You really have to be a smug so-and-so to turn up your nose to customers in the midst of economic crises. Or just Greek. Maybe these austerity measures effect customer service as well--because nary a clerk or merchant afforded me a smile, hello, or "merry Christmas."
On Saturday, Christmas Eve, I went to the flea market in Monastaraki. Ha. They have nothing on Berlin or Paris or south Chicago or Istanbul. Those cities know flea market. So, anyway, I'm browsing around the junk - "antique" - lots looking for something that might catch my eye. The only thing I catch, however, are suspicious eyes. These mofos watched me like a hawk. One racist jackass even closed up shop abruptly after I showed up!
I made up my mind then and there to NOT spend another euro in Greece that I didn't have to. I bought a fountain pen from a brown (translation: immigrant) merchant for 5 euros and went about my business. At the supermarket I finally had to call out one of these snooty Greeks. After noticing he was following me around the store I very calmly called his attention to the following:
Excuse me. If you don't want me to shop here I'll gladly take my money elsewhere. I'm not a thief and you've been following me around like I'm a criminal.He claimed not to understand my English but I said, "Oh I think you do," and walked away. Suddenly he comprehended English very well and started on about having the right to follow anyone in his store. Then do it, I snapped."And don't just follow ME because I'm black. That's racism. And I know racial discrimination is against the law in Greece."
Greece deserves it's economic crisis. And I won't buy one crappy souvenir to help them out. And I thought Parisians were full of themselves!
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