“That’s corny,” said a little kid named Anthony who was watching me work on a public library computer. “What did you say,” I said close to the spirit of Clint Eastwood on a bad hair day. “Nothing,” he said with a cough that concerned me. “No. Really. Which of my designs is corny to you,” I asked, silently admitting to losing focus and objectivity.

This mild-mannered graphic journalist can use some help to sharpen vision.

“Corny. Corny. Corny. And that’s really corny,” he said reminding me of a famous take-no-prisoners editor-in-chief of The Daily Planet. “I don’t like Bat Man. I like Super Man,” Anthony fearlessly concluded when I asked who was his favorite super hero.

And then there was a little girl named Angela.

She was too polite to say THAT’S CORNY!!! Instead, she suggested moving my artwork around to create a pattern of visual language understandable to all colors on Earth. Say what? I think the Chinese have a name for art direction like that and it’s not corny. Shang Chi? No. Wait. That means the evolution of a human spirit. Anyway, Angela’s uncle was Officer Jesse Nazario who worked at the precinct on Story Ave in The South Bronx. Brothers-in-blue and family held his memorial at the church next to the library where her older cousin is head librarian. How poetic I’m blogging an exceptional story about family from the library of my childhood. How mysterious life is.

Before I gave Anthony my last minutes of computer time to play his games, I suggested he pick up a pen and draw so he can teach what’s corny or what’s not.

After all, teachers are still learning.

I’m still learning.

Bronx, Baseball & Beyond copyrighted by Daniel Angel Aponte

http://southbronxtourdeforce.blogspot.com/