Pete & The Street Man

Over my days in Torino just a block up from  our apartment there was a man with his life laid out around him. Several cardboard boxes flatted out to make a bed and old sleeping bag and ripped old pillow + the cloths he was dressed in. 

It is a truly confronting site in any big city and we saw loads of them as we made our way on foot around the city of Torino.

There were many a beggar with a cup and a sad face stooped over and supported on crutches. 

Trouble is some of the beggars stand up once they have finished " work " for the day and go home..... so it is hard to know who if any to give to. Sure I'm a tourist and they know it, so you are a target for them all to try their luck....

But my man, he was different.

I never saw him drunk, drugged or begging for money. He just seamed to sit there day in day out under his sleeping bag taping a old plastic coke bottle to a rhythm or tune in his head against the brick wall behind him.  On one of my early morning walks I see in the distance a figure and it's my man walking head down towards me, but no eye contact was ever made, with his head low not wanting to make any eye contact with anyone.Today I noticed from a distance that with all his dirty dark clothing that he has bright pink shoes. Cool I've been looking for different Italian shoes everywhere ( it is sometimes so strange what goes on in my head ! )  but as I get closer I notice that they are not cool shoes just bits of bright pink rags wrapped around his feet. It was just too sad and it did my head in. Later that morning when he is back at his spot I walked up to him and crouch down and try to chat. He looked like he is in his early 30,s he looked at me with my Aussie hat and I pointed to my Aussie pins and said I was Australian and I asked if he would like my shoes, he looked at me and just shook his head Nhoooo. His eyes were so timid I asked if he could speak English but again a kind head shake Nhoooo. We had a few more seconds of exchange eye contact and I left.

The next morning I walked early and he was in his spot again this time I walk and leave a pair of slip on black boat shoes with great rubber soles and as they are elastic tops I thought that they should fit him. No eye contact was made today and I said I want you to have my shoes. As I walked off an old Italian lady walking past clasped her hands on to her heart and thanked me. 

I turned around 50 m away and he was putting on my old shoes and with his head still down he walk away.

The next morning as were are leaving to catch the train to France I wrap up a old white shirt and a pair of black well worn jeans with some leftover food and bottled water from our apartment. I take it up when he is not there and leave it near his sleeping bag with a little Koala Bear so he would know it came from that weird Aussie bloke with that hat.