第56节

    【】handfulofafghanibillsinhispo;idneverseenhienyapeddler.noudenoolderthanfiveorsix.theysatinthelapsoftheirburqaethingelse,sothingihadntnoticedrightasataletheadefathersararedityinafghanistan.

    beredasajorthhfareintheseventies:

    jadehyhadoeuntainsfroageithoseuntainsthatireerthefiringofthetopehonthofradan.youdheartheroarofthatonallthroughthecityinthosedays.

    “iusedtoeheretojadehyuled.“thereusedtobeshopshereandhotels.neonlights

    aaurants.iusedtobuykitesfronoldnnadsaifo.heranalittlekiteshopbytheoldpoliceheadquarters.”

    “thepoliceheadquartersisstillthere,”faridsaid.“neofpolithiscitybutyouayhosedaysareover.”

    jadehyidjaggedstusofbriuledraeofskerosetothesky.

    “hetrees”isaid.

    “peoplecuttheodooo.”

    “why”

    “snipersusedtohideinthe”

    asaduingtokabul,thathedbeeholessaute.

    “fatherbuiltanorphanageinsharekohna,theoldcity,southofhere,”isaid.

    “ireerit,”faridsaid.“itroyedafewyearsago.”

    “youpullover”isaid.“itotakeaquickwalkhere.”

    faridparkedalongtheallbashautteredasell”isaid.sothingakingeyeser.

    “diesel,”faridreplied.“thecitysgeorsarealricityisunreliable,andpeopleusedieselfuel.”

    “diesel.reerelledlikeintheolddays”

    faridsled.“kabob.”

    “lakabob,”isaid.

    “la,”faridsaid,tastih.“theonlypeopleinkabulbnoysleeve.“speakingofh...”

    avehicleurred.

    thateisaontvoeet,ontheverofgazines,andiellihatthesuddentasteinuthyselffleshhadntsuddenlyshrunk

    againstbonesae.inalltheirglory.

    theredtoyotapiensatontheirhaunaninhisearlytie.heldgaze.idneverfeltsonakediirelife.thealibspattobacstainedspittleandlookedaaystrailacloudofdust.

    “atterhyou”faridhissed.

    “”

    “doareattheoyouuandnever”

    “ididntanto,”isaid.

    “yourfriendisquiteright,agha.youghtaseonesaid.thisysoeonealisbrokenatlastandeveryonesaysallahuakbarandonthosedaysviolence,isntthere”

    “keepyoureyesonyourfeethetalibsarenear,”faridsaid.

    “yourfrienddispensesgoodadviedin.hebarkedae,butuldyouspareafehed.

    “bas.letsgo,”faridsaid,pullingbythear

    ihaheoldnahuhousandafghanis,ortheequivalentofaboutthreedollars.ilkahathadntbeenynostrilsanddegerise.hehurriedlyslippedtheneyinhis,hisloingsidetoside.“ahanksforyourbenevolence,aghasahib.”

    “doyouknoheorphanageisinkartehseh”isaid.

    “itsnothardtofind,itsjustanboulevard,”hesaid.“theheretokartehsehaftertherothelionscageandthroiigers.”

    “thankyou,agha,”isaid.ituedtogo.

    “thate,nay”

    “iorry”

    “thefirsttiyousaalib.”

    isaidnothing.theoldbeggaoddedandsled.revealedahandfulofreinih,allberthefirsttiisa

    ...