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In 2003, Christos was in jail for possession of hashish. By 2007, he had been
released, but was so deeply entwined within the drug world that Vasilo had just about lost
touch with him. One afternoon in September, I was having a drink on Vasilo’s doorstep
when she told me Christos had called and was planning to drop by for a visit late that
night. Hoping to meet him I asked if I could stay until he turned up, but Vasilo said this
might be a bad idea. Until that day I had not spent much time with Vasilo’s family after
dark. Roma compounds are notoriously dangerous places after sundown, and I always
made it a point to leave before things got too wild. Children often speak of night time as
a period of fear and danger when the areas they play in are transformed into something
unrecognizable by the urine of drunken men, general destruction, and the burning of lost
toys and abandoned material. Night time is also when the police conduct raids and gangs
exact revenge. Going outside after dark is unthinkable until an individual is able to fend
for themselves. This fear contributes to a sense of instability to outside places and a
feeling that safety is tied to one’s toughness and blind courage. Children often display
these characteristics when faced with uncertain situations and sometimes while playing.
Children also develop a general disregard for toys at a young age, save the few prized
items to which they have special attachments and usually keep hidden indoors - a
practice mirroring the hoarding and hiding of culturally significant materials and
important documents their parents practice136.
That night, however, I insisted on staying until Christos arrived in the hopes of
getting an interview. We moved into the house, had a bite to eat, and passed the time
chatting and watching television. Before I knew it the sun had dropped below the
apartments to the west and Vasilo’s youngest son had fallen asleep. Her middle son,
136 The hoard is known as the Youko.