Homeless With Manners

On the rue de Grenelle, there lives this homeless man who, in below freezing weather sleeps here outside this market. I observed him for the ten days I have been here and have been amazed by his manners. When sleeping, he covers himself completely so that he maintains his privacy and when he is awake, he combs his hair, buttons his shirt up properly and sips on some coffee that someone has kindly brought him. Mostly, I noticed that when he goes "out" for the day, he makes his bed. It is so neat and tidy, just like him. Without ever speaking with him, or even making eye contact, he moved me. And so, on the day I took this picture, I went to the traiteur and bought him dinner. I placed it on his neatly made bed and hoped that he would be as moved as I was. And then I prayed for warmer weather....for him and all the homeless.