The Drawing Lesson

Warren Walter Waldman III went up to Sr. Mary

Grace, our teacher in the 3^rd grade. I can’t rightly

remember the actual name of the good sister for

it got lost somewhere in the malaise of a million

or more happenings which have inundated my brain

since then. I have, however, retained the name, Warren

Walter Waldman III , who became a friend of mine that

day. Warren was crying when he explained to the sister

that he tried and tried so hard, but could not success-

fully complete his assignment to draw a Cardinal, the

subject he had chosen to illustrate for the class assign-

ment that day. It just won’t come out right. It doesn’t

look anything like a Cardinal, he explained, wiping the

tears from his eyes with his shirt sleeve. Sr. Mary Grace,

knowing that I was a pretty good artist, called me up to

her desk and asked me to take Warren out into the hall

and help him finish his work which I did gladly. I told him

to watch me as I drew a Cardinal myself. Here’s its round-

ed beak, I demonstrated. And notice the pointed crown

on the top of its head, I said. And oh, of course its color

is red. See, simple as that! And Warren, smiling now with

confidence, followed my lead and proceeded to draw his

own Cardinal perfectly. He returned to Sr. Mary Grace

and proudly handed in his work. Warren got a grade “A”

for his effort that day. Likewise, I earned an “A” for mine.

That was some 65-years ago, and today my hands are no

longer steady enough to draw anything worth a damn.

Long gone now are my friend, Warren, and the drawings

of Cardinals he and I made way back then. Even now to

this day, every time I see a redbird on the branches

and hear its melodic song, I remember. Although, of

Sr. Mary Grace’s actual name, I can never be sure. But

Warren Walter Waldman III, who could ever forget a

name such as that?

Chris Hanch 9-25-19