The young boy is the artist's grandson, Jacob. We were passing a school towards the end of a long afternoon walk. Jake was trying to delay going home just yet. Giving in, I watched him outside the fence of a schoolyard in the strong slanting light and thoughts of the barriers he'll come to face and the long shadows that will come to fall across his way as his life unfolds came to mind uninvited. The haunting ghosts of those thoughts gave rise to this painting.