V/O: She remembers the guy in the pinstripe suit who made fun of her father’s car.
[SFX: Ambient restaurant sounds]
V/O: She remembers the nice guys, the nasty guys and the one who came on the date with his mother.
[SFX: (Continuing)]
V/O: When she looks at me, she hears again the pained silence every time her parents told her she must hurry, choose, marry.
[SFX: Forks and knives touching plates. Nobody speaking]
V/O: And she remembers running away. She remembers the pinch of the air as she unzipped her tent on the Swiss Alps and stepped out under the black sky, the snow compacting under her feet.
[SFX: Car driving away.] [Ambient mountain top with wind swirling] [Tent unzipping]
V/O: She remembers the North Star’s single beam of white light and how she pictured old sailors braving ocean waves believing that one star would guide them.
[SFX: (Continuing).] [Footsteps on snow.]
V/O: When she looks at me, she remembers when she decided she’d rather swim against the tide than get washed away by it.
[SFX: Wave sounds] [Ship bell rings in the distance]
V/O: And she remembers the promise she made herself, and the freedom and independence she’s lived her life with since.
[SFX: Wave sounds]
V/O: All this when she looks at me. And I am ink.
[SFX: Buzzing]
V/O: I am the simple black outline of The Alps; the North Star risen above. I am on Violet Zhang’s left shoulder. I am her tattoo.