They shrug. “Call me, he, call me she..” They slide their shades a little further down their nose to reveal focused, dark eyes beneath, bearing into your soul, almost like a test. "But what I'd much rather is that you call me they. Or even better yet, call me, me." They grin. "When it all comes down to it, that's who I am, more than anything or anyone, after all. Me."
You'd like to get a word in edgewise, but they rush on so fast, you don't stand a chance.
"I am me, just as you are you," they say. "Why do we have to attach labels to everything? What does it matter?"
You open your mouth again., but again, they push on.
"It doesn't." With those two words, they speak for the both of you.
Holding their gaze, you just nod.
"Now labels..." they trail off, thinking. "Labels," they try again, "are funny things. Labels seem to highlight what is different about us. Now don't get me wrong. Differences are great. But labels seem to take away from that. Labels seem to taint the difference, and paint it in a bad light. Now, we don't want that, do we?"
You shake your head, feeling like you have no choice but to agree, even though you're really not sure, about the idea, nor where they're going with it. "No."
They tut, as if their own view wasn't already apparent.
With a sharp inhale, they raise a finger in the air. "In that sense, differences can drive us away. What I'd really like is to focus not on difference, but on sameness. What is it that we have in common? What is there that brings us together? That unites us?" Their eyes are trained on you, as if expecting you'll have the answer.
Just when you don't think you can take it anymore, they wave a hand in the air and you feel the relief course through you like a great big sigh.
"That's what we have to find out, isn't it?"
You nod, perhaps a little too quickly, grateful.
They raise their arms, their striped poncho falling like wings and spin around, swirling the poncho in the air. They throw their head back and laugh. "Feel that." The movement of their arms creates a warm breeze that tickles your cheek. "How sweet is it? How freeing and beautiful."
You simply look back at them, at a loss for how to respond.
"That's what we need. Shared experiences. Sameness. We need to be brought closer together. What we need, more than anything, is connection."
