The Name

Seated in a room with chalk walls, I watched as my favorite uncle lied to my least favorite aunt. And then my aunt lied about something after him. And it was like a game of Persian duck, duck, goose where a figurative bop on your head meant "lie now!" before we move on to the next person. 


So...no goose in this analogy. But all those ducks are enough to make a person question how they fit in with these liars. And how often have they lied to me? About my clothes, life choices, hair color, college major. Sincerity...oh, how I longed for it, but I said nothing. I just continued eating my walnuts. Because I'm the odd woman out. The Iranian-American among Iranian-Iranians; the summer visitor not the native; the truth-teller in an unknown and unfamiliar honor system among thieves of truth. I remained silent and just ate my walnuts. Picked fresh from the tree and already staining my fingers black. I remained silent...so, I'll tell my truths here.