The Greek Kerbside Weed

"Be still when you have nothing to say; when genuine passion moves you, say what you've got to say and say it hot" (D.H. Lawrence)

Weeds are things we tend to pay attention to in England when we see they're taking over the garden and strangling flowers and shrubs. Here in Greece they wave and bend at the kerbside, some tall, others brightly flowered. Sometimes they completely block the pavement forcing pedestrians to step out into the road for lengthy stretches, a hazardous decision in a country where the car is king.

You might not expect people to get hot under the collar about the 'weed issue' when the
Greek economy is so battered and fragile but it's the smallest things that are a often a sign of decay in society. They are noticed and felt, dignity is dented and people are ashamed that local councils don't have the money to keep their environment tidy. Last night my lovely landlady rescued a kitten someone had dumped in the weeds on the main road and the kitten was struggling to climb out to its probable death. She already feeds two cats but her heart would not allow her to leave the mewing kitten. She called the person who had dumped the kitten a murderer. 'Just like the bankers', she added.