donnylaja heroine, future edition

DR. CHO        I see St. Lewina’s still insists on a special

                        uniform.

SHANNON     That’s right.  Our uniform is wearing nothing at

                        all.

DR. CHO        I bet that took a while to get used to.

SHANNON     I think it’s easier for the first-years now.  I had

                        to do that stripping ceremony.  But starting last

                        year, they leave their clothes on the mainland.

                        Makes it seem more final.  Like there’s no

                        going back.

DR. CHO        Can you spread your left leg out a bit? . . . I see

                        a part of an old tattoo.

SHANNON     Yes.  It was a flower.  I haven’t gotten it all out

                        yet.

DR. CHO        Strange place for a tattoo.

SHANNON     I got it back when I was shaved.

DR. CHO        No tattoos, and no piercings either.  They make

                        you take everything  off.

SHANNON     That’s right.  With the piercings, the holes close

                        up after a while.  Tattoos are harder to get rid

                        of.

DR. CHO        And no shaving.  Let me say, your lower hair is

                        striking.  It’s bright red, almost orange.  Very

                        fluffy too.

SHANNON     I’m proud of it.  I was going to color it but I

                        changed my mind.

DR. CHO        A beautiful tan, also, I must say.

SHANNON     Thank you.

DR. CHO        Must have taken some careful work.

SHANNON     The problem is watching out for the high sky.

                        There’s actually more UV than when it’s clear

                        blue.

DR. CHO        I didn’t know that.  What are you, Fitzgerald

                        Type One?  Two?

SHANNON     Eleven.

DR. CHO        Eleven!

SHANNON     We reversed the scale.  Africans were the first

                        humans, so the darkest should be Type One.

DR. CHO        Makes sense.  And you split it up into twelve

                        types instead of six.