Thus a large graffito on a wall not far from my dentist’s. Although I just went through nothing more than regular cleaning, which takes place every three months, it was not exactly pleasant. The French graffito in the center of the Croatian capital lifts my spirits in a jiffy. By and by, the city is turning international. “Merci beaucoup!” I smile and nod toward it. And I hurry to the closest of my favorite cafés. A pint of Guinness will suit me just right at this juncture.

Addendum (March 15, 2014)

I just walked past the graffito one more time, and I realized that I had misread it yesterday. In fact, it says “tous vas bien!” Silly old me, I went by the French I learned in school. I thought it meant something like “all is well,” whence my piece. I just checked the expression, and it is all over the World Wide Web. It actually stands for something like “all alright.” This must be a new French expression, I guess. Zagreb is getting to be international, indeed. Its second reading notwithstanding, the expression lifted me up yesterday. One way or another, the second reading is undoubtedly uplifting, as well.