Love Letters in Crayon: Apricot

A shade of human ingenuity and enlightened self-interest.

Every Friday afternoon, “64 to Infinity: Love Letters in Crayon” will illustrate the long, strange story of humankind in one of the 64 colors that make up this world-famous primary palette. This week we begin with Apricot, a distinctly organic shade that has remained emblematic of what it means to be human for millennia.

[it’s not a common favorite, but you can draw some interesting conclusions with it.]

There’s more inside the average Apricot than what might seem to be the subtlest separation from peach, its sister shade.

Like many members of the stone fruit family, they share a tantalizing sweetness as well as a measurable amount of the lethal toxin known as cyanide within the pit, highlighting the distinctly human ability to extract both the best and worst attributes from all things.

[concealed weapon.]

The apricot has been cultivated in civilizations across Eurasia for thousands of years, accumulating an anthology of lore along the way. A particularly noteworthy aspect of Apricot’s appeal lies in the legend of Dong Feng, an early demonstrator of enlightened self-interest.

[like many of us, Dong Feng dreamed of a more bountiful homeworld.]

This ancient Chinese medicine man dared to see a world in which his passion could earn him his place in society, bidding penniless patients to plant Apricot trees in his garden in lieu of payment.

Just a few years of this practice endowed the good doctor with a forest of trees numbering in the thousands, giving him plenty of raw materials with which to prepare his holistic remedies along with an ample harvest for trading. Dong Feng and his ample Apricot did well by doing good.

[a product of his time…like every one of us.]

From the branches that extended their blessings over the classes of Confucius to the worst nightmares of US Marines, an apricot crayon is equally comfortable within and outside your expectations. This seemingly sedate shade is filled with flavor when taken in by the interested observer, and now you see why I am obsessed with this color.

Here's hoping you found the first entry to “64 to Infinity” juicy and flavorful! Check your inbox next week as we keep it in the kitchen with Asparagus.

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[this was a real job.]

Hey, AJ here. You’ve already made my day by taking the time to check out this selection from my book, “64 to Infinity: Love Letters in Crayon!” Most writers live and die without ever being appreciated, and so every moment of your time is a personal gift to me.

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