Ford wants to be an illustrator. I interviewed him this morning after he created this elaborate scene:
Stephanie: (holding my invisible microphone) So Ford, the world wants to know more about this young illustrator named Ford. Can we begin our interview with the question, “When did you decide to become an illustrator?”
Ford: (With a mouthful of sandwich) I decided to become an illustrator when I was playing the guitar upstairs with Daddy.
S: I see. Did something or somebody inspire you? What I mean to say is, did you read a book, or watch a television program or watch somebody else illustrating when you decided to become an illustrator, yourself?
F: Yes. I was watching television on the channel they call (pause to chew sandwich) K..L…R….
S: Oh, our local PBS station called “KLRU?”
F: Yes.
S: And what show were you watching?
F: The show with the books, you know…
S: Oh, Reading Rainbow?
F: yes!
S: Well, that’s all the time we have for today, Ford. Thank you for the interview. Now let’s hear the story behind this piece you just finished. Would you do the honors?
F: Sure!
“Next to these mountains right here are some caves, do you see them? People lived in these caves and slept there. And next to the caves, next to the mountains was a huge, huge pool of water. Actually, a huge pool of atoms. And the atoms are so small, they are this small (demonstrates with his fingers, the space between his pointer finger and thumb, pressed together). The atoms bounced together so furiously that they made noise that actually woke up the people sleeping in the caves. So the people went outside the cave, and they found a portal. The went up to the portal, but the portal sucked them inside. Suddenly, suddenly, they found themselves taken by the portal to that place called…New York City. And they looked around and saw what was there. Then they went back into the portal, and the portal took them back home to their caves.”