Fourth in a series.
Re: “Immigrant Loves America Because Everything Is Free”
I was walking on the beach in Santa Monica with a friend, a recently arrived refugee from Iran, and she was talking about a dominant reason she embraces her new country.
‘I love America,” she said, “because everything is free.”
Flabbergasted, I looked at her with wide eyes. “What is free?”
“I had a mammography last week,” my friend said. “It was free. And I am doing another one in two months.”
I felt sad for her. “Is there a problem?” U asked. “Did they find something?”
“No, but a mammography is good to do,” she said. “I can check. It is free. I don’t pay anything. Why not?”
I told her she should know it is not free.
“We pay for our insurance,” I said. “There are supplemental expenses, and even after that, there are costs to pay.
“When we buy medication, we pay a small or large part of the cost. Some medications are not approved by our insurance companies! We work and we pay taxes.
“You receive the help, and you think it is free.
“Nothing is free. Someone always pays. Plus, even if it is free, are you insane to put more rays in your body?”
Four months ago, my friend travelled back to Iran.
She wanted to visit her native land, friends, and family, and she needed to take care of business and banking.
(Retirement money, many have properties, heritage, rentals and so on.)
My friend reported that she had great time, travelling around, visiting, shopping.
“Iran is a great country,” she said excitedly.
“You have to go back. The metros, trains, freeways are built so nice. They use the latest technology.
“Beautiful, modern shopping centers. Everyone is wearing brand name dresses. Latest model hairdos, too. Can’t you see? Look at me!”
She did look much younger.
“You were enjoying life and travelling. It is normal that you look so fresh.”
“I do look better,” she said. “I had cheekbones sharpen with the latest injections coming from Japan. Expensive but worth it.
“My chin had the latest French filler injection to eliminate my double chin and another one around my eyes and eyebrows and forehead. You have to do too. In this century that we live, there are all these possibilities. Why not look beautiful? We have to take advantage of the advancing science.”
Dr. Rosemary Hartounian Cohen, who lives in the Fairfax District, received her Ph.D in sociology from the Sorbonne in Paris. She lived in two other countries before moving, with her husband and four children, to Los Angeles in 1984. She has published five books in America. Since 1985, she has operated Atelier de Paris, an international art business, on Robertson Boulevard. Her email address is Rosemary@atelierdeparis.com.