I dreamt that I called my mother on the phone. I could tell at once that she was anguished. She sounded remote and reserved, almost haughty in her grief. Unfortunately, I remember only one sentence of our conversation: “Your father has just made a suicide attempt.” It was clear that the attempt was not successful, but that was all. I could not learn anything else about it. I remember thinking feverishly about my next step, but I had no idea what I could do to help my parents. I was too far away to do anything of value to either of them. When I woke up, I had a feeling I was still in America, many years ago, when my parents and I would talk on the phone only a few times a year. It was always I who called, for the phone was too expensive for them in Yugoslavia. Which is why every call was a bit weird.