Hex

I came a cross this on a wall downtown. It sounds like some sort of play that Tom Brady would call in the huddle. Pliers left, 72, hex, break. I'm still a bit confused about it. If it's graffiti, then it's the neatest street art I've seen in a long time. Sometimes I roll over at night and find myself back at Cloutier's Amoco, searching desperately for my pliers or wire cutters. When the paper bundles were dropped off the truck each afternoon, they were secured by crisscrossed wires that held my package of 75 or so Portland Evening Expresses together. You needed one of these tools to cut the wires, pack your bag with papers and get on your way. My route was 15 or so in our back neighborhood then straight down Forest Avenue taking in all the side streets. Leo's was straight down Stevens Avenue covering all the streets and roads off that main drag. Often, we raced, walking... ah, running, biking and in February using our sleds. Deliver all your papers successfully and meet at Vivian's for a burger and Coke. We were both pretty good at it. If the weather cooperated and the fates were smiling upon us that afternoon, we usually were done and drinking our sodas within 35 minutes. We were good!