【】bellsjinglinginperfectharnyhthebeatofthetabla.hekepthiseyesclosed.</p>
“shallah”theyouthhalfopeninaleer.</p>
sohrabdanusiepedhisfootidspin.</p>
“bia,bia,boy,”thetalibsaid,.sohrab,headdosaroundtheboy.“hoyhazaraboy”hesaid.hishandssliddopits.oheguardselbotoleaveusalone.</p>
“yes,aghasahib,”theysaidastheyexited.</p>
thetalibspuntheboyaroundsohefasaroundsohrabsbelly,restedhisanshandslidupanddoheboysbelly.upanddoly.</p>
“ivebeeneoversohrabsshoulder.“everhappeooldbabalu,anyway”</p>
thequestionhitlikeahaerbetface.legsb.</p>
helaughed.“e.“iheardyourfatherdied.tsktsk.ialon.lookslikeillhavetosettleforhisine.</p>
itriedtotakeabreathanduldnt.itriedtoblinkanduldnt.thesurrealno,notsurreal,absurdithadknhttheetoastandstill.fathedeepandididntightnjurehibuthe,afteralltheseyears.hisnaescapedlips:“assef.”</p>
“ainirjan.”</p>
“areyoudoinghere”isaid,knoterlyfoolishthequestionsounded,yetuhinkofanythiosay.</p>
“”assefaryelent.thequestionisareyoudoinghere”</p>
“ialreadytoldyou,”isaid.voicebling.iyfleshybones.</p>
“theboy”</p>