eflearketadeourgaragesaletreksonsaturdays,babathedriverandthenavigator,andsetup
ourdisplayonsundaysbrasslasbaseballglovesskijacketstheolduntryandihaggledatteredlikethedayieanorphaninchingcloserheachclosingofshop
sotis,generaltaheriandhisat,greetedileandhisttaherisdeanoraretiilesandthefurtive,apologetiyhegeneralsattentionwasengagedelsewhere
ireerthatperiodasatiofny“firsts”:thefirsttiiheardbabaaninthebathroothefirsttiifoundbloodonhispillohreeyearsrunningthegasstation,babahadnevercalledinsickanotherfirst
byhalloidsaturdayafteoonthathedeandidrovethevwbusaloneupanddohepeninsula
sotisattheflearket,afghanaentarytheyevenaskedtheseentsstoppedplesltedandhiseyesrecededintheirsockets
then,oneolsundayshortlyafteepshadetoastoagedinthevtoverhislegsh
“hey,n,thisguyneedshelp”thefilipinonsaidituedaroundandfoundbabaonthegroundhisarandlegswerejerking
“kok”iyspittlesoakinghisbeardhisuptuedeyesshohingbute
peopleeonesayseizuresooneelseyelling,“call911”iheardrunningfootstepstheskydarkenedasacroheredaroundus
babasspittletuedredheandgrabbedhisarandsaidierebaba,iere,youllbeallright,iighthereasifiuldsoothethenvulsionsoutofhitalkthentoleavingbabaaloneifeltaykneessahereyoursonisrighthere
thedo“isuponavieugshotsofthekillertothevictifalybabasbrainonthosepictureslookedlikecrosssectionsofabig,riddledhtennisballshapedgraythings
“asyouendpalliativeradiationdoyouknoeans”
isaididididbeenversantincancertalk
“allright,then,”hesaidheepagedifyouhaveanyquestions”
“thankyou”
ispentthenightsittingonachaiexttobabasbed
thenexting,thedodneasreverybabahen,groggyandtired,butawake
ding,generaltaheriandhisesorayafolloeti“hoyfriend”generaltaherisaid,takingbabashand
babationedtotheivhangingfroisarsledthinlythegeneralsledback
“youshouldnthaveburdenedyourselvesallofyou,”babacroaked
“itsnoburden,”khanuaherisaid
“noburdenatallreiortantly,doyouneedanything”generaltaherisaid“anythingatallasklikeyoudaskabrother”
ireeredsothingbabahadsaidaboutpashtunsonceaybehardheadedandiknoethattheresnooneyoudratherhaveatyoursidethanapashtun
babashookhisheadonthepilloingherehasbrightenedeyes”thegeneralsledandsqueezedbabashand“hoirjandoyouneedanything”
thee,thekindnessinhiseyes“naythankyou,generalsahibi“alushotupinthroatandeyestearedoveriboltedoutoftheroo
iinthehallheviehenightbefore,idseenthekillersface
babasdooropenedandsorayashestoodnearshefortinherar
“iosorry,ar,”shesaid“hinghis”
iblottedeyesysleeve“hedidntanyooknow”
“doyouneedanything”
“no”itriedtoslesheputherhandonneourfirsttouyfae”
shesledandnodded“ishould”shetuedtogo“soraya”
“yes”
“iappyyouca,itansthee”
theydiseintotalkinghintoitbutidseenthelookonbabasfas,andtookbabahoinfordtorino
thatnight,babaibroughthiotteaandroastedalndsyararoundhisbackandpulledhipchtooeasilyhisshoulderbladefeltlikeabirdsyfingersipulledtheblanketbackuptohischestretchedhisthin,sallowskin
“canidoanythingelseforyou,baba”
“nay,bachethankyou”
isatbesidehi“theniethingforifyourenottooexhausted”
“”
“iyoutogokhastegariiyoutoaskgeneraltaheriforhisdaughtershand”
babasdrylipsstretileaspotofgreenonaedleaf“areyousure”
“resurethaniveeverbeenaboutanything”
“youvethoughtitover”
“balay,baba”
“thengivethephoneandlittlenotebook”
iblinked“now”
“thenwhen”
isled“okay”igavehihephoneandthe
