Unexpected Rage

Sibari, Italy---Something really strange happened on Tuesday as Shirish and I waited with others for the van driver to take us to market. As we stood against the railing separating us from the water below, the man from the boat tied up behind us stopped in front of Shirish.

Cheerfully Shirish said, "Are you coming with us?"

Then what followed was baffling. The Czech man spoke English well enough and "went off" on Shirish about what he felt Shirish was at fault for. Invading personal space, the man rambled on about letting water run when people around the World needed water. (huh?) Claiming Shirish's kids broke the lounge fridge and left the lights on all Winter (what? Shirish was there for 7 months, he showed up a week ago). Shirish tried but could not get a word in until he ran out of accusations. Finally, Shirish calmly tried to explain about Wintering there with little water usage, the water runs brown at first, it has served as our drinking water and our water filters are delicate...besides "is washing your boat a good use of water? We never wash our boat, the sea does that"...but the angry man didn't want to hear a thing.

It was nothing less than rage.

Then he threw in the "You Americans..." statement and I let out a big "Hey!" feeling extra defensive as well. The others in the crowd stood in stillness shocked at this display of anger.

At one point, I think I could have measured 3 inches between their noses as the Czech yelled and Shirish tryed to defend his boys and his actions.

The Czech was good friends with the Mean German who had recently shown up as well. He sited "witnesses" to all this claims and turned and stormed away.

Shirish was almost shaking with the anger that comes when you are not allowed to defend yourself. Having loaded onto the Van, we discussed the fact that Juno, makes electricity with 2 windmills, fresh water at sea with a water maker (converting sea water to delicious water!) and none of the accusations we remotely correct. He was just an angry man with an American chip on his shoulder.

When we returned from market, the Raging Czech's boat was gone. Moved, I'm sure, away from the "Americans."