Ljubica Handjal and I have been at loggerheads as of late. She feels rather strongly that one should not complain about anything as long as one is not directly aggrieved. My renewed campaign against all those who want to impose golf and polo upon Motovun for their own benefit gets on her nerves. “You crave for nothing,” she exclaims in exasperation whenever the subject is broached, “so why do you bitch about this silly thing?” But I love Ljubica so much that our occasional tiffs add up to little. Just as before, I laud her far and wide for her many virtues whenever an opportunity arises. “Listen,” I told her as soon as she walked into Klaudio’s this evening, “I’ve been telling everyone how wonderful you are.” It was true, too. As is her habit, she did not miss a beat: “It’s easy to tell the truth, ain’t it?!”

Addendum (October 19, 2018)

Nowadays, I do not complain about a thing as long as I am not directly aggrieved. And I would not lift a finger against crooked sports like golf and polo any longer. Motovun is none of my business, anyway. The same holds for the rest of Istria and Croatia as a whole. More important, the same holds for the world entire. In my mind, subterranean subversion is the only remedy left to us in the age of rampant capitalism that has spread around the globe without let or hindrance (“A Recipe for Foolproof Subversion,” May 14, 2013). Returning to Ljubica, who died five years ago, she was certainly right (“The Fourth Alternative,” October 13, 2013). Her wisdom was beyond me so many years ago, though. But it has been far from easy to tell the truth till this day. It takes no less than mad courage to even hint at it. And this belated addendum is the proof. Rest in peace, old friend!