Then I _have_ to hear it； he said； already pulling the blanket off him。
I read it to him in the living room by the marble fireplace。 No playful straying from the words this time； this was about me！ Hassan was the perfect audience in many ways； totally immersed in the tale； his face shifting with the changing tones in the story。 When I read the last sentence； he made a muted clapping sound with his hands。
_Mashallah_； Amir agha。 Bravo！ He was beaming。
You liked it？ I said； getting my second taste……and how sweet it was……of a positive review。
Some day； _Inshallah_； you will be a great writer； Hassan said。 And people all over the world will read your stories。
You exaggerate； Hassan； I said； loving him for it。
No。 You will be great and famous； he insisted。 Then he paused； as if on the verge of adding something。 He weighed his words and cleared his throat。 But will you permit me to ask a question about the story？ he said shyly。
Of course。
Well。。。 he started； broke off。
Tell me； Hassan； I said。 I smiled； though suddenly the insecure writer in me wasn t so sure he wanted to hear it。
Well； he said； if I may ask； why did the man kill his wife？ In fact； why did he ever have to feel sad to shed tears？ Couldn t he have just smelled an onion？
I was stunned。 That particular point； so obvious it was utterly stupid； hadn t even occurred to me。 I moved my lips soundlessly。 It appeared that on the same night I had learned about one of writing s objectives； irony； I would also be introduced to one of its pitfalls： the Plot Hole。 Taught by Hassan； of all people。 Hassan who couldn t read and had never written a single word in his
entire life。 A voice； cold and dark； suddenly whispered in my ear； _What does he know； that illiterate Hazara？ He ll never be anything but a cook。 How dare he criticize you？_
Well； I began。 But I never got to finish that sentence。
Because suddenly Afghanistan changed forever。
FIVE
Something roared like thunder。 The earth shook a little and we heard the _rat…a…tat…tat_ of gunfire。 Father！ Hassan cried。 We sprung to our feet and raced out of the living room。 We found Ali hobbling frantically across the foyer。
Father！ What s that sound？ Hassan yelped； his hands outstretched toward Ali。 Ali wrapped his arms around us。 A white light flashed； lit the sky in silver。 It flashed again and was followed by a rapid staccato of gunfire。
They re hunting ducks； Ali said in a hoarse voice。 They hunt ducks at night； you know。 Don t be afraid。
A siren went off in the distance。 Somewhere glass shattered and someone shouted。 I heard people on the street； jolted from sleep and probably still in their pajamas； with ruffled hair and puffy eyes。 Hassan was crying。 Ali pulled him close； clutched him with tenderness。 Later； I would tell myself I hadn t felt envious of Hassan。 Not at all。
We stayed huddled that way until the early hours of the morning。 The shootings and explosions had lasted less than an hour； but they had frightened us badly； because none of us had ever heard gunshots in the streets。 They were foreign sounds to us then。 The generation of Afghan children whose ears would know nothing but the sounds of bombs and gunfire was not yet born。 Huddled together in the dining room and waiting for the sun to rise； none of us had any notion that a way of life had ended。 Our way of life。 If not quite yet； then at least it was the beginning of the end。 The end； the _official_ end； would e first in April 1978 with the munist coup d 閠at； and then in December 1979； when Russian tanks would roll into the very same streets where Hassan