Biography in Crayola
Fuzzy Wuzzy: Color of fragile girl. Plainjane named Emilia. Never to go out, never where mom and dad can’t see. Color of unfairness. Color of little girls only allowed to be dolls but never action figures.
Atomic Tangerine: Color of Griffith’s tunnel when riding through on weekends, mom singing to radio Counting clouds coloring book in lap, feet on dashboard click-click-click, goes train on tracks overhead Good color. Safe color. Color of calm. Color of happy. Before Reuben. Before Big Bad Wolf. Before the end. O to live in that tunnel forever. To live inside a color forever.
Raw Umber: Color of coffin worst color. Forbidden from lunch box.
Absolute Zero: Color of born again. Like the one true samurai! Bluehero sunset as he sashays through the village. Watch him as he goes, crazyeyed glintpupils stubblechin. Crooked smile, confident as cocked trigger. Color of fear struck down. Color of revenge, everything true, and the Big Bad Wolf’s worst nightmare soon to come.