"People walking in Africa. They wake up in the morning and start walking ". I forget if the phrase, nonliteral, is a book by Kapuscinski or Javier Reverte; but the fact is that in this small corner of the continent is true to the letter. You see people walking in circles or straight lines with no sense. At night they are shadows, they move in silence, aimlessly. Once, waiting on the corner of Green Market Square, I counted seven times around the square looking at a guy who walked the floor with a bag in his hands. I went, but I'm sure he broke the world record of returns to Green Market Square looking down with a bag in his hands.
At night it is even more curious language of the feet. From my balcony I can see people moving slowly, as foot-dragging, without seeking or expecting anything. Sometimes, you see them looking for food in trash (is very common to see this scene); others just come to ask fire or lunch without you realize they are near). The truth is I never ask for money, always explain that they are hungry and touch the stomach. One night, leaving a Chinese restaurant next to my house and had food left over in a bag (everyone here gets the leftovers. Even in the best restaurants delivered to you immediately. The first time I saw him I was shocked. The waiter came with a bag and two slices of pizza wrapped in foil. A friend, Delphine, living here, took it without flinching. I thought it was a bit shabby, until I noticed that just outside the restaurant left the bag on the street, next to a parking. "En minute disappears", I said. There was nobody around us then went to a nearby bar, called Chic, and as the atmosphere was a credit to the name we decided. Were ten minutes, in the, but the bag was no longer. One understands then that waste food is a luxury in this place).
The truth is I never ask for money, always explain that they are hungry and touch the stomach
Returning to my night out Chinese, crossing the street and a guy pulled out of the shadows fell upon my. I could not understand, I thought I'd ask for money, and I said no. Just at that moment I realized I was missing an eye, but instinctively went into my house. After, after understanding the scene, I thought I could give you all the Chinese food and had left over in two bags. I went out, to seek: He walked straight, by a wide avenue, I had to run a bit to catch up. I gave all the food, began to hug and bent to kiss my feet. I told him not to, it was not necessary and I saw that her eyes sparkled. I went to my house and, at a time, I turned to face him. He had not stopped; was walking in a straight line with the bag in his hands. Sometimes I have a feeling that will not stop until you come to Cairo, where the wet feet decided to turn back.
On my trip to the uninhabited northern South Africa saw people walking down the road, only, in the desert, with the feeling that they do as habit learned. There were miles away from the nearest populations. They have nothing to do and go. Jobless, without the possibility of having it, decide to go look at life in motion. Move aimlessly; advance for not moving anything.
