第24节

    【】sheilyeoopolishyourshoesonedayande.“youkhingyouirjan.anyti.”

    “iknoeforalongti,likehelesseyeshintingatanunspokedidtellhialsttoldhiverything,butthee,andrightfully.

    “here.”hehahing.“ialstfot.happybirthday.”ityfingersalongthegoldloredstitelledthe

    leather.“foryourstories,”hesaid.iethingexplodedandburstsoffirelitupthesky.

    “fireworks”

    edeflaressizzledandexplodedintobouquetsoffire.everyfehebackyardlitupinsuddenflashesreen,andyellow.

    ihosebriefburstsoflight,isaethingillneverfet:hassanservingdrinkstoassefandasilverplatter.thelight,ahissandakle,thenanotherflickerelight:assefgrinning,kneadinghassaninthechesthaknuckle.

    then,rcifully,darkness.

    nine

    sittingintheddleofrooheing,irippedopenboxafterboxofpresents.idontknoajoylessglan.thepileera,atransistorradio,anelaborateele.ididntoney;babaeapartylikethatifihad.

    babagavetetheenvyofeverykidintheneighborhood:abrahadhighrisehandlebarsousbanahespokesebodyred,likeaediatelyandtakenitforafullbloeafeonthsago.

    “youlikeit”babasaid,leaninginthedavehisheepishgrinandaquiore.

    “ation,butonlyahalfheartedone.

    “ybelater.ilittletired,”isaid.

    “sure,”babasaid.

    “baba”

    “yes”

    “thanksforthefirehankyou,butonlyahalfheartedone.

    “getsorest,”babasaid,.

    theotherpresentbabagaveandhedidoopenthisoneoundkhaherboundnotebook.thatoney.

    isatontheedgeofbed,tuedthenotebookinhands,thoughtaboutkhanhadsaidabouthoira,hoissingherhadbeenforthebestintheend.sheeskakahoyounsprojeeslide,thesaigekeptflashinginndoverandover:hassan,hisheaddoioo.eitherulear:oneofushadtogo.

    laterthatafteoon,itooktheslastnightsparty.paperrulednapkins,aybottlesofsodalitteredtheyard.alialongtheeandwaved.

    “salaaall,”isaid,k.

    heheldupafinger,askingtedethinginhishands.“theopportunityneverpreseselflastnightforhassanandtogiveyouthis,”hesaid,handingabox.“itsdestandnha.butstill.happybirthday.”

    aluythroat.“thankyou,ali,”isaid.ieanything.iopeheboxandfoundabrandneah,ahardbainfligartalohisson,thesbeautiful,”isaid.

    “hassansaidyourpyeofthepagesissing,”alisaid.“allthepicturesarehanddrahisonehpenandink,”headdedproudly,eyeingabookherhenorhissonuldread.

    “itslovely,”isaid.andite,”isaid.

    ieossingthebookontheheapofgiftsintheerofroobuteyeskeptgoingbacktoit,soiburieditatthe

    bottobeforeiyneywhere.

    theing,iyroooralitopty.

    thenitookaupleoftheenvelopesofyoing,kingphoneynedahandfulofafghanibillsu.

    iiheniknockedonbabasdoorandtoldefullies.

    throughbedroohehouseandouthsvedovero

    ...