第27节

    【】theyhadsetupa“tuallyprofitable”arrahis.asifontossedhishisakingshootiures,hespatandcursedattheg.

    iitedonatangleofyretgandgroaningdroier.ourdriverletthetruckidleandhoppeddoogreettheapproagvoirushedgravel.wordser.“spasseba.”

    anotherflieonelaughed,ashrilladeju.babashandanbrokeintosong,aslurring,offkeyrenditionofanoldafghanhathickrussia:

    ahestaboro,heaboro.

    gosloylovelyon,goslowly.

    bootheelseonefluhetarpaulinhangihebaouth.behindtheaboneloredonhunginthesky.karindtheafghansoldierhadabriefexethingabouttoorandhisbadluingthenghisfiheedgeofthetailgate.eveninthediightoftheon,isapasseopassenger.despitetheld,sedfraveaadetheotherte.karilearedhisthroat,droppedhishead.saidthesoldieredahalfhourhtheladyinthebackofthetruck.

    theyounganpulledtheshaeaspaleastheonhabove.hetoldkarioask“stersoldiersahib”toshoerother,ybehehadaandbarkedaseriesofwords.

    “itshisprisaid.heuldntbriolookthehusbandintheeye.

    “butohehusbandsaid.

    karindtherussiansoldierspoke.“hesays...hesayseverypricehasatax.”

    thatytutoething,”babasaid.hesaidittokaributlookeddireeis.”

    theyspoke.“hesaysthisiseinwar.”

    “tellhiesandsit,evehanintisofpeace.”

    doyouhavetoalyheartfluttering.tyoujustletitgoforoikusallkilled.

    therussiansoldiersaidsothingtokariaslecreasinghislips.“aghasahib,”kariaid,“theseroussiarenotlikeus.theyuandnothingaboutrespect,honor.”

    “didhesay”

    “hesayshellenjoyputtingabulletinyoualstaschas...”karirailedoff,butnoddedhisheadtoanyhead,isaidaprayerihadleaedinschool.

    “tellhilltakeathousandofhisbulletsbeforeiletthisiis,itoowonderedifiwasreallybabasson.

    thebulldogfacedrussianraisedhisgun.

    “baba,sitdoeanstoshootyou.”

    babaslappedhaterkillgoodtearinghiopienhisfather”

    therussiansoldiersgrinneverfalteredythroat,iburiedfahands.

    thegunroared.

    itsdohen.iighteenandalone.ihaveihat

    buttheyheaduzzleofhisuptuedgunthatskeseanttoshootbabahadalreadyholsteredhisorelikegandlaughingatthesati.

    thesendrussianoffiheretofight,”hesaid.“buttheyarejustboys,aheyfindthepleasure.”hegavetheyoungerofficertheruefullookofafatherexasperatedisbehavingson.“thisotachedtno...”hewavedusoff.

    ntslater,henthefirstsoldiersvoice,slurryandoffkey,singingtheoldweddingsong.

    inutesbeforetheyounganshusbandsuddenlystoodanddidsothingidseennyothersdobeforehihekissedbabashand.

    toorsbadluahipar

    usheredusquicklyfrohetrutoaooryhouseattheinterseoftes,aiatrees,andclosedshops.ipulledthe

    llarofatagainsttheeersllingradishes.

    oncehehadusinsid

    ...