July 4, 2007 Supper in Monastiraki

Monastiraki is one of several centers in Athens that tourists like to visit. There is a large flea market there, but on last evening we had other things in mind. Theodosia took me on a driving tour to show me where the city bus would go so that I would know where to get off to visit Omonia "square". Actually Omonia is more of a circle than a square, with major roads leading from it like spokes from the hub of a wheel. We stopped at the Hellenic American Union, which teaches and certifies Greeks in English language proficiency, to pick up info about activities there. And then we stopped on the way home in Monastiraki at about 11 p.m. for supper.
Seated at a table outside on a busy corner we had ample opportunity to people-watch. We ordered souvlaki and mousaki and patates and cokes. While we were eating, several people came by with wares to offer. Greeks are adept at brushing these people off. They simply ignore them or use body language that is known to all. But when a little girl came by, Theodosia, who detests that children are allowed to work on the streets, asked her why she was selling things and the child immediately walked away. When another came by later, and Theodosia asked where is your mother, the girl, about six years old, simply turned her head away. When she asked a second time, the girl motioned in the vicinity of the open square where street salesmen had spread sheets on the ground to display their wares. When she asked where is your father, the girl averted her face but did not answer. Asked a second time she averted her face in the other direction, but she did not move from the table. She knew she had hooked a customer, so simply stood there without a word until Theodosia fished the Euro out of her purse to buy a cigarette lighter, and when she had the coins in hand, she immediately put them in her pocket and moved to the next table to repeat her performance.
Theodosia tries to understand what parent allows their six year old to sell wares on a busy street at 11 p.m. I pointed out that the girl was clean, well-dressed in a clean top and short skirt, with her hair carefully brushed so obviously someone cares for her, or else they have learned that she will make more sales if she presents herself that way. She contrasted with the gypsy children who were neither clean, well dressed or groomed. Her refusal to answer questions is likely on orders not to talk to people. But unless someone is lurking in the crowd keeping an eye on the child, I fear for her safety. We could see no one watching. The restaurant waiters, however, did not chase her away, so either she has tacit permission to be there or is allowed because she does not interfere with the trade.
Then we watched something that even Theodosia had never seen. I saw the man first, about in his early twenties. What caught my attention was that he had his eyes "glued" to the plate that had been shoved aside by the people sitting at the next table. His eyes never left the plate, not once, and then his hand slowly came out and closed over a potato and he walked away a few steps to eat it. Again he never looked at the people, only at the plate, and approached, slowly reached out and closed his hand over food on the plate and stuffed it in his mouth. When Theodosia held out a stick of souvlaki that we had not eaten, he did not take it but rushed off, tipping over the beer bottle from the table. The waiter came over calmly, picked up the bottle, and said "he will be back." So obviously he was known to them too. Theodosia said he must have something wrong mentally to act that way. I have to admit it was strange watching him, not dissimilar to a dog watching for a chance to get scraps from the table.
These members of society who exist on another level from those who have financial means, bob in and out of view like corks or pieces of jetsam on the surface of the ocean. With little effort it seems, we have trained ourselves not to see them.