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I knew plenty of kids who were beaten by their parents (usually with a belt), and I didn't get out of grade school until after 1970s.

I'm a little suprised there haven't been more posts about encounters with "gypsies" in the U.S. I'm a little reluctant to attribute the group to any common ethnic origin,because there are probably several.

I remember being in line at a Morrison's cafeteria in Florida about ten years ago when a group of them tried to scrounge a free lunch. While I was paying the cashier, some came back and said they were returning their plate for something different, one walked away with two plates and another said she wanted her money back. It was all designed to confuse.

Also, I remember from another incident in Europe longer ago than that when a friend of mine lost her passport to the Gypsies. The kids were used in the scam. They would hold a newspaper and beg for change. If you went to your purse and pulled money out, the kids would hold the newspaper over your purse and grab whatever was inside. This little girl was five or six years old. They are trained young!

Interesting, the incidents you describe.

I was in Amsterdam once, as a tourist, by myself.

I have no idea if Gypsies are connected with this incident, but what happened was that a group of about 10 children came up and surrounded me. (I carried my money and valuables in a money belt.) Then one or two of them put their hand out. They just basically kept kind of dancing around me, not hurting me, but talking--none of them were speaking in English, so I didn't know what they were saying.

I said, in English, "go away." Then I heard one of the older ones say a few words in English. I called the oldest-appearing one to my side, and said: "tell your friends, in whatever language they speak, that if you and they don't leave me alone, I am going to hurt one or all of you."

Believe it or not, the kid (who looked to be about 13) actually looked scared. The whole flock kind of drifted away.

They didn't get anything off me that day! Whether or not they were Gypsies, I do believe they were trying to somehow separate me from some or all of my valuables.