Silent streets: The homeless, the financially desperate, and essential services carry on
They speak with their eyes. Who are they? The average service sector worker, trying their best to stay calm, to stay strong, and, above all, to keep living during a time of global crisis.
Their inner strength and resolve are beautiful, an inspiring example of humanity. But it is their eyes that betray them. In them, you will find a guarded truth: They’re afraid and concerned about what tomorrow will bring.
“What are we supposed to do? Stop working, stop paying bills?” said Brandon, his bravado in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic contradicted by his heavy, dropping eyelids. “Rent will still be due, bills will still get sent out, and there’s nothing we can do about it.”
With the downtown area of St. Louis almost at a complete standstill — the shelter-in-place recommendation taking full effect — Brandon and his wife were, shall we say, doing something out of place for such unordinary times: setting up their hot dog cart for lunchtime.
“I don’t think we’ll get too much business,” he said. “But there has been a somewhat slow but steady stream of customers……
