Gypsies

     There was a time, believe it or not, when your correspondent spent a lot of time in pool rooms years past. And the reason was because of three cushion billiards table. unlike pool tables three cushion tables have no pockets. Three cushion tables are all about geometry and not trickery. To see an example of the game watch a movie called "Lady for a Day" made back in the 1930s. It is ,basically, the same story as "Pocketful Full of Miracles" made in the early 1960s. The earlier motion picture was made when pool was considered outre' and three cushion an art.
     The reason that your truly brings this up at this time is because of Gypsies.  Anyone who has travelled in southern Europe is aware, Gypsies are a problem. Women have to hold their handbags closely and men have to keep their hands on their wallets an passports to prevent themselves from being robbed by Gypsy children.
     It may appear racist or ethincist, but the truth of the matter is that a lot of Gypsies are just damn crooks, thieves and cheaters despite what they say.
     Back in the day when your faithful correspondent was haunting pool rooms it was made clear to him. Your writer had, and still has, a custom made billiard cue. There was no way that it could have been mistaken for a house cue because of the wrap on the thick end of the cue. At said pool room there were a group of gypsies looking for something they could get. One day your faithful correspondent left his cue on a billiard table for a few minutes to go get a cup of coffee. When he came back the cue was gone despite the fact that he had paid for the table for a period of time. Being pretty angry and a natural detective he started stalking through the pool room looking for his cue. He found a Gypsy boy using your writer's cue to play 9 Ball (quell horror!) among a bunch of Gypsy men. Your writer approached said boy and said, "Young man! I believe you have my billiards cue!" The boy looked at his older compatriots. One nodded to him. Then the boy gave yours the cue with the words, "I thought it was a house cue." At which this writer took the cue and returned to his billiards practice cursing under his breath that Gypsies are not romantic and that they are, by culture, crooks, cheats and thieves.
     The point is that Gypsies know what they are. They know and embrace the culture in which they've been raised. And they don't get out the ACLU when someone calls them out for what they are. They are honest in that way. They know what they are and admit it. This is different than a lot of other groups who demand one's respect.