The Village in the Mountains--Deh Bala, Iran

photos by Laila Riazi

This juxtaposition of a flea-freckled donkey and his owner’s fitted suit might motivate us to modify our perception of an elderly gardener residing beside the gentle slopes of a mountain range.

One sleepy village afternoon, when full stomachs inspired the idea of lazy sprawls beneath the walnut tree, a donkey’s high-pitched groans shattered the fragile silence. Suddenly, bitter curses and slamming doors diluted the soft magic as Mostafah emerged from the knotted branches of a fig tree, swatting away fleas which swirled around his beloved’s quivering tail. Though he rides a donkey and rarely sits in chairs, Mostafah always arrives wearing a tailored suit lighter than the paper clouds above. As he smiles up at the sun, Mostafah’s eyes twinkle silver while the hairs dotting his chin flash bright white.