A Boy In the Back

The boy gets teased for wearing Holy Keds And never Michael Jordan tennis shoes. A field trip for a Friday afternoon: Today, it’s modern art, the locals’ wing. Head down, he tags along behind his class. At least he is polite, his teacher thinks. The parquet floor makes crackling under foot. A landscape hangs along a barren wall. “In modern art, emotions bring in shapes...” Not listening, as usual, she thinks. “Look, that’s my home!” he shouts aloud and points “No, that’s the modernist O’Keeffe!” she scolds. And herds her charge with open arms past guards And docents under disapproving eyes.