Mark Phillips' Pages: Workbook: 10/29/03: Handsome man, tall, athlete's frame, young-looking at fifty.

William H. Johnson, "Man in a Vest" (1939-40) — William H. Johnson, *Man in a Vest* (1939-40)

October 29, 2003:

Handsome man, tall, athlete's frame, young-looking at fifty. Lanky boy with a vague resemblance, very tall, scraggly-haired in a bad-boy kinda way.

Handsome man is puzzled. Lanky boy has said, "I don't really listen to the radio much." Handsome man laughs, but it's a partly derisive laugh, and partly confused. "Then how do you know what's popular?"

Lanky boy pauses, looks thoughtful, and now is confused in his turn.

"Why would I care what's popular?", he says. Then more firmly, "Pretty much you can bet that if it's popular I'm not gonna like it."

Handsome man shakes his head. It's time to nevermind this conversation. With a smile that seems forced he leads them outside, toward rising barbecue smoke signaling a more familiar world.