As Hana's life changes slowly from an oppressed Persian woman to a free American open- minded, other things in her life begins to progress, too. In the company that she works for the last three years, suddenly her hard work and dedication brings her a promotion. Not only her salary is increased, she is also upgraded to a supervisor's position. As she continues to work as hard as before, the production of the company increases which makes the owner very happy. She was hired as a pattern maker, something she did not know anything about at the beginning. She remembers the day of her interview for getting hired, when the old man, whom Hana now is taken his job, interviewed her.
"How much experience you have in pattern making." He asked.
Hana thought for a minute. She was about to say none, but as Plato's concept of little white lie playing in her mind, and since she wanted that job badly; therefore, she said:
"Oh, I know a lot. I haven't worked as a pattern maker here but I had in my country.!"
"Can you start Monday?"
Hana thought to herself: "That is it! He is not going to test me!" But to him, she said:
"Oh, sure, I can."
It was Wednesday. She could not believe how easy she got the job; nevertheless in the five days before beginning the job, the fear of getting fired right away when they would find out that she had lied, terrified her. She thought if she could watch other pattern makers for a day, she would learn enough not to be embarrassed.
Monday morning when she reported to Bob, the old man, she tried to hide her fear. Bob directed her to a work table in a big room, where three other pattern makers and five seamstresses were working.
"This is your table. I'll be right back to give you your first job." And he left.
He was an old man, very tall, with a little bent back. He had a very gentle face and kind eyes. He was wearing a plaid shirt and khaky pants. Hana looked intensely at the other three women who were making patterns, as though she wanted to learn this art, the whole of it in the few minutes she had. They all had a mannequin and were draping muslin fabric on its body. "This is simple." She told herself. Bob returned with a sketch the owner, the famous Dallas Designer had drawn. It was an evening coat.
"The fabric will be stain." He said and left.
Hana stood there bewildered. "That is it! No explanation?" She did not know what to do. Her pride did not allow her to ask other women for help; and besides if she did, they would know her lack of knowledge. With palpitating heart, she began cleaning the table which was full of small and big pieces of pattern paper and very dusty and straghtening her work area which was filled with different shapes rulers and pencils and erasers and all other kind of tools which she had no idea what they were for. Meanwhile she watched the other pattern makers clandestinely and noticed they were all draping the muslin only on one side of the mannequin's body. "You can do it." She kept telling herself.
The coat looked simple. It was full length with shawl collar and raglan sleeves with wide cuffs. She knew how to sew, she knew how to make patterns Persian style and she had worked in alteration since they came to America, since she could not be a teacher anymore. When she was back home, besides being a teacher, she always made all her clothes and also knit for herself and her family. After delaying the cleaning part of her work area so she could watch the other women, finally she cut the muslin and began draping on one side of the mannequin. As she used her fingers expertly to shape the roll of the collar, Bob came to her.
"Let me see."
She stood back. He looked at her draping while Hana was shaking all over. Then he with his soft voice that sometime was hard to hear, said:
"You don't drape on the left side, always on the right side."
Hana though what was the difference.
"I am sorry. I'll change it."
"I want to see you in my office."
She trembled and followed him to his office. He closed the door.
"Sit down."
"Am I fired?"
Bob looked at her with his kind, old eyes:
"No, but you lied to me."
"I'm sorry, I needed the job. I can learn. Please give me a chance."
"I must say, you drape beautifully for someone that doesn't know the job. I know you'll learn quickly."
So Bob not only gave Hana a chance, he taught her that profession. In a week she almost knew everything; and as she gradually became the best pattern maker in the company, she got to meet the owner, the famous designer. Bob every day at lunch time sat with her. After Lunch, in the big lunch room where one side of it was for smokers, he always told Hana:
"I am trying to quit; can I borrow a cigarette from you." She did not mind. She owed him a lot. Their relationship was the envy of all the other pattern makers, who had been there for years.
One thing puzzled her and in a search for clarity, six months later, at lunch break, when he had Persian food that Hana had brought him, and smoking her cigarette since he was still was trying to quit, Hana asked him:
"Why did you give me the chance? You found out right away that I had never made pattern American style."
Bob looked kindly at her while a round mist of smoke was coming out of his nose and mouth and said:
"Because I saw potential in you. I've been in this business for a long time. I figured out right away that you're very smart person and I was right. Look at you know. In six months, you know more than all those pattern makers that doing this job forever. You know all the ins and outs of the business now. I am old and tired. I wanted somebody like you even if I had to train her. Now I can take off from work and know you can handle everything."
She was very pleased of what she heard, for no one ever before had told her how good she was.
She told Bob: "I call you my American father to my children."
When Bob finally retired, for he wanted to retire for many years, and each time the owner had stopped him, he recommended to the owner and the president of the company Hana for his replacement, and they listened to his advice.
Now that Hana's life is not a bumpy road but a smooth breeze, she thinks of buying a house. She knows of her excellent credit and with this new, big promotion, she thinks why not. When she breaks the news to Farhad that night, a sudden blow strikes her of what she hears:
"It is great mom. I have something to say you, too."
His seriousness brings a chill to her bones.
"What! Is everything all right?"
"Yes mom. Sylvie and I are looking for a place to live together. I think we found one that we can afford."
She stays quite for moment while trying to digest the news.
"But why? How do her parents allow her to do this?"
"Mom, we're adults. We love each other and eventually we will marry. We want to be together. We can help each other with our school."
"What about me?" She despondently says.
"Mom, don't make me feel bad. We don't live in Iran. I can't live with you for ever."
She thinks for a minute.
"I understand honey. It's all right."
(The story of Hana's promotion and pattern making is a true story that happened to the author. Bob is a real character. The author called him my American Father for real. There is a picture of him and the author at a Christmas party is hanging permanently in the author's work room. Bob died several years later. But before that the author stayed friend with him and they had social gathering. He loved Persian food which the author always made for him. He also was a man of nature. He and his Partner lived out in the country and they grow their own vegetables. They also had many animals. He always brought his handy made vegetable to the author at work. He had only one partner all his life, a man; a relationship that lasted more than a lot of marriages. God bless his soul. The author of this book always shows gratitude and love for this man, Bob.)
To Be Continued
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