gipsies are people too.

I brought some clothes to the dry cleaners at our grocery store today and while I was there, picked up some fresh orange juice. Walking out, I pass the group of boys who wait at the door to ask anyone leaving with a grocery bag if they got any "foesjes", the latest gadget the store gives away for every 20euros you spend on groceries. No, I don't have any, sorry. They look away, disappointent, to badger the next buyer. As leave, I notice that the boys are now hallo-ing and waving at someone in the doorway. One boy walks up, turns around, lifts his coat and shakes his butt before laughing loudly and running back. Then he waves angrily, probably responding to a reaction, before yelling "I'll tell them in the store!". He comes back, "I told them! Ha!", and then they all start grunting and hallo-ing. I notice the gypsy woman sitting in the doorway. She sells the Streetnews, a newspaper run by and for homeless people. Three boys, who look like immigrants themselves, continue to yell at her; a blonde boy giggles and laugs at them. I walk up to them and ask "Are you being nice to the lady?". The blond boy looks guilty and blushes. One boy starts defending himself, "but she did it first! She swore at me!". "I'm sure you did nothing to deserve that," I say. "You should be nice to her. She's a person too."

I don't know why I said that. She's a person too. As if I needed to remind them that she is human. She probably did swear at them, not that they didn't deserve it, I'm sure they were annoying, but that's beside the point. Of all things I could have said, maybe something about respecting elders or something, "she's a person too" pops out. Well meant, I suppose. But degrading. Have I so little respect for her, this gipsy woman?