Street savvy traveller in Roseland, his
boyhood, South side town. Walking
home along the tracks from kindergarten

through second grade at one school,
walking to the bus stop from another
school, catching a ride from 107th and

Halsted to 111th and Halsted, trans-
ferring buses from 111th and Halsted
to 111th and Michigan Ave. at age

eight, running from home to Fernwood
Park to play — street savvy. A move to
the suburbs at age nine, fifth grade,

achievement tests — second grade math,
third grade reading — not very book
savvy. Don’t put the kid back to fourth

grade for a do-over his dad pleaded.
I’ll work with him. I’ll work with him,
too, said the teacher. On to book savvy

and deep, deep, deep appreciation at
every graduation — high school, bachelor’s,
master’s and doctorate. He, now a trail

savvy senior, heads out the door for a
jog through the woods, grateful for it
all, especially a savvy teacher and a savvy
dad.