MY MANY CANDID MISTAKES (June 9, 2011)
I have an eye for physiognomy. In olden times, when it was considered a science, my propensity to spot and classify faces would have been considered a useful and well-appreciated talent. Anyhow, a few times a week I mistake someone or other in the Croatian capital for Slobodan Vugrinec, the mayor of Motovun. And my erstwhile political enemy. As it turns out, it is never him, but his countless doubles have started me thinking. They must be of the same national origin. Hungarian, that is. His family comes from Međimurje, which borders on Hungary. And his family name spells his origin simply enough. Now, Hungarians ran Croatia under the Austro-Hungarian empire, too. Their progeny must still thrive in the capital. Which explains my many candid mistakes pretty well.