Safety

I must have painted her a dozen times with watercolors.

She wore her bike helmet as a prop. It made her seem even more naked and her body more vulnerable with just her head protected. “I like to be safe.” She lies to me. I have often given her a hard time for not wearing a helmet when she rode her electric scooter. I think she only wears it when she comes to see me.

“I would be embarrassed for you to see me dance for the first time.” she tells me.

Her face is half hidden by the fur trim on her hood. I say “I almost can’t believe you have never been out to dance before.” she corrects me ”No, I have never danced before.” “Not with anyone?” I ask, “No, not even alone.“ she responds.

We went out dancing in public for the first time at the Bushwick club Elsewhere. We arrived early. She checked her fur trimmed coat and went inside. The opener’s DJ set was just going on in the Main Hall. It was a big dark room and we were the first ones there. They had a disco ball hung on the ceiling radiating golden light throughout the room. We danced together with our eyes closed until the room felt full enough to be anonymous.