Ljubica Handjal was not pleased when I started teasing her about her slip of the tongue, for there were many of us assembled at Klaudio’s. “Scooter, skipper,” she raised her hands in mock desperation, “what’s the damn difference?!” Indeed, both English words are relatively recent imports into Croatian, and thus difficult to tell apart. Besides, Miro Kopčalić’s latest diploma, which allows him to sail unmolested by maritime authorities along the Croatian coast, will forever remain blessed by Ljubica’s slip. He will be remembered by all and sundry in Motovun simply as the scooter. Only the most pernickety among the nitpickers will remember him as the skipper.