Special offer.

 World Cup special offer. 

Kip’s, Berkeley, CA. One week ago.
     “As I understand it,” Confucius was saying to no one in particular, “M is the 13th letter of your Western alphabet. So, who am I going to root for going forward? Morocco is clearly out, Argentina is led Messi, France by Mbappé, and Croatia by Modrić.”
     “My good sir,” a man in a military jacket, having just stepped off the album cover of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, spoke over Confucius’ shoulder, “Pardon me for interrupting.”
     “No,” Confucius turned toward him, motioning to the empty stool beside him. “Sit.”
     “Allow me to introduce myself; I believe I can help you with your dilemma. Ljudevit Gaj,* modest,” swallowing the word with a modest cough but then repeating it for clarity, “modest creator of Ljudevit Gaj’s Latin alphabet. My card.”
     Confucius took it, odd proportions. There was only the name on the front and the dates 1809 - 1872. “Ah, turn it over,” Ljudevit Gaj said.

“I believe you'll find that in the alphabet my talented countryman Luka uses, M is the 18th letter.”

                                                                       12.19.22

______________
 * Don’t ignore the “1 minute read.” You know how much you use the site.

Special offer. This FIFA World Cup commemorative: Kǒng & Lju on a field of checks. (Actual size. Exclusive from The Ambiguities.)