The street outside is very little-used but I go out there sometimes to take my rubbish down to the corner to some large trash bins. It's some distance down to the corner but it's pleasant to get out for the walk. The temperature can be brisk this late in November but it's often far from cold, particularly when the sun is shining.
As I was walking back to where I live, I came upon an old man walking, almost shuffling, slowly toward me. When he got closer, I said, "καλημέρα!" (good morning)
He said something indistinct and I couldn't quite tell what it was. I said, 'συγνώμη," (sorry or excuse me).
The old man said again, "τσιγάρο." (cigarette)
That's when I realized he was asking me for a cigarette. I offered him one and he took two. Then he shuffled on down the path without another word.
One of us is a 'ένας ηλίθιος γέρος' (a stupid old man) but I leave it to you to decide which one. The old man I met wasn't standing at the water's edge yesterday looking into the distance.
And so went my first conversation conducted entirely in Greek.
As I was walking back to where I live, I came upon an old man walking, almost shuffling, slowly toward me. When he got closer, I said, "καλημέρα!" (good morning)
He said something indistinct and I couldn't quite tell what it was. I said, 'συγνώμη," (sorry or excuse me).
The old man said again, "τσιγάρο." (cigarette)
That's when I realized he was asking me for a cigarette. I offered him one and he took two. Then he shuffled on down the path without another word.
One of us is a 'ένας ηλίθιος γέρος' (a stupid old man) but I leave it to you to decide which one. The old man I met wasn't standing at the water's edge yesterday looking into the distance.
And so went my first conversation conducted entirely in Greek.
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