He was born in the centre of Moscow in 1956.  Not wanting to do military service he opted out for the best alternative, which was to become a student in a medical school. Graduating as a doctor he found employment in a pulmonary unit (but he still smokes). He did that job close on twenty years but when ‘perestroika’ occurred things changed drastically. Money was not forthcoming for his work-place and so he found himself out of a job. He decided to travel in Europe instead. In Venice in 1996, he found he had no money. He had to survive somehow and so picked up various jobs around the place, Sometimes he was a plumber or a builder, sometimes he collected snails and found mushrooms. Eventually he took the job he still holds now: Viareggio’s bubbleman. “It’s not really a job”, he declared. “I don’t know who’s having more fun, me or the kids.”

Then one day, just over a year ago, something happened which, as the phrase goes, went viral, He was creating bubbles, as was his wont, in the passage to the Neptune bathing establishment and next to the shop with the big art nouveau number 48. Suddenly the shop owner came out and started hosing down the pavement surrounding the building. “Out of here” he shouted to bubbleman. “Why?” asked the Russian. “Get out of here you scum or else I’ll smash your head. Who are you anyway?” “I am a human. You are a fascist” replied Boris, for that was the bubbleman’s name. Then the shop owner turned his hose onto Boris, soaking him. By this time a small crowd had gathered. They liked bringing their children to watch the bubbleman. Boris has a way with them. “What’s going on?” one of the audience asked. “It’s him; I want him away from my shop-front. He lowers the tone of this neighbourhood,” said the shop-keeper.

One person was recording the incident on his mobile. A hand covered his phone lens. “Stop it” said a voice.. But it was too late. The event had been filmed and then posted on Facebook. It became viral. Eventually, Viareggio’s mayor came to know of it. He arranged a meeting between himself, Boris and the shop owner. The latter was forced to apologise. “It became a little out of hand” he admitted.

Boris told me he does many other things apart from amusing children. “I can heal people from their back pain with my massage. I also have a technique to help those who are suffering from worsening sight. My method does work. Look at me. I once had to wear two different types of glasses – now I need none.”

“And what about the shopkeeper?” I asked. “It’s water under the bridge. Who has had to pay has paid”, he replied .

Meanwhile a child came up to Boris. “I want to make bubbles myself”. “Do you really? I’ll show you how then”, said Viareggio’s bubbleman.

And so Boris took the child under his wing and showed him how to blow bubbles. The child was so happy to see the great suds soaring up in the light evening wind.  The child’s parents proudly watched.

Meanwhile the great carnival procession of the fantasia-town was taking shape. “After all,” said Boris to me as I bid goodbye , “life’s just like a bubble. Sooner or later it will pop into nothingness.”