My grandmother is a superhero. She's lived in Sweden for almost fifteen years and turns eighty soon, but still hasn't but her cape to rest. Even though she's illiterate and can't read or write neither in Persian or Swedish she still does these things that leave us with our jaws on the ground. She does her own grocery shopping, uses coupons and tries to have polite conversations with the cashiers. The conversations consist mainly of gesticulation and overly articulated Persian words as if articulation is why the poor confused cashier won't understand her. My grandmother also watching the daytime soaps and keeps up with all the intrigue. Every other night she summarizes the shows to my dad. Who's cheated on who, which family is good and which is evil, and who died in a skiing accident only to be resurrected in season four. Just a few days ago she took the bus to the local market to buy fresh fruit. Since she can't read the time table she figured out when the bus would arrive by memorizing the intervals between buses through her kitchen window two days before embarking.

I'm sitting here trying to figure out what I can teach my grandmother. What do you give a superhero who posses such powers as she does? She doesn't need to know how to type crazy fast on a keyboard or on a cell phone, so teaching her to start texting would be pointless. She probably has no desire to know how to juggle so I'm crossing that off the list. Should I make her a mixtape and try to get her in to indie or should I try to get her to try meditation with me?

My grandmother is a superhero. She married at eleven, and gave birth to her first child at thirteen. This is the first time in her life that she only has herself to look after. I am going to teach my grandmother something that is just for her. Something selfish in a good way. To explore a new side of herself. I am going to teach my grandmother boxing before the year is over.