This is silly... it still IS the season....

You should never go out 'on the Square' if you feel vulnerable.

It's a BAD idea. I just went out to get snigarettes, and something to eat.

I got accosted by three twenty-somethings, one of whom wanted to cadge a cigarette, and the bus was coming... Like RIGHT THEN. They were sort of fueled up and a bit rowdy... for Austrians... And I said, 'The one I am smoking is my last, otherwise I would gladly give you one. But the bus is coming.'

They have LED signs up at the stops which tell you that, and mine was in 0 minutes...

So we got on, and they were moufing off in the back about not having tickets. (I did.) And I got off, and didn't think about it much. I went into the tobacconist up there, and there was one woman YELLING at a Middle East guy, because he wanted to return something he'd bought, but it 'seems' he called her a tramp, 'Schlampe', and that is REALLY crass here. They were Really into it... So I went to the next lady, got my sniggies, and asked---'errm Are we having a full moon?' She was so incensed about the other guy, she didn't hear, and I'm sort of quiet when I speak. I repeated. (Are we having a full moon or something????) She cracked up. 'Sonny, this is the TRAIN STATION, it's ALWAYS the full moon.' And laughed.

So hokay. I got me some fish at the snoopermarket, and was waiting patiently in line at the check-out. Nothing unusual. And the snigarette cadger was behind me and said, 'Oh LOOK! 'Da Boss' is getting fish and white wine. Shouldn't you be getting red? Good for the blood pressure.'

I gave him one of my classic 'looks'. And I said, 'KID? It doesn't stain your teeth, and I'm waiting for my first stroke.'

I just wasn't feeling subtle, you know? And what is it with the 'boss' thing? I get it all the time. I must come off as arrogant without even trying... Can't figure it out, hey.

He apologised, but Then I heard his friends address him by name. Same as mine.

We have a cute word for that.... 'name cousin'. I shuddered. And I wasn't gonna get into it.

And I thought... 'Why did you leave the house this evening???'

Listen: when I first came here, NO ONE had my first name. NO one. You couldn't even get a corfee mug with that name on it. And all of a sudden, there are a mess of them around. Which I find weird....

They don't seem to fare well... I know of one who is paralysed, for instance. Ski accident.

Came home sort of shattered.

I don't 'get' some things, honestly....