This weekend I am flying to Belgrade, where I will stay for a fortnight. The ostensible reason for this trip is the promotion of my last two books, Belgrade Postcards (2002) and Istrian Postcards (2003), but I am most eager to see my friends there. Miša Jovanović, without whom the two selections from my Residua would never have seen the light of day, has sent me today all the promotion details. It will take place at six o’clock on April 15 in the Cultural Center Božidar Adžija, known to all as Božidarac, in the street by the same name. I cannot remember where this center and street are in Belgrade, but not to worry. Miša and his wife, Nena, who has done a great deal around the publication of my books, as well, will take me there anyhow. However, the bit that made me especially happy about the promotion arrangements is the date. It happens to fall on the twenty-eighth birthday of my No. 1 son, Marko. And this from a man who prides himself on dismissing all birthdays!

Addendum I (April 10, 2003)

This was written yesterday afternoon, as soon as I returned home from the office. Several hours later, when I was about to go to sleep, I got a mobile-phone text-message from Miša: “Don’t announce the promotion details just yet.” Perplexed, I called him on his mobile phone. I found him in a crowded restaurant. In Belgrade, the place would be called kafana or coffeehouse, from the Turkish kahve-hane. I could almost see and smell the clouds of cigarette smoke. At any rate, Miša told me he needed more time to find the best place for the promotion. “There is a lot of time to let everyone know,” he told me confidently. “Besides,” he continued, “the information will be in the newspapers and on television.” He also mentioned that some young actress, whose mother is English, would be reading from my book. “Books like yours deserve the very best,” he explained seriously. As we were talking, people started singing merrily at a table not far from Miša’s. Belgrade in a nutshell. Returning to the original piece, it is about my attitude toward birthdays, anyway.

Addendum II (April 12, 2003)

As chance would have it, Marko’s upcoming birthday will be a big one for him, too. When I sent him this piece and the first addendum, he wrote back that he would ask his girlfriend, Molly, to marry him on that very day. As yet, she does not have a clue about his plot. He has already asked her father and her mother for her hand, and they are both over the moon. I congratulated him and told him that Molly was very much to my liking. In fact, I have had to be careful not to show my enthusiasm over the years. I know that Elise has felt the same way—enthusiastic but wary of pushing the young couple into marriage. She called me today. She is very happy about the whole thing, and she wanted to hear my voice. But as soon as she mentioned me coming to the wedding, I had to tell her that I was not to come. Although quite used to my strange ways, Elise was shocked. I tried to explain that a wedding I envisioned for Marko and Molly was not my cup of tea. In addition, I pleaded that I was not eager to fly ever again, and especially not to America. She still could not believe her ears. Then she begged me not to mention it to Marko for as long as possible. That I promised. Another family drama is in the making, though.