Oil on canvas

Jonny was the security guard at the high school where I once taught. He had been a gang member and in prison once, but now he was the reason the students felt safe. He teased and played, tormenting their armored sense of self, but when there was a threat to safety, he stood strong. Jonny was also the bell. His booming voice announced the beginning of every period. He scolded those who were late, then covered for them to spare them from detention. Jonny was the heart of the school.