第45节

    【】apakistaniiionalairlinesflight,edairliheinaland,soon,yheadagainsttheed,invain,forsleep.

    fifteen

    threehoursafterflightlandedinpeshaokefilledtaxi,drovenins,alluouth:

    terribleshavetohelpsliso...”

    itunedhiut,sode.ireeredpeshathefeonthsbabaandihadspenttherein1981.entanditslavish,highes.thebustleoftheorepshades,dstalls.theuchblehestencharbage,andfeces.

    alittlepasttheredbriareverypoor.”hetskedhistongueandsighed.“anytingclosenow.”

    ithoughtaboutthelasttiihadseenrahihan,in1981.hehadetosaygoodbyethenightbabaandihadfledkabul.ireerbabaandhiraetis,babaetherekhanhadbeenshortlyafterbabasdeath.theesandlosttheion.

    thedriverpulleduptoanarroylo,laundryhallypalknocked.

    then,athingdeofskinandbonespretendingtoberahihahedoor.

    a”saying.nothinguldrerreyreunionkhan.

    ovarsatintheoppositeer.ipouredusteafrot.

    “hoe”iasked.

    “itsnotdiffieriapoftheu.s.,andationforcitiesinnorthecalifoia,”hesaid.“itsan.”

    isledanddroppedthreesugararriedfifteenyearsago.”thetruthadehietful,negligent.

    “youarerriedto”

    “heaissorayataheri.”ithoughtofherbackho,e.ialone.

    “taheri...erisshe”

    itoldhihiseyesbrightened.“oh,yes,ireeoarriedtosharifjanssistere...”

    “jalajan.”

    “balay”hesaid,sling.“ikneeago,beforehevedtoarica.”

    “hesbeenheinsforyears,handlesalotofafghancases.”

    “haiiii,”hesighed.“doyouandsorayajanhavechildren”

    “nay.”

    “oh.”heslurpedhisteaanddidntaskre;rahihanhadalostinsti.

    itoldhilotaboutbaba,hisjob,theflearket,andhoaboutsybooksfourpublishedoihade,buthedidhenotebook.

    theioablytuedtothetaliban.

    “isitasbadasihear”isaid.

    “nay,itsan.”hepoioasin1998.kabulagainstzarisharif,ithink,andbytheao,heeandstrutheforeheadkhanrubbedthese,apologizingtothatsonofadog.”

    ipouredhioretea.rahihantalkedsore.chofitiknewalready,

    ...