MY DISCOMFITURE (October 30, 2014)

My talk at the Belgrade Book Fair went well. I did not beat around the bush in presenting my book’s gory message. I sat between Aleksandar Dmitrović, who introduced me to HESPERIAedu, the book’s publisher, and who designed the book, and Zorica Stablović Bulajić, the publisher. Nena Jovanović, the wife of my first Belgrade publisher, Miša Jovanović, was in the audience. Before the talk, she told me that he had died on that exact date seven years ago. When I lauded Zorica for taking up my book, I mentioned Miša, as well. When I came upon his death, I choked up. First I stopped speaking, and then I mumbled a few words under my breath. But my discomfiture worked well with the audience. Although my book was about awful things, I was a man with a heart and soul. My talk thus ended with a warm applause. I met Zorica only yesterday, but we were hugging by the end of the evening. My second Belgrade publisher is a wonderful person. And that is all that counts with me at this stage.