The Kite Runner

- You ready?

- Yeah. Let's go.

- Is that what I think it is?

- I think so.

- You nervous?

- As long as they spelled my name right.

- You want a moment alone with it?

- I want you right here with me.

There it is.

There it is.

Your baby.

I'll get it.

Hello?

Hello?

You should come home.

Home?

I don't know if now's such a good time.

It's a very bad time,

but you should come.

There is a way to be good again, Amir.

Amir jan.

Hassan! Hassan!

Omar! Omar! Omar!

Omar!

Amir.

Amir jan.

Baba.

Ali.

Ali.

A pack of those.

- Is that your car?

- Yeah.

- Beautiful car.

- Thanks.

Richard Hidalgo.

Erin Hill.

Denise Hawking.

Damon Hooper.

June Kitagawa.

- Hi.

- Hello.

- Tonight I'm very happy.

- Well, that's good.

- Tonight I drink with my son.

- Hi.

How are you, my friend?

Let's have a drink with us.

- What you like to drink?

- Scotch.

- Three Scotch, please.

- I'll have a beer instead. Thanks.

- Budweiser?

- Sure.

Please.

My son, the college graduate.

- It's just community college.

- It's college.

And someday, Dr. Amir!

- You know I want to write.

- Write?

I don't want to be a doctor.

Cheers.

One more, sir.

So instead of being doctor

and saving lives,

he wants make up stories.

Beautiful! Beautiful shot!

You see that shot?

A pitcher of beer for gentlemen, please.

Cheers. My son,

he graduates college today.

- Way to go, man. Congratulations.

- Thank you.

F*** the Russia!

- F*** the Russia!

- F*** Russia.

- Four, so that's $6.

- Okay.

Amir jan.

A story.

- How much?

- $160.

Not bad.

- You want a Coke?

- Sure. Be careful.

Of what?

I won't.

- Hi.

- Hi.

- Is General Sahib here today?

- Yeah, he went that way.

Will you tell him that I stopped by

to pay my respects?

I will.

Thank you. Oh, and my name's Amir.

In case you need to know,

so you can tell him that I stopped by.

To pay my respects.

- I'll go now. Sorry to disturb you.

- Oh, no, no, you didn't.

Good.

Can I ask what you're reading?

Have you read it?

It's a sad story.

I heard you write.

Would you like to read

one of my stories?

I'd like that.

Great.

- How much for this?

- $5.

- I'll give you three.

- Okay.

Thank you.

- You're not much of a haggler.

- I know.

I brought you something.

- You remembered.

- Of course.

- For your granddaughter?

- My granddaughter.

- Impossible.

- Thank you very much.

Here you go. Thank You.

- Have a good day.

- You're welcome.

Amir.

What's wrong?

Nothing.

The General?

You okay?

You all right?

Have you been coughing?

Yes.

Where are you from?

I grew up in Michigan.

Came out here for medical school.

Once you get used to

that California sunshine...

- But your family?

- My family.

We're originally from Russia.

I'm sorry.

- How are you feeling?

- The same.

We have your results back.

Wait outside for me.

"The citizens of Kabul

were skeletons now,

"skeletons selling naswar

in the night market,

"skeletons drinking cups of strong tea,

''skeletons playing cards

in the moonlight.

''They greeted me as I passed,

teeth clacking together in their jaws.

"'Salaam, brother,' they said.

'''Welcome home.'''

It's sort of a work in progress.

It's called The Sultans of Kabul.

Good title.

Keep going.

That's the end.

That's not an ending.

It's my story.

I get to end it how I want.

It's not Dr. Amani's decision.

I'm really sorry.

You better go back inside

or your father will come after me.

Your story made me cry.

You read it?

Our secret?

Yeah.

Our secret.

Can I do anything else for you?

Then I wonder

if you'd do something for me.

Okay. Good luck.

Hello?

- About what?

- About what?

Okay. Okay. I'm on my way.

You do want to get married?

- To me, I mean.

- Of course I do.

It's just... I want to tell you something,

something you need to know.

I don't want us to start with secrets.

We lived in Virginia

before we came here.

We left because

I ran away with an Afghan man.

I was 18.

I guess I thought I was being rebellious.

We lived together for almost a month.

All the Afghans in Virginia

were talking about it.

My father eventually found us.

He showed up at the door

and he made me come home.

I was hysterical,

and I told him I hated him.

We moved out to California

a few weeks later.

I didn't talk to my father

for a very long time. And now...

Now I feel like he's the reason

why I'm here.

Does what I told you bother you?

A little.

Does it bother you enough

to change your mind?

No.

Not even close.

I'd marry you tonight if I could.

What do you see?

The rest of my life.

- They're so funny.

- They were crazy.

That's a funny picture.

They're so cute.

- Amir jan?

- Right here, Baba.

It will not be easy.

But you must come, Amir.

You're a good man.

You all right?

I have to go to Pakistan.

Pakistan?

Rahim Khan is very sick.

Your father's friend?

Is it safe right now?

What about the book tour?

There wouldn't be any books

if not for Rahim Khan.

It's terrible what's happening

in your country.

Afghani people and Pakistani people,

they are like brothers.

Muslim have to help Muslim.

They call this area Afghan Town.

Sometimes it feels like Peshawar

is a suburb of Kabul.

This way.

Amir jan.

Amir jan.

''For Rahim Khan,

who listened to my stories

''before I knew how to write them.''

This is a great honor, Amir.

Let me take you home with me.

I can find you a good doctor.

They're coming up with new treatments

all the time.

Amir, Amir, Amir.

I see America has infused you

with her optimism.

But there is such a thing as God's will.

I didn't bring you here

to complain about my health.

Forgive me, Amir jan.

Forgive me for what I have to tell you.

Hassan is dead.

How?

You know I watched over

your father's house after you left.

But none of the caretakers I hired

lasted more than a year.

Some were dishonest, some lazy.

So a few years ago I went to Hazarajat

and brought Hassan

and his family home with me.

His wife, Farzana, and his son, Sohrab.

It was so good to have them there.

Hassan kept the house

from falling apart.

And Farzana cooked the meals.

But when my health began to fail,

well, there isn't a hospital in

Afghanistan that can help me,

so I came here.

A few weeks after I left,

the Taliban came to the house.

Hassan told them that he was looking

after the house for me, but...

They said that he was a liar and a thief

like all the other Hazaras.

And they ordered him to leave

with his family by nightfall.

So they took him to the street

and ordered him to kneel

and shot him in the back of the head.

Farzana came screaming

and attacked them and...

They shot her, too.

And the boy?

Sohrab?

He is in an orphanage

in Karteh Seh.

Hassan sent this to me a week

before he died.

It's for you.

He taught himself to read and write.

He didn't want to send you a letter

until he could do it properly.

Amir,

you need to go back to Kabul.

I've arranged for a driver.

He's a good man.

I can't go back to Kabul.

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