Sunday 24 May 2009

An odd thing

Gypsies are not held in very high regard in Spain.

I often hold the door for people or I wait for them to pass. My mother would withhold my pocket money if I didn't! It's what we older Brits do. Very seldom does anyone here in Spain nod or mouth a thank-you as a result. They are usually chatting to someone trailing in their wake so they do not register the open door or the clear passage. Doors regularly slam in my face or my passage is blocked because a Spanish person simply fails to notice me. It's not a big deal. It's how things works here but it is noticeable as a difference.

Today my car was blocked in. A man rushed to move his car and apologised. On the other side of the car, as I waited, I closed my car door to let a man get into his van, he thanked me.

Both men were Gypsies.

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