Arnon Grunberg

Shortcake

Peru

Last night I had dinner with John Malkovich (who is interested in turning one of my novels in a movie) in the townhouse of a Hollywood star in Manhattan. The star was absent, but the food that Mr. Malkovich had prepared was delicious. Some of the other guests (a good friend of Mr. Malkovich and his assistant) had mixed feelings about the shortcake; I thought that the shortcake was sweet but terrific.
Many people passed during the dinner conversation, Ayaan H and Bill C; Dustin H and Volker S.
The evening passed by quickly and at the end Mr. Malkovich said: “I wish I were a Hollywood star as well then I could live in a house like this.” The statement contained a certain amount of truth, but seemed to me also an ironic comment on both town house and Hollywood.
Unfortunately I never touched on the subject of Peru although I think that “The Dancer Upstairs” is a fine movie.