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www.lizi.tweflearket.adearagesaletreksonsaturdays,babathedriverandthenavigator,aup
ourdisplayonsundays.brasslas.baseballgloves.skijacketstheolduntryandihaggledattered.likethedayieanorphaningcloserheachclosingofshop.
sotis,geaheriandhisat,greetedileandhisttaherisdeanor.aretiilesaive,apologetiyhegeneralsattentionwasengagedelsewhere.
ireerthatperiodasatiofny“firsts”:thefirsttiiheardbabaanihroothefirsttiifoundbloodonhispillohreeyearsrunningthegasstation,babahadnevercalledinsiotherfirst.
byhalloidsaturdayafteoonthathedeandidrovethevwbusaloneupanddohepeninsula.
sotisattheflearket,afghaary.theyeveheseentsstoppedpleslted.andhiseyesrecededintheirsockets.
then,oneolsundayshortlyafteepshadetoastoagedioverhislegsh.
“hey,n,thisguyneedshelp”thefilipinonsaid.ituedaroundandfoundbabaontheground.hisarandlegswerejerking.
“kok”iyspittlesoakinghisbeard.hisuptuedeyesshohingbute.
peopleeonesayseizure.sooneelseyelling,“call911”iheardrunningfootsteps.theskydarkenedasacroheredaroundus.
babasspittletuedred.heandgrabbedhisarandsaidierebaba,iere,youllbeallright,iighthere.asifiuldsoothethenvulsionsoutofhitalkthentoleavingbabaalone.ifeltayknees.sahere.yourshthere.
thedo.“isuponavieugshotsofthekillertothevictifaly.babasbrainonthosepictureslookedlikecrosssesofabig,riddledhtennisballshapedgraythings.
“asyouendpalliativeradiation.doyouknoeans”
isaididid.idbeenversantincertalk.
“allright,then,”hesaid.heepagedifyouhaveaions.”
“thankyou.”
ispentthenightsittingonachaiexttobabasbed.
theing,thedodneasrevery.babahen,groggyandtired,butawake.
ding,geaheriandhise.sorayafolloeti.“hoyfriend”geaherisaid,takingbabashand.
babatioheivhangingfroisarsledthinly.thegeneralsledback.
“youshouldnthaveburdenedyourselves.allofyou,”babacroaked.
“itsnoburden,”khanuaherisaid.
“noburdenatall.reiortantly,doyouneedanything”geaherisaid.“anythingatallasklikeyoudaskabrother.”
ireeredsothingbabahadsaidaboutpashtunsonce.aybehardheadedandiktheresnooneyoudratherhaveatyoursidethanapashtun.
babashookhisheadonthepilloingherehasbrightenedeyes.”thegeneralsledandsqueezedbabashand.“hoirjandoyouneedanything”
thee,thekindnessinhiseyes...“naythankyou,generalsahib.i..“alushotupinthroataearedover.iboltedoutoftheroo
iinthehallheviehenightbefore,idseenthekillersface.
babasdooropenedandsoraya.shestoodnear.shefortinherar.
“iosorry,ar,”shesaid.“hinghis.”
iblottedeyesysleeve.“hedidntanyooknow.”
“doyouneedanything”
“no.”itriedtosle.sheputherhandonne.ourfirsttouyfae.”
shesledandnodded.“ishould.”shetuedtogo.“soraya”
“yes”
“iappyyouca,itans...thee.”
theydiseintotalkinghintoit.butidseenthelookonbabasfas,andtookbabahoinfordtorino.
thatnight,baba.ibroughthiotteaandroastedalnds.yararoundhisbadpulledhipchtooeasily.hisshoulderbladefeltlikeabirdsyfingers.ipulledtheblabackuptohischestretchedhisthin,sallowskin.
“idoanythingelseforyou,baba”
“nay,bachethankyou.”
isatbesidehi“thehingfor.ifyourenottooexhausted.”
“”
“iyoutogokhastegari.iyoutoaskgeaheriforhisdaughtershand.”
babasdrylipsstretile.aspotofgreenonaedleaf.“areyousure”
“resurethaniveeverbeenaboutanything.”
“youvethoughtitover”
“balay,baba.”
“thehephone.andlittlenotebook.”
iblinked.“now”
“thenwhen”
isled.“okay.”igavehihephohe
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