Summary

In "The Cast," the unnamed first person narrator introduces the main characters of her story as Ivan, Béla, András, Malina, and herself. She says her story is set "Today" and in Vienna (4). She is reluctant to say the story is set "today," because "'today is an impossible word" for her (4). She considers the complications associated with this word. Though the main setting is Vienna, she argues that the real setting is the street where she lives, "a small section of the Ungargasse" (5). She lives in Number 6 with Malina, and Ivan lives in Number 9.

She recalls the first time she met Malina. No matter when and where she saw him, he always disappeared. Because of these unsatisfying meetings, she began inventing "mysterious stories" about him (11).

The narrator is reconciled with how their relationship developed, though she still wonders what they "can be...