An Editor in Chief Who Was Teacher

Malihe Kamaledin
Translated by Ruhollah Golmoradi

2020-4-14

I ask myself if Mr. Gudarziani was alive would he write? If he was present and I asked him let me to write, would he laugh and say what you see fit? I thought so much so that I remembered he sometimes write for some people. But there is a sea of difference between us.

The first day I met Mr. Ahad Gudarziani, it was intended that I bring name and titles of Iranian Oral History Website in Arabic for him to see whether they are correct. We decided to establish the third language of the website that it was delayed. He worked in a glass room next to the elevator in the third floor of Hozeh Honari, the room which was quiet and calm like himself. He helped me without snobbishness. I visited him more several times later. He never extolled himself; until the very Tuesday, December 2, 2020 that I didn’t think it was our last visit, he didn’t praise himself even one time.

He went IBNA every day at 4 p.m.; it was said he is secretary of the war service. I don’t remember its time but for a while he stayed at Hozeh Honari, in the same rectangular room that has two doors, and wrote News Stand Section for Iranian Oral History Website. He provided oral history news of each week carefully and briefly. I didn’t still know him but I was only happy that News Stand Section viewer was many. After that he became editor-in-chief he did no longer had time to write News Stand Section. Thought he said: “you yourself are master…”, but compiling a point without his advices was impossible.

Some weeks I told worriedly that I have no writing for the issue. He said: “it will be completed. Your positive sense is as much as that is bounteous. You see that it will be ok every week at the end moment…” Once he said this task is depleting. You should think about next issue the same second the current issue is completed…. he meant Kaman Journal and IBNA.

He encouraged me to read book … to read a text for several times… to not be stressful … he said everywhere is the same. No one is in the mood for writing…

Whatever problem was there in the text, I went to his room and came back more relaxed. Days that I was tired I didn’t go. He called, “could you come here for a short time in order to explain this point?”

I learnt from Mr. Gudarziani that answer to hellos in this way: “Hello and peace be upon you.” When I was in his room, everyone who called, he told: “god bless you.”

It was early this year (1398 SH). During our talks he said I don’t leave any message without answer. We were familiar with each other mood. There were a few that we weren’t coordinated in our work. A week before his death, I said you never treat me like an editor-in-chief; never impose a work. You behave in a way that I myself like to ask and I do best. He said because you’re good at the work yourself. Suddenly I remembered this my childhood poem: “the melody of love would bring the run-away kid to school.”

He said don’t broadcast trailer but write. As if it is not existed until a point is not written. My mind is blocked. So much he stated and I didn’t know that it would be finished so soon…

I wrote everything but keep some issues in my mind. He said write the most trivial points. Draw a table. Anyway write them along with date. Evidence of this view was a photo on his monitor screen: “as I don’t write the speech It remain in me and I’m changing every moment.

The Conversations (Maghalat) of Shams, Shams al-din Mohammad Tabrizi.

Ahad Gudarziani was a freeman.

I regret I didn’t know him!