Tuscaloosa, Alabama

This image was taken on Dec. 21, 2002 during an expose of the secret life of a mall santa that I shot for the paper. Of the many images I shot that day, I liked this one the best, but it never ran as part of the series. Too dark, too depressing, too raw. People say they want reality, but they don’t. Not really. Everyone wants the fairytale, wants to believe in the happy ending. People see what they want to see and close their eyes to the rest. Maybe it’s better that way. No one wants to see Santa cry.

Music of the day: I Still Do by The Cranberries