Bad Sign
Lightning smokes on the hillrise
Brought the man with the warning light
Shouting loud you had better fly
While the darkness can help you hide
Troubles comin without control
No ones stayin thats got a hope
Hurricane at the very least
In the words of the gypsy queenSign of the gypsy queen
Pack your things and leave
Word of a woman who knows
Take all your gold and you go
(Lorence Hud, Sign of the Gypsy Queen)
A feud between two gypsy families in Southern California has offered a very rare look at a normally very secretive culture. Instead of settling their dispute the old-fashioned way, it has spilled out into the California courts.
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. - A dispute between two Gypsy clans over control of the fortune telling trade in this Southern California city has spilled into court, offering a rare glimpse of an insular culture that has long settled scores according to its own Old World rules of honor.
The turf war in well-to-do Orange County has unfolded like a gangster movie, with allegations of death threats, a graveside scuffle, and nicknames like “White Bob” and “Black Bob” — details revealed in a police report and requests for restraining orders.
“The older Gypsies are pulling out their hair, not wanting the courts in our business because they’ll find out too much about us,” said Tom Merino, who is distantly related to one of the clans but has spurned his heritage. “Ignorance is the Gypsies’ weapon against the outside world.”
The Stevens and Merino clans, like other Gypsy families, have run numerous fortune telling businesses in Southern California for decades.
Apparently the Merino clan opened a fortune telling parlor in what the Stevens clan considered their turf and the dispute just escalated. Interesting look at how the old culture is giving way under modern pressures. One question: since they are fortune tellers, couldn't they already see how it would turn out and avoid the lawyer's fees?
By Jonn Lilyea, Thursday, 6 December , 2007 @ 2:28 pm
“since they are fortune tellers, couldn’t they already see how it would turn out and avoid the lawyer’s fees?”
Brilliant observation, but don’t anger the gypsies.
By Lars Walker, Thursday, 6 December , 2007 @ 3:59 pm
I’ve often been irritated by the treatment of Gypsies (or Romani, or “Travelers”) on television shows. They are always presented (nowadays) as victims of prejudice. End of story. They’re victims, and that’s all that’s to be said.
These are people who believe it morally acceptable to con your grandmother out of her life savings. I won’t say I have no sympathy for them, but they’re low on my list.
By NortonPete, Thursday, 6 December , 2007 @ 4:21 pm
I attended an upscale wedding in Pasadena. I forget the place but it was huge and there was another wedding going on at the same time.
I noticed quite a few attractive “brides” in white wedding dresses at the other wedding. I was told that they were attending the wedding which was a gypsy wedding.
I couldn’t help notice how attractive they were when bang, gun fire rings out , everyone is running and the place starts locking all the doors. I was told later that someone looked at someone the wrong way.
Now this story could be applied to just about any ethnicity, but its my only experiance with gypsies so its seared into my memory.
By martian, Friday, 7 December , 2007 @ 10:44 am
“since they are fortune tellers, couldn’t they already see how it would turn out and avoid the lawyer’s fees?”
Gaius, how dare you bring logic into the discussion? Next thing you know, you’ll want to apply the same standards to liberals and Democrats - then where would the world be?