time of the gypsies

Originally uploaded by kristalynn.

i just came back from prague. i was staying with a czech man, who, whenever i ventured outside, lectured me on the perils of the gypsies.

"you're going for a coffee? oh lord, do beware of the gypsies! they'll take you for all you're worth."

"yes, and after the coffee, i'm taking the train to bratislava."

"oh no you don't! the gypsies will rob you blind. they'll leave you for dead."

when i lived in rome, it was the same thing: "stay away from the forum! the gypsies will swarm you!"

i had no encounters with gypsies in eastern europe and only two over a three year span in rome.

my school was five minutes away from the coliseum. one day during a spare, i decided to go there to do my homework. this was before russell crowe brought the swarms of tourists that now line up around the amphitheatre. i was sitting on the stone steps, amid one or two tourists. i looked up and saw a 10 year old gypsy coming towards me, with the cardboard.

i smiled at her. she smiled back and walked away.

the second happened a few years ago when i went back to rome. i was having lunch with a friend in campo dei fiori when a young gypsy woman came around. she held her baby in one arm, the other hand asking for money, and her boob was out.

my fork, full of risotto, froze in mid air, my mouth agape. my friend's coffee spilled out of the sides of his mouth. she was the most beautiful woman i had ever set eyes upon. she was probably in her early 20s with long dark brown hair. everything about her was free: her clothing, her baby, her bare feet, her laughter, her freckles... her attitude about her boob in my face.

i was besotted.

we gave her copious amounts of cash. we handed it over by the handful. the waiter stumbled out of the cafe and handed over a wad of bills.

she laughed and walked away.

it took about five minutes for us to be able to speak again.