beggar children

this is not a tale of rome and am promising to get some pics up by this weekend. begging is a big problem here and its really really sad. there are lots of old shrunken women (osteoporosis i guess) begging at the train stations or trying to sell booties and gloves theyve knit. you feel sorry for many because they are ones that have been forgotten by the state or totally left behind with the introduction of capitalism. your soviet pension doesnt go far when prices approach that of western countries. but i digress

this just came to mind cause i saw this group of kids again yesterday.

a few weeks ago, i was coming home and made a pit stop at the local jiffy. sometimes i need bananas and sometimes the chocolate calls my name something fierce. anyway, i passed a group of children - boys and girls 7 and younger. they look like theyd just came home from school, wearing backpacks and i assumed they belong to people living in my area. as i exit the jiffy, the group of kids stare at me, like hard. many are overwhelmed at seeing something they have never experienced before. but i continue on my way. they follow. am wearing a backpack but i feel something strike me. i turn around and i see on of them with a stick. i keep walking only to feel that again. this time i stop and growl with a stern look. i turn around and continue on home, only to feel it again. this time i turn around only to find myself dumbfounded. the children decide to demand money.

okay. i dont know who taught them, but this is the absolutely wrong way to beg for money. pitiful glances, attempts at looking cute and starving work, but not, i repeat, not intimidation. a little too young for the whole shakedown thing, especially when i am much bigger. so am thinking of using my many years of teaching experience to give something back to the community.

thats right! i'm beginning a begging school. someone's gotta teach em right.