Last weekend I picked up an old friend at the airport on his way to visit his relatives in LA, who spent a couple of nights at my place. We naturally talked about Iran, our mutual friends, and the social and political situation in the country.
Out of all the stories he told me, one must be the crown of all the absurdities I have heard in a long time, which made me want to share it with everyone.
A few weeks ago, my friend had visited a government office in Tehran responsible for cars’ number plates. On entering the grounds, he was taken aback by noticing a wooden cage in a corner of the garden, filled with roosters! He could not understand what business they might have in such an organization, which dealt with traffic and car-related issues in the capital and had nothing to do with animal welfare nor agricultural affairs. Once his business was taken care of, he asks the clerk why there were roosters kept in the courtyard.
“Good you mentioned it!” says the clerk, suddenly realizing, “I nearly forgot to ask you! Would you like to purchase one?”
Looking puzzled, my friend asks the man why would anyone coming here for his vehicle, would want to buy a rooster!
“For protection!” the guys answer firmly.
“Protection?” asks my friends, sounding more confused.
“Yes!” The clerk is by now slightly irritated by my friend’s ignorance, “Mister! I am very busy: if you want to buy a rooster you pay me now and show the receipt to the guy at the gate and take your rooster with you on your way out. You cut his throat and rub his blood on the new number plates as well as on the front and the rear bumpers of your car.”
My friend said: "I took my dossier and walked out without saying a word. As I passed by the cage the poor birds were staring at me."
