Arnon Grunberg

A streetcar

My wife got sick

In 1992 (or maybe in 1991) I was the proud owner of a very small publishing house and for that reason I traveled to the Frankfurt book fair. I stayed at a small hotel in the village of Königstein, north of Frankfurt in the hills of the Taunus.
One day I decided to walk the hills instead of going to the book fair.
“Amante” traveled today to Frankfurt with my satellite phone. The plan was to try the phone in Königstein, but the weather was not suitable for such an operation.
We traveled by train – actually more a streetcar – to Königstein where we visited a “Konditorei” – a pastry shop.
I was reminded of the fact that in the fall 1992 (or 1991) I had made a reservation for a double room. Somehow I was convinced that I would find a woman to travel with me to the Frankfurt book fair.
When I checked in at the hotel I told the owner, a gray-haired lady: “I apologize but my wife got sick.”