A few years ago, at a public gathering, I likened the mayor of Motovun to a cockroach when I talked about his propensity to work in the dark and behind closed doors. Simply put, it was a metaphor for undemocratic behavior. And this is why he sued me for insult, of course. But it just crossed my mind that I fall on the opposite side of the spectrum when it comes to light and doors: I like to work in plain daylight with doors swung wide open. My Residua exemplifies our differences quite beautifully. It would never cross his mind to put his innermost thoughts on the World Wide Web, knowing that I, among others, could read his writings. With me, it is exactly the opposite. I put my thoughts into the ether with relish because I know that he, among others, could read them. We got into conflict chiefly because we fall on two opposite sides of the spectrum. We are antipodes, to put it a bit more technically. Returning to my metaphor, I am an anti-cockroach.

Addendum I (September 20, 2015)

Having stumbled upon this piece entirely by chance, I read it with requisite attention. As well as growing appreciation. Indeed, I like to work in plain daylight with doors swung wide open. This applies not only to my retirement years, but also to my entire working life. Well, this is how I behaved during my studies, as well. To the best of my knowledge, the former mayor of Motovun has preferred working in the dark and behind closed doors all his life. And this is how he is likely to behave in his retirement one fine day. We just fall on two different extremes of the same spectrum. The cockroach spectrum, as it were. Chances are that most people fall someplace in between. But my ruminations lead me to further questions about this division. Are there about as many cockroaches as anti-cockroaches evenly distributed along the spectrum? Or are most people close to the middle, where it is hard to make such a clear distinction? It did not take long to realize that the latter possibility must be much closer to the truth than the former. As luck would have it, the former mayor and I just happen to fall close to the extreme ends of this division. In simple terms, he is an introvert while I am an extrovert, but both of us are exemplary in terms of this important dimension of human personality. Which is perhaps why we got into a fight in the first place. As well as why few people are able to identify with either of us very closely.

Addendum II (February 2, 2016)

Compelling as my ruminations about the former mayor of Motovun and myself may be on occasion, they eschew the real cockroach, the insect behind the contested metaphor. Compared to the mighty insect, I am a fool and the shady mayor is a veritable sage. Indeed, I have suffered from the metaphor over the years while he has only gained from it. Quite handsomely, too. In the end, the cockroach spectrum may be a valuable one for humans, as well. If I have anything to teach, it is only by counter-example. The anti-cockroach through and through.