Transcription
llatOnlineLibrarywww.afghan- ‐mellat.org.uk
sertedalleyforthelasttwenty- nedgeofGoldenGatePark.Theearly- etsfilledwith
vensapphireIcanstillseehistinylow- ghbor'sone- ofwrought- - onblackleatherchairsthereafterAlihadserveddinner.
Theystuffedtheirpipes- ‐- ‐exceptBabaalwayscalledit"fatteningthepipe"- ‐- ay."Thisisgrown- rown- ,dressedinknee- Khan,standingoutsideourhouse,neitheronesmiling- ‐- couldeasilysitthirtyguests- ‐- wentpastthe
nHeratirugwithfrayededgesinbetween,athree- apestrywithsewn- ‐inbeadsformingthewordsAllah- ‐u- ‐akbar iqlalMiddleSchool- ‐- tokeepwalking,keepwalking.
ndlefthimperpetuallygrim- ‐faced.Itwasanoddthingtoseethestone- noverbonewithlittleinbetweenexceptapaper- ,Aliwastakingmetothebazaartobuysomenaan dhimwhenhehobbledby.SomehadtakentocallinghimBabalu rkedtoachorusoflaughter."Whodidyoueat,youflat- ‐nosedBabalu?"
Theycalledhim"flat- ngsIdidknow,likethatpeoplecalledHazarasmice- ‐eating,flat- ‐nosed,load- ‐carryingdonkeys ;hehadfound
.Alitoldusshewasablue- hwealreadyknew- ‐- roof,wespokeourfirstwords.MinewasBaba .HiswasAmir .Myname.
nedinthewinterof1975- ‐- ‐andallthatfollowed- ‐- avebeendismissedaslaaf ,thatAfghantendencytoexaggerate- ‐- ,Toophanagha whenallsix- ‐foot- Baba'ssnoring- ‐- ‐somuchlikeagrowlingtruckengine- ‐- gsIwouldhaveaskedmymotherifIhadevermether.
rtheconstructionofthetwo- koftasandwiches- ‐- ‐meatballsandpickleswrappedinnaan ingglass- rists- ‐- n.Itookabiteofmysandwich.Oneoftheyellow- undacorneronthehill.Sunlighttwinkledinitsside- ‐viewmirror."IthinkIhavesaratan todowaslookinthetrunkofthecar.
anbuiltawildlysuccessfulcarpet- WhenpeoplescoffedthatBabawouldnevermarrywell- ‐- ‐afterall,hewasnotofroyalblood- ‐- turedusaboutthevirtuesofzakatandthedutyofhadj amazprayers,andmadeusmemorizeversesfromtheKoran- ‐- rsinonthedayofQiyamat answhodiddrinkdidsoinprivate,outofrespect.
fthem.Pissonthebeardsofallthoseself- pissingonthebeardofanymonkey,self- ‐righteousorotherwise,wastoomuch.
ords.We'dhadafleetinggoodmoment- ‐- ‐itwasn'toftenBabatalkedtome,letaloneonhislap- ‐- epatience?Ialreadyhatedallthekidshewas
ethiefstabbedhiminthethroat,killinghiminstantly- ‐- ofnaan tatall.
INSCHOOL,weusedtoplayagamecalledSherjangi mi'sfamousMasnawi Fleming.WhenIhadfinishedmymother'sbooks- ‐- butthenovels,theepics- ‐- oetry- ‐- ‐andGodforbidtheyshouldeverwriteit!Realmen- ‐- ‐realboys- ‐- lis,Afghanistan'snationalpassion.Achapandaz therchapandazchaseshimanddoeseverythinginitspower- ‐- ‐kick,claw,whip,punch- ‐- ‐tosnatchthe
an.Ipressedmyeartothecloseddoor."- ‐- ngaroundthehouselikehe'slostinsomedream."
mesyouarethemostself- omethingmissinginthatboy."
"Yes,ameanstreak.""Self- him,toldhimtomindhisownbusiness.
sforty- loftheirfather
THEKITE RUNNER by KHALED HOSSEINI Published2003 Afghan Mellat Online Library www.afghanEmellat.org.uk
