11p.m.

in the alley
Quentin NANOU
It’s a cold November Saturday night in Paris. Lying around in my
cozy apartment, I think it might be many other ways to ruin my
night.

That’s how I convince myself to take a hike. It’s freezing outside

and people are all covered with gloves, hats and these damn Canada
goose jackets, counterfeited for some of them.

Anyway,

I’m walking while listening to my fav playlist, earphones on. The

street is kinda crowded. People peeing on the left, people drinking
on the right, a basic weekend night in town.

As I keep walking I can see a man seating on sidewalk with a sign on

the right and a bag on the left. I can barely read “Too ugly to be a
whore”. Funny eh? This was definitely hiding a form of loneliness.
Something no one would care about. It’s like you are screaming and
no one can hear. You expire at the top of your lungs but it’s
inaudible.

First I kept walking, really embarrassed and looking straight to the

tar. Yeah, who was I to help this guy? Would my help have been
sufficient? Maybe he didn’t want to be helped by anyone, just to
make sure his dignity is still on? What should I do to help him?
What should I say? Maybe he is alcoholic? Maybe he is dangerous.

Damn I’m starting to ramble. This could have been one of these
options indeed but I will never know as I keep walking. Sorry but
you will have to stay with me a few more minutes cause this is not
what happened.

As a matter of fact I have walked maybe 5min then I stopped.

Thinking. Some people were looking at me thinking I was probably
lost or insane. I was so focused on what would be my next action
that I didn’t really care about that.

1
I decided to turn back. To turn back and to give at least a 10 euros
bill (sounds better when it’s a dollar bill though) to this guy
sitting in the alley.

I said hi, he said hi. I smiled, he didn’t. It’s a no-brainer. I

mean why would he smile? He didn’t know me and he was sitting under
a freaking Saturday night in the alley.

I gave him the bill and he thanked me even if there was no reason to
do so. He was really thankful. After saying you’re welcome, classic
politeness I decided to sit with him a few minutes. He wasn’t
excepting this he told me. Most of the time people barely look at
him just to avoid being/feeling rude.

We talked for I don’t know maybe 2 hours. He was so kind.

Then I realized how simple are things when you stop thinking and you
start helping. He was my new friend. Jeremy. Sleeping in the street
after breaking up with his girlfriend and losing his job.

A good looking lady passed by looking at me like hey what are you
doing. Not really shocked but more misunderstanding why I was caring
so much. She seemed to be in a hurry though. We all are in a hurry.

Anyway,

I was sleepy, thought it was time for me to get home. Of course I

was uncomfortable leaving Jeremy without asking if he wanted to
sleep at my home tonight. I asked. He said no. I didn’t ask why
because he it was probably none of my business to know the reasons.

This is how and went back to my apartment. I don’t why but I had a
feeling of pride towards me. Don’t know what Jeremy would do with
this 10 euros bill but I know that I have been able to give him some
comfort.

But what about tomorrow? Would he still be sitting there? What if he

passed away during the night? Or injured? Or sick? Oh, I am starting
to ramble again. I decided to sleep and promised to myself to pay
him a visit the next day after work.

The next day after work I fulfilled my promise. I went to the alley
but no one was there.