ashisfatheryoushouldhaveseensanaubarirjanhebetoysfroesohrabwereinseparable
shelivedtoseehiufour,andthen,oneing,shejustdidnot,atpeainddyingnoeteryonthehill,theonebythepogranatetree,andisaidaprayerforhertoothelossoretohaveandlosethantonothaveinthefirstplacebutittlesohrabhekepthehouse,lookingforsasa,butyouknoheyforgetsoquickly
bythenthateailiarendiggingbodiesoutofpilesofrubblekabulinthosedays,arjan,uch,soeoftheotheeighborhoods
onthosedaysahassantaughthioeheedeadlytoreadandtakehisfirststep,heardhitterhisfirstthebookstorebytohiherendedofyou,hoirjansotis,ireadtohitnight,playedriddles,taughthiardtricksisshierribly
inthee,hassantookhissonkiterunningthereanykitetouantsasintheolddaysnoonefeltsafeoutsidefortoolongbutthereentshassanbingtreeseer,arjan,ainhalluplikepaintings
itoldyouhoeeringhothatnightandfindinghassaninthekitchen,listeningtotheradiohehadasoberlookinhiseyesiasked
hihansahib,”hesaid
“thenoreroorefunerals”buthejusttuedofftheradioandaskedifheuldgetanythingbeforehetobed
afeassacredthehazarasinzarisharif
seventeen
rahihansloanoventtriggersspikesofpainoutside,adonkeyeoneethinginurduthesunshacklebuildings
ithitagain,theenortyofrthenasranginhead:hassan,sohrab,ali,farzana,andsanaubarhearingrahihanspeakalisnausielodybegantoplayiediately:eesitstealsallthedetailsforitself
“ishassanstillinthathousenow”iasked
rahihanraisedtheteathebreastpoe“foryou”
itorethesealedenvelopeinside,ifoundapolaroidphotographandafoldedletteristaredatthephotographforafullnute
atallndressedinatheleft,anintheighthavenonthestreetthelittleboystoodbarefoot,oneasthigh,hisshavedheadrestingagainsthisfathershiphetooing
iunfoldedtheletterititted,nocrossesforgotten,noostchildlikeinitsneatnessibegantoread:
inthenaofallahthestbenefierciful,aragha,ydeepestrespects,
farzanajan,sohrab,andipraythatthislatestletterfindsyouingoodhealthandinthelightofallahsgoodgrayestthankstorahibr >
khansahibforhopefulthatonedayiyhandsandreadofyourlifeinariischiefyouandiusedtocause
aragha,
alastheafghanistanofouryouthislongdeadkindnessisgonefrohelandandyoucannotescapethekillingsalhekillingsinkabul,feariseveryhestreets,inthe
