The Rug Merchant

"In New York, isolated and far from his native Iran, Ushman has worked hard to build a wealthy, reliable clientele for his wares: exquisite handwoven rugs from his home city of Tabriz. With perfect rectitude, he caters to clients like the Upper East Side grande dame, Mrs. Roberts, who, despite the cultural gulf between them, thinks of him as a kindred sprit and plies him for stories about his exotic origins to feed her own imagination. But like many immigrants, he's living only half a life. He dreams of the day his beloved wife, Farak, will be able to join him in New York, share the fruits of his labor, and complete his vision of the American dream. But when she tells him that she is leaving him, Ushman, a moderate man shaped by the wisdom of his religion and the values and traditions of a conservative culture, is shattered and his loneliness is profound.".