Jillian Paris Ferguson

To Be Free

“They’re looking because you’re talking to no one” Scene one It’s a ritual to go to art exhibits with my sister Raven, as I chat it up with her, I look around and I'm infuriated to see everyone looking at her with confusion and judgment. “Has nobody ever seen a woman with cancer before? It’s like they think all illnesses are contagious” grumbles Jerrick. I locked eyes with a European man, he gave me a slight nod and a smile. “A gesture of pity,” I thought. My sister giggles. “What?!” I exclaim. “They’re looking because you’re talking to no one”. “You’re somebody! Stop calling yourself no one, you’re everything to me, my world in fact”. “Sorry to interrupt, you seem just as uncomfortable as I tend to be at these exhibits, curious as to why you still come?” says the European man. “Well” as I pull myself together “My sister and I have a ritual, she's an art teacher and I'm an electrical engineer, I love to break apart machines and piece them back together into something entirely different, so I have a deep appreciation for art but not for the people who possess them.” “Looks like we are men of like minds, lovely to meet you two” he hands me a card with an address scribbled and gives me a nod and a smile and disappears into the crowd. “Curious..”