- So, this is my first time over here,
and I didn't know what I am supposed to do.
My friends encouraged me.
I came over here without preparation,
I hope I do a good job.
But I'm going to tell you a story about my childhood.
I've been born and raised in the Middle East, in Iran,
in a small town that, it doesn't even exist in a map.
But anyway, this is a gift for someone,
I have to tell you, this is a gift that,
because very embarrassing and a scary thing
that happened during that time.
I was like 13 years old.
Now, I couldn't talk for many, many years about this,
but now I could tell this in United States in your presence.
And I think this is a gift, for me.
So I was 13, around 13 years old. And during that time,
The Shah was ruling the country, and people are already
scared and respect. And you know, he was a powerful man.
And during, and I was a girl scout at that time.
So Shah was coming to visit our small town.
The whole town was getting prepared for the Shah's visit,
for like six months or a year.
And my teachers and principal,
they used to put me for some odd reason,
put me in front of the people.
Like “do this stuff.”
So they prepared me for six months
to go in front of the Shah and read this poem,
and then go back, for then some other people
were going to greet him.
So I was the first one to greet him.
So this particular day comes and I'm ready to do this.
And they are working on me for six months and,
and I am tired.
Then do you know,
a day that one teacher comes, to see if my dress is okay,
another one comes to practice with me again.
And then I need to go to excuse me to bathroom,
but they're not allowing me to go.
(audience laughs)
So this time comes.
And if you go to City Hall, which is like,
they change the marble and there is 1000,
maybe more people in the town and the city hall
and outside, greeting the Shah.
And Shah comes like sits, stays there.
And then all around the Shah is important people.
I am here facing the Shah, like maybe 10 feet after me,
all the audience.
So, and also the like maybe three feet after me
is the, all the girl scouts.
So right now I am supposed to go and read the poem.
I am not worried about the poem I memorized.
Everything was great, but I have to go to the bathroom.
(audience laughing)
So I go back and back.
I say, "Mina, Mina."
Mina is my friend in the girl scouts, "Can you come?"
And my principles and everybody's doing this to me
and I'm like, okay.
I thought, okay, if I just let go a little bit?
(audience laughing hysterically)
I did.
(laughter intensifies)
So suddenly...
I realize I can't hold it back.
(laughter continues)
And I see like, people are separating.
(laughter resumes)
And there's a difference.
So I ran outside,
I go to forest and it felt like it’s the end of me.
Peeing in front of the Shah.
(hysterical laughter continues)
I go to the forest and I feel, okay.
Something has to happen.
I have to be, I have time right?
So I need to disappear.
But my cousin, older cousin comes and say,
we have to take you home, don't worry.
Like, you know, he pretends that he doesn't know anything?
So he takes me to a cab. And then in the cab,
he asked me to sit down.
I said, no, I'm just going to stay in the cab, in the backseat.
So he takes me home and holds my hand.
And goes, knocks on the door and says,
"Aunt, here. Your daughter peed in front of the Shah."
So basically I said, okay.
Enough of school, I'm not going to school anymore.
After couple of days,
principal and other teacher came
and they say, okay, come back.
We won't let anybody to tell you, tease you or anything.
And plus these kids, they don't know because
the kids weren't there really.
And you ask your friends not to talk
about that stuff, you are safe.
I said, okay.
So they take me to school.
And then the principal called everybody and says, "Come."
And people came, all the students came.
And they say, if you, he, she says,
"If you tell them that Nasrin peed in front of the Shah,
You will be grounded."
(applause)