Kate Mattison

Have a seat by the window.

Sit looking out
Don't turn towards me
Keep your hands still
Try to let the light
Hit the left side of your face
There you go
There's a boy

So how do you know Ray?

It's okay if you talk
I don't mind
I don't mind if you talk
It won't bother the drawing
Just as long as you keep still
But you can talk

He said you two met
In the park
Is that what happened?
Were you jogging in the park?

He goes jogging all the time
Every morning for an hour
I don't know how he does it
Must be how he keeps up his physique
He has quite the body
Don't you think?

Please don't move
Stay still
I need you to stay still

I love his body
That's why I let him jog
Even though it's unsettling
To wake up every morning
And not have him there

I should be used to it by now
But it still comes as a shock
Waking up and not finding
The person you fell asleep with
Right there next to you

It's not the way
A woman should begin her day
Don't you think?

Hands still, please
If they start to shake
I'll have to ask you to leave
I can't work
If you're shaking

And why would you?
There's no reason to
Nothing to be nervous about
People sit for paintings all the time
It's nothing
Absolutely nothing

Do you like Ray?
I know he can be a bit much
He doesn't seem to have
Many male friends
And that's always bothered me
Because it's important
To have friends
Of one's own gender
Don't you think?

But he's always gotten along
With women

My girlfriends just love him
Love having him around
I supposed I should be concerned about that
But Ray's eyes never seem to wander
Not towards them
Not at all

Anyway

I was so glad
When he brought you up
Because he never brings up men
Never seems to be able
To make friends with men
It's never occurred to me why

After all
He is so pleasant
To be around
Don't you think?

Keep looking towards the light
Stare straight at it
That's a boy

You're very attractive, you know
I imagine you must have
Loads of girls
On and about you
All the time

Is that true?

You can speak
I told you that
Didn't I?
Didn't I say
You could speak?

I'm so happy Ray recommended you
He must recognize how exquisite
Your body is
Just like his
The two of you
Actually
Have very similar builds
I wonder if he's noticed that

Any fool could see it

Keep looking at the light
I know it's hard
But you have to try
It's hard to stare
Straight into the light
But you must
It's essential

I have trouble with it too
But I overcome
Because I must
Because to be an artist
You have to see
You have to see so clearly
Everything around you

There you go
That's a boy
That's exactly what I want