第11节

    【】rghalake,inthegardensofpaghn.ltiloredbusesandlorriesfilledpersandyelpeddireonth

    ofradan,kabulisdressedintheirbestandneilies.peoplehuggedandkissedaedeachotherubarak.”happyeid.childrenopenedgiftsandplayedhdyedhardboiledeggs.

    earlythatfolloin.“hassan,aghasahibpits,breathpuffingfroisuth.

    hassanandiexgedasle.wedbeening.

    alishrugged.“aghasahibhasntdiscussedite.”

    “eon,ali,tellus,”ipressed.“isitadraaybeaneol”

    likehassan,alieforourbirthdays.andeveryyear,hiseyesbetrayedhind.thisti,though,itseedheellih.

    babaneverssedhassansbirthday.foraodesttoaself.heboughthijaparuoussicasbedundsofsnoeachotherdead.

    ovedoursnoandressedinabroaie.

    “hassan,”babasaid,slingyly,“etyourbirthdaypresent.”

    hassananditradedblanklooks.thereathetiher.

    theindianninthebroiledandofferedhassanhishand.“iar.kur,”hesaid.“itsapleasuretoetyou.”hespokefarsihathick,rollinghindiat.

    “salaalayku”hassansaidun.alivedcloserahishandonhassansshoulder.

    babathassansneddr.kurfroearisaplasticsurgeon.”

    “doyouknoandr.kursaid.

    hassanshookhishead.helookedtoforhelpbutishrugged.allikedintohiseyes.

    “arsaid,“jobistofixthingsonpeoplesbodies.sotistheirfaces.”

    “oh,”hassansaid.helookedfror.kurtobabatoali.hishandtouchedhisupperlip.“oh,”hesaidagain.

    “itsanunusualpresent,iknoind,butthispresentyouforever.”

    “oh,”hassansaid.helickedhislips.clearedhisthroat.“aghasahib,...”

    “nothingdoing,”dr.kurintervened,slingkindly.“itediberathing.”

    “oh,”hassansaid.hesledbaberedethesaline,reassureditbingdiyloins.cisedeahethingsifor.

    iekindofscarthatpathy.itfair.hassanhadntdohingtoeababasaffes;hedjustbeenbohthatstupidharelip.

    thesurgeryovedthebandages,butkeptourslesonjustasdr.kurhadinstruutteredsothingididntuand.iputeartohisuth.heagain.

    “tashakor.”thankyou.

    thenhislipste,ikneiling.justashehad,ergingfroisthersb.

    these.soon,ithislip.bythefolloiling.

    six

    er.

    hereisoing,stillinpajas,huggingaragainsttheouth,listentotheffledstillnessbrokenonlybythecaeoutandsee.

    onthsofplayingoingsatoingofbuildingsnown.

    andkites,ofurse.flyingkites.andrunningthe

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