Santa's Baby

This season, as last, Stanciu Ilie Nelu, is Papa Noel and he is a “bum”, vagabond or homeless, depending on your perception.

He is thin with blue blood-shot eyes. His hands are rough and his demeanor sometimes agreeable and sometimes somber.

Stanciu Ilie Nelu as Papa Noel
Barcelona, 2006

He has a burnt compact disc of his own music. Newspapers, magazines and this BLOG have written about him many times the past one year.

He offers ME food on some occasions and loves to have his photograph taken.

He speaks a language no one understands. His personal life is mysterious and he comes from many countries.

He is the father of two dogs who protect him with their lives.

Barcelona, 2006

And so it happened this past Saturday,wishing to take my mind off my troubles after losing somehow, someway, photographs, I asked him if I could interview him and take some photos. He happily smiled that way he has, nodded YES and I was glad.

I returned with my camera and met him at his corner office in the barrio of San Gervasi where you can find him diligently "working" come rain or shine. Any Human Resource Manager would be glad to have him on their team.

And so, we began first with the interview. Click HERE to listen.

Stanciu Ilie Nelu as Papa Noel
Corner Office of Balmes and Travesera de Gràcia, 2006

Briefly we stumbled, as you will hear. We have no common language, except for Castellano, and speaking and understanding one another is sometimes difficult.

When Stanciu finished, I gave him my recorder so that he could listen to himself. I wanted to allow him to re-record if necessary. So, my recorder and my hand were held up to his ear. All the while, an elderly by-stander watched.

As he listened to himself, tears flowed from his eyes. I don’t know why he cried, but the moment alarmed me and he assured me all was well.

Stanciu Ilie Nelu crying tears of joy and sincere by-stander.
Barcelona, 2006

I gave him a napkin to dry the tears away.

The elderly woman with the pained look kept watching and listening to the both of us. It was evident in my mind's eye that she had a soft spot in her heart for this man.

Listen to her audio HERE and while some of you might not understand her, you can hear a sympathetic voice.

When all was calm, San Gervasi’s Papa Noel sang, first in English. (Click HERE for the audio)

And then in Italian just for YOU!!. (Click HERE for the audio)

View Papa Noel and others in barcalunacy's People of Interest FLCKR photoset.

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