The Flower Guy

"The flower guys" are the probably the most hated group of people in Rome. If I see one coming towards me holding roses, I know immediately to look down or away from him. Some of them are very bold and force the roses into your hand. This exact scenario turned into a ten minute conversation with "the flower guy" the other day.

Tyler and I were sitting in Piazza del Popolo before returning to school a few days ago. I will just say that we were sitting like Italians. Take from that what you will. A flower guy came up to us and dropped a white rose into my lap. I said I did not want the flower, but he would not take it back. I ended up pushing the flower to the ground. We then began a ten minute conversation in English.

The flower guy asked if Tyler and I were married, then asked us a few minutes later if we were cousins. How do you go from married to related? Mystifies me. He told us that he was a student of science and when we inquired as to what he studied, he responded with physics, chemistry, and biology. I think he just said any general study of science that he could think of.

I am curious as to how someone decides to sell flowers in Rome. I have this image of a rose mob boss organizing the rose selling industry in Rome. The flower guy told us he needed to make 300 euro a month. When I asked him how he got into selling roses, I did not get an answer. I do not know if I will ever get the answer to this question, though.

Clearly, the rose selling industry is not where the money is. I suggested that he go to America instead to work at McDonald's. This comment may have been in jest, but he seemed to consider it..

In the end, he still tried to give me a rose. He would not take no for an answer. Tyler gave him 27 cents and he gave me a white rose.

We basically ripped off the flower guy.