Panda expression
It was love at first sight when Torrio Jetson was given a giant panda mask as a "serendipitous gift." "The purpose for me was clear as soon as I saw it," the local musician says. "No hesitation—I put it on my head upon receiving it and walked around Wicker Park. I even went to Big Star and ordered tacos with it on." Reactions from bystanders have been universally positive. "I wave at them and they wave back ecstatically," Jetson says. "While driving they yell out and sing along with cheer. They come out of restaurants and ask to take a selfie with me. Very rarely does anyone respond in an unhappy manner. Parents love it, as well as kids. In a world that's so gray and dismal sometimes, I just want to brighten their day."
Originally published in the Chicago Reader.
