QUINQUIS - THUGS

Mi último post sobre los gitanos me ha recordado otro episodio que me pasó en Madrid en los '80. Iba a un teatro en el barrio de Lavapies a ver una obra de Josep Mª Flotats pero me perdí entre las oscuras callejuelas. Era invierno y aunque temprano (19:30) era ya de noche. Iba sola en un lado de la acera. Al otro lado de repente ví a un grupo de quinquis (serían unos cinco) con unas pintas que daban miedo. Yo, ni corta ni perezosa, me acerqué a ellos y les pregunté: "Perdonad, por favor, sabríais dónde queda el teatro "tal-y-tal" que parece que me he perdido?" Les pillé tan de sorpresa que se quedaron cortados. Empezaron a balbucear entre ellos, diciéndose: "Tio, ¿sabes dónde queda el teatro?", otro respondía: "Tio, me parece que es calle abajo, la primera a la derecha". Les dije: "Gracias. Habeis sido muy amables" y seguí mi camino. Moraleja: Hay que tratar a las personas, no importa la pinta que tengan, como seres humanos y como si fueran vestidos de frac. Os sorprenderíais de su actitud. Porque si yo hubiera ido acojonada, agarrada a mi bolso, seguro que me dan el susto de mi vida.

My last post about the gypsies has reminded me of another episode that happened in Madrid in the eighties. I was going to see a play of Josep Mª Flotats in a theatre in Lavapies. I got lost in the intricate little streets. It was winter and, although early (7:30 p.m.), it was already dark. I was alone on one side of the sidewalk when, all of a sudden, about five thugs (very rough-looking) appeared on the other side. I went up to them and said: "Excuse me, would you happen to know where "such-and-such" theatre is because I think I'm lost?" I caught them by surprise. They started mumbling to eachother saying: "Hey, man, do ya know where the theatre is?" another one replied: "Man, me thinks it's down the street, first one to the right". I said: "Thank you very much. You've been very kind". I continued down the street. Moral of the story: One has to treat persons as human beings, no matter what they look like. The same way as if they were wearing tuxedos. You would be surprised as to their reactions. Because if I would've been afraid, holding on to my purse for the life of me, I'm sure I would've received the greatest scare of my life.