What do they think about while on duty, motionless, mostly expressionless? Buckingham Palace, London. The King’s Guard. Sentries at Buckingham Palace and St James Palace are on duty for 24 or 48 hours, 2 hours on, 4 hours off. A sentry will come to attention every 10 minutes, slope arms and march across their post, normally about 20 paces in total. Having repeated this four-five times, the guard halts, shoulders arms and returns to standing at ease. It is in the orders for the sentry that are read out to them at the beginning of their 'tour of duty', "you may not eat, sleep, smoke, stand easy, sit or lie down during your tour of duty.” What does one think about when motionless but alert for so long?
A barber in suburban Beirut, Lebanon. It’s a perfect opportunity for a pipe and a newspaper in between haircuts.
Cellist, downtown Beirut, Lebanon. Music, money, how long, how good, mistakes, tunefulness, something else? What does a street musician contemplate?
Tour guide, Baalbek, Lebanon. In between guiding duties. A smoke? Home? The next tourist? His script? Mind a blessed blank for a moment?
Hasidic Jews, downtown Jerusalem. What to read? What to listen to? How to avoid pesky visitors to this particular store and district? It’s anyone’s guess.
An outdoor chess match, Chicago, Illinois, USA. Simple: “What’s my next move that won’t get me in trouble five or ten or twenty moves from now.”
Fisherman, Mediterranean Sea, coastal Lebanon. Someone at this age and with this much time at his disposal can think about anything he wants, anytime he wants. Lucky guy!
“Security.” At a construction site — or is just a shop? Downtown Jerusalem. Either way, gainful employment. So what does a senior citizen, thus gainfully employed contemplate through the work day? Obviously, the fruits of a long, fine life, and … the next sip of a hot cuppa something …
