The Bondi Slums

What is happening to Bondi Junction??

We always see Bondi and the Eastern Suburbs as full of the young, the beautiful, the rich, the privileged and let's not forget the  yummy mummies I do yoga with. Most in the neighbourhood usually fit into one or more of these categories.

For the past week on my way to the gym sleeps a homeless man in the old Bing Lee shop front. He is pretty set up with his shopping trolley as his bed head, his milk crate bed and  little cup of coins. But I have only ever seen him sleeping, usually with head buried under his blanket or huddled up towards the wall. Its a busy street for buses and pedestrians so I understand him tying to turn away from the hustle and bustle. Today I saw his face, he looks inches 20's, but hard to tell under the scruffy head of hair and beard. Not sure what to make of it and definitely not a sight familiar with that area of Bondi Junction. I think I found why he has just appeared there and I think this is a photo of him in this article from last week.  Bondi Culling

Today, running late for my morning yoga, a man in the street turns to me asking for help. He has blood running down his face from a blow to the head and staining his jacket. I ask if he is ok and try to get him to go to the pharmacy next door where he can get some medical attention. He is not interested and wants money to make a phone call to go home so he can clean up. All I can think of is my refreshed first aid training "any head injuries must go to the hospital". I try again to encourage him to the pharmacy where there is a phone and assumedly trained first aiders. I am also aware that I am running late to my class that I really want to get to. He is starting to get a little aggressive and not one other person has stopped to help me or him despite his appearance. I apologise and walk off, because the first thing in first aid training is protecting yourself and getting permission to provide first aid. As I walk off I hear a string of profanities pour and continue to pour from this disgruntled man.

No one around me said anything about him or even seemed to noticed him. What is wrong with people today?!

I made it to my class but it was hard to stop my mind reeling with questions of should I have tried harder to help him, what could I have done? I would have felt a lot more guilty if I hadn't heard his reaction to me deciding not to help him. If another passerby, preferably male and much bigger than me, stopped to help I may have been more inclined to stay and help. I try not to be too judgemental but in the interest of preserving my own health, I think I made the right decision in walking away from the big angry man with blood on his face.

Again - a very unfamiliar sight in Bondi Junction that leads me to ask the question "What is happening to Bondi Junction and the society we live in?"