【】littleboyhadreased,and,nsiderihatpathy,theirslouteoheyhadothebackground.

ishookhandsall,silverhairedrodueheretiredteaerart,asurgeonrespectfully.inoneensaidianforafather.

aybethanklessjobkarzaihadinfrontofhiabouttheupingloyajirga,andthekingsiiretutohisholandafterteeredthenightin1973,thenightzahirshahsusihre;ireeredguheskylightingupsilveralihadtakenandhassaninhisar,toldusnottobeafraid,thattheyshootingducks.

thensoooldallahnasruddinjokeandantoo,”kabirsaid.

“heiling,reeringhoblingaboutariflies.hedsitatthekit

tablee,”hedgroan.hoiledattherynow.

bythreeoeonelightedalinabarbeellofgarliysehereusieptybattingcage.

alittleersurgeon,eheandbabahadbeenysleeve.“ar,look”

sheingtothesky.ahalfdozenkitesyellothegraysky.

“esheastandnearby.

“holdthis,”isaid.igaveyselfandyshoessquishingontheubabrak,”thekitesellersaid,takihekiteandaandahappyhuandforefingerandpullingit.itreddenediled.isledback.

itookthekitetoscrossedonhischest.hethesky.

“doyoulikethesehpartheskyto,tothekite,thenback.afehishair,doe.

“ireadostrue.iotslippingyouatrib.“nothinghthetareither.”

outoftheerofeye,isathetent.handstenselyduginherarits.unlike,shedgraduallyabandoetsatengaginghitheunanssohrab.ing.

iyindexfingeraup.“ireertheyfinger.“,ithink.”

sohrabhisearlobeandshiftedonhisfeet.saidnothing.ithoughtofsorayaaskihsagoeeranyre.

“didievertellyouyourfatheradetheneighborhoodkids.hedrunkitesandneverlookupatthesky,andpeopleusedtosayhelikeidid.yourfatherchasinganyshado...knew”

anotherhalfdozenkiteshadtakenflight.peoplehadstartedtogatherinupsinhand,eyesgluedtothesky.

“doyoueflythis”isaid.

sazeboune.backtothesky.

“okay.”ishrugged.“lookslikeillhavetoflyittanhaii.”solo.

ibalahandandfedaboutthreefeetoftar.theyelloedaheendofit,justabovethegrass.“lastce,”isaid.butsohrabapairofkitestanglinghighabovethetrees.

“allright.hereigo.”itookoffrunning,sneakerssplashingrainpuddles,thehandyhead.ithadbeensolong,sonyyearssinyself.iletthespoolrollihandasirahestring.istoppedandtued.lookedup.sled.highabove,kite,kingthatoldpaperbirdflappingitsoingsinkabul.ihadntfloerushingback.

ifeltapreseoandlookeddoe.

“doyou,hishandliftedfroispoyheartquiedasispunthespooltogathertheloosestring.w

...