Casa Robino

It is so strange how ones faith in humanity can be restored time and time again by thoes wonderful people who pick us up , give us food, drink and shelter when we need it the mos, and yet this faith is crushed so easily by the stupid remarks of one small minded person.

As we sat beneath the ancient apple, plum and pear trees, with the clear nights sky dazzellig above us, eating fancy cheese and drinking expensive wine, i realised just how much this scene looked like something out of a Bertolli advert. It was simply idyllic. And of course we hitch-hiked to Belgium just to be there, what else were we to do? In the morning we stuck out our thumbs and were back in time for Ineke's first class. Being the lovely person that i am, i decided to come with Ineke for moral support and to meet some of her class mates soon to be friends.

We were dropped off at the school by a lovely ride in a very fancy car who drove out of his way to drop us there. So with hitching signs still on our back and me happily kicking off my shoes we enterred the libary to print off some sheets Ineke needed for her lecture. As we were stapling said sheets together a voice behind us enquired "What are thoes bits of cardboard for on your back? what do they say?" We replied amicably that they were hitch-hiking signs and that we had just come from Belgium a few hours ago and that is why we had them with us. "So what did you have to do to the guy who gave you a ride? Did you give him a blow job?"

Is this really what people think of hitch-hiking? The guy didn't even know my name at this point and already he was accusing me of prostitution simply because of my chosen mode of transport. And of course, the judgement didn't end there. He went on to tell me that only people who didn't know what they wanted chose to study law (yes because i am going to go through all that hard work because i am just too indecisive) and that no one would give me ajob, let me into a court of law, or take me seriously with the tiny tatoo i have on my hand that means more to me than anyone can ever know. And because i don't have a job at the moment and my study doesn't start until october this obivously means that my life is meaningless. I pity anyone who can only see their life as having meaning when they have a job, i truly hope he never gets laid off.

Why did he feel it neccessary to be so judgemental? My lifestyle choice does not effect him in any way. I am happy, truly happy and have been for a long time, isn't that all that matters? Maybe this is what really bothers him, not the way i dress (he had a feild day on the lack of shoes) or the way i travel but the fact that i can do all this, stay focussed enough to study and be blissfully happy. I haven't had to deal with people like him since high school, i somehow believed people grew out of it...

I am so blessed to have perfect moments like this followed swiftly by the reminder that i have still a lot to learn. Instead of simply ignoring the guy as was probably the right thing to do, i took the bait and attacked. I put him down in front of all his friends and made him lose face, although this was extremely satisfying at the time, on reflection it would maybe have been better to take the high road?

I do hope there is no one like this living on my floor in uni...