The weather is very to my liking. As I am sitting by an open window, the afternoon sun is tickling my back. From time to time, I take a sip of wine out of my glass. And then a large fly thunders into the house. It dashes left and right. Up and down. Backwards and forwards. Hither and thither. Dazed by the fly’s histrionics, I start laughing. “Goodness gracious,” I complain under my breath, “slow down and enjoy this fantastic weather!” When the fly thunders out of the window at last, I shake my head and take another leisurely sip from my glass. “Silly old thing,” I can almost hear myself grumble in disapproval. A fly critic hard at work.

Addendum (September 17, 2007)

I love this piece. It is a model of humility. Having sent it to friends on my electronic-postcard list, I decide to paste it on a few postcards and send it by mail to friends who are not on that list. To my surprise, I send it to the governor of Istria, Ivan Jakovčić, as well. In this case, I paste the piece on a postcard showing a black-and-white photograph of Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin chatting amiably at Yalta in 1945. Next to the local stamp, I paste a sticker showing Warhol’s Mao. The piece suddenly changes meaning. It becomes a model of hubris. Only imagine the hapless governor and his office crew puzzling out this innocent missive from one of his own subjects. Oh, I love this piece, indeed.