Now who is the cat and who is the mouse here is somewhat difficult to determine. But I have witnessed this scene more than once, and it is highly amusing. The immigrants have a special channel to the police. They just know when they’re coming. And they move fast! They pack their sacks and run and hide. And then when the police clean them off the streets, and leave, the immigrants once again emerge from the shadows, spread their sheets and sell their goods.
Last time I saw this scene was in Monastiraki, where they had clogged the streets with their goods, and it was almost impossible to get through.
(One car had to drive on the sidewalk to get through! He may have been the one who alerted the police. I don’t know. But it was hilarious!)
Then word spread that the police were on their way. They packed and ran. And looked. And waited. And the police—not exactly angry, more like exasperated, like when a parent deals with an unruly and defiant child that refuses to listen!—and they stick around for a while, and then leave, and then the immigrants come back, and spread their sheets on the streets of Athens.
You decide.
Who is the cat and who is the mouse here.
As usual, WordPress is behaving rudely, and will not let me upload this piece of video. So I must send you to YouTube to watch it. Sorry… For the inconvenience. For having to make yet another trip on the information superhighway … The Internet.
WARNING: This video requires 2.53 minutes of concentration.
