I invented excuses to stroll down the aisle--which Baba acknowledged with a playful smirk--and pass the Taheris’ stand. I would wave at the general, perpetually dressed in his shiny overpressed gray suit, and he would wave back. Sometimes he’d get up from his director’s chair and we’d make small talk about my writing, the war, the day’s bargains.

我找借口去順著走道逛一逛，Baba同意了，還玩味性地傻笑，然后我經過Taheri所站的位置。我會向將軍揮手，他永遠穿著他那一身閃亮的過于緊身的灰色的西服，他會向我揮手回應。有時他會從他的椅子上面起身，同我閑聊，聊我的寫作、聊戰(zhàn)爭和當天的討價還價。