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the kite runner-第48部分

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le ways; Soraya was more relaxed; more talkative with her mother around。 As if her presence legitimized whatever was happening between us……though certainly not to the same degree that the general s would have。 Khanum Taheri s chaperoning made our meetings; if not gossip…proof; then less gossip…worthy; even if her borderline fawning on me clearly embarrassed Soraya。
One day; Soraya and I were alone at their booth; talking。 She was telling me about school; how she too was working on her general education classes; at Ohlone Junior College in Fremont。
 What will you major in? 
 I want to be a teacher;  she said。
 Really? Why? 
 I ve always wanted to。 When we lived in Virginia; I became ESL certified and now I teach at the public library one night a week。 My mother was a teacher too; she taught Farsi and history at Zarghoona High School for girls in Kabul。 
A potbellied man in a deerstalker hat offered three dollars for a five…dollar set of candlesticks and Soraya let him have it。 She dropped the money in a little candy box by her feet。 She looked at me shyly。  I want to tell you a story;  she said;  but I m a little embarrassed about it。 
 Tell me。 
 It s kind of silly。 
 Please tell me。 
She laughed。  Well; when I was in fourth grade in Kabul; my father hired a woman named Ziba to help around the house。 She had a sister in Iran; in Mashad; and; since Ziba was illiterate; she d ask me to write her sister letters once in a while。 And when the sister replied; I d read her letter to Ziba。 One day; I asked her if she d like to learn to read and write。 She gave me this big smile; crinkling her eyes; and said she d like that very much。 So we d sit at the kitchen table after I was done with my own schoolwork and I d teach her Alef…beh。 I remember looking up sometimes in the middle of homework and seeing Ziba in the kitchen; stirring meat in the pressure cooker; then sitting down with a pencil to do the alphabet homework I d assigned to her the night before。
 Anyway; within a year; Ziba could read children s books。 We sat in the yard and she read me the tales of Dara and Sara……slowly but correctly。 She started calling me Moalem Soraya; Teacher Soraya。  She laughed again。  I know it sounds childish; but the first time Ziba wrote her own letter; I knew there was nothing else I d ever want to be but a teacher。 I was so proud of her and I felt I d done something really worthwhile; you know? 
 Yes;  I lied。 I thought of how I had used my literacy to ridicule Hassan。 How I had teased him about big words he didn t know。
 My father wants me to go to law school; my mother s always throwing hints about medical school; but I m going to be a teacher。 Doesn t pay much here; but it s what I want。 
 My mother was a teacher too;  I said。
 I know;  she said。  My mother told me。  Then her face red dened with a blush at what she had blurted; at the implication of her answer; that  Amir Conversations  took place between them when I wasn t there。 It took an enormous effort to stop myself from smiling。
 I brought you something。  I fished the roll of stapled pages from my back pocket。  As promised。  I handed her one of my short stories。
 Oh; you remembered;  she said; actually beaming。  Thank you!  I barely had time to register that she d addressed me with  tu  for the first time and not the formal  shoma;  because suddenly her smile vanished。 The color dropped from her face; and her eyes fixed on something behind me。 I turned around。 Came face…to…face with General Taheri。
 Amir jan。 Our aspiring storyteller。 What a pleasure;  he said。 He was smiling thinly。
 Salaam; General Sahib;  I said through heavy lips。
He moved past me; toward the booth。  What a beautiful day it is; nay?  he said; thumb hooked in the breast pocket of his vest; the other hand extended toward Soraya。 She gave him the pages。
 They say it will rain this week。 Hard to believe; isn t it?  He dropped the rolled pages in the garbage can。 Turned to me and gently put a hand on my shoulder。 We took a few steps together。
 You know; bachem; I have grown rather fond of you。 You are a decent boy; I really believe that; but……  he sighed and waved a hand  ……even decent boys need reminding sometimes。 So it s my duty to remind you that you are among peers in this flea market。  He stopped。 His expressionless eyes bore into mine。  You see; everyone here is a storyteller。  He smiled; revealing perfectly even teeth。  Do pass my respects to your father; Amir jan。 
He dropped his hand。 Smiled again。
 WHAT S WRONG?  Baba said。 He was taking an elderly woman s money for a rocking horse。
 Nothing;  I said。 I sat down on an old TV set。 Then I told him anyway。
 Akh; Amir;  he sighed。
As it turned out; I didn t get to brood too much over what had happened。
Because later that week; Baba caught a cold。
IT STARTED WITH A HACKING COUGH and the sniffles。 He got over the sniffles; but the cough persisted。 He d hack into his handkerchief; stow it in his pocket。 I kept after him to get it checked; but he d wave me away。 He hated doctors and hospitals。 To my knowledge; the only time Baba had ever gone to a doctor was the time he d caught malaria
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