It is Tehran, 1995, and our heroine is getting ready:

Too excited to eat breakfast, I put the coffee on and then took a long, leisurely shower. The water caressed my neck, my back, my legs and I stood there both rooted and light ... I smiled as I rubbed the coarse loofah over my skin ... I put on my oversize bathrobe - it felt good to move from the security of the embracing water to the protective cover of a bathrobe wrapped around my body ... I spent longer than usual choosing my clothes that first morning, trying on different outfits, until I finally settled on a red-striped shirt and black corduroy jeans. I applied my make-up with care and put on bright red lipstick. As I fastened my small gold earrings, I suddenly panicked. What if it doesn't work? What if they won't come?

LRB 27 May 2010 | PDF Download