Changes

I imagine a girl reading the book secretly, curled up in her bedroom, or hiding in a nest of blankets on her couch when no one is home. She’s in her pajamas, sans makeup or hairdo. If she wears contacts, right now she’s in her glasses. She’s all alone, so that she can immerse herself completely in her story, and so that she’s not encumbered by wondering how others see her or what they think of her. Appearance, reputation, and popularity don’t matter here. It’s just her, the book, and me.

JB: Judith came first, but the world she inhabited followed close behind. They’re so deeply connected here. If Judith had lived in a different world, I hope she wouldn’t face the same silencing. If she lived in another world, perhaps this wouldn’t have happened to her in the first place.