Skippers

Thessonaliki, Greece

As we wait at the train station to depart for Belgrade, Damon and I have noticed something that I hesitated to mention on this Weblog. But this topic has become quite the joke between us now, and thus I find it necessary to share with readers.

I will keep it simple: Greek people are skippers. Now, I don't mean that they master boats at sea. No, what I mean is that they really like to cut in line. Of course, this is a daring generality to make and I certainly make it in jest. As I mentioned earlier, this has become quite the joke of the trip to Greece and I realize that all Greeks do not necessarily skip. But the fact is, Damon and I have been blatently skipped in line nearly ten times during our short stay in Greece. At first I thought it was random chance, but then I asked one of my friends that I met in Corfu. Vicili, a native of Greece, said that it is in fact true: the Greek are notorious for skipping in line. In fact, as a generality the Greek people tend to have that "skipper" attitude. As Vicili told me -- and as I confirmed later -- you have to get in a person's face when they skip (or do anything to take advantage of you) or they will walk all over you. I'm not one to avoid confrontation, so you'd better believe I've done just that.

In any event, as we waited this early morning to buy our train ticket to Belgrade, Damon and I noticed one last skipper as we departed from Thessonaliki. I was too tired to say anything, and just laughed as the 70 year old man looked around a bit, then planted his luggage at the front of the line and casually sat down on the bench right next to the ticket teller. You gotta love that.