Homeless day on the tram

Much like New York City, Rome has many beggars. They tend to be overdramatic here, on their knees in front of the Trevi Fountain or begging in front of churches. Generally, I see the same homeless people in Trastevere...to the point I could recognize them anywhere I go. One lady has an imaginary friend who she yells at all the time...one time I saw her sitting at a coffee shop outside with a coffee for herself and one for someone else, I assumed it was for her imaginary friend-they must have been getting along that day. Anyway, It's times like these I really wish I knew what they were saying when they speak in Italian.

So one day after school, I get on the tram to go home. The part of the tram that I walked in

had two homeless guys on the inside sitting on the floor with their huge dogs who were also on the floor laying down taking a nap. Because there was little room of where to stand, I stood right by the door. Trying to figure out what was going on, I was watching the dogs and looking at them. Out of the corner of my eye I see one of the homeless guys staring at me. I looked up and sure enough it seemed I was getting the death stare. I was scared out of my mind because he never looked away the entire tram ride. While this was going on, another homeless guy who I see often gets on the same tram, but up one door since there was no room by us. He was filthy looking with long greasy hair and dirty clothes. He was carrying a large bottle of god knows what, but it was orange and he was stumbling around. I imagine it was some kind of alcoholic drink (oh ya-the time was 1 pm). So he gets on, and if you know me at all you know I love

to people watch. So, I kept my mind busy by observing the other homeless guy. Next stop, a homeless girl gets on and it looks to me like it's his girlfriend. She is filthy as well and she grabs his drink and starts chugging while she's stumbling around the tram as well. It was quite entertaining to watch these two because for some reason they wouldn't hold on to the bars and when the tram would stop and go the girl almost fell about 3 times as she got whipped around the tram. They were talking extremely loud and everyone was looking at them. All of a sudden, the homeless girl takes out a cigarette and starts smoking!! on the tram!! I know Italians don't follow rules and all but I have never seen that one before. Thankfully, it was my stop next. I got off that tram trying to grasp what I just witnessed in about 10 minutes and wondering what the chances were, out of the 15 trams running that day, they all happened to ride the same tram as I did! hmm..interesting.

The overdramatic lady in front of hundreds of tourists by the Trevi Fountain.