Art of Travel: "Franck"

Like every big city, Paris has it’s share of homeless people. It’s funny how after living in an area for a while, you start to notice the same homeless people over and over again and you realize that while they may be homeless this is they have a neighborhood, the same as everyone else.

Last year, living in Carlyle, it was the couple outside of Whole Foods with the dog, and the year before that when I lived in U-Hall it was the old man who shouted “On the Catwalk” every time a pretty girl walked by. They become characters who are incorporated into our everyday lives even though we’ve probably never exchanged words or had much interaction with them. Sometimes I even find myself wondering if they recognize me by some weird trait or characteristic, as I do with them.

Well here in Paris, it is no different. On my walk to school each day, I tend to notice the same homeless people, or “sans abris.” However, there is one man who sticks out in my mind. I obviously don’t know his name, but for this entry’s purposes let’s call him “Franck.” I don’t know what it is about Franck that is so fascinating to me, but I have just been really intrigued by him ever since I first realized his presence. Franck looks exactly the same every day since the first time I saw him back in September. He wears a grey, wool, sweater/coat thing, he has a long full beard and crazy hair, and the longest finger nails that I have ever seen on a man. I guess as far as appearance goes he doesn’t look much different than any other homeless person that you would find. What gets me about Franck are his mannerisms.

When I see Franck, he is never just sitting on the ground with a cup for coins, like the others. He is always walking around. Right in the mix with everyone else, as if he has somewhere very important that he is going but he never actually goes anywhere. If you spend a significant amount of time out running errands on Rue de Passy, you will see him multiple times, always heading in a new direction or place. He just walks back and forth all day long. He never seems to be begging for money or food, just always walking around almost has if he is checking up on things. After all, it is his quartier too, right?