Before you abuse, criticize, and accuse, walk a mile in my shoes.0:08
American singer-songwriter Joe South, 1969.0:14
A day in the shoes of.0:26
The city can be an unfriendly place at the best of times.0:36
Imagine then how it might feel for the elderly or the homeless, people who are often marginalized by the rest of society.0:40
So to find out what it's really like to be in someone else's shoes, two reporters went undercover, one as an 80-year-old and another as a homeless person.0:49
The results were eye-opening.1:01
An Elderly Lady by Tracy Bond.1:04
Turning 25-year-old me into an 80-year-old was no easy task.1:09
With the help of a makeup artist, I had to be covered with layers of prosthetic makeup.1:14
After putting on a shabby coat and holding tightly onto a walking stick, My transformation was complete and very convincing.1:21
Then it was time to set out to see how the world would react.1:30
Making sure that my voice sounded old and weak, I immediately tried to make small talk on the bus with the young woman sitting next to me.1:34
She stared straight ahead.1:43
She might not have heard, I thought.1:46
I tried again, but it was quite clear that the woman didn't want to talk to a chatty senior citizen.1:48
Then it was time for some shopping.1:57
At my favourite makeup counter, where the assistant usually laughs and jokes with me, she looked as if she couldn't wait to get rid of me.2:00
Later, in a music shop, my request for some CDs was met with laughter from sales assistants who couldn't believe an 80-year-old was interested in the latest chart hits.2:09
I felt incredibly embarrassed and lonely, as if nothing about me was important except that I was old.2:22
All day, only one person seemed to want to chat to me, a homeless man.2:30
He too was invisible and unwanted by society.2:35
As I finally took my makeup off, I couldn't help wondering how I would have treated 8-year-old me.2:39
Over the next 50 years, the number of elderly people in society will triple.2:46
Remember that the next time you're out and about and come across an elderly person.2:52
One day it could be you.2:57
A Homeless Man by Sam Brown.3:01
Carrying a sleeping bag and wearing scruffy clothes, I headed for the spacious shop doorways.3:05
Where the homeless spend their nights.3:12
When I arrived there, I was shocked to see men and women already curled up in most of the doorways.3:15
I got into my sleeping bag in the large, well-lit doorway of a boutique, but I couldn't sleep.3:22
It wasn't just the biting cold, but I was constantly aware of people walking close to my head, and the hard stone floor dug into my shoulder and hip.3:29
I finally dozed off, only to be woken up at about 5 AM by the cleaners who arrived to wash the steps.3:39
As I walked, people avoided looking at me and crossed the road.3:47
I walked into a café to use the toilet and I was angrily told I had to leave.3:52
At the public toilets, I couldn't believe the reflection I saw in the mirror.3:59
My eyes were red and puffy, my skin pale, and my hair was frizzy.4:04
Later, at a soup kitchen, I got a free hot meal, and I spoke to people who were on the streets because of terrible debts or family break-ups.4:13
19-year-old Rob told me that he couldn't get off the streets because he had no official identity.4:25
I suddenly remembered how many times I had walked past young homeless people and thought, "You should just get a job," forgetting that you can't be employed without an address and ID.4:33
My day as a homeless person has taught me how much the homeless need our help, not our judgment.4:45
These days, I donate money to a homeless charity, and volunteer at a soup kitchen.4:52
Maybe you could do the same.4:59
Клик по слову — перевод и «+ в мои слова» (в любом режиме). Клик по строке или таймкоду — перейти к этому месту записи.