The 5:19 a.m. train enters the station.
Sitting on the bench on the RER B platform heading south from the Gare du Nord, Djeneba watches a ballet which is no longer surprising to her.
Against the backdrop of classical music, the crowd suddenly begins trotting down the escalators to rush into the carriages.
The aurora also has its peak hour.
This time, she decides not to rush onto the train, which is packed to capacity.
“I’m too tired to run,” she says to Fanta, sitting next to her, who nods.
She'll take the next one.
Djeneba is 46 years old, four children and three jobs as a cleaner in two subcontracting companies.
She sleeps about five hours a night, less time than she spends commuting each day.
For this, she earns around 1,500 euros net per month.
Under the beige scarf with yellow flowers in relief that she wears on her head, her skin is hardened, and deep dark circles that smile with her.
Every day, thousands of strangers meet on the platforms of the busiest SNCF station in Paris.
Djeneba knows almost everyone at this time.
" Hi my darling !
Hello Hervé, how are you?
» she greets as she passes.
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