The overthrown King

Walking down the street towards the Utrecht city center while taking the first pictures with my Leica, I noticed him standing there taking his shirt and shoes off. Other pedestrians were trying their best to ignore him. Trying. In fact he was taking several shirts off, adapting to the hot weather. I thought – it is what it is – and continued walking to the city center.

On the way back taking the same road, I saw him sitting there. The sun shined a bit further away from him and he looked like an overthrown King, tall and skinny, resting on that bench with still dignity in his eyes and yes… very capable. I walked pass him and paused, hesitating if I should go back and ask. And what should I ask? Finally I did, and with a soft voice he answered.. “Yes. Sure.”

Utrecht, 2007