第8节

    fasating,”ittered.iantittoo.thised.“areyousure,hassan”

    heiragha.ereofittorrow”

    “faseinalongti,hedsaid.ihadreadhilotofstories.hassahing.

    “”isaid.

    “ean,fasating”

    ilaughed.hedhinahugandplantedakissonhischeek.

    “hatfor”hesaid,startled,blushing.

    igavehifriendlyshove.sled.“youreaprince,hassan.youreaprindiloveyou.”

    thatsanight,iyfirstshortstory.ittookthirtyanagicdleaedthatifhe

    intotheselfsadsothathistearsuldkehiiountainofpearls,knifeinhand,s.

    thatevening,i,inhandsthetkhanokingpipesandsippingbrandyein.

    “ir”babasaid,reokesadethroatfeeldry.iidtenastory.

    babanoddedandgaveathitlerethanfeigerest.“ore.hejustlookedatthroughtheoke.

    iprobablystoodthereforundera,tothisday,itinutesoflife.sendsploddedby,eaostsolid.iedooffertoread.

    asalkhane.heheldouthishandandfavoredilethathadnothingfeignedaboutit.“yihaveit,arjaniuofejane.

    babashruggedandstoodup.helookedrelieved,asifhetoohadbeenres.ioingupstairstogetready.”and.stdaysiyveinsanddrainhisbody.

    anhourlater,astheeveningskydied,thetdroveoffinfatherseandhaoryandanotherfoldedpieileaetopursueplintaorhaseverpaid.thatwordwasbravo.

    ybedandkhanhadbeenfather.thenithoughtofbabaandhisgreatbigoing,andhoyface.ieandvotedinthesink.

    laterthatnight,curledupinbed,ireadrahihansnoteoverareadlikethis:

    arjan,

    ienjoyedyourstoryveryarandiingstyle.butthestiressivethingaboutyourstoryisthatit

    hasirony.youynotevenknoeans.butyoueday.itissothingthatsoersreachfortheirentirecareersandain.youhaveachievedithyourfirststory.

    doorisandalirjan.ishallhearanystoryyouhavetotell.bravo.

    yourfriend,

    rahibr>

    buoyedbyrahihansnote,igrabbedthestoryandhurrieddoattress.thatetheysleptinthehouse,e.ishookhassanaifheedtohearastory.

    herubbedhissleepcloggedeyesandstretched.“”

    “heti.thisstorysspecial.iyself,”itoened.

    “thenihavetohearit,”hesaid,alreadypullingtheblaoffhi

    
    “shallah,aragha.bravo”heing.

    “youlikedit”isaid,gettiasteandhoitivereview.

    “soday,inshallah,youer,”hassansaid.“andpeopleallovertheories.”

    “youexaggerate,hassan,”isaid,lovinghiorit.

    “no.youous,”heinsisted.thenhepaused,asifonthevergeofaddingsothioaskaquestionaboutthestory”hesaidshyly.

    “ofurse.”

    “arted,brokeoff.

    “tell,hassan,”isaid.isled,thoughsuddenlytheinsecureesosureheedtohearit.

    “ayask,ankillhiselledanonion”

    ie.ivedlipssoundlessly.itappearedthatonthesanightihadleaedaboutoneofingsobjectives,irony,iroducedtoospitfalls:theplothole.taughtbyhassan,ofallpeople.hassanreadandhadenasinglewordinhis

    entirelife.avoice,ldanddark,suddenlyyear,doesheknohatilliteratehazarahellneverbeanythingbutaok.hoicizeyou

    “itofinishthatsentence.

    becausesuddenlyafghanistangedforever.

    five

    sothingroaredlikethuheearthshookalittleaatattatofgunfire.“father”hassancried.wesp

    ...