Our tranquil life in Kabul ended when Hassan knocked on our door at daybreak, on April 27, 1978, with news of a communist coup d’état. Just a mile down the road from our home, there was fighting around the palace and armored personnel at every intersection. Hassan advised getting rid of any guns and ammunition we might have, hiding valuables, and, if possible, leaving Kabul immediately for somewhere safe. In a matter of minutes, the four walls of our home were sanctuary and refuge no more, but bricks and mortar to be blasted into smithereens.
