Weird Story, Huh?

Susan Rothenberg: I did a couple of solitary trips to Europe, lived in Greece for a while, and tried to live in Israel.

Sting: Mmmm. I think that’s what most personalities or famous people do.

Rothenberg: Yeah, especially when there are houseguests or something.

Sting: They were cameos, which is a euphemistic form of walk-on.

Rothenberg: Yes, but I don’t attribute any meaning to it.

•••

Sting: It’s set in a big castle, like Kafka, an enormous castle that’s been there forever and ever, so long that nobody can remember when it was bought.

Rothenberg: No place else to go. (Laughs) Sometimes hours pass.

Sting: Enough to make them want to know more about me but no more.

Rothenberg: One drawing I did on my stomach, kneeling and crouching over this big piece of paper, so that I couldn’t have any perspective, and so that I didn’t have that back-and-forth space between me, my arm, and the wall.

Sting: That’s a dilemma.

•••

Rothenberg: Weird story, huh? That’s what books are for.

Sting: It’s about a young man who is very confused, very ambiguous, very disturbed, and very disturbing.

Rothenberg: He said, “Here’s my keys. I live on the top of the building on 23rd Street and Eighth Avenue.”

Sting: That’s not true. I wouldn’t want to belong.

Rothenberg: I had a loft within three months.