page78 (2/2)

“I actually love basketball,” he told ives you this incredible rush, you know? You’re swept up in this sea of people and energy and then, suddenly, the ball’s in the hoop and you’re blasting down the court again It’s incredible I can’t believe more people aren’t into it”

“I’ve never heard it described so eloquently,” I told hirow red “I mean, everyone in South Dakota plays basketball, but they kind of just grunt about it Nothing poetic”

“Those of us fro,” Rahed “I could describe this wine poetically—with a hint of tartness, a wood-like quality But then I’d be lying, because I don’t know a single thing about wine Only that I like to drink it”

“Me too,” I adhter

We strolled through the other side of theourselves in front of a dessert station Rahtly self-centered way, about his awards in various areas of his university degree But I found that he was very clearly listening to what I said, that he held my words in his head

“So that’s why you decided toabout the scholarship I’d gotten to work in Al-Jarra “For theelse that drove you? A desire to see the world?”

The personal question felt bizarre, especially since I hadn’t had a real, fully formed conversation with a man asn’tto see as behind his eyes Trying to find the reason for the question

“I was fascinated with your culture,” I told him, truthfully “And I was only 23 at the time I wanted to stretch out across the world and discover…I don’t knohat I was meant to be”

Of course, this was true But there was so nosis There was the fact going home would necessarily mean that my mother would die I was latched onto life in Al-Jarra now And I was unable to return

Perhaps he saw a flicker of this truth infor a htly colored bird glided over, casting a shadow across his perfect face

“All right If you won’t tellabout you, how old are you?” he finally asked, h