are friendly。 Relax。 I could have used my own advice。 I kept shifting in my seat； untying and retying my shoelaces。 The secretary placed a tall glass of lemonade with ice on the coffee table。 There you go。
Sohrab smiled shyly。 Thank you very much； he said in English。 It came out as Tank you wery match。 It was the only English he knew； he d told me； that and Have a nice day。
She laughed。 You re most wele。 She walked back to her desk； high heels clicking on the floor。
Have a nice day； Sohrab said。
RAYMOND ANDREWS was a short fellow with small hands； nails perfectly trimmed； wedding band on the ring finger。 He gave me a curt little shake； it felt like squeezing a sparrow。 Those are the hands that hold our fates； I thought as Sohrab and I seated our selves across from his desk。 A _Les Mis閞ables_ poster was nailed to the wall behind Andrews next to a topographical map of the U。S。 A pot of tomato plants basked in the sun on the windowsill。
Smoke？ he asked； his voice a deep baritone that was at odds with his slight stature。
No thanks； I said； not caring at all for the way Andrews s eyes barely gave Sohrab a glance； or the way he didn t look at me when he spoke。 He pulled open a desk drawer and lit a cigarette from a half…empty pack。 He also produced a bottle of lotion from the same drawer。 He looked at his tomato plants as he rubbed lotion into his hands； cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth。 Then he closed the drawer； put his elbows on the desktop； and exhaled。 So； he said； crinkling his gray eyes against the smoke； tell me your story。
I felt like Jean Valjean sitting across from Javert。 I reminded myself that I was on American soil now； that this guy was on my side； that he got paid for helping people like me。 I want to adopt this boy； take him back to the States with me； I said。
Tell me your story； he repeated； crushing a flake of ash on the neatly arranged desk with his index finger； flicking it into the trash can。
I gave him the version I had worked out in my head since I d hung up with Soraya。 I had gone into Afghanistan to bring back my half brother s son。 I had found the boy in squalid conditions； wasting away in an orphanage。 I had paid the orphanage director a sum of money and withdrawn the boy。 Then I had brought him to Pakistan。
You are the boy s half uncle？
Yes。
He checked his watch。 Leaned and turned the tomato plants on the sill。 Know anyone who can attest to that？
Yes； but I don t know where he is now。
He turned to me and nodded。 I tried to read his face and couldn t。 I wondered if he d ever tried those little hands of his at poker。
I assume getting your jaws wired isn t the latest fashion statement； he said。 We were in trouble； Sohrab and I； and I knew it then。 I told him I d gotten mugged in Peshawar。
Of course； he said。 Cleared his throat。 Are you Muslim？
Yes。
Practicing？
Yes。 In truth； I didn t remember the last time I had laid my forehead to the ground in prayer。 Then I did remember： the day Dr。 Amani gave Baba his prognosis。 I had kneeled on the prayer rug； remembering only fragments of verses I had learned in school。
Helps your case some； but not much； he said； scratching a spot on the flawless part in his sandy hair。
What do you mean？ I asked。 I reached for Sohrab s hand； intertwined my fingers with his。 Sohrab looked uncertainly from me to Andrews。
There s a long answer and I m sure I ll end up giving it to you。 You want the short one first？
I guess； I said。
Andrews crushed his cigarette； his lips pursed。 Give it up。
I m sorry？
Your petition to adopt this young fellow。 Give it up。 That s my advice to you。
Duly noted； I said。 Now； perhaps you ll tell me why。
That means you want the long answer； he said； his voice impassive； not reacting at all to my curt tone。 He pressed his hands palm to palm； as if he were kneeling before the Virgin Mary。 Let s assume the story you gave me is true； though I d bet my pension a good deal of it is either fabricated or omitted。 Not that I care； mind you。 You re here； he s here； that s all that matters。 Even so； your petition faces significant obstacles； not the least of which is that this child is not an orphan。
Of course he is。
Not legally he isn t。
His parents were executed in the street。 The neighbors saw it； I said； glad we were speaking in English。
You have death certificates？
Death certificates？ This is Afghanistan we re talking about。 Most people there don t have birth certificates。
His glassy eyes didn t so much as blink。 I don t make the laws； sir。 Your outrage notwithstanding； you still need to prove the parents are deceased。 The boy has to be declared a legal orphan。
But……
You wanted the long answer and I m giving it to you。 Your next problem is that you need the cooperation of the child s country of origin。 Now； that s difficult under the best of circumstances； and； to quote you； this is Afghanistan we re talking about。 We don t have an American embassy in Kabul。 That makes things extremely plicated。 Just about impossible。
What are you saying； that I should throw him back on the streets？ I said。
I didn t say that。
He was sexually abused； I said； thinking of the bells around Sohrab s ankles； the mascara on his eyes。
I m sorry to hear that； Andrews s mouth said。 The way he was looking at me； though； we might as well have been talking about the weather。 But that is not going to make the INS issue this young fellow a visa。
What are you saying？
I m saying that if you want to help； send money to a reputable relief organization。 Volunteer at a refugee camp。 But at this point