Mohammad and the Matchmaker 2

Summary

In this poignant tale, Maram navigates the complexities of considering Muhammad, an older man who shares her struggles with illness, as a potential partner. Despite societal challenges and personal doubts, Maram contemplates her future amidst the backdrop of Iran's drug epidemic and family pressures. While both face their battles with addiction, differences in outlook and concerns over health complicate their potential union. Their story highlights the broader issues faced by those living with HIV and addiction in a society riddled with stigma and economic hardships, showcasing their resilience and pursuit of happiness against the odds.

Highlights

• Maram grapples with the idea of marrying Muhammad due to shared experiences with illness, despite him being twice her age. 🤔
• Family and societal pressures add to Maram's complex decision-making amidst Iran's drug crisis. 🌐
• Muhammad, involved in Narcotics Anonymous, finds unexpected love, showcasing personal victories. ❤️
• Independence and financial stability remain significant challenges for Maram as she considers her future. 💰
• The narrative offers insight into Iran's social issues, particularly regarding drug addiction and its consequences. 🗺

Key Takeaways

• Maram considers older Muhammad as a partner due to shared health struggles, highlighting the complexities of relationships impacted by illness. 💑
• Personal fears and family pressures shape Maram's decisions amidst the backdrop of Iran's drug epidemic. 🌍
• Muhammad's journey through Narcotics Anonymous shows struggles with addiction and the path to recovery and love. 💪
• Issues of independence and financial constraints heavily influence Maram's ability to navigate her future. 💸
• The narrative sheds light on societal stigmas and the resilience needed to overcome them while pursuing personal happiness. ☀️

Overview

In the face of societal and familial pressures, Maram ponders choosing Muhammad as a life partner despite their age difference and her own health challenges. Her dilemma illustrates the harsh realities faced by those dealing with chronic illness amidst the stigma-laden landscape of Iran's drug epidemic. Maram's story brings to light the intimate struggles of seeking companionship and financial independence while battling personal demons.

Muhammad's involvement in Narcotics Anonymous provides a beacon of hope, demonstrating resilience in the face of addiction. Through this program, he finds love, revealing the powerful transformation that support networks can foster. His new relationship with Fes, devoid of shared illness but joined in overcoming addiction, underscores the complexity of forging connections in challenging circumstances.

This story is a poignant exploration of life's uncertainties and the universal quest for happiness. The narrative intertwines issues of health, economic insecurity, and social stigma, painting a vivid portrait of those fighting for a better future. Despite adversity, Maram and Muhammad's journey speaks to the enduring human spirit and the relentless pursuit of joy and normalcy.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 02:30: Muhammad and Maram's Dilemma Maram faces a difficult situation as she considers marrying Muhammad, who is more than twice her age. Despite the presence of younger suitors, she feels compelled to marry Muhammad because they both share a commonality that others do not - they both have the virus. Maram struggles with guilt and the burden of her condition, feeling it's unfair to marry someone without the virus, as it could potentially harm them. Her internal battle is highlighted by her emotional response to the situation, expressing deep frustration over her lack of control over her own circumstances.
• 02:30 - 04:00: Muhammad's Rehabilitation Journey In this chapter titled "Muhammad's Rehabilitation Journey", we explore the complex emotional dynamics of Muhammad's family as they navigate his father's opium addiction. Muhammad reflects on the advice to focus on the present rather than the past, despite the challenges presented by his father's addiction. His father, a retired revolutionary guard who was injured in the war, is described as a rude yet beloved figure. Despite the burden of addiction, the chapter highlights the underlying love and familial connections that persist.
• 04:00 - 06:00: Mariam's Financial and Health Struggles In this chapter, Mariam faces profound financial and health struggles. She is comforted by those around her as she deals with the complexities of her situation. There is a poignant moment where she is asked about her desire to live and enjoy life, or if she wants to prepare for death, highlighting the depth of her internal conflict and the severity of her circumstances.
• 06:00 - 08:00: Drug Addiction and HIV in Iran The chapter explores the relationship between drug addiction and the risk of HIV in Iran. It touches on personal stories, highlighting the challenges faced by individuals struggling with addiction. There's a focus on Narcotics Anonymous, where milestones in sobriety are celebrated like birthdays. The narrative also conveys a message of hope and personal growth, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a positive outlook even amidst difficulties. The underlying theme suggests that overcoming addiction is akin to a personal rebirth and growth process.
• 08:00 - 10:00: Muhammad's New Relationship with FES Muhammad discusses his temperament and the potential for mood changes like many people experience. He denies being bad-tempered, getting angry quickly, or being someone who would beat his wife, which is a characteristic he strongly dislikes in others.

Mohammad and the Matchmaker 2 Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 even though Muhammad is more than twice her age maram has little choice but to consider him as a potential partner there are plenty of young men who want to marry me but I could never do that cuz they haven't got the virus if they caught it I'd feel really guilty it's very hard to accept that through no fault of my own I've got this pain and disease in my body it's awful shut up why
• 00:30 - 01:00 [Music] think about the present not the past I know but it's an awful thing my father is addicted to Opium he's a retired revolutionary guard and was injured during the war he's a rude old man but I love [Music] him my parents love me too despite this disease
• 01:00 - 01:30 they just Tred to comfort me and Soothe My Pain J what should we do now do you want to live do you want to enjoy each moment of your life or do you want to lie down in the direction of Mecca and prepare for death
• 01:30 - 02:00 if I did that I know I would die earlier if I got depressed I'd die sooner I'm like a three-year-old now at Narcotics Anonymous we celebrate each year of giving up drugs as a [Music] birthday so by the time I brought you up I'll be cured yeah we can grow up together the important thing is my happy personality
• 02:00 - 02:30 I'm a happy person too but when I get upset you'll need to be able to deal with it of course human beings are like that one day we're up the next day we're down are you bad tempered no do you get angry quickly would you beat your wife never that's good I don't like wife beaters [Music]
• 02:30 - 03:00 after an anxious 2hour wait matchmaking Dr Arash is Keen to know what Mariam makes of Muhammad did you like the flowers he gave you yes but I'm still not sure tell us more I'm worried that he go back to the drugs that really worries me if he could give up cigarettes I'd be more convinced that he wouldn't go back to drugs but you know he can't even give
• 03:00 - 03:30 up smoking later in the evening the doctors quiz Muhammad about his impressions of [Music] Mariam she's very depressed and lonely she's a very different kind of person to me what did you feel when you gave her the flowers well I buy flowers for all my friends
• 03:30 - 04:00 I'm asking you about her I heard that it's her birthday it was just polite to give her flowers how much of your heart was in those flowers well I was with cya and I couldn't find any better flowers I'm asking you about your heart not the flowers that's a personal question dog
• 04:00 - 04:30 well there was something in it it wasn't an empty gesture you finally CAU me out despite Muhammad's interest things are not looking good for the romance on a visit to the doctor's family Mariam shares her doubts about Muhammad even though Muhammad looks young he's too old for me we don't speak the same language from the way he talks and the way he thinks there's no way we could
• 04:30 - 05:00 ever be a happy couple the main problem for Mariam is financial if she had the means to be independent I don't think she'd have all these problems with her illness I either want to die in the next four or five years or get cured I can't live like this it's like being in a coma the whole
• 05:00 - 05:30 time I can't move forward like this it's as if my life has stopped and I'm stuck in a bubble I understand what you're saying but in a few years time they'll definitely find the cure for this virus because the whole world's looking for it there are more than 3 million hard drug users in Iran one in 20 of the
• 05:30 - 06:00 population opium and heroin flood over the border from Afghanistan and in spite of the Islamic Republic's Draconian laws against drug use heroin addicts are a common sight on the streets of [Music] tyan Arash Works tirelessly with the drug addicts treating them as patients rather than criminals
• 06:00 - 06:30 in Iran this is a revolutionary approach sharing needles is the most common source of HIV infection in Iran and Arash fears that unless the problem is addressed the epidemic will sweep through the population you sometimes use other people's needles if I don't have a needle I have to use someone else's needle do you know anything about AES yeah I've heard about it but I know nothing about it
• 06:30 - 07:00 do you know how you gets blood transfusions and homosexuals needles you know that you can get AIDS by sharing needles but you still do it yeah I do it when I'm desperate when desperate for drugs you
• 07:00 - 07:30 don't think about these things you won't definitely get AIDS but you'll definitely get high how do you feel when you shoot up I forget my pain I become a normal human being again do you enjoy shooting up not when I haven't got enough drugs do you shoot up to become normal or to have fun it soothes my pain
• 07:30 - 08:00 I use it as a [Music] tranquilizer the number of heroin addicts increased After the Revolution we never had many junkies before that it's just because of boredom young people don't have anything to do for fun and that's why they get into
• 08:00 - 08:30 drugs in a way they just want to fill their empty lives with drugs Muhammad has been a member of Narcotics Anonymous for almost 3 years as well as keeping him clean of drugs the sessions have had an unexpected benefit he has finally found himself a girlfriend as soon as she walked into the meeting we spotted each other she told me that she felt she could talk to me straight
• 08:30 - 09:00 away she's told me things that she's not even told her mother she feels safe with Muhammad's new girlfriend FES is 33 she's divorced and has a history of alcohol and drug abuse unlike Mariam FES is not HIV positive it took Muhammad 10 days to pluck up the courage to tell her his
• 09:00 - 09:30 secret I told her I had something important to tell her but it had to be at the right moment you kept saying I'll tell you about it [Laughter] tomorrow I had to force myself to do it but finally I managed to tell her that I was HIV positive I swore I would never give it to her I promised her that she wouldn't get the virus from
• 09:30 - 10:00 me I didn't know what he was going to tell me I thought he had been hiding his wife and children from me I kept on thinking that he was married I prepared myself for the moment when he would reveal his secret I wouldn't want to ruin another woman's Life by going out with her husband