She had a bunch of English books from when she was a student at University of Maryland. Two of them were these thick black short stories by Somerset Maugham. She would read me this one particular story about a princess, who was born on September and hence called Princess September. In her translation of the story, she would call her "Shahzade Azar" which means Princess November. I now understand it was because I was born in November, and that was why the story was so fascinating to me. She made me feel like it was about me. That I was that little princess who would set her songbird free.
I miss her very much, since I can't really talk to her on the phone anymore. We would Skype occasionally but I can see how fragile she has become and I know she must be lonely now that she is living all by herself. I miss her so very much. I can't wait to go back and bring her a bunch of English books, now from my favorite authors. And to ask her to read me Princess September again, or as she used to call it, "Shahzade Azar".
