Mr. SpitznagelSocial Sciences Teacher at Fenwick High School.
In high school everyone was called by their last name.
One day Sepe(pronounced Seppy) came to class with a five o'clock shadow and Spitznagel pounced on him for not being clean shaven. When Sepe didn't offer a good explanation for this Spitznagel asked him to take off his shoe. Sepe refused but with a raised voice Spitznagel insisted and Sepe was obliged to comply. Spitznagel then asked him to take off his sock and put it in his mouth. Sepe became indignant and once again refused but Spitznagel got right in his face and with a booming voice insisted again. Sepe complied and then took the sock out of his mouth. Spitznagel demanded that Sepe keep it in his mouth for the rest of class or he would get jug(judgement under God - Catholic school detention) for a week. Sepe complied.
Spitznagel did not like the way I tucked in my loose fitting shirts so I generally tried to fly under the radar. I was not a good reader and was not yet mature enough to find history interesting so I never earned better than a C grade in his American History class. However, he did manage to teach me that I had a lot to learn. We got into an argument once about The Wizard of Oz. I got very annoyed when he suggested that L. Frank Baum's book offered political commentary on America. I was so sure that it was just a kids story that I scoffed back that there wasn't anything more to it than that. He offered extra credit to anyone that would research the question. Of course the very next day someone came in and proved me wrong. Mr Spitznagel didn't gloat about it, he just moved on to the next topic. I learned to respect him. Something about that day has always stuck with me and I try to avoid speaking out in public when I am not certain about something.
Is this a bit for a reset button (a remainder from the last painting didn't jump out at me)?
ReplyDeleteAlso, is it getting harder to brush on the paint as you get thicker and thicker buildup, or it that part of the fun?
Nothing remains from the previous paintings but the texture. It is fun to add to and subtract images from paintings but I won't always go that route. I had a rare chance to revisit high school so this new theme took root.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed your story very much. Don't feel bad about not respecting him while you were in school, we're all pretty naive when we are young. It was also good connecting a face to the story.
ReplyDeleteI also found it quite 'weird' that I am in the process of reading Wizard of Oz. Just goes to show you how small of a world it is.
JUG? People make up some funny shit sometimes.
ReplyDeleteJUG was a term used in all schools. I think the Christian schools just used that to put MORE fear of God into you. I know from going to both a Christian school and a public school. JUG in both. 5 years of experience talking here...5 years, see told you we were all pretty naive.
ReplyDeleteNot that I PERSONALLY knew what JUGS were.
Ok, maybe a little....