(Washington) It’s cold on a midday midday in Washington, but Kelvin is at the station.
In his tent at the corner of rue M and 22e, the man in his forties does what he does every day: he paints. Often paintings, often characters from the world of superheroes. Like today, for example, where a Joker is taking shape on a white canvas that he holds on his knees.
Kelvin’s tent also serves as his home; with his right hand, he points to the back of the tent, where he also stores small propane tanks that help him heat up at night. “I’ve been sleeping here since 2013,” he explains without flinching.
His “home” is located in the Georgetown district, and is surrounded by five-star hotels and small cafes where you will be served with a smile of $ 8 lattes.
If there is a perfect metaphor to sum up Washington, a city where there is money, misery and almost nothing in between, it is Kelvin’s tent.
“Before, I lived in a shelter, but they closed everything. There are cuts everywhere, so it looks like that. There are people who have found themselves in the streets and who have taken up the drug trade, prostitution. They are the ones the police come to pick up. “
Me, the police leave me alone. As long as I don’t disturb the traders …
Kelvin
When he has collected enough donations during his day, Kelvin abandons his tent and goes to buy more tubes of paint for his future projects. He plans to paint a whole series of paintings on the various incarnations of the Joker in the cinema, from Jack Nicholson to Heath Ledger.
That doesn’t stop him from keeping up to date with what’s going on at Capital One Arena, which is 15 minutes away, but which might as well be set in another universe. “I know the Capitals won the championship a few years ago,” he said.
It’s cold, and on this weekday midday, passers-by are not so generous. But Kelvin keeps his spirits up. “I have been here since 2013; there’s a guy who’s been sleeping in front of the White House for 40 years… ”
With these words Kelvin returns to his paintings. If he has any money left, he can go to the gas station across the street to refill his little propane tanks.