Short summary of the story "Cream" in the book, First Person Singular.

In “Cream,” an unnamed narrator recalls a strange event that occurred when he was 18 years old. He received an invitation to a piano recital from a girl with whom he once took lessons. Feeling lonely and despondent after failing his university entrance exam, he decided to attend the recital. However, when he arrived, the hall and neighborhood where it was being held were completely empty. Feeling confused and anxious, he walked to a park and sat on a bench. Soon after, he was joined by an old man, who asked him to imagine a “circle with many centers” but “no circumference” (18). The narrator told him it was difficult to imagine such a thing, and the man replied that “There's nothing worth getting in this world that you can get easily” (20). This conversation comforted the narrator and resonated with him for many years.