Friday, June 18, 2010

Ethiopia - The Sleeping Where You Get Tired

I think the most unusual sight among The Fisherman's photos was the peculiar sight of people laying down sleeping anywhere and everywhere. 

I asked The Fisherman if these were drunk people and he said, "No. They're just people who laid down to sleep, right in the middle of wherever!" 

Are they homeless?  Are they foot travellers to the city?  Come in the hopes of finding work and ended up alone and with nowhere to stay?  What are their stories, I wonder. 

It appears they just lie down to sleep wherever they get tired.  Doesn't seem to matter where.



Or how public or bustling.
 
Right on the sidewalk...



or right on the street



or tucked securely under the tiniest overhang of a wall...
(with rocks securing your blanket and possessions)




...or right next to a door.




It doesn't seem to matter how many people pass by you, you're just so dog tired you've got to sleep.  Even on the rocks...




...even on a short wall...




...or on the sidewalk along the front of the wall...



...or at an angle to the wall...



...or even perpendicular to the wall.



People just leave you be, passing nonchalantly by like it's an everyday occurrence...which it must be.



How vulnerable! 
Especially with one arm slung out straight into the walkway...



Most of the sleepers seemed to sleep straight, but then there's this guy who curled up.   


"Hmmm, there's a guy sleeping on the sidewalk. I think I check my phone messages."

WOW.

1 comment:

  1. WOW indeed.
    Hi Judi,
    I have slept in some strange places in my time, including a UK phone box...with a friend!...but I don't think I could ever get comfortable enough to just lay down and sleep on a public pavement.

    ReplyDelete