The Hammock

 

The number of people who are living on the streets nowadays in Sao Paulo has increased drastically. I'm not too sure about the numbers although I could research and find out, however, the point of the matter is that some these people have lost their homes due to lack of jobs, after covid; some of them are involved with drugs; others just prefer to live on the streets than to pay taxes or belong or even be part of this society the way it has been structured.

People try to live the best they can on the streets. Some of them have tents that have been donated to them by some kind souls; others make box houses or even wooden shelters. Many of them have pets so they have trustworthy company. I've seen some of them that even have like a little entree or living room space outside their tents with a small table, chairs and even some flowers in a vase in an effort to make it their “home sweet home”.

But what surprised me the other day as I was driving to school, there was a hammock that was tied to a pillar and the gate of a store. In my mind, I thought it was a brilliant idea because it keeps the person safe and warm, protected from any rodents or insects creeping around at night; safe from being walked over by people who are distracted; warm because they're not in contact to the cold ground and they are protected inside the hammock from the wind. So, for the person who did this, I applaud them and I also applaud the shop owner who did not call the police on this person and let the person spend the night there.

 After a few days I noticed that the hammock was not there so I assume that the person walked a little bit more around the city and decided to set up his hammock somewhere else. It could be between two trees, a gate and a fence, the door of a place and a fence. This way people will be more protected and the government does not have to remove them from these places like human trash.

It shocks me to see that there are so many abandoned buildings and houses that could be fixed up to give these people a shelter and hope to find their place in the world or get them back on their feet instead of destroying the box homes and tents that they set up anywhere in the street.

Here's the picture that I took of the person in the hammock. I hope that soon this person will find a place to call his own, nonetheless, meanwhile continue being protected in the hammock.

 

Photo: Taken April 12, 2023

Written: April 13, 2023