In Romania the beginning of the second half of the 20^th century meant the instauration of Communism and its entry into the longest spiritual night. Personally, this period brought me many painful experiences because of the hardships my parents encountered. First of all, there were the large agricultural and animal allotments that were loaded in the railway cars and headed to the Soviet Union as war indemnities. Then the collectivization followed and that meant expropriation. That led my family to dire poverty.

What is in the heart of a little boy who has no father? No father to run to and say, "I hurt myself today" or "I had a fight today, but I won" or "Will you play soccer with me today?" And then, after getting a step-father, having the mother say, "Never disturb him, he is too busy."

This had a powerful effect on one little boy, me.