An Untold Story

I didn't feel right taking this photograph of a young man sleeping at the bottom of a telephone kiosk. I didn't know what I should do. Should I wake him up and speak to him? Should I call an ambulance, the police, someone? The impassive woman seated behind him said to "leave him" and, indeed, it is local policy not to bring in authorities for any reason other than an emergency.

He is well dressed in that he has Nike footwear, new jeans worn fashionably low on his hips, an obviously new jacket and carry-all and he is young.

This is the first time I have seen anyone sleeping in the streets in Lucca -- or telephone kiosks for that matter. There are never any drunks in the streets. For a time there were Albanian and Moroccan men selling cigarette lighters at stop signs.There were also women holding up a sign. The signs were identical. "I am hungry and have two children to support," the words copied, one from another. They have disappeared.

I was double parked in a heavy traffic area at the Santa Maria gate and faced a 70 euro fine if caught. I left him there but I feel terribly guilty because it is cold and perhaps he was ill. I will wonder about his story for years to come.