stadiuintherkets,itisapartofourliveshere,araghathesavagesandeepotatoesandnaansheaskedthevendorhouinistryofvialive,notbecauseifeardeath,butbecauseysonisnotanorphan
ikhansahibandihavetaughthioreadandetisandbuyhininsharenauandif,ipayhiokehisnkeydaneerhoegranatetreethereandreadfroheshahnahthedroughtshavedriedthehillandthetreehasntboefruitinyears,butsohrabandistillsitunderitsshadeandireadtohiroheshahnahitisnotneandsohrabsoonhethebookhielfiaveryproudandveryluckyfather
aragha,
rahihansahibisquiteillheughsalldayandiseebloodonhissleeveouthhehaslosteverydayheisleavingforpakistaninafeedofarzanajanandihavetoldlittlesohrabthatrahihansahibisgoingtobekhansahibtheyhavegrokhansahibusedtotakehiothebazaarforballoonsandbiscuitsbutheistoohatnow
ihavebeendreangalotlately,araghasooftherenightres,likehangedrpsesrottinginsothatrahihansahibthat
sonportantpersonidreahatlainthestreetsofkabulagainandrubabsivarhousesandkitesthatsodayyouutokabultorevisitthelandofourchildhoodifyoudo,youhfulfriendingforyou
yallahbehyoualways
hassan
ireadthelettertinuteipocketedboth“howishe”iasked
“thatletteronthsago,afekhansaid“itookthepolaroidthedaybeforeileftanthafteriarrivedinpeshaoneofneighborsinkabulhetoldthisstory:soonafteritookleave,arurspreadthatahazarafalyapairoftaliboffioflyingheeeventhoughnyoftheneighbors,inilyoutofthehousebysundoyneighborsaidthetalibsovingintosupposedlykeepitsafeuntiliretuhassanprotestedagainsotheytookhiothestreet”
“no,”ibreathed
“andorderhiokneel”
“nogod,no”
“andshothinthebackofthehead”
“farzanacascreangandattackedthe
“no”
“shothertooselfdefense,theyclaidlater”
butalliuldnageowhisper“nonono”overandoveragain
ikeptthinkingofthatdayin1974,inthehospitalroojustafterhassansharelipsurgerybaba,rahihan,ali,andihadhuddledaroundhassansbed,exanehisneirrooe
thenisaethingelse:andressedinaherringbonevestpressingthezzleofhiskalashnikovtothebayfathershousehassanslustotheasphalt,hislifeofunrequitedloyaltydriftingfroiiketheesheusedtochase
“thetalibanvedintothehouse,”rahihansaid“thepretexturdersissedasacaseofselfdefensenoonesaidaostofithetaliban,ithinkbutnooneoriskanythingforapairofhazaraservants”
“entsbefore,likeheirjan,isuonedyouherebecauseiedtoseeyoubeforeidie,butthatsnotall”
isaidnothingithinkialreadykneheosay
“iyoutogotokabuliyoutobringsohrabhere,”hesaid
istruggledtofindtherightetodealhthefactthathassanwasdead
“pleaseheariknoerianageostlytheyhouseandfeedafghanchildrenrandscaldheyh
