@Rahmeljackson ===CORN POP CRITICAL EXEGESIS===

first, the fabula:
1. a young, Joseph R. Biden becomes the lifeguard at an integrated community pool (a rarity at the time)

2. this community pool, located in Wilmington, Delaware was a frequent haunt of a Black gang of local toughs called "The Romans". The Romans were led by the notorious and redoubtable, Corn Pop.

3. Joseph Biden, one of the few white employees at the community pool, is keen to establish himself as the legitimate authority of this space. He singles out his mostly likely presumptive challenger, Corn Pop, and instigates a conflict with him by calling him "Esther Williams".

Footnote to 3.

There are 2 highly contextual story elements endogenous to the chronotype of early 1962 Wilmington. Biden, in recounting the story in 2017, stresses their peculiarity-"And to show you how things have changed,"

He's not talking about race relations, but Pomade.

(con't)

Pomade was a water-based styling gel made from lanolin, beeswax, or petroleum jelly, and was popular (along with hair relaxer) in 1950s-60s African-American young men's fashion.

This detail is not simply "cosmetic', but ironically integral to the story's main conflict.