Jože Dekleva and his family dropped by earlier today. They have a summer house on the coast not far from Motovun. We used to be partners in Ljubljana more than thirty years ago. Afterwards, we climbed together almost every summer. My beloved mentioned my manipulation skills at some point. “The great manipulator,” Jože chimed in at once. My beloved was delighted to find someone who knew me well. “His Venetian roots explain everything,” Jože added with gusto. There was no end to their merriment. Curiously, I did not complain at all. Even the most cursory of mentions of the Venetian connection was all that was needed to cajole me. Jože knows me quite well, indeed. And my beloved is catching up with him with enviable speed. She knows me for fifteen years, too.