PAPA SMURF

It started with phone booths in foreign countries. When I saw one, I wanted a picture as if I were calling someone from that country.

I advanced to colleges. I'd stand in front of a library or some building designating a specific university and act as if I were on some kind of special teaching assignment there. It wasn't always in a foreign country, because I remember several pictures taken of me at Harvard.

After I tired of those pictures, I moved on to characters. I had a field day in Zurich last summer when the city celebrated teddy bears. They had all kinds spread out on some of the main streets: Care Bear, Mont Blanc Bear, California Surfing Bear, Builder Bear, Spiderman Bear, Spikey Bear, and a host of others. Even some were in cases for protection. I guess they were Valuable Bears.

I found Papa Smurf in Vienna. I knew it was a photo op. Why? No idea. But I had my picture taken with him. I'm the one on the right.

I think I'm done with characters, now. Gone also are phone booths and colleges. Once I've moved on, I've moved on. It must have something to do with validation, but I'm not sure why or what I'm validating.