Michael

I still see my friend Michael, who allowed me to draw his portrait in exchange for many prints of it. I don't know if he managed to sell any, but when I do see him, I usually get him some lunch. He just has the most amazing look about him. Everyone in the neighbourhood loves him so when his guitar was stolen one day, a local friend helped him out and gave him one that he had in the house. Michael is part of the street life in Johannesburg. You can't miss him in Melville in the North West suburbs. With economic conditions as they are, prospects for people like Michael are grim. South African winter is just setting in and sometimes people freeze to death. Johannesburg is warm in summer but gets cold due to high altitude. It can be a very inhospitable place at times. The local metro cops are no help either, usually arresting loiterers and confiscating their blankets. It's a terrible scene as South Africa tries to keep up its image even though it is cracked and stained for all to see. Sweeping the homeless under the rug. Well, if only they left them a rug. That would at least be something.