in darkness drop from sight.” (“A Theme from The Threepenny Opera (Mack the Knife)”) 😉 Michael
You’re absolutely right, they want to stay in power for ever.😊 thanks dear Michael for sharing that beautiful quote.😍
Thank you Laleh. Lets hope the best, and have a great day! Michael 😉
You too dear 😍
:-)) 😍
That’s so sad and weird – a playful picnic turned into a scary scene…
A memorable scary scene indeed. Thanks darling 😍
I can only imagine how scary that was… even traumatic. Even if everything got solved in the end, the memories remain. Thank you for sharing your story with us ❤❤❤🌷
Thanks sweetheart for sharing your thoughts.😍
That was really scary, dear! I’m glad it turned out well.
I can’t imagine ever being a spy. It’s such a frustrating life.😂 appreciate your comment Winnie ❤️
Me too! Too much stressed it entails 😄. You’re welcome, dear! 😊❤️
😂
🙁 wow! That was awfully intense & a scary life and death experience! Thank God for his protecting angels! Blessings <3 thank you so much for sharing your life with us through these unforgettable stories. We have so much to be grateful to God for.
Thanks darling for reading and sharing your beautiful thoughts always with me through your comments.❤️
You’re utmost welcome dearest! Xxoo much love always!
❤️❤️❤️❤️
Well, darn it. When I saw the image of the binoculars, I was THRILLED and goose-bumps appeared on my arms! 😮
You see Laleh, I am a FREAK, a fanatic for anything from the Victorian Era and what myself and my tribe (group) call Steampunk. It is a Neo-Victorian genre of design, fashion, invention, and SyFy literature — my particular passion in it is just the sheer amount of brilliant minds, artists, and inventors during that age, i.e. the POSITIVE side and benefits for humanity. You father’s binoculars are a SPECTACULAR example of the Age of Invention then, much like the Renaissance and Enlightenment Ages.
Yet, your particular story about them remind me (again) how very fortunate we are in certain parts of the world and the freedoms of expression we sometimes take for granted. Thank you for this reminder Ma’am. 🙂
Nice to meet you. Thanks for your friendship.😍
Likewise Laleh. I’m a little on the nerdy, cerebral, historical side of content on my blog, with infrequent jaunts into muse and humor… so it may not be your cup-o-tea. Nevertheless, thank you kindly for the Follow! I’m looking forward to more of your posts and perusing more of your blog! 😉
I’m honoured , thanks a lot.😍
Thanks for this lovely story
Thanks darling for reading my posts, you are lovely.<3
Another unsettling childhood memory for you.You are an extraordinary storyteller/writer!
Awww you’re amazingly kind my dear Janet ❤️
Zo zie je maar hoe gauw een situatie kan keren.Gelukkig geloofden de soldaten jullie vader en konden jullie terug naar huis0Het had veel slechter kunnen aflopen
I know, it’s very hard to convince army and police your innocence. Thanks so much for your kindness ❤️
Wow. This is awesome ✌️😊
You are so kind Jimmy, thank you.
the state desires to educate
and rather indeed indoctrinate
you with propaganda
not truth
mere lies
the control
of you by fear
is truly why
You beautifully described it John, thank you.
I believe this story to be real. There are countries in the world where taking a picture of the wrong thing an be an offence punishable by death. I once was in Peru and saw someone have their camera taken and the film pulled out and thrown in the garbage because the person had taken a photo of the airport. The man did not argue as he knew he could be in jail if he protested.
Oh my. Yes we could never argue with them. They believe everyone is a spy, lol. Thank God every thing went well. Thanks Anne.🌺❤️
An unforgettable memory indeed ! WOW must’ve been scary seeing all the guns.
Glad it has a good ending
😄💜♥️
It was like a movie clip😂😂😂 thanks Crissy sweetheart.❤️
Indeed 😃💜
❤️