Kite Flying in Kabul

So we only had a half day of obligations and had to return to the guesthouse for the remainder of the day. It is beginning to feel like we are confined and I am getting a bit stir crazy. The afternoon turned fun when I stepped out on our deck and saw a red kite flying in the distance. It was only a tiny red spot and at first I thought it was a flag. Then it moved around, bobbing up and down and I knew it was a kite. The book Kite Runner flashed to mind. As I began to scan the city skyline from the roof, I spotted other kites. Soon our housekeeper was with us, helping us get a kite in the air. It started to sprinkle and so he went inside and came back with new kite he had made out of black plastic – weather proof. It looked just like a sting ray with the tail and all. The wind caught it and took it high up in the sky. I learned the tricks of watching it turn and roll and when to let the string out versus pull it back. It was so much fun! Unfortunately, the wind turned a bit and our kite got stuck in a tall Cyprus tree. Our housekeeper was such a pro, he continued to command it. He desperately worked to try and free it from the tree. As he worked and worked, another little kite began to creep up. You could tell the other kite was stalking its pray and maneuvered with clear intention for a kite fight. Without any defense, as we were limited by the grip of the tree, the other kite came around and cut our string. We watched as our kite drifted away from the string that connected it to us and flutter toward to the earth. I wondered how long before our kite would be retrieved and airborne again over the rooftops of Kabul.