House of Sand and Fog

Nadi tells Behrani to invite Lester to eat, which the deputy refuses. As Nadi serves her family tea, Lester interrogates them about Kathy’s arrival. Behrani explains that he found her drunk, trying to kill herself in her car, and that his family was trying to help her. He waits for Lester to “say something or perhaps do something, for surely, the next move is his” (267).

Lester sees Behrani eyeing the pistol, which the officer has tucked into the back of his pants, as though Behrani were “keeping an eye on the only true thing he had to fear” (268). Lester is taken aback by everything Behrani has told him and wonders what drove Kathy to behave so recklessly. He contemplates the severity of the consequences he faces for everything he has done to the Behranis.

He orders the family to make themselves busy, and Behrani sends Esmail to his room. Lester is careful to make sure he has no way to communicate with the outside world. Behrani asks Lester what he has planned. After confronting Behrani about his visit with Alvarez, Lester becomes deeply angry with the Behrani, whom he blames for escalating the situation by refusing to give up the house. He jams his gun under Behrani’s chin to restore his control of the situation then lowers it, wishing Behrani would react in any manner “that might make the gun in his hand feel less like the burdensome overaction it had become” (272).

Lester orders the Behranis to enter their son’s room. They find Esmail with the window open, prepared to make an escape. Lester orders them into the bathroom, where he instructs them not to touch the door handle.

Lester quickly exits the house to check whether any of the neighbors seem alarmed by what’s happening. Finding everything quiet, he returns and looks for some neckties to secure the bathroom door. He uses the ties to position the wrecking bar as a wedge that will prevent the family from opening the door.

He checks on Kathy, who is asleep. He eavesdrops on the Behranis’ conversation, in Farsi, and gets the feeling Behrani is still not taking Lester seriously. Speaking through the door, Lester orders him to sell the house back to the county first thing in the morning. Although he doesn’t get an answer, the exchange causes Lester to wonder how to end this encounter, realizing repercussions will be difficult to avoid.

Several hours later the Behranis are lying on the bathroom floor attempting to sleep. Esmail asks his father what he plans to do about their present situation. Behrani and Nadi do their best to reassure him Lester poses no real threat.

Behrani is frustrated with his wife’s fear. He remembers their escape from Iran and how composed she had seemed then. He wonders if Nadi would have been so fearless if she had known the revolutionary government would stand.

Esmail presses his father about where they will go and again asks why they didn’t leave earlier. Behrani asserts that they have done nothing wrong and snaps at Nadi, who joins her son in protesting Behrani’s stubbornness. He insists everything he has done has been for his family. Behrani tells Esmail there is nothing to worry about, but directs him to act afraid so Lester believes he has the upper hand. Having somewhat reassured his son, Behrani tries to get everyone to sleep.