<TD></TD></TABLE>
sheilyeoopolishyourshoesonedayande“youknoeanythingyouirjananyti”
“iknoeforalongti,likehelesseyeshintingatanunspokenseostdidtellhialsttoldhiverything,butthenehedhate,andrightfully
“here”hehandedsothing“ialstforgothappybirthday”ityfingersalongthegoldloredstitelledthe
leather“foryourstories,”hesaidiethingexplodedandburstsoffirelitupthesky
“fireworks”
edeflaressizzledandexplodedintobouquetsoffireeveryfehebackyardlitupinsuddenflashesofred,green,andyellow
inoneofthosebriefburstsoflight,isaethingillneverforget:hassanservingdrinkstoassefandasilverplatterthelight,ahissandacrackle,thenanotherflickeroforangelight:assefgrinning,kneadinghassaninthechesthaknuckle
then,rcifully,darkness
nine
sittingintheddleofroohenexting,irippedopenboxafterboxofpresentsidontknoajoylessglanthepileera,atransistorradio,anelaborateeleididntoney;babaeapartylikethatifihadntent
babagavetetheenvyofeverykidintheneighborhood:abrandneithadhighrisehandlebarsousbananaseatthespokesebodyred,likeaediatelyandtakenitforafullbloeafeonthsago
“youlikeit”babasaid,leaninginthedooryrooigavehisheepishgrinandaquiore
“ation,butonlyahalfheartedone
“ybelaterilittletired,”isaid
“sure,”babasaid
“baba”
“yes”
“thanksforthefirehankyou,butonlyahalfheartedone
“getsorest,”babasaid,
theotherpresentbabagaveandhedidntetoopenthisoneoundkhansleatherboundnotebookthatoney
isatontheedgeofbed,tuedthenotebookinhands,thoughtaboutkhanhadsaidabouthoira,hoissingherhadbeenforthebestintheendsheeskakahoyounsprojeeslide,thesaigekeptflashinginndoverandover:hassan,hisheaddoiooeitheruchhadbeeclear:oneofushadtogo
laterthatafteoon,itooktheslastnightspartypapercups,crulednapkins,andetybottlesofsodalitteredtheyardalialongtheeandwaved
“salaaall,”isaid,k
heheldupafinger,askingtoergedethinginhishands“theopportunityneverpresenteditselflastnightforhassanandtogiveyouthis,”hesaid,handingabox“itsdestandnotiraghabutstillhappybirthday”
aluythroat“thankyou,ali,”isaidieanythingiopenedtheboxandfoundabrandneah,ahardbainflictingartalohisson,thesbeautiful,”isaid
“hassansaidyourpyeofthepagesissing,”alisaid“allthepicturesarehanddrahisonehpenandink,”headdedproudly,eyeingabookneitherhenorhissonuldread
“itslovely,”isaidandite,”isaid
iendeduptossingthebookontheheapofgiftsintheerofroobuteyeskeptgoingbacktoit,soiburieditatthe
bottobeforeiynechanywhere
thenexting,iyroooralitopty
thenitookaupleoftheenvelopesofyoing,kingphoneynechandahandfulofafghanibillsunderit
iinutestheniknockedonbabasdoorandtoldefullies
throughbedroohehouseandouthsvedovero
... </P></TD>
sheilyeoopolishyourshoesonedayande“youknoeanythingyouirjananyti”
“iknoeforalongti,likehelesseyeshintingatanunspokenseostdidtellhialsttoldhiverything,butthenehedhate,andrightfully
“here”hehandedsothing“ialstforgothappybirthday”ityfingersalongthegoldloredstitelledthe
leather“foryourstories,”hesaidiethingexplodedandburstsoffirelitupthesky
“fireworks”
edeflaressizzledandexplodedintobouquetsoffireeveryfehebackyardlitupinsuddenflashesofred,green,andyellow
inoneofthosebriefburstsoflight,isaethingillneverforget:hassanservingdrinkstoassefandasilverplatterthelight,ahissandacrackle,thenanotherflickeroforangelight:assefgrinning,kneadinghassaninthechesthaknuckle
then,rcifully,darkness
nine
sittingintheddleofroohenexting,irippedopenboxafterboxofpresentsidontknoajoylessglanthepileera,atransistorradio,anelaborateeleididntoney;babaeapartylikethatifihadntent
babagavetetheenvyofeverykidintheneighborhood:abrandneithadhighrisehandlebarsousbananaseatthespokesebodyred,likeaediatelyandtakenitforafullbloeafeonthsago
“youlikeit”babasaid,leaninginthedooryrooigavehisheepishgrinandaquiore
“ation,butonlyahalfheartedone
“ybelaterilittletired,”isaid
“sure,”babasaid
“baba”
“yes”
“thanksforthefirehankyou,butonlyahalfheartedone
“getsorest,”babasaid,
theotherpresentbabagaveandhedidntetoopenthisoneoundkhansleatherboundnotebookthatoney
isatontheedgeofbed,tuedthenotebookinhands,thoughtaboutkhanhadsaidabouthoira,hoissingherhadbeenforthebestintheendsheeskakahoyounsprojeeslide,thesaigekeptflashinginndoverandover:hassan,hisheaddoiooeitheruchhadbeeclear:oneofushadtogo
laterthatafteoon,itooktheslastnightspartypapercups,crulednapkins,andetybottlesofsodalitteredtheyardalialongtheeandwaved
“salaaall,”isaid,k
heheldupafinger,askingtoergedethinginhishands“theopportunityneverpresenteditselflastnightforhassanandtogiveyouthis,”hesaid,handingabox“itsdestandnotiraghabutstillhappybirthday”
aluythroat“thankyou,ali,”isaidieanythingiopenedtheboxandfoundabrandneah,ahardbainflictingartalohisson,thesbeautiful,”isaid
“hassansaidyourpyeofthepagesissing,”alisaid“allthepicturesarehanddrahisonehpenandink,”headdedproudly,eyeingabookneitherhenorhissonuldread
“itslovely,”isaidandite,”isaid
iendeduptossingthebookontheheapofgiftsintheerofroobuteyeskeptgoingbacktoit,soiburieditatthe
bottobeforeiynechanywhere
thenexting,iyroooralitopty
thenitookaupleoftheenvelopesofyoing,kingphoneynechandahandfulofafghanibillsunderit
iinutestheniknockedonbabasdoorandtoldefullies
throughbedroohehouseandouthsvedovero
... </P></TD>