Beggars. Beggars grind my gears! I know that sounds awful, and I do feel slightly awful about it, but these last few weeks in Greece has made me numb to the awful effects of the economy. When I first started seeing them (which didn't take long, they're everywhere) it broke my heart. A lot of them are young children who play instruments. Some of them even have puppies. PUPPIES! How fair is that? Not at all, not at all fair. However, the money you give to them isn't enough. Sometimes they will just distract you with their cuteness and one of their cute little friends will run by and pick your pockets. Luckily, no one in our group has been pick pocketed so far, but it is a legit threat. They're on the metro, too. They'll walk up and down the car, sticking their hand in your face and asking for money. You just have to repeat no over and over again. There was once I was actually going to give a beggar money and they asked for more! What? Yeah, the beggar decided to be a chooser. The worst part is I gave them more. The Greeks seem to be completely desensitized to this. They don't give them money, but they also don't seem annoyed by it. At this point, I kind of want to snap at one of them and tell them to get a real job. I know, I'm heartless, but there's only so much one can take before they snap, and I'm hitting that point.
Another form of begging I've seen besides the obvious ones on the side of the street are the shop and restaurant owners. Oh my sweet Lord, every time you pass one someone is yelling at you to come inside. After about a block or two of this I want to throw something at one of them. I don't, but the urge never really leaves. Have you no self respect? I can't believe they get any business at all because their yelling has never made me thing, "Oh, you know what? I think I really want to go stop in front of that store with the screaming woman in front of it." Shocking, I know. I'll be very happy when I'm back in America and able to walk in front of stores or restaurants without being harassed. It will be a beautiful day, indeed.
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