【】sheilyeoopolishyourshoesonedayande.“youkhingyouirjan.anyti.”

“iknoeforalongti,likehelesseyeshintingatanunspokedidtellhialsttoldhiverything,butthee,andrightfully.

“here.”hehahing.“ialstfot.happybirthday.”ityfingersalongthegoldloredstitelledthe

leather.“foryourstories,”hesaid.iethingexplodedandburstsoffirelitupthesky.

“fireworks”

edeflaressizzledandexplodedintobouquetsoffire.everyfehebackyardlitupinsuddenflashesreen,andyellow.

ihosebriefburstsoflight,isaethingillneverfet:hassanservingdrinkstoassefandasilverplatter.thelight,ahissandakle,thenanotherflickerelight:assefgrinning,kneadinghassaninthechesthaknuckle.

then,rcifully,darkness.

nine

sittingintheddleofrooheing,irippedopenboxafterboxofpresents.idontknoajoylessglan.thepileera,atransistorradio,anelaborateele.ididntoney;babaeapartylikethatifihad.

babagavetetheenvyofeverykidintheneighborhood:abrahadhighrisehandlebarsousbanahespokesebodyred,likeaediatelyandtakenitforafullbloeafeonthsago.

“youlikeit”babasaid,leaninginthedavehisheepishgrinandaquiore.

“ation,butonlyahalfheartedone.

“ybelater.ilittletired,”isaid.

“sure,”babasaid.

“baba”

“yes”

“thanksforthefirehankyou,butonlyahalfheartedone.

“getsorest,”babasaid,.

theotherpresentbabagaveandhedidoopenthisoneoundkhaherboundnotebook.thatoney.

isatontheedgeofbed,tuedthenotebookinhands,thoughtaboutkhanhadsaidabouthoira,hoissingherhadbeenforthebestintheend.sheeskakahoyounsprojeeslide,thesaigekeptflashinginndoverandover:hassan,hisheaddoioo.eitherulear:oneofushadtogo.

laterthatafteoon,itooktheslastnightsparty.paperrulednapkins,aybottlesofsodalitteredtheyard.alialongtheeandwaved.

“salaaall,”isaid,k.

heheldupafinger,askingtedethinginhishands.“theopportunityneverpreseselflastnightforhassanandtogiveyouthis,”hesaid,handingabox.“itsdestandnha.butstill.happybirthday.”

aluythroat.“thankyou,ali,”isaid.ieanything.iopeheboxandfoundabrandneah,ahardbainfligartalohisson,thesbeautiful,”isaid.

“hassansaidyourpyeofthepagesissing,”alisaid.“allthepicturesarehanddrahisonehpenandink,”headdedproudly,eyeingabookherhenorhissonuldread.

“itslovely,”isaid.andite,”isaid.

ieossingthebookontheheapofgiftsintheerofroobuteyeskeptgoingbacktoit,soiburieditatthe

bottobeforeiyneywhere.

theing,iyroooralitopty.

thenitookaupleoftheenvelopesofyoing,kingphoneynedahandfulofafghanibillsu.

iiheniknockedonbabasdoorandtoldefullies.

throughbedroohehouseandouthsvedovero

...