第37节

    【】eflearket.adearagesaletreksonsaturdays,babathedriverandthenavigator,aup

    ourdisplayonsundays.brasslas.baseballgloves.skijacketstheolduntryandihaggledattered.likethedayieanorphaninghclosingofshop.

    sotis,geaheriandhisat,greetedileandhisttaherisdeanor.aretiilesaive,apologetiyhegeneralsattentionwasengagedelsewhere.

    ireerthatperiodasatiofny“firsts”:thefirsttiiheardbabaanihroothefirsttiifoundbloodonhispillohreeyearsrunningthegasstation,babahadnevercalledinsiotherfirst.

    byhalloidsaturdayafteoonthathedeandidrovethevwbusaloneupanddohepeninsula.

    sotisattheflearket,afghaary.theyeveheseentsstoppedpleslted.andhiseyesrecededintheirsockets.

    then,oneolsundayshortlyafteepshadetoastoagedioverhislegsh.

    “hey,n,thisguyneedshelp”thefilipinonsaid.ituedaroundandfoundbabaontheground.hisarandlegswerejerking.

    “kok”iyspittlesoakinghisbeard.hisuptuedeyesshohingbute.

    peopleeonesayseizure.sooneelseyelling,“call911”iheardrunningfootsteps.theskydarkenedasacroheredaroundus.

    babasspittletuedred.heandgrabbedhisarandsaidierebaba,iere,youllbeallright,iighthere.asifiuldsoothethenvulsionsoutofhitalkthentoleavingbabaalone.ifeltayknees.sahere.yourshthere.

    thedo.“isuponavieugshotsofthekillertothevictifaly.babasbrainonthosepictureslookedlikecrosssesofabig,riddledhtennisballshapedgraythings.

    “asyouendpalliativeradiation.doyouknoeans”

    isaididid.idbeenversantincertalk.

    “allright,then,”hesaid.heepagedifyouhaveaions.”

    “thankyou.”

    ispentthenightsittingonachaiexttobabasbed.

    theing,thedodneasrevery.babahen,groggyandtired,butawake.

    ding,geaheriandhise.sorayafolloeti.“hoyfriend”geaherisaid,takingbabashand.

    babatioheivhangingfroisarsledthinly.thegeneralsledback.

    “youshouldnthaveburdenedyourselves.allofyou,”babacroaked.

    “itsnoburden,”khanuaherisaid.

    “noburdenatall.reiortantly,doyouneedanything”geaherisaid.“anythingatallasklikeyoudaskabrother.”

    ireeredsothingbabahadsaidaboutpashtunsonce.aybehardheadedandiktheresnooneyoudratherhaveatyoursidethanapashtun.

    babashookhisheadonthepilloingherehasbrightenedeyes.”thegeneralsledandsqueezedbabashand.“hoirjandoyouneedanything”

    thee,thekindnessinhiseyes...“naythankyou,generalsahib.i..“alushotupinthroataearedover.iboltedoutoftheroo

    iinthehallheviehenightbefore,idseenthekillersface.

    babasdooropenedandsoraya.shestoodnear.shefortinherar.

    “iosorry,ar,”shesaid.“hinghis.”

    iblottedeyesysleeve.“hedidntanyooknow.”

    “doyouneedanything”

    “no.”itriedtosle.sheputherhandonne.ourfirsttouyfae.”

    shesledandnodded.“ishould.”shetuedtogo.“soraya”

    “yes”

    “iappyyouca,itans...thee.”

    theydiseintotalkinghintoit.butidseenthelookonbabasfas,andtookbabahoinfordtorino.

    thatnight,baba.ibroughthiotteaandroastedalnds.yararoundhisbadpulledhipchtooeasily.hisshoulderbladefeltlikeabirdsyfingers.ipulledtheblabahestretchedhisthin,sallowskin.

    “idoanythingelseforyou,baba”

    “nay,bachethankyou.”

    isatbesidehi“thehingfor.ifyourenottooexhausted.”

    “”

    “iyoutogokhastegari.iyoutoaskgeaheriforhisdaughtershand.”

    babasdrylipsstretile.aspotofgreenonaedleaf.“areyousure”

    “resurethaniveeverbeenaboutanything.”

    “youvethoughtitover”

    “balay,baba.”

    “thehephone.andlittlenotebook.”

    iblinked.“now”

    “thenwhen”

    isled.“okay.”igavehihephohe

    ...