Javier
As a young man, Javier wanted to work with old maps, charting the history of the city. Instead, he has become a part of its history instead. For as long as he could remember, Javier’s mother ran a little bar in heart of Raval. She dedicated her life to both Javier and the bar, and, wracked with social anxiety and shyness, Javier too came to cherish this rundown, unfashionable but safe and welcoming place. As his mother’s health weakened Javier promised never to let bar go, and it remains untouched to this day. As a result, we find a place, a person, and a story that’s charming, touching, a slightly odd, and a little out of place.
But In a city, and neighbourhood, of constant reinvention, perhaps Javier, and his tiny bit of living history, deserve a more prominent position on the map.